Joseph—prison
Today on Choosing Peace you’ll read about a dog named Ruby, the king’s birthday party, and nine out of 10 people.
The move
Part 5, subtitled False Accusations, ended with questions about Joseph’s sudden move—from slavery to prison. Four Bible verses tell us the before, during and after of that shocking move:
And it happened when [Joseph’s] master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, saying, “This is what your servant did to me,” that he became furious. Then Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were bound…. But God was with Joseph and showed him kindness and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. The keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison; he was made responsible for everything that was done there.
Genesis 39:19-20b, 21-22, New Heart English Bible
The two key words in that passage are “But God.”
Ever present with kindness
Prison—a very frightening, demoralizing, uncertain, humiliating, potentially-dangerous place—was fundamentally changed by those two words: “But God.” What did God do for Joseph? He was ever present with Joseph in the prison. God’s presence was palpable. Also, the Lord showed him direct kindness—such as his location, food, clothing, light, people. Joseph was not in solitary confinement. He experienced God’s daily kindness through the Lord’s protection, provision and people.
Rewind and repeat
From The Joy of the Lord, part 13:
Why did I pray for [our son] Logan to have warm experiences with God? Because it’s vital for us to see God with our eyes and our hearts.
Key verse
Remember our key verse for joy in the Lord’s presence: Psalm 105:4. We need to seek the Lord’s presence continually.
How do we experience God? We can experience the Lord’s presence in music, peace, nature, revelation/truth, weather, power/miracles, his word, prayer, worship, help and more. (See Peace, Prayer, Miracles, Christian Living and much more in the index.)
Even in prison
Could Joseph experience God’s presence in all those ways in prison? Absolutely. He could sing music in his heart and out loud. Instruments weren’t required. He could hum joyfully to himself. Maybe Joseph saw nature through a window opening. While Joseph didn’t have a copy of the Bible, which wasn’t written yet, he knew stories of God’s faithfulness. He could remind himself of who God is. Did Joseph experience God’s power thru miracles? Wasn’t it a miracle that Potiphar didn’t have him flogged or executed? Remember this important truth.
Joseph experienced God’s daily kindness
through the Lord’s protection, provision and people.
So can we.
God’s favor
The last verse in Genesis 39 shows the favor God gave Joseph with the man in charge.
The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was under [Joseph’s] supervision, because God was with him, and made everything he did successful.
Genesis 39:23, New Heart English Bible
God gave Joseph the same favor in prison that he gave him with his master, Potiphar. Joseph was completely trustworthy, wise and diligent. He was a servant leader.
Two officers
Next, Pharaoh tossed his chief cupbearer and baker in prison. We don’t know what they did or failed to do, but “the king of Egypt” was hoppin‘ mad. They were put in the same area as Joseph.
The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he attended them. They stayed in prison for some time.
Genesis 40:4, New Heart English Bible
What does “some time” mean? Two weeks, two months, two years, five years? We have no idea. Then something very unusual happened. Very, very unusual.
The dreams
On the same night, the cupbearer and the baker each had a unique, strange, vivid dream. Joseph noticed something the next morning.
He asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody…, saying, “Why do you look so sad today?” They said to him, “We both had dreams, but there is no one who can interpret it.” Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell it to me.”
Genesis 40:7-8, New Heart English Bible
Go, Joseph! Yes, indeed. God is the one who gives certain dreams and their interpretations. See this post for details. Some dreams from God are very clear in what they communicate. Others are more obscure.
A clear dream
Logan had a dream this month. He was riding on a bus and two young ginger-colored dogs were there—one male and one female. Logan took the girl dog and another man took the boy dog. Outside the bus was an older dog, also ginger-colored, who stayed where she was.
