Hello and welcome to our broadcast. We're looking at Joseph talking to the butler and the baker about their dreams. Stay tuned for our program. Well, in our last broadcast, we see in Genesis chapter 40, verses 1 through 4, the story of the butler and the baker. They both had a dream, and Joseph was able to tell them the meaning of the dream, and he was concerned enough that he wanted to help them in that respect. Well, we find that the baker was encouraged when he heard the good interpretation of the butler's dream, and so he wanted to know the interpretation of his dream. Well, his dream turned out to be more of a nightmare, but Joseph spoke the truth. He did not soft-peddle the truth. He gave him the facts. Today we have many preachers who are willing to preach the message of the butler, not so many willing to preach the message of the baker. Joseph simply gave the baker an opportunity to prepare himself to meet his maker. He said, in three days you're going to be dead. Well, it's plain and simple, but that's what he needed to know. Well, we read in verse number 20, and it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants, and he lifted up the head of the chief butler, and the chief baker among his servants. And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again, and he gave the cup unto Pharaoh's hand. But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgot him. Joseph was found to be a true messenger of God. However, as often is the case, the recipient of the good news soon forgets the one who helped him. We read, Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgot him. It was Pharaoh's birthday, and he celebrated at the court with great stateliness and included a free pardon to prisoners, which is probably why Joseph said, I pray thee, make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house." Verse 14. It's interesting we read back in Amos 6 and verse number 6 that they drank wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the chief ointments, but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. Well here we have another picture of Joseph as a representative of Christ. Christ came in this world, did great things for us, and yet so often from day to day we simply forget all about him. It says in Jeremiah 2.32, my people have forgotten me days without numbers. It says in Jeremiah 13.25, thou hast forgotten me and trusted in falsehood. Jeremiah 18.15, my people have forgotten me. They have burned incense to vanity. Ezekiel 23 3 thou has forgotten me and cast me behind thy back Hosea 13 6 their heart was exalted therefore they have forgotten me psalm 106 13 they soon forgot his works they waited not for his counsel and then in verse 21 it says they forgot God their Savior which had done great things in Egypt yeah they soon forgot him well they forgot Joseph when he got out of there he just forgot him for two years Well, it came to pass, it says in chapter 41 and verse 1, it came to pass at the end of two full years that Pharaoh dreamed and behold, he stood by the river. Well, we know as a result of this dream that Joseph is going to get out of prison, but it's going to happen in God's due time. God works when he wants to work. I remember years ago, When I was in my early 20s, our family attended a church that had many steps leading up to the front door. There was a retired pastor who came each week who had suffered a stroke, and I would wait every week for his wife to drive up to the front of the church, and then I would help him out of the car, and I would help him up the steps into the church. It was a slow trip as he was crippled, and he would always say to me as we walked up those steps, God is never in a hurry, but he is never late. He said that every Sunday. God is never in a hurry, but he is never late. It is without a doubt the greatest sermon I ever heard. And I heard it every Sunday as I helped this retired crippled pastor up the front steps of the church. He would say every time, God is never in a hurry, but he is never late. Well, Joseph was in the prison another two full years. If Joseph had been released from the prison two years earlier, no doubt he would have headed back home, and he would not have been there for everything that was going to happen in his life at this time. So God had a plan for his life, and God used Potiphar's wife to get Joseph in prison, and he used the forgetful butler to keep him there. God used the dream of Pharaoh for his purpose. God's purpose was that Joseph should remain in prison for another two full years. Had Joseph been delivered from his prison on the king's birthday, no doubt he would have headed home, and the purpose of God for Joseph would never have been a reality. Well, it says in Proverbs 21 and verse 1, the king's heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water. He turneth it whithersoever he will. In due time, Joseph was delivered from the prison. In the morning on that particular day, he was a slave in a prison. At the end of the day, he was a prime minister of Egypt. Well, we read in verse two, and behold, there came up out of the river seven well-favored kind, and fat-fleshed, and they fed in a meadow. Now this is Pharaoh's dream. And behold, seven other kind, and it's referring to cattle here, came up after them out of the river, ill-favored, lean-fleshed, and stood by the other cattle. Well, it says in verse number four that the ill-favored and lean-fleshed cattle did eat up the seven well-favored and fat cattle. So Pharaoh awoke, and he slept and dreamed a second time, and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good, and, behold, the seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them. and the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears, and Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream. And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all the wise men thereof, and Pharaoh told them his dream, but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh. Well, Egypt, which is the picture of the world, They thought they had it all together. However, none of their wise men could figure out what the king's dreams were all about. Joseph, on the other hand, who was considered to be nothing more than an ignorant slave in a prison, it was this young Joseph that God used to save the nation. It was a young man and Hebrew servant of the captain of the guard, he's called, who was in touch with the Creator. And so we read that Pharaoh sent and called Joseph. Well, it was what happened here in verse number nine was the butler remembered all of a sudden. It says, Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my fault this day. Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in the ward, in the captain of the guard's house, both me and the chief baker. And we dreamed a dream one night, and he and I, we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream. And there was a young man, a Hebrew servant, to the captain of the guard, and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams. To each man according to his dream did he interpret. And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was. Me he restored unto my office, and him he hanged. Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and brought him hastily out of the dungeon, and shaved himself, and he changed his raiment, and he came in unto Pharaoh. Now Joseph was destined to remain in that prison for his entire life except for the providence of God. Later on in Genesis 45 and verse 7, Joseph would say, God sent me before you, speaking to his brothers, God sent me before you to preserve you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me hither, but God. Then he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of his house, and ruler throughout the land of Egypt. Haste ye, he said to his brothers, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God has made me lord of all of Egypt." God was in charge. Well, he speaks of things to come. In Genesis 41, 28, we read that Joseph said to Pharaoh, what God is about to do, he showeth unto Pharaoh. And once again, we have a foreshadowing of Christ where we read about in the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him to show unto his servants things that must shortly come to pass. Well, Joseph warned the people of the world concerning the danger that was coming. and gave his hearers a way to deal with those things, and Christ has done the same thing in the book of Revelation, and not too many people are bothering to listen. It says in verse 15 and 16, in Joseph's humility, he said, this is not of me. In verse 15, Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it, and I have heard say of thee that thou can understand a dream to interpret it. And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me. God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace. Joseph could have taken the glory for himself. He didn't. Immediately he said, It is not in me. God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace. peace. So Pharaoh explained the dream to Joseph, and Joseph quickly gave the glory to God, and he said, what God is about to do, what God is about to do, he showeth unto Pharaoh, verse number 28. In verses 25 through 32, he explains what this dream is all about. There's going to be seven years of plenty. There's going to be seven years of famine. And then, In verse 33, he gives Pharaoh some advice. He says, Now, therefore, let Pharaoh look out a man, discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven-year famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land perish not through the famine." Well, Pharaoh was listening to this, and his response was, verse 37, and the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said unto his servants, can we find such a one as This is a man in whom the Spirit of God is. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God has shown thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art. Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled. Only in the throne will I be greater than thou. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt, and Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it on Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck, and he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had, and they cried before him, Bow the knee, and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt." What an amazing story. Pharaoh and his officers accepted the advice of the young Hebrew slave, and we read, And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. Well, Pharaoh realized Joseph possessed something that none of his advisors had. However, Joseph was very quick to give all of the glory to God. There were some who recognized also that Jesus spoke things that were different from the religious leaders of his day. And we read in Matthew 7 and 28, And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that people were astonished at his doctrine, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. We also read in Matthew 13 and 54, When he had come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogues, insomuch they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom so once again we see joseph as a type of christ concerning joseph pharaoh confessed can we find a one such as this there is none so discreet and so wise and so the listeners of christ also acknowledged in john 7 and 46 never a man spake like this man Well, you hear that music in the background tells us we're out of time. Tune in again tomorrow. We'll continue from here. We'll try to make it plain and we will try to make it simple.