4

It is both illuminating and humbling to delve into all of the various aspects of Joseph's life and character. We find so much which illuminates vital truths about human nature. The negative aspects of human nature are evident in the attitudes and actions of others which so drastically effected Joseph. But also the wealth of the most positive truth about the great potential on one person's life, when that life is lived to honor the Lord.

Above all we see vital truth about the sovereign grace and sufficiency of the Lord. Men may attempt to do their worst. Yet the striking evidence of the various ways in which God overrules in and through all the developments, as He moves to faithfully accomplish His purposes. In Joseph's situation, we see glorious and faithful involvement of the Lord as He overrules in the affairs of men, continuallyl

Joseph was a young man who found himself being forced to carry a heavy burden. This was a burden that was not of his choosing. The problem was precipitated when his father openly demonstrated that Joseph was his favorite son.

Naturally his brothers resented this display of favoritism, and other related matters. They resented and hated him so much that they sold him as a slave.

Joseph had been carried off to a foreign country: Egypt. There he was sold to an Egyptian official by the name of Potiphar. Joseph faithfully served Potiphar with diligence and integrity.

When Potiphar's wife failed in her many determined attempts to seduce Joseph, she then falsely accused him of attempting to rape her. He was given no opportunity to answer her lying accusations, rather he was abruptly thrown into prison.

Once again, as a slave who had been falsely accused and imprisoned, he demonstrated his genuine integrity and faithfulness.

The years dragged slowly by, ever so slowly. All the time, Joseph continued to Iive and serve with his faith and trust in the Lord as strong as ever. Yet it was eleven years which dragged so slowly by! Still nothing happened to improved his lot. But then:

in this new development were two servants of Pharaoh the king. The Scriptures tell us that for some reason the king was greatly offended by these men. We are not told the reason for this anger, what we are told is that these two men were thrown into prison by Pharaoh.

One of these men was the chief of the butlers. The other was the chief of the bakers. The place where they were incarcerated was: "in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound."

This was not a coincidence. These two key personal servants of he king were locked up in the same prison as Joseph. Remember Joseph in effect was running the entire place.

"The keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison, and whatever they did there, he was the doer of it!" (Genesis 39: 22). This certainly was not a coincidence.

In His own time and in His own way the Lord was working out His plan. The positions which these men normally held meant that they had constant, daily access to the king.

"The Captain of the Guard charged Joseph with them!" He specifically gave to Joseph the responsibility for these two men! "He served them!" Joseph personally took care of their needs.

"They continued a season there!" Thus Joseph had more than enough time to really get to know them. Even as they had plenty of time to really get to know him. What they soon discovered was that Joseph was a man whom they could trust.

All this was the Lord's doing! While that fact is so clearly true, there were a number of things which were essential for the Lord to be able to work in this way. For example, so much depended on Joseph.

There was the matter of his faithfulness to his responsibilies. His personal integrity in the tasks which were entrusted to him. Without these being constant and obvious, the Captain of the guard would not have trusted Joseph. The chief butler and the chief baker would not have developed confidence in him.

Joseph's total way of life made him completely and continually available to the Lord. How we today need to take this reality seriously. To show spasmodic faithfulness and loyalty in never good enough. To try and demonstrate integrity only on particular occasions fails miserably.

It is the entire life that the Lord seeks to use. Faithfulness and integrity are essential at all times, in all situations. Otherwise the Lord will pass us by. He will have no choice!

God was at work. The circumstances were responding to the pressure which He was applying. His will was being worked out step by step.

Both of these men dreamed dreams in the same night. They each remember the striking details of these dreams. The impact was vivid on their minds.

"And they dreamed a dream, both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt."

These men not only remembered their dreams. They were greatly perplexed by what they remembered. The content of their dreams remained so very vivid. They had no doubt that the dreams must have had some meaning, yet they could not imagine what that meaning may be.

By this time Joseph had come to know these men very well. As soon as he saw them the morning after they had those dreams, he knew that something was troubling them. "Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad!"

Joseph's faithfulness, and his sense of responsibility intensified his perception of other people. He really cared. Because he really cared he could readily identify when those he knew were going through a. difficult time. Such genuine concern always sharpens our awareness of the needs of others.

That personality trait is very rare today. The majority are so busy with themselves and their own concerns that they pass others by a! if they were not even there.

How the attitude which is demonstrated by Joseph is so desperately needed. This genuine concern which readily sees when another is deeply troubled. Along with the compassion to attempt to find out why they are troubled. The desire to really get involved and help if at all possible.

That is the attitude of the love of the Lord Jesus. Joseph reveals it. How we need to be like him.

