Misinterpreting the Interpreter

Misinterpreting the Interpreter

Genesis 40: ¹⁶ 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. ¹⁷ In the uppermost basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.”

 

¹⁸ So Joseph answered and said, “This is the interpretation of it: The three baskets are three days. ¹⁹ 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.”

 

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Joseph had given the butler an interpretation of his dream that sounded favorable. The baker decided to tell Joseph his dream. Joseph gave him the interpretation that was not favorable.

 

My Observations:

• The baker may have thought that Joseph was there to only spread good news.
• The baker may have thought that he was going to get some good news since he had a dream on the same day and it included similar numbers.
• Birds symbolize predators and prey, but in this instance, it means predator birds will feast on the bakers body that was displayed as a warning to people.

 

Thinking that Joseph was only there for good news made the baker tell Joseph his dream. He misinterpreted Joseph’s role. Joseph was simply the messenger. The baker may have wanted Joseph to be the cause for his escape from Pharoah.

 

We do the same as the Baker. We only want to hear good news from the interpreters of GOD’s word. But there are difficult messages that may cause us to question GOD. In this slice of history, the baker was under a cold and heartless Pharoah. He, and others, were put to death  for even the slightest infraction. GOD gave Joseph the interpretation.

 

Challenge

• Why did GOD tell Moses about the interpretation of the baker?
• Are there some difficult things about GOD’s sovereignty that can cause you to question HIS approach?
• If you have questions about GOD’s approach, are you willing to ask HIM for clarification so you can apply it to your life?

Oh, It’s Going to Happen!

Oh, It’s Going to Happen!

Genesis 40: ⁹ Then the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “Behold, in my dream a vine was before me, ¹⁰ and in the vine were three branches; it was as though it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes. ¹¹ 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.”

 

¹² And Joseph said to him, “This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days. ¹³ 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. ¹⁴ 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. ¹⁵ 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.”

 

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Joseph was given a dream that he told to his brothers. He dreamt that his entire family would one day bow down to him. His brothers became enraged and plotted to kill him. The sold him into slavery, but THE LORD was with him. He was slandered and thrown in prison. Pharoah’s butler was also thrown in prison. He told Joseph about a dream. Joseph interpreted the dream.

 

My Observations:

• Not only did GOD give Joseph a prophetic dream, HE also gave him the gift of being able to spiritually interpret dreams.
• The butler was going to be restored by GOD and there was nothing the butler did differently to earn this restoration.
• Joseph knew this was going to happen, so he asked the butler to put in a good word for him.

 

When GOD says something will happen, it’s going to happen! GOD was working, even in prison. Joseph explained how he did not deserve to be in prison. He was innocent. Potiphar’s wife had lied on him, yet there he was. Little did Joseph know, he was given a gift that needed to be used on a specific person.

 

GOD wanted Joseph to speak to the butler. The entire situation was orchestrated by GOD. HE took Pharoah’s arrogance and mixed it in with an innocent butler and topped it off with an innocent prisoner named Joseph. GOD would later use this interpretation for Joseph’s benefit. Joseph knew this was going to happen so he asked for a good word from the butler.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think GOD told Moses about Joseph interpreting the dream?
• Have you ever been in a situation that you cannot get yourself out of?
• Can you praise GOD for seeing you and for HIS plan to break you out of the prison you may think you are in?

Where Help Comes From

Where Help Comes From

Genesis 40: ⁵ Then the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream, both of them, each man’s dream in one night and each man’s dream with its own interpretation. ⁶ And Joseph came in to them in the morning and looked at them, and saw that they were sad. ⁷ So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in the custody of his lord’s house, saying, “Why do you look so sad today?”

 

⁸ And they said to him, “We each have had a dream, and there is no interpreter of it.”

 

So Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please.”

 

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After days, weeks or even months, the butler and the baker had dreams on the same night. Joseph saw they were sad, so he asked both of them “Why?” The both said they had dreams but no one to interpret them. Joseph told them that interpretations of dreams come from GOD.

 

My Observations:

• Both men had significant dreams versus something they could make sense of.
• GOD provided both men their dreams on the same night and HE disturbed them.
• Joseph saw something was wrong with both of them, which shows his character.

 

Seeing the sadness on their face and asking “What’s wrong?’ was probably rare in the Egyptian society. Joseph had walked with the LORD so long that he was concerned about people he barely knew. When they said they had disturbing dreams, Joseph knew that GOD could provide the interpretation.

 

Joseph showed he had a special relationship with GOD. He knew that he could ask GOD what the dreams mean and GOD would not hold back. That’s the kind of relationship I want with GOD, one that HE does not hold back anything I ask that is in alignment with HIS will. Joseph point the butcher and baker to the only solution, namely GOD.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD tell Moses about the sadness of the butcher and baker?
• Have you ever had significant dreams and needed GOD to tell you the meaning?
• Can you rest assured that GOD is the answer and has the answer to your problem?

Purposeful Custody

Purposeful Custody

Genesis 40: It came to pass after these things that the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their lord, the king of Egypt. ² And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief butler and the chief baker. ³ So he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison, the place where Joseph was confined. ⁴ And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them; so they were in custody for a while.

 

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After Joseph was thrown in prison, Pharoah decided that a couple of his leaders needed to be incarcerated.  He threw the chief butler and the chief baker in jail. They were place in custody under Joseph.

 

My Observations:

• The Egyptian leaders worked together to display their harsh, cruel power over servants.
• Joseph did not expect that he would be placed over the chief butler and the chief baker.
• GOD used Pharoah’s cruelty to set Joseph up for HIS success.

