Forgotten

Introduction

So, unscientific test time:

How many of you have been forgotten by someone before? Maybe someone was supposed to call you; someone was supposed to meet you; you were suppose to receive something; etc.

Now, what’s worse, being forgotten and having someone admit they forgot you? Or, being forgotten and having someone create some lame excuse?

Either way, it stinks.

For me, what stinks worse, is when I forget someone or something I’m supposed to do. Ugh, I hate that!

Literally I’ve lost sleep over it before. But, in my years of pastoral ministry, I’ve done it are more occasions than I’d like to admit.

In reality, we are all going to be forgotten at times and will forget at times.

But, what about if we feel like God has forgotten us?

Theologically, we know that to be untrue, but I for one will admit that I’ve felt that way before.

And, if I was being honest, if I was in Joseph’s shoes, I would probably have felt that way multiple times now: in a cistern that my brothers threw me into; on the road to Egypt in the custody of foreigners; in Potiphar’s home as a servant; and in prison. I’m quite certain Pastor Ben would be whining up a storm to God.

Good thing for us that Joseph was the man God called, not Pastor Ben!

Let’s see how Joseph responded when he seemed to be forgotten.

Body: Genesis 40:1-23

Context

You’ll recall that last week we saw Joseph thrown into prison for a false accusation about the wife of a high ranking Egyptian official.

While obviously this was a great injustice, Joseph not only becomes a model prisoner, but he rises to leadership within the prison. ((Read Genesis 39:19-23))

The key phrase comes at the end: “…because the LORD was with him. And whatever he did, the LORD made it succeed.”

Verses 1-8

Pharaoh has thrown two of his men, who were supposed to be trusted above almost anyone else, into prison.

The text doesn’t tell us why he did this, other than he was angry with them. But, it’s likely that one of them were part of a plot to poison Pharaoh.

The person who served a king his wine and his cook were in a very unique position and had the easiest opportunity to kill the king, if he chose to do so.

No doubt, an investigation was underway to see which one was guilty.

So they were both put into prison, under the watch-care of Joseph.

This, of course, is a divine appointment, as one of these men will eventually help to introduce Joseph to Pharaoh which will lead to him saving his people.

Because Joseph was charged with these two important men’s care, Joseph is concerned when he finds them troubled.

The literal interpretation of them being troubled is “faces were bad.” Means nothing spiritually, I just think it is funny!

Remember, even though they were in prison, one of them was innocent. Pharaoh would have wanted both to be treated well until the guilty party was exposed.

For the ancient people, dreams were believed to be a powerful medium to get glimpses into the spiritual realm, to foresee the future, and for hearing to purposes of God or the gods.

Of course, most of this was simple superstition or likely communications with evil spirits, in some cases God did speak through dreams in Scripture.

That being said, don’t assume that your dreams are from God.

The Bible is a far superior reflection of God’s will for us than dreams or any such thing.

But, at times throughout history God has condensed with man’s weakness in order to bring about His purposes. That’s what is happening here.

What does Joseph mean by “Do not interpretations belong to God?”

Because the reason for their downcast faces was because they believed that they were unable to get the interpretation of their dreams because they were in jail and therefore didn’t have access to magicians, those who were interpreters of dreams in Egypt.

Joseph’s point, then, is the interpretation of dreams don’t belong to magicians, but to God. And, as a man who God has spoken to before through dreams, Joseph believes God will reveal the interpretation to him.

Verses 9-15

The cupbearer shares his dream with Joseph, who interprets the dream as good news for the cupbearer. Three days from then, the cupbearer would be restored to his position, pointing to the fact that he would be found not guilty.

The important part, however, is Joseph’s comments in verses 14-15.

Joseph asks the cupbearer to remember him when he is back in his position with Pharaoh.

While Joseph has become a person of importance in the prison, he’s still wrongly imprisoned.

Additionally, Joseph is clearly feeling mistreated and forgotten, stuck in a situation he didn’t create for himself.

Verses 16-19

After hearing the cupbearer’s good news, the chief baker is excited, hoping for a similar favorable interpretation.

However, his dream wasn’t favorable at all. In fact, Pharaoh would find him guilty and have him executed.

