Delayed Dreams and Divine Deliverance: A Five-Day Look at the Journey of Joseph, Part 3

A note to the reader:

In this multi-day devotion series, we will look to Scripture to examine the life of Joseph. In this account God’s deliverance appeared delayed, yet in actuality it was His divine plan. I invite you to study the passage with me, take notes, ask questions, and then record your thoughts and personal application in a journal or the notes app on your phone. By the end of this series, I pray we will have a greater understanding of how delays and deliverance are a part of God’s sovereignty.

Forgotten Dreams

Read: Genesis 40

In the last devotion we left off with Joseph in pit #2: the prison (v15).

If you’re Joseph, you might be wondering, “What happened to those dreams I had when I was in my homeland? Why does my present reality appear so different from what God revealed to me?”

With even more time passing between chapter 39 and 40 (Genesis 40:1), we read that two men—the cupbearer and the baker to the King of Egypt—have been thrown in prison. Joseph is appointed by the captain of the guard to attend to them.

When these two men share with Joseph that they are troubled by dreams with no one to interpret them, how did Joseph react? Did he exclaim, “God! Why are you dishing out more dreams to others when mine are left unfulfilled?! Have you forgotten?”

No. Scripture says, “... Joseph said to them, ‘Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me’” (40:8b). Joseph recognizes God’s sovereignty and authority. Not once in Genesis have we read where Joseph rejected God or denied Him in the pagan land of Egypt, where it would have been culturally acceptable, and likely encouraged, to do so. He is recorded speaking of God with a right view of God and himself. This is evidenced in Genesis 39:9 when Joseph recognized the authority of God even above His master and master’s wife. Here in chapter 40, Joseph recognizes God’s authority in discussion with the cupbearer and baker who received dreams.

At the close of this chapter, we learn that Joseph’s interpretations of the dreams prove true. Joseph told the chief cupbearer that he would be reinstated to his former position before Pharaoh in three days’ time. Joseph had one request of the cupbearer: “...remember me… do me the kindness to mention me to Pharoah, and so get me out of this house” (40:14b).

With the cup-bearer out of prison as God had revealed, surely this was God’s perfect timing in His providential plan to remove Joseph from prison FINALLY! Homeward bound!

Genesis 40:23 reads, “Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.”

Ouch.

What a harsh ending to this chapter.

If you feel like you could replace your name with Joseph’s, and God’s name with the cupbearer, I want to lovingly remind you of the truth. God’s ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). As we continue reading the account of Joseph, we will see that Joseph is not forgotten, not in the least, not for a moment.

God was working things out for Joseph’s good and His glory.

Application: What does today’s passage reveal to you about God? What does the timing of the events in this passage, in light of the whole story, reveal to you? What does this mean for your life? Take a moment to reflect and record your thoughts in a journal or note taking app.

Written by Lizzy Blanchard