Joseph's first thought, as well as his deep desire, was to reach out and minister to these men. He was not thinking of himself. Not of his own need, or his own condition. There is not the slightest suggestion of any selfishness. Rather than self-pity there was true selflessness. Sacrificial selflessness. Here were others with a real need. A heavy burden. How could he minister to them? How could he provide a meaningful and compassionate response?

The Lord was working. The Lord was having His way with Joseph's life. Step by step. Day by Day. The Lord was making Joseph the person He wanted him to be. What an inspiration to us to allow the Lord to really have His way with us.

The chief butler and the chief baker responded to Joseph's expressed concern. They knew that it was in genuine concern that he was reaching out to them. They felt it. They were able to readily identify it. It was so real. Joseph had won their confidence. They were ready to share fully with him.

People still look for genuineness. They look for that dynamically real concern and real compassion. And when they find it they do respond. They begin to trust. They reach out with growing confidence.

When the Lord is really having His way with our lives that will be our experience! It will be the reality for us. We will be able to reach out in sincere concern and compassion. Others will respond by reaching out to us with growing confidence. Responding to the Lord in us.

"They said to him, we have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not Interpretations belong to God?"

The servant of the Lord knew that all came from the Lord. It was the Lord's wisdom. The Lord's understanding. The Lord's knowledge. No man could claim that for himself. The power, the authority, and the glory. Rather, all belonged to the Lord.

Joseph gladly gave all the glory to the Lord. He refused to presume on the glory of the Lord by claiming that he himself could interpret the dreams. It is of God!

"Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me them I pray you." Quietly, confidently Joseph was giving testimony to his everdeepening, everdeveloping fellowship with the Lord. Humbly he was revealing the closeness of his walk with God.

What a high and holy privilege he had. A privilege he sought to express, first, in glorifying the Lord. Then in meeting the needs of others. God was really having His way with this young man's life!

That high and holy privilege is still available today! Available, yes, but only to those in whose lives the Lord can genuinely have His way. Available in those whose first thought is still the glory and honor of the Lord. Whose genuine desire is to serve others in the Name of the Lord.

The chief butler and the chief baker were ready, in fact, eager, to take the opportunity which Joseph gave to them.

The chief butler responded first. He told Joseph that in the dream a vine appeared before him. The vine had three branches. Then it appeared as though the process of nature was accelerated considerably.

"It was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes."

The butler then became aware that he was the key person in his dream. "Pharaoh's cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand."

The dream was so simple. So vivid. Above all, it was so significant. The Lord was at work. "All things work together for good," even the chief butler's dream. God gave the chief butler this dream for one very significant reason: To draw attention to Joseph, the faithful servant of the Lord.

Joseph could not have been aware of all of the implications of what was happening at this time. He would not have realized all that the Lord was accomplishing. In a sense, he did not have to be aware of all that the Lord was doing. He could not be aware of all of the implications. What was important was that he was available to the Lord, regardless.

How often these same truths apply in our situation. The Lord is at work. We do see things happening. Circumstances that are changing. But we cannot grasp all of the implications of all that is going on in and around our lives. Nor all that the Lord is accomplishing. Yet He is most definitely at work. He is always at work. We need to remain fully available to Him.

Having listened to the chief butler explain the dream, Joseph was able to explain it. He did so, quickly, and accurately.

"This is the interpretation of it.'' Remember: "Do not interpretations belong to God?" This.young man who was so totally available to God, responded humbly and honestly. He shared the revelation which the Lord had given to him.

"The three branches are three days. Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler."

There was no difficulty in explaining this dream. The explanation promised very positive benefits to the butler. Joseph was able to assure him that the time of imprisonment would soon be over and that he would be reinstated in his former position at the king's butler.

It was at this point that Joseph became aware that there was very special significance involved in this encounter. this could not have been a mere coincidence. If the butler was going to be restored, being reinstated to his former post, then he would be in a most important position, in that he would have constant personal access to Pharaoh. Joseph realized this significant fact. He realized how critical these developments were for him personally.

How applicable all of these principles, and developments are to the true child of God. Others may see some events as completely haphazard. But the Christian learns that such developments in the lives of people, or such circumstances, are of considerable significance.

There are those times when we are fully convinced that this is so clearly the case, so much so that we can say with confidence: The Lord is in this!

Joseph immediately realized that within three days the chief butler would be back serving Pharaoh. So he acted to grasp the opportunity which this fact presented.

His request was quite simple. When you see the clear confirmation that things have gone so well for you, then remember me. "But think on me when it shall be well with you, and show kindness, I pray. thee, unto me."

