Our Savior Lutheran Church

Last Week

Last week we saw how Joseph landed in an Egyptian prison as a result of resisting the sexual advances of his master’s wife. This week we will see how Joseph experienced the blessing of God while a forgotten, imprisoned slave.

To Get Us Started

Dreams play important roles in several Old Testament books. People in the Western world tend to look at dreams as psychological phenomena that, if they reveal anything, reveal our thoughts rather than God’s. Most of us pay little attention to our dreams.

1. What is the most vivid dream (or longing of your heart) you remember, either recent or long ago? Why does it stand out in your memory?

2. Have you ever had a dream that you felt might offer you some guidance for life? If so, what was it about? How did you act in response to it?

The Word

Down, down spirals Joseph’s life – family rejection, enslavement, imprisonment. Yet ironically, he’d had two dreams promising him great success and prominence. Then, in prison, two men tell Joseph about their dreams. It’s a wonder Joseph didn’t say, “Dreams, shmeams. Let me tell you about dreams. They don’t mean a thing!”

But Joseph never doubted the revelation God gave him in dreams when he was 17 years old. “You’re a champion,” God had said. So Joseph lived like a champion – whether a son, a slave, or a cellmate. His hope in God’s revelation made all the difference in the way he lived.

Genesis 39:20-40:23

Joseph's master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined.

But while Joseph was there in the prison, [21] the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. [22] 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. [23] 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.

40 [1] Some time later, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their master, the king of Egypt. [2] Pharaoh was angry with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, [3] and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same prison where Joseph was confined. [4] The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he attended them.

After they had been in custody for some time, [5] 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.

[6] When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected. [7] So he asked Pharaoh's officials who were in custody with him in his master's house, "Why are your faces so sad today?"

[8] "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."

[9] So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream. He said to him, "In my dream I saw a vine in front of me, [10] and on the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters ripened into grapes. [11] 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."

[12] "This is what it means," Joseph said to him. "The three branches are three days. [13] 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. [14] But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. [15] For 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."

[16] 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. [17] 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."

[18] "This is what it means," Joseph said. "The three baskets are three days. [19] Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head and hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat away your flesh."

[20] 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: [21] He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again put the cup into Pharaoh's hand, [22] but he hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had said to them in his interpretation.

[23] The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.

Observations

Most of us can point to someone we feel has treated us unfairly and unjustly. It may have involved a family member, a teacher, a friend, or an employer. It may have happened at home, at church, in school, or on the job. It may have taken place many years ago when we were children, or it may have happened yesterday. It may have happened once or many times. It may have involved harsh words, rejection, a rumor, physical abuse, false accusations, or unjust criticism. Or it may have been as simple as being taken for granted or being used for selfish purposes. It may have been malicious or inadvertent. In some instances, it may have been our own perception of the situation. But whatever the experience, it was painful.

Observation 1

We must not allow bitterness to capture our souls.

Humanly speaking, Joseph had every reason to develop a bitter spirit. Surely he had moments when he was angry. After all, he was human. But there’s a difference between getting angry and letting “the sun go down” while we’re still angry. As Paul stated further in his letter t the Ephesians, this is what gives “the Devil an opportunity” in our lives (Ephesians 4:26-27). Anger that is not dealt with will lead to lingering bitterness and all the other kinds of sinful behavior that result. In the end, we not only hurt others, but we also hurt ourselves. Bitterness and an unforgiving spirit are intensely self-destructive – emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

Don’t misunderstand! This does not mean that we cannot speak out against injustice even when that injustice is directed toward ourselves. Joseph did. He very clearly explained to the cupbearer that he had been mistreated and didn’t belong in Egypt, let alone in an Egyptian prison. But he waited for God’s timing, which is always a unique opportunity to defend ourselves without being or appearing defensive.

Observation 2

We must not allow ourselves to turn against God; rather, we must turn to God even more.

When they are mistreated, many people direct their bitterness not only toward those who caused it but also toward God. They blame the Lord for allowing it to happen.

Think about Joseph a moment. Though he was not perfect and certainly was naïve in his relationship with his brothers, in his heart he was reaching out to help them. Furthermore, he was only doing what his father asked him to do. In Egypt, he resisted temptation so as not to violate God’s will or Potiphar’s trust in him. Still he was terribly mistreated for doing what was right.

Do you think that Joseph was ever tempted to blame God? I’m confident that he was. But he did not allow that temptation to result in sinful attitudes and actions. Rather, he grew in his relationship with God. Joseph trusted the Lord to be with him and to help him endure these crises.

Fortunately, most of us have not had to face this kind of mistreatment. But how do we respond to the mistreatment we do face? No matter what the emotional or physical pain, we must not allow ourselves to become bitter toward God. If we do, we will only compound our problem. Not that God will turn against us. He never will. His love is unconditional. The problem is that we have turned against Him, and in that state of mind we are violating all the necessary steps we must take to draw on Him as our divine Source of strength and help.

Observation 3

In some situations, particularly those beyond our control, we must patiently wait for God to vindicate us and to honor both our faith and our positive attitudes.

This must have been the most difficult thing Joseph had to do. He had already spent 11 long years in Egypt, and most of that time was spent in prison. Following the request he made to the cupbearer, we’re told that another two years went by before the cupbearer remembered what Joseph had done for him.

Once again, he had to wait patiently for God to set the record straight. The greatest temptation we all face when someone mistreats us is to seek revenge. Joseph certainly faced that temptation as well, but he overcame it. And in doing so, Joseph was not “conquered by evil.” Rather he conquered “evil with good” (Romans 12:21).

To Discuss

3. When in the past have you had to choose between responding to an injustice with bitterness or with trust in God’s care for you?

4. What unfair situation are you facing now that could lead you to bitterness if you let it?

5. In how many ways did Joseph’s success in prison (Genesis 39:21-22) parallel his success as Potiphar’s slave (vv. 2-6)?

6. Contrast the attitudes of the cupbearer and baker – who have a short-term problem – with the attitude of Joseph whose life has been an 11-year disaster (Genesis 40:6-8)?

7. Notice Joseph’s curt statements about dream meanings in verses 8, 12, and 18. What can you infer about his confidence in God’s revelation, both in the Egyptians’ dreams and his own earlier ones?

8. How would you draw a line graph of the cupbearer’s emotions during this story? What would the baker’s emotional graph look like?

9. Do you approve or disapprove of Joseph’s vigorous self-defense in verses 14-15? Why?

10. How have you come to know God better through a time of adversity?

11. Who can you turn to for help in handling injustice in the way the cupbearer and baker turned to Joseph? How can such help assist you in preventing bitterness?

12. Joseph faced his unfair circumstances with confidence that God’s revelation about him would come true some day. What biblical hope can help you cope with life’s injustices?

13. When do you think it’s all right to defend yourself against unfair attacks, and when is it better to be quiet and let God defend you?

Any bitterness in our lives negatively affects our family, our fellow workers, and any others who depend on us for a godly example. It’s important that we trust God to fulfill His promises in our lives and not surrender to self-pity and abiding anger.

14. Share with one another and pray for one another about any unfair situations you are wrestling with.

15. Ask God to give each man in the group a sense of his gifts and purpose in God’s kingdom that can give him hope in times of adversity.

Next Week

This week we looked at Joseph’s experiences in prison in Egypt. In the week ahead, guard your spirit against anger and bitterness when you are treated unfairly. As God’s child through faith in Christ, you are an heir of glory and should live like one. Next week we will see Joseph’s situation in Egypt make a sudden reversal for the good after years of patient waiting.