Joseph Intercepts Dreams

12/31/2007 10:17 AM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                                          Focus:  Joseph intercepts dreams

Bible Reading & Meditation             Reference:  Genesis 40:1-12; 16-22

            Message of the verses:  “1 ¶  Then it came about after these things, the cupbearer and the baker for the king of Egypt offended their lord, the king of Egypt.  2  Pharaoh was furious with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker.  3  So he put them in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard, in the jail, the same place where Joseph was imprisoned.  4  The captain of the bodyguard put Joseph in charge of them, and he took care of them; and they were in confinement for some time.

5 ¶  Then the cupbearer and the baker for the king of Egypt, who were confined in jail, both had a dream the same night, each man with his own dream and each dream with its own interpretation.  6  When Joseph came to them in the morning and observed them, behold, they were dejected.  7  He asked Pharaoh’s officials who were with him in confinement in his master’s house, "Why are your faces so sad today?"  8  Then they said to him, "We have had a dream and there is no one to interpret it." Then Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell it to me, please."  9  So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, "In my dream, behold, there was a vine in front of me;  10  and on the vine were three branches. And as it was budding, its blossoms came out, and its clusters produced ripe grapes.  11  "Now Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; so I took the grapes and squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand."  12  Then Joseph said to him, "This is the interpretation of it: the three branches are three days; 13  within three more days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office; and you will put Pharaoh’s cup into his hand according to your former custom when you were his cupbearer.

“16  When the chief baker saw that he had interpreted favorably, he said to Joseph, "I also saw in my dream, and behold, there were three baskets of white bread on my head;

17  and in the top basket there were some of all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, and the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head."  18  Then Joseph answered and said, "This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days; 19  within three more days Pharaoh will lift up your head from you and will hang you on a tree, and the birds will eat your flesh off you."

20 ¶  Thus it came about on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants.  21  He restored the chief cupbearer to his office, and he put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand; 22  but he hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had interpreted to them.”

This story if very familiar with me as I have read it on many different occasions, but the reason for the interruption of the chapter is to show that Joseph showed some unbelief, which I had not noticed before, but that is for another day.

It is know that between the time that Joseph had left his land until the time that he arose to the position of second in the land was thirteen years, but it is not known how long that he was with Potiphar or how long he was in prison.

This account also shows the kindness of Joseph for noticing that the faces of these two prisoners had changed, and there must be something wrong with them. 

As I study the life of Joseph it is pretty easy to understand how God was moving him from place to place in order to make him ready for his new position, which would greatly bless both Joseph and his entire family.  However the account goes so fast that at times it is hard to realize that Joseph lived out this thirteen years as both a slave and then a prisoner each and every day of those thirteen years were sure difficult, but the events of those days were teaching Joseph character and also preparing him for his new job.

Spiritual meaning for my life today:  As I look at the life of Joseph and compare it with the life that I am living I see some similar things that are happening and so it is my hope that as I study the life of Joseph more in-depth that the Lord will use it to give me the grace that I need in order to see me through this time in my life.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Continue to trust the Lord to give me the grace I need each day to live my life for the cause of Christ.