Real life
Very soon after he had this dream, we met a four-year-old, ginger-colored dog; I’ll call her Ruby. Her foster parents brought her to our back yard for a visit to see if she’d be a good playmate for Marvin. (Our dog Floyd is quite old and can’t really play anymore.) Toward the end of that play date, an energetic young dog was running around behind our back fence. He and Ruby were the same color. After our visit with Ruby, Brandon and Logan rescued the young dog, and the animal shelter peeps picked him up the next morning. And, thankfully, the loose dog was reunited with his family. They found him at the shelter. We were interested in adding Ruby to our family, and actually had her drop-off planned, but her foster parents decided to keep her.
Coming to pass
Two of the endings from Logan’s dream came to pass so far. A young male dog who was temporarily away from home was found and taken home by a man. The older ginger-colored dog, Ruby, stayed where she was. Will we add a young ginger-colored female dog to our family? Time will tell….
But here’s the thing. At the time, Logan didn’t understand the male dog in the dream. That’s because they hadn’t met yet. Logan’s dream—a gift from God—foretold the future.
Clarity and imagery
Logan’s dream was clear. The dogs were dogs. Their coloring was true. The young boy dog was taken by a man and the older dog stayed where she was. I like the setting or imagery of the bus. A bus ride is temporary. The Lord intersected Logan’s life and the other man’s life indirectly—like two passengers on a bus. In real life, Logan protected the young dog until the dog and his owner could be reunited at the shelter.
While Logan’s recent dream was clear, other God-given dreams require interpretation. They include symbolism that we don’t understand.
Confusing dreams
I had an important dream about each of my parents—one as a child and the other as an adult. At the time, I had no idea what the dreams meant. God gave me the interpretation of each dream many years later, at the right time. Read this interesting post about those dreams and how their interpretations revealed important things about my story.
Pharaoh’s chief cupbearer and baker needed God’s help with their dream interpretations. And God provided three things: Joseph’s presence, his faith in God, and the interpretations.
The cupbearer’s dream
The chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “In my dream, look, a vine was in front of me, and in the vine were three branches. When it budded, its blossoms opened, and its clusters ripened into grapes. Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I placed the cup into Pharaoh’s hand.” Then Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days. Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office. You will put Pharaoh’s cup into his hand as you used to when you were his cupbearer. But remember me when it goes well for you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. For indeed, I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing that they should have put me into the pit.”
Genesis 40:9-15, New Heart English Bible
Let’s take a short detour.
The pit
Why did Joseph refer to prison as “the pit”? Because he couldn’t get out. Given his experience when his brothers literally threw him in a pit, he knew the feeling all too well. “I can’t escape on my own. Someone else must pull me out. I am not free. I am vulnerable.”
Of the thoughts written above—thoughts from the pit—the key one is this: “I am not free.”
Peaceful Reader, have you ever found yourself in a challenging situation you couldn’t seem to escape from? Are you in one right now? Some examples from my life come to mind: PTSD from my abortion, the trauma of divorce, grief from our stillborn baby, chronic abuse and mental illness on both sides of our family, and great difficulties in our marriage.
God provided the perseverance and healing in all these situations
through the presence, comfort and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Up and out
The Holy Spirit pulled me up and out of the pit in each situation, but I had to do my part. I had to reach up and take his hand. I had to cooperate with him. Most importantly, I had to agree with him—accepting and embracing the truth. Sometimes my healing came relatively quickly once I started doing the work. Other times, it took many years. Various people were involved in different ways. Some were agents of healing. Others were evil. Still others were resistant and/or inconsistent.
I was able to persevere because the Lord was with me. I knew he was taking me in the right direction. He changed me and strengthened me as he healed me.
Your turn
Have you experienced the Lord’s deliverance from distress or grief? Are you in the process of being delivered—pulled out of the pit? Are you at the beginning? Is it time to reach up and take God’s hand of deliverance? Get out your journal and reflect on these things.
Where are you on The Healing Journey? Who did God send to help you? Are you cooperating and agreeing with God as an avid truth-seeker? If not, will you write down the lies that plague you as you ask God to show you the truth? Will you replace the devil’s lies with God’s truth? Will you let God change your mind and the way you think? “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…” Proverbs 23:7 (KJV). Our thoughts drive our lives. We must strive every day to think rightly—to agree with God. Let’s start with some basics. You were created by God for a distinct purpose. He has important plans for your life. Walk slowly through The Big Why, part 5, paying special attention to these sections: The Real You and Created By and For God.
