God’s “buts” always turn trouble into triumph! As Paul discovered in his many crises,
Romans 8:28 NLT
[28]… ‘God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.’
Joseph stood in line for God’s favour in his new situation as prisoner in Pharaoh’s prison because of his looks and integrity….and God’s purposes. The charge against him merited his execution but…
Genesis 39:21-23 NLT
[21] “The Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. [22] Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. [23] The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The Lord was with him and caused everything he did to succeed.”
Once again, Joseph stood out among the other prisoners and was soon promoted to head prisoner. Imagine that! Head prisoner! What an honour!
His new position gave him access to all the other prisoners which was exactly what Joseph needed for the next phase of his journey from prison to palace.
What did Joseph think of his dreams at this point? Did the memory of his dreams guide him and keep his hope alive when all his experiences in Egypt pointed in the opposite direction? Did his faith in God grow or diminish during these years of testing?
Psalms 105:16-19 NLT
[16] “He (God) called for a famine on the land of Canaan, cutting off its food supply. [17] Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them— Joseph, who was sold as a slave. [18] They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar. [19] Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph’s character.”
You can be sure that God is always up to something when He is dealing with His own people. From our perspective, our situation may look messy, impossible, beyond hope, and yet…when we dare to trust God and believe that He is working for our good, the present situation couldn’t be better!
So, Joseph works with all the prisoners, gets to know them, shares his stories with them, wins their trust until…
A crisis arises in the lives of two of Pharaoh’s employees.
Genesis 40:1-4 NLT
[1] “Some time later, Pharaoh’s chief cup-bearer and chief baker offended their royal master. [2] Pharaoh became angry with these two officials, [3] and he put them in the prison where Joseph was, in the palace of the captain of the guard. [4] They remained in prison for quite some time, and the captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, who looked after them.”
They are both sent to prison and land up under Joseph’s care, right in line with God’s plan! Don’t you love it when a plan comes together? Eleven years have passed since Joseph’s ordeal began, eleven years of testing, waiting, hoping, but nothing seems to be happening… Yet, God is moving all the pieces into place for the perfect moment.
Dreams again, not his this time, but the dreams of Pharaoh’s officials.
Genesis 40:5-8 NLT
[5] While they were in prison, Pharaoh’s cup-bearer and baker each had a dream one night, and each dream had its own meaning. [6] When Joseph saw them the next morning, he noticed that they both looked upset. [7] “Why do you look so worried today?” he asked them. [8] And they replied, “We both had dreams last night, but no one can tell us what they mean.” “Interpreting dreams is God’s business,” Joseph replied. “Go ahead and tell me your dreams.”
Joseph’s divinely appointed moment!
He interprets their dreams and both, in turn, receive the fulfilment of their dreams, the butler reinstated and the baker executed.
Genesis 40:13-15 NLT
[13] “Within three days Pharaoh will lift you up and restore you to your position as his chief cup-bearer. [14] And please remember me and do me a favor when things go well for you. Mention me to Pharaoh, so he might let me out of this place. [15] For I was kidnapped from my homeland, the land of the Hebrews, and now I’m here in prison, but I did nothing to deserve it.”
Genesis 40:20-21 NLT
[20] Pharaoh’s birthday came three days later, and he prepared a banquet for all his officials and staff. He summoned his chief cup-bearer and chief baker to join the other officials. [21] He then restored the chief cup-bearer to his former position, so he could again hand Pharaoh his cup….
[23] Pharaoh’s chief cup-bearer, however, forgot all about Joseph, never giving him another thought.
In the flurry of his restoration, Joseph’s plea to be remembered is forgotten. Joseph must wait another two long years to complete his training before promotion comes… Another two years go by, bringing Joseph to the age of thirty…
Although God uses people of all ages to fulfil His will, significant people in the Bible began their ministry at age thirty; priests (Numbers 4:3), King Saul (1 Samuel 13:1), King David (2 Samuel 5:4), Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1:1), and even our Lord Jesus Himself (Luke 3:23).
To be continued..