No Ordinary Joe: Dreams!
Genesis 40
Chenoa Baptist Church
Pastor Jefferson M. Williams
11-07-2021
I Believe I Can Fly
When I was in college, I took a psychology class from my favorite professor. We spent time studying Sigmund Freud’s classic, “The Interpretation of Dreams.” Dr. Vidulich asked if anyone had a recurring dream and I volunteered to share mine with the class.
In my dream, that I had multiple times, I could fly. It was amazing and I bragged about the ability to fly to everyone. The dream always ended with a group of friends lining the sidewalk waiting for me to take off. I would run and jump but would fall flat on my face. I couldn’t fly, everyone started laughing, and then I would wake up.
He wrote the main points on the board and then we started to interpret the dream from multiple different psychological theories.
After looking at all the different angles, including a very embarrassing interpretation from a Freudian perspective, the class decided that the theme of fear failure was at the heart of the dream. I was taking a full load of classes and working full time and was constantly on the edge of burnout. That made perfect sense to me.
Then Dr. Vidulich asked for another volunteer and the whole class went silent and someone in the back said, “Nope.”
That class was fun, for everyone else, but it was just a class on theories of psychology.
Can God speak through dreams? He obviously did in the Old Testament. God spoke to both Jacob, Laban, and Joseph in dreams. The gift ran in the family.
We know that God can use dreams today as well.
We know that Muslims are reporting dreams in which Jesus comes to them or they are directed to someone to share the Gospel with them.
Egyptian cultures valued dreams highly and that will be important as we move through the story of Joseph. Dream interpretation was big business and there were many magicians and diviners who made a lot money and wielded a lot of power by telling people the meaning of dreams.
Can God speak through dreams? Yes. But we must be very careful. Sometimes, it’s not God but the burrito you ate the night before! How can we tell?
If you have a dream that you think is from God you need to talk it through with a trusted mentor that is spiritually wise.
But most of all, you need to pass it through the filter of the Word of God:
“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.” (Heb 1:1-2)
If your dreams do not line with the living word, Jesus, and the written Word, the Bible, then we should take them for what they are - a movie your brain put together in order to receive stress while you sleep.
Review
Last time we studied the life of Joseph, we watched him reject Potiphar’s wife’s sexual advances outright and call her actions wicked. He would not sin against his master Potiphar or his God by sleeping with her.
She was relentless and one day arranged for all the servants to be out of the house. She caught him by the cloak and said come to bed with me but he refused again. This time he left his cloak and ran out of the house.
Potiphar’s wife was a woman scorned and accused Joseph of attempted rape to her husband. Potiphar must not totally believe his wife because he has Joseph put into the king’s prison instead of executing him on the spot.
And that’s here we find Joseph - in prison for doing the right thing. But God was still with him and working behind the scenes to fulfill his purposes for Joseph and the nation of Israel:
“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.” (Gen 39:20-23)
Turn with me to chapter 40 of Genesis.
Prayer
New Royal Prisoners Arrive
“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.” (Gen 40:1-4)
Joseph is now 28 years old and it’s ben eleven years since he arrived in Egypt. We don’t know exactly how long he has been in the prison but he must have been alerted to the arrival of two VIP prisoners - the cupbearer and the baker of Pharaoh.
The cupbearer was a high ranking official that was in charge of Pharaoh’s wine cellar. He was responsible for the quality of wine and for ensuring that the king wouldn’t be poisoned. Nehemiah was cup bearer to the king.
The baker was a high ranking official that was in charge of the king’s menu. He too was responsible for quality control of the food and for protecting the king.
Why were they put in prison? All we are told is that they had “offended their master.” One theory is that there had been a plot to assassinate the king and they weren’t sure who was involved so both were put into the prison while the investigation ensued.
The captain of the guard, which would be Potiphar, assigned Joseph to serve them. Joseph, who basically ran the prison was now back to be a servant to these two high ranking officials.
But in God’s providence, these two guys were not there by accident. Remember John Piper’s quote - “God is always doing 10,000 things in your life and, at any given time, you may be aware of three of them.” Sometimes God positions people in our lives to bring about His plans.
Dueling Dreams
"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.” (Gen 40:5-8)
We are not told how long they had been there, but both men, on the same night, have dreams that haunt them.
Joseph went to check on them in the morning and found then both sad and frustrated.
Joseph takes a minute and simply asks, “Why do you look so sad?”
Doesn’t this tell us something about Joseph? He has been beaten up, thrown in a pit, sold by his brothers, taken to a foreign land as a slave, falsely accused of rape, and is now in a prison and he shows compassion toward these two officials. Instead of the circumstances making him bitter, they were softening his heart towards others.
We have to work hard to stop thinking about ourselves so much and reach out to others.
Joseph had been a prisoner and he certainly had know his share of heartbreak.
I usually sit on the side of the table with Randy at the funeral home. I’m thinking about stories and how I can be minister to the family. I’ve never really heard what Randy was saying before.
But this past week, I was on the other side of the table. And it was overwhelming. Decision after decision. Lots and lots of money. Questions I couldn’t answer.