"Show me kindness.'' This would have been a totally new experience for Joseph. For someone to really care enough to show him genuine kindness. No doubt his father felt that he had been kind in giving him the special coat. But that was not kindness.

His brothers showed him nothing but cruelty. Potiphar was kind, but only when he thought that he had something gain personally. And only for a while. Then his "kindness" was quickly replaced by cruelty. Potiphar's wife was extremely, and maliciously cruel to him.

There had been very little kindness shown to Joseph throughout his life up until that crucial moment. At this point he was twenty eight years old. He had spent the previous ten years in prison as the result of false accusations.

"Show me a little kindness!'' How often that cry goes out. And so very often it is not heard. There are so many people today who have known only cruelty and rejection. Never real love. Nor caring. Nor kindness.

"Show me a little kindness'' The Lord hears every such cry. Do we hear any? He suffers with those who suffer! Have we ever learned, even to a small degree, how to identify with those who cry, “Show me kindness”?

Joseph could suggest a motive to the chief butler. As an expression of gratitude, show me kindness. Joseph was confident that the chief butler would be released and restored to his position. He was as sure of that as he was sure of the faithfulness of the Lord. It would happen. Would the chief butler be willing to show gratitude?

"We love, because He first loved" us. Do we really believe that? Is it expressed in our lives? Where is the evidence of our gratitude? Where is the evidence should be clearly expressed in our attitude, as well as in our response to the needs of others?

Joseph continued. "Make mention of me to Pharaoh and bring me out of this house." Potiphar had thrown him into the prison. Joseph believed that Pharaoh could over rule Potiphar's decision, and have him released.

Joseph simply and honestly stated what had happened. There was no exaggeration. No embellishment of the record.

"For I indeed was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews." Those who sold him as a slave had no right, to do so. He was "Stolen away'' "And here also,I have done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon." He was guilty of no crime.

Rather, what he had done was a mark of high integrity: He had refused to violate his master's trust. He had refused to sin against the Lord. That was all.

Joseph had every justification for making this request. He saw the hand of the Lord clearly revealed in the events of those days. In the imprisonment of the chief butler and the chief baker. In their dreams. In the obvious interpretation of the butler's dream. In the imminent release and restoration of the butler.

Joseph had every reason to believe and hope that all would combine for his benefit. That soon he would be released. Soon his suffering would be over.

The baker had been listening to the butler's conversation with Joseph. He heard the description of the dream, followed by the interpretation of the dream. The baker would have been greatly encouraged by the promise of the release and restoration of the butler. He would quite naturally hope that the result for him would prove to be just as positive.

"I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head; and in the uppermost basket there were all manner of bake meats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat. them out of the basket on my head."

The butler's dream had been related to the position which he had previously held. So was the baker's. The interpretation of the butler's dream was positive. This was not to be the case with the baker. In fact it was quite the opposite.

Joseph was completely faithful in speaking God's Word. He said, "This is the interpretation thereof. The three baskets are three days. Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree, and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee."

There was no doubt what the outcome would be. While the butler would be restored to his position, the baker would be executed! Joseph faithfully, honestly explained that. He could not know the reason the baker would be executed. All that he could do was to be faithful to the Word of God. Be faithful, no matter what the outcome.

True faithfulness to the Lord demands of us true loyalty to His Word. Even when people find that the implications of the Word of God are unpleasant. Even when it involves the pronouncement of severe judgement. When the Lord is in first place we will never seek to avoid speaking His Word clearly. We will refuse to modify it. Or try to make it more appealing to man. Or more palatable to the world. Never!

Three days later Pharaoh had a birthday celebration. "He made a feast unto all his servants." His servants included the chief butler and the chief baker. When all of his servants were gathered together for this feast Pharaoh brought these two men in.

"He lifted up the head of the chief butler and the chief baker among his servants." This must have been a moment of intense anticipation and apprehension for these two men. So far Joseph's interpretation of their dreams was completely accurate. The three days were passed. They were both brought in before all of the other servants. Would the rest of the interpretation prove to be just as accurate? It is not difficult to imagine the great tension of those next few minutes.

"And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again, and he gave the cup into Pharaoh.'s hand." Exactly according to the interpretation which the Lord had given to Joseph.

But what of the chief baker? :"He hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them!" Every detail was exactly according to the Word of the Lord, as Jospeh so faithfully shared it.

What a vindication this was for Joseph! He had stated, "Do not interpretations belong to God?" Then he added, Tell four dreams to me. I will give you God's Word of interpretation He did] There could be no doubt. He was God's man. Ile was totally faithful to the Word of the Lord.

