Opportunity Knocks - Session 12

Introduction

Read First Thoughts page 124

Genesis 39:22–23 NKJV

And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing. The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph’s authority, because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper.

Genesis 39:

Understand the context

The butler and the baker’s offense

Two royal officials close to Pharaoh put into the same prison as Joseph

The captain of the guard of the prison put Joseph in charge of serving them

Genesis 40:4 NKJV

And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them; so they were in custody for a while.

The butler and baker’s dreams 9

Each had a dream of their own on the same night

Each was disturbed by their dream and could not hide their dejection from Joseph

Believers being aware of what’s going on in people’s lives

Joseph’s care is shown in asking them what is bothering them

Each was bothered because they did not understand their dream and they thought no one was there to make it known to them

Joseph seizes the opportunity to glorify God and use the gift God had given him

The butler’s dream

Genesis 40:9–15 NKJV

Then the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “Behold, in my dream a vine was before me, and in the vine were three branches; it was as though it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes. Then Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” And Joseph said to him, “This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days. Now within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your place, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand according to the former manner, when you were his butler. But remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house. For indeed I was stolen away from the land of the Hebrews; and also I have done nothing here that they should put me into the dungeon.”

Genesis 40:9-

Joseph gave the correct interpretation and asked for the butler to show him kindness when the dream was fulfilled

The chief baker’s dream

Genesis 40:16–19 NKJV

When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, “I also was in my dream, and there were three white baskets on my head. In the uppermost basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.” So Joseph answered and said, “This is the interpretation of it: The three baskets are three days. Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head from you and hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat your flesh from you.”

Genesis 40:16-

The butler and baker’s dreams come true as Joseph interpreted them

Genesis 40:20-23

Genesis 40:20–23 NKJV

Now it came to pass on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants. Then he restored the chief butler to his butlership again, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

Pharaoh’s turn

The failure of the magicians and wisemen

Two years had lapsed sin Joseph’s encounter with the butler and the baker

Did Joseph know about the fulfillment of his interpretations?

The flawed memory of the butler is jogged

Genesis 41:9 NKJV

Then the chief butler spoke to Pharaoh, saying: “I remember my faults this day.

Joseph’s opportunity arrives

Genesis 41:14 NKJV

Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; and he shaved, changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh.

A PROBLEM

Read book page 125 highlighted

Pharaoh states the problem and states the testimony he had heard about Joseph

No one could give him peace about the meaning of his dream

He was longing for the answer and now was looking to a Hebrew slave

This Pharaoh was quite different from the Pharaoh who followed him in the book of Exodus

Joseph begins by glorifying God

We have found the peace that comes from God through trusting His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ

Do we share it with those who have no peace?

Pharaoh shares his dream

The location in his dream was near the Nile

4,160 miles long. longest river

Originates in highlands of East Africa empties into Mediterranean Sea (Read page 125)

Seven fine looking cows come up first

Seven ugly cows follow and eat up the fine looking cows

The ugly cows gain no weight from consuming the fine cows

Pharaoh’s Second dream

The seven ears of full and good corn

The seven withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind corn

The same result as cows

Joseph’s interpretation

Genesis 41:25–32 NKJV

Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do: The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads are seven years; the dreams are one. And the seven thin and ugly cows which came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty heads blighted by the east wind are seven years of famine. This is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. Indeed seven years of great plenty will come throughout all the land of Egypt; but after them seven years of famine will arise, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine will deplete the land. So the plenty will not be known in the land because of the famine following, for it will be very severe. And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

The dreams are one in meaning and God is revealing to Pharaoh what He is about to do

Two dreams to emphasis the importance

The kindness and mercy of God to reveal His work

The seven good cows and corn represent seven years and repeats both dreams have the same meaning

The two dreams are one in meaning

The seven ugly cows and blighted corn represents seven years of famine

The seven good cows and corn represent seven years

Joseph repeats in giving God credit for revealing to Pharaoh the coming of the famine He is sending

Seven years of great plenty in Egypt

Seven years of plenty followed by seven years of a severe famine

The reason the dream was repeated is because the thing is established by God (it’s not going to change) and it’s coming soon

A PLAN

Choose a wise and discerning leader to oversee the total project

Choose officials that will be in charge of carrying out the plan

They will collect 1/5th of the produce in the good years

Collect the grain, place it under the authority of Pharaoh, and keep it in the cities

The collected food will be a reserve to help the people survive during the 7 years of famine

A PLACE

Jospeh’s wise counsel impressed Pharaoh and his servants

Pharaoh asks a pointed question

Pharaoh makes Joseph the number two ruler in all of Egypt

Conclusion:

Genesis 41:41 NKJV

And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”

Genesis 41:

Pharaoh decree’s Joseph’s new position

Joseph was 30 when he was placed in this position

Joseph was bless with two sons

Genesis 41:50

Genesis 41:50–52 NKJV

And to Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him. Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: “For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house.” And the name of the second he called Ephraim: “For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

Joseph was prepared and used by God during the seven years of famine

Genesis 41:

Genesis 41:55 NKJV

So when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Then Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, do.”