Next time I’m at the funeral home with a family I will have a much more compassionate heart toward all the decisions that they have to make.
They were frustrated because they had no access to the magicians who had the books with the interpretation of dreams. They had no way of knowing what the dreams meant.
Joseph, in the middle of a pagan prison, proclaims that the interpretation of dreams aren’t found in books but given by his God.
Joseph has not lost his hope that his dreams will still come true. He commands them to tell him his dreams.
The Cupbearer’s Dream
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.” ( Gen 40:9-11)
I can imagine the cupbearer leaning in and sharing this dream with Joseph.
Now, would it be odd for a cup bearer to have a dream about vines and grapes and cups, and giving Pharaoh the wine? Not at all. Maybe, the prison burrito from the night before was just not sitting well with his stomach.
But Joseph immediately and confidently interpreted the dream.
“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.” (Gen 40:12-13)
When the Pharaoh walked into a room, everyone prostrated themselves on the floor. If he wanted to talk to you, he would “lift your head.”
The dream was straight forward. In three days, the cupbearer would be restored to his position of authority and continue to serve the Pharaoh.
But Joseph has a request of the 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.” (Gen 40:14-15)
Joseph is confident that what he had said will come to pass and when it does, he asked the cup bearer to do four things:
* Remember me
Show me kindness. The Hebrew word is “hesed,” better translated mercy.
mention me to Pharaoh
And get me out of here!
Why? Because he didn’t deserve to be there! He was innocent. Not Shawshank innocent, really innocent. He has nothing to deserve being sold into slavery and the only reason he’s in prison is because of a lie.
I’m sure the cup bearer hugged Joseph and said that he would absolutely remember him.
Let’s stop for a minute and consider what we should so when we are suffering unjustly.
* First, we shouldn’t be surprised.
Peter wrote:
“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” (I Peter 4:12-14)
Abel was murdered by his brother for making the right offering. Joseph end up in prison for refusing to sin against God. Jeremiah was thrown in a pit for telling the truth. John the Baptist lost his head for confronting a king. The disciples were all martyred, excepted for John who was exiled to the island of Patmos.
Stephan was stoned to death. Paul was imprisoned multiple times for simply sharing the gospel.
The writer of Hebrews tells us:
“There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them.” (Hebrews 11:35b-38)
Because we have been staying in a hotel, I’ve had cable for the first time in seven years. There is a group of channels that have Christian content on them. With the exception of Dr. David Jeremiah, they are all prosperity preachers seeking a false gospel of health, wealth, and Disneyland Christianity.
They don’t want to preach on Gen 40, where Joseph languishes in prison for two more years. Maybe if he had just done some self-affirmations God would have rescued him sooner.
Henry Ruggs III spent Tuesday night hitting golfballs and drinking with his friends. At 3:40 am, Ruggs Corvette was going over 150 mph when he approached a red light where Tina Tintor and her dog were stopped.
He slammed into the back of the RAV 4 at 127 mph, pushing the SUV more than 500 feet and igniting the gas tank.
Video shows him, intoxicated, sitting on the sidewalk weeping as he watched the other car engulfed in flames.
The Raiders released him and he is now facing up to twenty years in jail.
Henry’s suffering is not unjust. He is experiencing the consequences of horrific decisions. But Tina’s parents are experience every parent’s nightmare, just because she happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.
The Raiders quarterback, Derrick Carr, who almost skipped the NFL to go to seminary and be a pastor, said this about Henry:
"I will always be here for him," Carr said. "That won't change. I'll prove that over the course of time to him. Not to anybody else.
"He needs people to love him right now. He's probably feeling a certain type of way about himself right now. He needs to be loved. If no one else will do it, I'll do it.”
The ultimate example of unjust suffering for us to follow is Jesus who was tortured and crucified on a cross:
“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” (I Peter 2:21-22)
Second, if we are going to suffer then let us suffer for doing good.
“If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.” (I Peter 4:15-16)
William Tyndale was burned at the stake for heresy at the age of 42. What was his crime? He translated the Latin Bible into English! As the flames were lit he prayed, O Lord, open the Lord’s eyes!”
* When we suffer unjustly, don’t take revenge.
When we are unjustly accused and suffer like Joseph did, it is easy to want to seek revenge, to hurt those who hurt us.
But our example again is Jesus:
“When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” (I Peter 2:23-24)
Paul wrote to the Roman believers:
“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;? if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.?
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Rom 12:17-21)
Elisabeth Elliot met Jim at Wheaton College and was immediately struck by the depth of his love for Jesus and the nations.
With a team of friends, they set their sights on bringing the Gospel to the Indians of interior Ecuador.
On Jan 8, 1956, Jim and four other tam members were murdered by the tribesman they were trying to reach.
The men were featured on the front of LIFE magazine and combined by a quote from Jim’s journal
"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose."
Propelled a new generation of young people willing to lay down their lives to bring the Gospel to the lost.
But what about Elisabeth, a young mother and a new widow? Her and Rachel Saint, the sister of Nate Saint, moved into the village and helped care for the sick. They learned the language and after two years saw many of the villagers come to Christ, including the man who murdered her husband!
