Genesis 40
While Joseph was still in prison, two others joined him. The cupbearer and the baker did something to irritate the pharaoh, and he had them thrown into prison. The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph. After some time, they each had a disturbing dream on the same night. Joseph was able to interpret their dreams with God’s help.
This is how Joseph interpreted the cupbearer’s dream: Within three days, he would be restored to his former position and would again put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand.
Joseph asked the cupbearer to put in a good word for him to the pharaoh to get him released from his undeserved imprisonment.
This is how Joseph interpreted the baker’s dream: Within three days, Pharaoh would lift off his head, hang him on a tree, and the birds would eat his flesh. Yikes! There wasn’t much point in asking this man to put in a good word for him with the pharaoh, and the cupbearer forgot all about him until two years later.
Genesis 41
After two years passed, Pharaoh had two dreams that no one could properly interpret. That’s when the cupbearer finally remembered Joseph. So, the pharaoh sent for Joseph and asked him if he could interpret dreams. Joseph answered with an astounding “no”, but told him that God would give the pharaoh answers.
With God’s help, Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams to mean that seven years of great abundance would come to Egypt followed by seven years of famine. Joseph was given a plan by God on exactly what Egypt should do, so the pharaoh placed Joseph in charge of not only the food supply in Egypt, but also his palace. The whole land of Egypt would submit to Joseph except for the pharaoh himself, who admitted that only with respect to the throne would he be greater than Joseph. The pharaoh put all his faith in Joseph because he could see there was no one as wise and discerning as him, while Joseph put all his faith in God to guide and direct him.
Pharaoh gave Joseph his very own signet ring and dressed him in robes of fine linen. He put a gold chain around his neck and had him ride in a chariot as second-in-command. He changed his name to Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him a bride, Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. Joseph was thirty years old when he was put into power.
During the first seven years, Joseph collected the abundant grain that was beyond measure, and he and his wife had two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. When the seven years of famine came, Egypt had food, but all the other lands did not. When all of Egypt began to feel the effects of the famine, they cried to the pharaoh, and he sent them to Joseph who was able to sell grain to them through the abundance he had stored. People also came from other countries to buy grain from Egypt because the famine was so severe all across the world. This is how Joseph’s brothers came to be in Egypt.
As we will soon find out, the Lord really does work in mysterious ways, and undoubtedly, His timing is not the same as ours. Joseph had to go through many trials through his years of waiting for God’s plan to happen, but he never rejected God. Joseph kept his faith, and God rewarded him, even through the difficult years, giving him small victories in the troubled times. God eventually lifted him up into a high position which would ultimately give him the ability to help the very same brothers who once hated him enough to sell him into slavery.
Ask yourself this question: If you were put in charge of the health and safety of people who once treated you horribly, what would you do? What would God want you to do? We will soon find out what Joseph does in this exact situation.