The Right Interpretation

Faith that Works

(Genesis 40:1-23, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, August 2, 2015)

[40:1] Some time after this, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord the king of Egypt. [2] And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, [3] and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined. [4] The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be with them, and he attended them. They continued for some time in custody.

Joseph served two officials of Pharaoh who had fallen on hard times. True faith is ready to work.

[5] And one night they both dreamed—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—each his own dream, and each dream with its own interpretation. [6] When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. [7] So he asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in custody in his master's house, “Why are your faces downcast today?” [8] They said to him, “We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.”
[9] So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph and said to him, “In my dream there was a vine before me, [10] and on the vine there were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes. [11] Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup and placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand.” [12] Then Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days. [13] In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you shall place Pharaoh's cup in his hand as formerly, when you were his cupbearer. [14] Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. [15] For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.”
[16] When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream: there were three cake baskets on my head, [17] and in the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head.” [18] And Joseph answered and said, “This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days. [19] In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head—from you!—and hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat the flesh from you.”

The correct interpretation of all mysterious providences belongs to God. But how can anyone understand unless someone reveals the truth to us? Joseph had this gift and he worked with it.

[20] On the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, he made a feast for all his servants and 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 position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand. [22] But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. [23] Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

The proof of Joseph's gift was demonstrated in the speedy unfolding of events. In just three days, Joseph's credibility was established in the mind of a man who would have Pharaoh's ear.

Put the Word to Work: All of us must use what God has given to us in faith, trusting that the Lord will build His kingdom according to His own pace and plan. Only covenant-keeping Jesus could be Messiah. In three days His perfect work as our atoning sacrifice was proven to many.

Old Testament Reading—Psalm 132:12 – “... If your sons keep my covenant and my testimonies that I shall teach them, their sons also forever shall sit on your throne.”

Gospel Reading—Matthew 24:15-28 – The abomination of desolation

Joseph served two officials of Pharaoh who had fallen on hard times. True faith is ready to work.

Think of everything that had happened to Joseph... Yet he kept on going despite every disappointment. He was demonstrating his calling from God everywhere he served. He was also building relationships that might be very important for the Lord's purposes.

The correct interpretation of all mysterious providences belongs to God. But how can anyone understand unless someone reveals the truth to us? Joseph had this gift and he worked with it.

Joseph had received revelatory dreams from the Lord. He knew that even those who might not know God could still receive some true word from him in the providential wrapping of a disturbing dream. The potential meaning of these stories in the night would be manifold. All possible interpretations could not be correct. Only the Lord could reveal the correct message, if any, that was being given through these dreams. Joseph had confidence in God to reveal the truth and he was willing to be used by Him to bring the right words to these two Egyptian officials.

The proof of Joseph's gift was demonstrated in the speedy unfolding of events. In just three days, Joseph's credibility was established in the mind of a man who would have Pharaoh's ear.

It did not take very long for Joseph to demonstrate that he was a true spokesman for the Lord in this situation. Joseph seemed to receive nothing for his troubles. The cupbearer allowed himself the privilege of forgetting Joseph's plea for justice. Yet even this disappointment would be important to the Lord's purposes for Joseph, the other sons of Jacob, the nation of Israel, and the eventual salvation of the world.

All of us must use what God has given to us in faith, trusting that the Lord will build His kingdom according to His own pace and plan. Only covenant-keeping Jesus could be Messiah. In three days His perfect work as our atoning sacrifice was proven to many.

Joseph was not treated well by his brothers, by Potiphar's wife, and by Pharaoh's cupbearer. Yet the Lord is over every player in his great divine drama. Of all the people in the Joseph story, Joseph himself was the most righteous. Yet if he had been delivered from evil at an earlier time, he would not have been able to do the amazing work that formed his great life.

Consider the work of the Lord Jesus in the great plan of God to bring about a kingdom of life. The Lord was building a living temple. Only Jesus could be the Cornerstone. There was a covenant between the Father and the Son that required a perfectly obedient Substitute for sinners who would then fulfill His purpose through His death and resurrection. (Isaiah 42:6, 53:5, Hebrews 13:20-21) Jesus went through death to take the throne prepared for Him by His Father.

In Pharaoh's prison, Joseph predicted that some very specific events would take place in the lives of two men. He was proven true in three short days. Jesus told His disciples that He would lay down His life in death and that He would pick it up again on the third day in resurrection. His disciples did not have to wait long in order to find out that Jesus was right.

Our role in the kingdom is not the same as that of the Son of God. Only He is King. Yet we shall reign with Him forever. Our position in the Lord's house is not from our own ability to know all the mysteries of life. Jesus has the right interpretation of everything. Trust Him and live.