He was either hanged or impaled on a stake. It doesn’t really matter which, as the results are the same.

Verses 20-23

Not surprisingly, Joseph’s interpretations are correct; the cupbearer is restored to his position and the chief baker is executed.

But, the key verse of this chapter is verse 23: Joseph has been forgotten by the cupbearer…at least for now.

More on this next week.

So What?

Joseph’s story is a call to trust the Lord at all times, regardless of our circumstances.

Most believers are good at trusting the Lord in the good times. It’s in the midst of trying times that our circumstances seemed big and our faith can become small. Our suffering becomes our focus, and our God seems distant, or even absent.

And, it’s the easiest thing to tell someone to trust the Lord when they are facing terrible circumstances, but a different thing entirely when we are facing terrible circumstances. So, how do we do it?

Acknowledge what you are experiencing and feeling.

Look again at verses 14-15...

Don’t “put on a brave face” or shut off your feelings.

Remember His past faithfulness.

I truly believe that because Joseph had experienced God’s faithfulness in the past, he was able to give glory to God in verse 8 and trust that God would give him the interpretation of these dreams.

Romans 8:28 ESV

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Proverbs 3:5–6 ESV

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

The old hymn, “Count Your Blessings” can be instructive here...

Draw near to Jesus.

We can never forget, as believers today, that we have a greater example than Joseph: the Lord Jesus!

In his first epistle, Peter writes to people facing great suffering. These words which should be instructive.

1 Peter 2:4–10 ESV

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Serve the Lord regardless.

Joseph is in a bad situation, but he faithfully does the work required of him.

Notice that Joseph has no idea that, eventually, this incident will lead to him saving his people. He just does the work.

One of the most sure-fire ways to trust the Lord in the midst of bad circumstances is to ignore all the good excuses and find a way to serve the Lord.

Not only do we feel better when serving others, we also take our eyes off ourselves and put them on others.

1 Peter 4:19 ESV

Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

Joseph’s story reminds us that people will sometimes let us down, but God will not.

Here’s a hard reality of life: people let us down.

Most people, at some point, will let us down.

Often times they do it in small ways, but sometimes they do it in big ways…like forgetting the person who brought you out of your depression during your darkest hour by interpreting God’s purposes for you!

But, people will let us down.

This isn’t however a call to become cynical about people. I think, as a matter of fact, it’s a call for grace.

See, I don’t believe the cupbearer purposely forgot Joseph. He just got busy and people are self-centered.

Genesis 41:9 ESV

Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “I remember my offenses today.

And, for Joseph’s part, I don’t believe he was bitter. It was a bad situation, to be sure, but I don’t pick up any bitterness on his part.

Because, ultimately, Joseph trusted the LORD.

In fact, throughout Joseph’s life many of the people around him let him down; his father, his brothers, Potiphar, and the cupbearer, just to name a few. But, Joseph doesn’t seem to be a bitter, nasty person who hates people.

I truly believe that being let down gave Joseph an insight that would help him into the future. Namely, his trust couldn’t be in people, it needed to be in the LORD. But, he was also not to lash out at people or mistreat them because of their failures.

As Joseph will say much later, “What you intended for evil, God intended for good...”

See, I think Joseph understood that, while people will let us down, God will not.

In fact, God cannot let His people down because it would contradict His promises and therefore contradict Himself.

Joseph likely grew up hearing stories of the promises made by God to his great grandfather, Abraham:

Genesis 15:5–6 ESV

And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

Genesis 15:13–14 ESV

Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions.

Genesis 17:7–8 ESV

And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.”

Now, it is true that sometimes, during those particularly dark moments, it can feel like God has forgotten us. Maybe Joseph felt like this, we don’t really know.

But we see in the life of Joseph that everything God allowed to enter into Joseph’s life God used to bring about His will.

And that’s where we too find our hope, particularly in the dark times of life. The same God that worked all things together for good in Joseph life continues to do that in the life of His people today.

And, amazingly, even the sinful and/or just stupid things we do in our life He can still ultimately bring about good in spite of them.

That’s great news for us!

Yes, people will let us down at times. But God never will.

So let’s build our faith in our God and our grace towards one another.