This is the story of when bad things happen to good people for sure. As far as we know, except for being a teenager with a God sized dream, Joseph was a great kid, oh and he was a tattle tail. Sure the dreams were hard to swallow by his jealous brothers, but that wasn’t a good reason for wanting to get rid of him. They compounded their behavior by lying to their father about what they had done. They let Jacob go years believing that the son of his love was murdered. Little did they know that they had been played. They were a part as was Joseph, of God’s bigger picture. We can’t see past the dream, God is already at the manifestation. For you see, in the mind of God, everything He promised already is. Hallelujah! This is why Abraham’s faith was credited to Him before the promised son Isaac was born. The moment he believed, God said, "Done!" We believe and speak what God has promised. Doesn’t matter that you don’t yet possess it in the natural. Possess it in the spirit. And don’t let go no matter how long it takes. And it came to pass.......
“Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.” Genesis 39:20-23 NIV
No matter how nicely Joseph was being treated, the fact remained that he was still a slave in prison. How could just sharing a few dreams go so terribly wrong? If it wasn’t for bad luck, poor Joseph would have had no luck at all. Then one day two very important people got locked up. But before I forget this little detail, Joseph was not placed in just any old prison, he was put in the prison where white collar workers were. The VIP prison lol. If that hadn’t happened, he wouldn’t have crossed paths with the Pharaoh’s baker and cupbearer. God is in the details. Remember, Joseph had his own dreams interpreted by his brothers and father. Now, God was about to make him an interpreter of someone else’s dreams.
“Some time later, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their master, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh was angry with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same prison where Joseph was confined. The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he attended them. After they had been in custody for some time, each of the two men—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were being held in prison—had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected. So he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?” “We both had dreams,” they answered, “but there is no one to interpret them.” Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.” So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream. He said to him, “In my dream I saw a vine in front of me, and on the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters ripened into grapes. Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup and put the cup in his hand.” “This is what it means,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches are three days. Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer. But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon.”
Genesis 40:1-15 NIV
Coincidence? Not with God. More like a divine setup. Nothing ever just happens when your life is in God’s hands. This was the first time after years as a slave we’ve read where Joseph asked for intervention. He had endured the betrayal of his brothers, but the false accusation of his bosses wife and imprisonment must’ve been tough on him. At least in Potiphar’s house he was above ground. He moved about freely. In the dungeon, not even being a model prisoner was enough. But God was with Joseph. But as humans are wont to do, once they got outside it was a wrap. The baker lost his head so he couldn’t help Joe, but the cupbearer completely forgot. The lesson for Joseph was this: don’t ask man to intervene where only God has jurisdiction. God’s glory will never be shared. Had he remembered, Joseph might have gotten out of prison, but he’d still be a slave. The Dream Giver sees the beginning and stands at the end. The dream may not match for now, but hold on to Hope, He won’t fail you.
"The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.”
Genesis 40:23 NIV
“When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile, when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat, and they grazed among the reeds. After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank. And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up. He fell asleep again and had a second dream: Seven heads of grain, healthy and good, were growing on a single stalk. After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted—thin and scorched by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up; it had been a dream. In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him. Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I am reminded of my shortcomings. Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard. Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream. And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was impaled.” Genesis 41:1-13 NIV
If God has to give someone else a dream to fulfill yours He’ll do it. If He has to move heaven and earth to keep His promise to you, He will. Whatever He allows during our growing process is for our ultimate promotion and success. We’re built for whatever He allows. He knows what it will take to build character, integrity, patience and leadership skills. Joseph learned all that as a slave not in a classroom. Experience was his greatest teacher. And when he sought the help of man, God said, "you’re not ready yet. Two more years of training is needed." The cupbearer and baker’s dreams weren’t enough to give Joseph his freedom, it would require someone with a little more clout. So God gave pharaoh two dreams. Then the cupbearer remembered Joseph. Are you enjoying this as much as I am?
Father! How faithful you are! When we think you’ve forgotten You’re just getting started. May we hold to the promises You’ve made us. You’ve proven through Jesus that there’s nothing You won’t do for us who will believe. Thank You Jesus for interceding for me, that my faith won’t fail in the waiting. Amen
You will never be disappointed trusting in Him. There’s a king or queen inside of you waiting to come out, but it will take some perseverance to make that happen. There is no glory for God in failure, so He guarantees our success as we trust Him.
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant