The Forgotten Promise?

A Sermon Series on the Life of Joseph

Gen 40:1-13

Last time we were studying how Joseph went from slavery to top of the household chief, then back to “pit”-prison. He was betrayed and falsely accused, yet he knew that God was with him. The narrator never express any anger or emotional expression from Joseph. It does not mean Joseph did not have any emotions, remember latter in the story he went inside and wept. I wonder what was going in his mind. “If God is with me, how come I am going through all these difficulties?” But the biblical text emphasized that the Lord was with Joseph, even Potiphar realised that the Lord is with Joseph. The text does not indicate that Joseph was despair or discouraged. He was faithful to God and hard working person.

David went through tough time and asked these questions:

“Why, O LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” (psalm 10:1)

“How long, O LORD ? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?”(psalm 13:1-2)

God will answer these questions, patience!

The Butler and Baker Imprisoned with Joseph (40:1-5)

How interesting that we find these two important people (Pharaoh’s high-ranking officials) came to same prison where Joseph is. To be butler and baker of king, is highly responsible job. Like Potiphar(the chief bodyguard), they should be trustworthy. They test everything before giving it to the king. It seems one of them did something wrong and were put in prison.

The Butler and Baker’s dream (40:6-8)

Once again we find dreams are means to show How God is sovereign. Do you remember Joseph’s dreams to his family and we will find latter Pharaoh’s dream about the future. In the bible we see two people who interpret dreams, Joseph and Daniel. Each was serving a pagan God, one in Egypt one in Mesopotamia. God has his ways to talk to the people he chose to reveal his message. Also God is telling them (the royal rulers) and us today that He is in control.

Do you see how Joseph gives the credit to God? Then Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams." (v.8)

In another word, when are you going to learn that God can help you? Why are you looking your answers somewhere else? Don’t we do the same thing? We seek wrong places answers for our “dreams”!

The good and bad news that Joseph gave (40:9-13, 16-19)

Both had dreams. The bottler’s dream had positive result, but the baker’s dream had bad ending.

Joseph did interpret the dreams. Joseph was honest and bold. He gave bad and good news. He did not compromise whatever God gave him to reveal.

Let me tell you that God reveled to us in the bible. He reveled through prophets and his messengers. But God gave his final revelation through his son Jesus Christ. The disciples and the authors of the bible wrote these revelations to us in book we called it the Bible. Although the bible has one message, which is Good News of Jesus Christ, yet the bible is double edge sword. “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Heb 4:12) God is not in the business of pleasing us. God is in business of molding us, making us to walk in the path of righteousness and just.

We should not just hear things that makes us “feel good.” There are sermons on TV that we hear, that makes you just “feel good.” There is nothing bad in feeling good, yet watch out, only in being with God, who encourage us and rebuke us, we can learn to “feel good”. The Word of God rebuke our sins. The Word of God encourage us that we are not alone in our walk, that The Lord is with us.

Joseph did not compromise the message. He gave the bad and the good news to the prisoners.

We will continue in English.