Joseph

Introduction

Last week we left Joseph in the dungeon, waiting expectantly on the cup bearer to keep his promise.

Waiting on God is difficult, at least for me. I really don’t like to wait, maybe I just don’t have any patience. Psalm 37 shares some interesting thoughts on patience:

Vs. 7a Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,

Vs. 9b But those who wait on the LORD, They shall inherit the earth.

Vs. 34 Wait on the LORD, And keep His way, And He shall exalt you to inherit the land; When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.

Ater all that Joseph has suffered, we might ask: why, why endure another two years? Maybe he had to learn another lesson, like depend upon God, not men.

1 Peter 5:6 “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:”

Gal. 4:4 “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,”

We sometimes fail to realize God’s perfect timing; nothing is wasted in God’s plan.

Joseph: A Man of Integrity and Forgiveness (4: Remembered and Promoted)

All whom God uses greatly are first hidden in the secret of His presence, away from the pride of man. It is there our vision clears. It is there the silt drops from the current of our life and our faith begins to grasp His arm. Abraham waited for the birth of Isaac. Moses didn’t lead the Exodus until he was eighty. Elijah waited beside the brook. Noah waited 120 years for rain. Paul was hidden away for three years in Arabia. The list doesn’t end. God is working while His people are waiting, waiting, waiting. Joseph is being shaped for a significant future.1 Chuck

Gen. 41:1-8 “And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river. And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow. And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river. And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke. And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good. And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them. And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream. And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could…”

Two long, lonely years, Joseph had waited for the chief butler to keep his promise. Then God allowed Pharaoh to have a prophetic dream. None of the Egyptian magicians: which means soothsayer priest, i.e., a class of persons in that interpret dreams and omens as well as perform (seemingly?) supernatural acts. Nor any of the wise men; which means shrewd, i.e., a capacity for understanding and discernment. Could interpret which is to give the meaning or significance of words or signs.

Actually Pharoah had two dreams, both relating to the same subject. I used to work with a gut who said: We are saying the same thing, only differently. The same is happening with these dreams. Every one is stumped, running around scratching their heads. That’s when the light bulb goes off for the chief butler, he remembers Joseph

Gen. 41:9-13 “Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day: Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard’s house, both me and the chief baker: And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream. And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret. And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged.”

Not only does the chief butler remember Joseph but gives him an excellent reference.

Picture the contrast: Pharoah, the king, Joseph, the ex-shepherd ; Pharaoh, urban, Joseph, rural, Pharoah from the palace. Joseph from prison. Pharaoh wore gold chains. Joseph wore bruises from shackles. Pharaoh had armies and pyramids. Joseph had a borrowed robe and a foreign accent. 2 Max