Seeing The Future Through The Eyes Of God Series

Seeing the Future through the Eyes of God

A. The Characters

B. The confusion

C. The clarification

D. The conclusion

DBF 4/7/02 Genesis 40

Boy the last few years in Bristol Bay have been really different.

Four years ago there were little or no salmon that came in. There was so much doom and gloom predicted. And quite a few families had hard times.

Three years ago they caught a few reds but the kings were slow coming in and the price was low on the reds. The King Salmon fishery was severely restricted and most camps closed early and lost money.

Two years ago they had a record harvest of red salmon, but a major seafood processor folded leaving many in the community with lots of fish delivered that they will never be paid for. Then the silver salmon run was so slow they closed that upriver causing guide services to close and lose a lot of money.

Last year there was a few red salmon caught and the price dropped out the bottom of the fishery. Man how can you even start to figure our what to do next year.

How should we make decisions today? How should we make decisions for tomorrow? How should we make decisions for next week, next month and next year?

In our walk with Joseph today we will see that Joseph well may have the answer for you and I.

That Joseph was set apart or “called” by God was evident early in his life. It is my prayer today that you young people might realize the call that God has placed on your life today.

A. The Characters

Genesis 40: 1-4

And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt. [2] And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers. [3] And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound. [4] And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward.

We remember that Joseph was in jail and placed in charge of things. The Pharaoh sends a couple of his servants to jail for problems at the castle. Lets look at the people and who and what they represent.

The butler—mashkeh, the same as saky among the Arabians and Persians,

and signifying a cup-bearer. Baker—opheh; rather cook, confectioner, or the like. What we are talking about here are people that were accustomed to having their cakes and eating it to. The Pharaoh had servants who tasted his food and drink before he did to ensure his health. The lucky people ate of the best of the world. To go from this position to jail would have seemed a cruel, cruel irony. Joseph had come to his predicament not be his actions but by the actions of others—yet he continued to have hope. Do you have hope when all seems against you.

Romans 8:31 (KJV)

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

Claim this today, it is God’s promise to those who are called of God.

It seems that these two servants Had offended—They may have possibly been accused of attempting to take away the king’s life, one by poisoning his drink, the other by poisoning his bread or confectionaries.

Do you know of anyone who has offended? Do you know of anyone who hasn’t offended? Remember…

Romans 3:23 (KJV)

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

As the butler and. the baker were state criminals they were put in the same prison with Joseph, which we learn from the preceding chapter, Genesis 39:20, was the king’s prison. All the officers in the employment of the ancient kings of Egypt were, according to Diodorus Siculus, taken from the most illustrious families of the priesthood in the country; no slave or common person being ever permitted to serve in the presence of the king. As these persons, therefore, were of the most noble families, it is natural to expect they would be put, when accused, into the state prison.

They continued a season—literally days; how long we cannot tell. But

many suppose the word signifies a complete year; and as Pharaoh called them to an

account on his birthday, it could be supposed they had offended on the

preceding birthday, and thus had been one whole year in prison.

I have never been to prison but to visit, but I have heard that time stands still it seems. I can remember times in my life that time has seemed to stand still. I think that it is fair to say that when I wanted time to move it stood still and when I now wish it would stand still it moves all too fast. Let’s now look at the confusion faced by these two servants and God’s way of bringing Joseph out of his current situation.