Remember: Jesus Christ is The Great Physician. Include a prayer of gratitude to God for his help. Ask him for the courage to take the next step—whatever it may be.
Do you know someone who needs help to think rightly—to agree with God? Share this post.
The baker’s dream
When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I also appeared in my dream, and look, three baskets of white bread were on my head. In the top basket there was all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.” Joseph answered, “This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days. Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head from off you, and impale you on a pole, and the birds will eat your flesh off you.”
And it happened on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he gave a feast for all his servants, and he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. He restored the chief cupbearer to his position again, and he placed the cup into Pharaoh’s hand; but he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. But the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.
Genesis 40:16-23, New Heart English Bible
At the king’s birthday party, all his servants were reminded of their place. They served at the king’s pleasure. “You may keep your job and receive my mercy here and there. Or you may be executed in front of your peers. Watch yourself.” Personally, I find that horrifying—not the kind of party game I’m used to. Then again, I don’t live in ancient Egypt and serve in the palace. And I have no idea what the baker did. His execution may have been completely warranted. Or not. Was the baker in prison due to false accusations, like Joseph was? Did the apprentice who wanted the baker’s position sabotage him by putting something unfavorable in the dough?
More importantly, how did Pharaoh’s baker spend his last days? Did he ask Joseph about the God who gave him the dream interpretations? Did he seek to make things right with God? I certainly hope so.
Lowly—in the world’s eyes
For two extended periods of time in his life, Joseph found himself in humble positions or places—in slavery and in prison. No one aspired to be there, and yet Joseph thrived. There was something different about him. The Lord had major plans for Joseph’s life, and these very long seasons were the training grounds. Joseph rose to a place of leadership and authority in both places—Potiphar’s house and prison.
God was with Joseph and people knew it. God revealed things to him—giving him dream interpretations.
The nine and the one
And yet, the cupbearer forgot Joseph after he won his freedom. He went on with his life. He was like most people. The cupbearer was like “the nine”—nine out of 10 people.
The question Jesus asked
Luke, the physician, tells us about an important event in Luke, chapter 17. Ten lepers called out to Jesus, asking for mercy, and he healed them. Only one returned to give God glory and to thank Jesus for changing his life.
One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice. He fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks; and he was a Samaritan. “Weren’t the ten cleansed? But where are the nine?”
Luke 17:15-17, New Heart English Bible
Jesus asked this important question: “Where are the nine?”
Being the one
I’ve made this story a cornerstone of my parenting. I tell Logan regularly, “Be the one.” In other words—don’t be like most people. Be the one who says thank-you. Be the one who gives God the glory. Be the one who notices and acknowledges the impact. Be the one.
Are you the one? If not, become the one here and now. Give God glory, give him credit, thank him and thank others. Tell them about their impact on your life.
Be the one.
Called for impact
Joseph rose to high positions in lowly stations.
Not everyone is chosen or designated for great positions of leadership, yet we are all called to godly servanthood and impact.
Serve God faithfully where you are. And be the one.
Merry Christmas, Peaceful Readers!
Peace to you
Enjoy some peaceful instrumental Christmas music and beautiful images this Christmastide. We’ve played this lovely four-hour compilation several recent evenings.
The LORD bless you, and keep you.
The LORD make his face to shine on you, and be gracious to you.
The LORD lift up his face toward you, and give you peace.
The priestly blessing
Numbers 6:24-26, New Heart English Bible
Coming next: In the next chapter of Genesis, God lifts Joseph out of the pit—I mean prison, and Joseph meets Pharaoh. What a remarkable life.
Until next time, thanks for reading and for Choosing Peace.
Truth from The Word: Isaiah 9:2-7
Song: Be blessed by this new Christmas release by The Petersens: “Welcome to Our World.”
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