How do you do that? She was simply living out Peter’s words:
“So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.” (I Peter 4:19)
Suffering will come, don’t be surprised. When it comes, may it be because we are doing good. And when the suffering gets bad, may our hearts be captivated by Jesus who did not seek revenge but asked His Father for their forgiveness for they know not what they do.
The Baker’s Dream
The baker heard the interpretation of the cupbearer’s dream and then offers his dream to Joseph.
“When the chief baker saw that Joseph had given a favorable interpretation, he said to Joseph, “I too had a dream: On my head were three baskets of bread. In the top basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.” (Gen 40:16-17)
Right off the bat, we should have an ominous feeling about this dream because, in the Old Testament, birds always portend evil and judgement.
But maybe the baker was just having a dream that any baker might have.
Joseph interprets his dream without hesitation.
“This is what it means,” Joseph said. “The three baskets are three days. Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head and impale your body on a pole. And the birds will eat away your flesh.” (Gen 40:18-19)
Pharaoh will lift up your head also…right off your body! And you will be hung, impaled on a pole, and the birds will eat your flesh!
I’m sure the baker looked at the cupbearer and said, “Can’t I have an interpretation like his?!”
Joseph doesn’t mince words. He doesn’t try to put a positive spin on things.
You’ve got three days, dude. Are you ready?
I’ve been in Jeremiah in my Bible listening and over and over false prophets would have dreams and then proclaim them to the people - “We aren’t going into exile. If we do, it won’t be long.”
Jeremiah on the other hand, simply said what God told him to say and it was wasn’t pretty or fun to hear.
That’s my job. You may walk away from this church thinking, “Who is he to tell me that I need Jesus and without Him I’m going to hell?” Well, I am the Lord’s servant for this church and I will tell you the truth, even if it hurts.
A Birthday Celebration
“Now the third day was Pharaoh’s birthday, and he gave a feast for all his officials. He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker in the presence of his officials: He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand— but he impaled the chief baker, just as Joseph had said to them in his interpretation.” (Gen 40:20-22)
Three days later, an official came to the prison and called out these two men’s names. As just as Joseph had predicted, the cup bearer was restored to his position and the baker lost his head.
A quick little note of interest. There were critics of the Bible that used these verses to say that this proves the Bible is fake. They said that birthdays were not celebrated in Egypt at this time but in Persia.
But in July of 1799, French soldiers involved in the Egyptian invasion found a stone in the city of Rosetta. This stone help archeologists unlock ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. And one of the inscriptions they found was about a celebration of Pharaoh’s birthday!
Joseph was all but freed. The cupbearer was restored and had the ear of Pharaoh. He could already feel the sunshine on his face.
but…
“The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.” (Gen 40:23)
Can you see Joseph the next few days? He would look out the cell windows longingly. Surely, any minute, they will be coming to set him free.
A day goes by. Then a week. Well, that guy has a lot of catching up to do, he’ll tell Pharaoh about me soon. Then month. Then a year.
How could the cupbearer do this? How could he forget someone who literally predicted his restoration to power?
First all of because our default is to only think about ourselves.
Most people’s default in self-centeredness.
I got my hair cut when I was in Memphis and the young lady cutting my hair, 24 years old, asked how my week was going. I told her that she probably hadn’t heard this one but that both my parents died, I was cleaning out their house and planning a double funeral.
She stood back for moment and said, “Whoa! I’ve had a bad week too, my car broke down.” And then she proceeded to tell me all about her car troubles!
And think through that conversation with me. “Pharaoh, when I was in prison, which of course I’m not mad at you about O great king, I met a guy who wanted to get out and claimed he was innocent.” ?
Pharaoh cocks his head and says, “Sooooo…you are saying that I, a king and a god, made a mistake and put an innocent man in prison? Is this what you are saying? I just want to make sure.”
He had to wait until the time was right. And we will learn next time that that time was two years in the future!
[Even If - MercyMe video]
Application
In Memphis, Maxine and I went to the car and started toward the house. We were sitting at the red light when Maxine and I looked at each other and said, “Becky!”
We were supposed to bring Becky with us but we both forgot.
We all forget, it’s part of human nature. We forget where we put our keys, our wallets, our purses, our cars in the parking lot.
Near the end, my dad and step mother both forgot who I was. And at the funeral, my aunt, who has dementia, sadly kept forgetting that her brother had died.
And the cupbearer forgot Joseph.
But remember who Joseph is an Old Testament picture of?
When Jesus was crucified, He was in the middle between two thieves. One thief poured abuse on Jesus like the crowd but the other man asked Jesus a question:
“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:39-43)
Jesus did not forget him and He will not forget you!
You may think that you are in a prison right now and God has forgotten you. God is working behind the scenes in your situation in ways that you can’t even begin to understand to bring about His will for His glory and your greatest good.
On the cross, Jesus remembered us and He asked that we remember His sacrifice at this table.
At the Bible study on Wednesday, we walked verse by verse through John 19 - the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. By the end, many of us were in tears over what Jesus did for us.
That’s what this table is supposed to do. Jesus knows that we are quick to forget. That’s why He said do this is remembrance of me.
