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?