 

Joseph was given a dream by GOD and it seemed to get him in trouble. BUT JESUS was with him. His prison sentence was used by GOD for a better purpose. Eventually we will see that the butler and baker will have dreams given from GOD.

 

Joseph will be in the right place at the right time to interpret the dreams. All three men experienced imprisonment under the Egyptian rule. They could not change their circumstances by any effort of their own. They were trapped without a date for freedom. BUT GOD was there.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD point out to Moses that shortly after Joseph was put in prison, the butler and baker were placed there as well?
• Do you believe there are no coincidences with GOD?
• Do you believe GOD has you in the situation you are in for HIS supernatural purpose?

New Assignment

New Assignment

Genesis 39: ¹⁹ So it was, when his master heard the words which his wife spoke to him, saying, “Your servant did to me after this manner,” that his anger was aroused. ²⁰ Then Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were confined. And he was there in the prison. ²¹ But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. ²² 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. ²³ 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.

 

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After being lied on, Joseph was thrown in Jail by Potiphar. But the LORD was with him. The prison keeper showed favor to Joseph and placed him in charge of all of the prisoners.

 

My Observations:

• This prison was probably a place that made the slaves do even more work for the Egyptians.
• I believe the pre-incarnate JESUS would visited Joseph and the HOLY SPIRIT worked on the heart of the prison keeper.
• GOD allowed Joseph to go to prison to also give the prisoners favor.

 

Frome being thrown in a pit to being placed over the palace to being put into prison, Joseph had a strange ride in life. He didn’t ask for the dream GOD gave him and GOD knew that. So far, he was hated by his brothers and lied on by Potiphar’s wife. JESUS walked with Joseph every step of the way. Joseph’s fame may have preceded him as he entered prison.

 

The prison keeper may have known who Joseph was and may have heard of his skills. The men who threw Joseph in jail probably knew about Potiphar’s wife’s lie, but they had to follow orders. GOD orchestrated Joseph’s success in prison for a long-term future assignment. Joseph would one day need the prisoner’s help. GOD gave Joseph a strange assignment that had HIS favor.

 

Challenge

• Why did GOD tell Moses about the favor HE showed Joseph in prison?
• Have you ever ended up in a figurative prison that robbed you of hope?
• Do you believe that the LORD is with you and HE needs you to view your assignment in a way that HE is showing you favor?

Resilient Character Building

Resilient Character Building

Genesis 39: ¹⁰ So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her.

 

¹¹ But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside, ¹² that she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside. ¹³ And so it was, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and fled outside, ¹⁴ that she called to the men of her house and spoke to them, saying, “See, he has brought in to us a Hebrew to mock us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. ¹⁵ And it happened, when he heard that I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me, and fled and went outside.”

 

¹⁶ So she kept his garment with her until his master came home. ¹⁷ Then she spoke to him with words like these, saying, “The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us came in to me to mock me; ¹⁸ so it happened, as I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me and fled outside.”

 

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Potiphar’s wife propositioned Joseph, day after day after day. He may have tried to avoid her, or ignore her, but she got to the point where she was not going to take “no” for an answer. She aggressively pursued Joseph, but he escaped. He left his garment and she thought of a lie.

 

My Observations:

• Joseph had integrity and character because he was following GOD.
• Abram was called a Hebrew and so was Joseph.
• Even when Joseph showed extreme character, he could still be lied on and slandered.

 

When all else fails, defamation of character seems to be the tool used against those who refuse to bow to evil ways. Joseph was doing well until he met Potiphar’s wife. Her desire to get what she wanted made her dream up a lie to cover her actions. She may have thought Joseph would tell on her, but she did not know Joseph had extreme character that would not do that.

 

Joseph’s restraint was the right thing to do, yet he found himself in a situation he did not cause. He did not tell Potiphar that his wife was constantly pursuing him, probably because he did not want her to get in trouble. But she had no problem with telling as many people about her lie as possible. Joseph’s character was now being put to test even though he did no wrong.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD tell Moses about Potiphar’s wife’s’ advances toward Joseph?
• Have you ever had your character defamed?
• Can you stand firm in your walk with the LORD even when people are mislabeling you and even slandering you?

A Different Goal

A Different Goal

Genesis 39: Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.

 

⁷ And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.”

 

⁸ But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. ⁹ There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”

 

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Potiphar placed Joseph over all his wealth and the management of the household. His wife started looking at Joseph in a desirous way. But Joseph refused her bold and direct approach.

 

My Observations:

• Joseph knew it would be wrong to sleep with Potiphar’s wife, probably because the pre-incarnate JESUS told him it was wrong.
• Joseph’s father had babies from various women, but Joseph was taught something different by the LORD.
• Joseph’s goal was to please the LORD, even though he was still a slave to Potiphar.

 

I believe it was JESUS that blessed Joseph and HE provided him with wisdom to become successful in Potiphar’s household. I also believe that Potiphar’s wife was influenced by the ways of Canaan, so she would seek to get what she wanted no matter the cost.

 

Joseph seemed to have a close relationship with GOD. He may have had conversations with HIM daily. This may have been the reason it was easy to resist the approaches of Potiphar’s wife. Joseph’s integrity seemed to stem from the constant communication he kept with the LORD.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think GOD told Moses about this conversation between Joseph and Potiphar’s wife?
• Have you ever been in a situation where everything was going well for you and a temptation pops up?
• Should you increase your conversations with the LORD when you are feeling weak and vulnerable?