Surely everyone would be greatly impressed. Particularly those who knew all of the details of these astonishing events. Especially the chief butler who was restored to his .position. Surely! But:

This was to be the moment of Joseph's victory. The day which would mark his release from the prison and everything it represented. But it was not to be the case, no matter how much we may want to argue that it should have been.

Joseph had hoped for the very best! He had reason to hope! Everything appeared to be pointing in the right direction. He could see so much evidence of the promise of dramatic improvement that it was so very natural to hope. Surely, now, things would change.

How could this happen? For the butler to so easily and so quickly forget Joseph. How could he? Why? After all that had happened it did not make any sense.

Was the chief butler so full of his own good fortune that he had no time to think about anyone else? Was he so busy celebrating his release from prison that all other considerations were excluded from his thinking? Was he so preoccupied with getting back into his responsibilities of being Pharaoh's chief butler? He forgot!

Sonner or later, Joseph inevitably came to the realization that the chief butler had forgotten him. He was still confined in the prison. Nothing was said or done to change his situation.

Forgotten! How that awareness must have so deeply hurt him. How it would stir up a host of perplexing questions in his mind.

Forgotten by man. But not forgotten by the Lord! The Lord would never forget. Nor had the Lord in any way forsaken His faithful servant.

Disappointed: by man. Disappointed: with man. But not disappointed by God. And, certainly not disappointed with God. In faith Joseph held unflinchingly to the essential reality: God was still on the throne! God was still in complete control! God was working His purposes out!

In His own time the Lord would reveal the full and final picture all that He was doing. In His own way He would open wide the door of that prison house.

Joseph was still fully persuaded: in His own way, and for His own glory God would always work according to His perfect will and purpose. Joseph stubbornly and victoriously held to that assurance by faith.

Do we? Sometimes we take far too seriously the failures of men. We respond as though such failures in some way or other reflect adversely on God. When people forget us, or let us down, we are tempted to react as though God has forgotten us, or let us down.

The Lord never fails. He never forgets. He never forsakes. He is: THE LORD: Our Lord! Our Sovereign Lord! Our Almighty Lord. Our eternally faithful Lord.

He continues to work His purposes outeven when our minds are trapped in a fog of deep and s[irit-numbing disappointment. Faith must then continue hold to His unfailing faithfulness. He never disappoints. Never!

The chief butler forgot Joseph. The time would come when Joseph would be able to thank the Lord for that. He would understand that the poor memory of that man was certainly not outside the sovereign control of the Lord. The Lord could, and would, use even that circumstance. Even as He uses all circumstances.

The Lord was not caught by surprise when the butler forgot Joseph. Nothing ever catches Him by surprise. Nothing.

The Lord took the chief butler's memory, with all of its negative connotations, and used it in His plan and purpose for good. He carefully wove it into the exceedingly beautiful tapestry of His perfect will and purpose for Joseph.

The Lord does that in so many gracious and glorious ways.. At times it is so very difficult for us to accept all that this involves. Even as it is also very difficult for us to understand it. Yet sooner or later we will be able to look back and notice an amazing difference.

Those very things which once appeared so hurtful, so negative, have been so graciously transformed by the loving and wise touch of the hand of God. He has taken each and every one of them and made them a vital part of the exceedingly beautiful tapestry which so honors and glorifies him. That tapestry is: us! it is: our lives! Our service.

Joseph humbly, and willingly, yielded to the sovereign hand of the Lord as He working in his life. So must we, if we would ever be all that God wills for us to be.

Far too many people, including Christians, use disappointment as an excuse to blame God. Their negative reaction is so strong that they reject God. They give up, and justify themselves in doing so. They go back, deliberately choosing to no longer serve Him of follow Him.

There are so many who become bitter, and hard. If only they had humbly brought all of their disappointments to the Lord. If only they had humbly laid their hurt on the altar before Him, and allowed Him to work through their dissappointments and hurts to deepen their fellowship with Him.

If they had brought it all to the Lord they would have seen in his eyes a full understanding of their hurt. They would have realized once again that in all our hurting, He hurts with us. They would have felt the touch of His loving hand in gracious, yet strong, assurance.

Hurt by man? Yes' Disappointed? Yes! Honest about the hurt and disappointment Yes! Yet assured: The Lord is still on the throne. He is still faithfully and graciously working His purposes out!

Joseph came to realize this vital truth. His disappointment was God's appointment! For the moment: This was in the perfect will of God!

So, severely disappointed in man, he still retained his strong faith to God. He continued to prove to be faithful in all things to God, as well as to others, especially those who depended on him.

He still lived and served according to the principles of genuine integrity. He was still committed to live and serve for the glory of the Lord, no matter what happened.

He allowed it to bring him into closer fellowship with the Lord. Not to come between him and the Lord.