MOTIVATE

People often talk about creating a “bucket list”: activities they want to experience before they “kick the bucket” and leave this world. This may or not be a good practice in sharing dreams and setting goals, because the Christian will live forever. Therefore, our bucket list should revolve around matters that will count for eternity. Then, later in 1K years you can visit all the places you ever dreamed of in the new heavens and refreshed earth. 

Another practice may be equally helpful in providing meaning and purpose to our life: a “reverse bucket list.”[1] While a bucket list is positive experiences, the reverse list is reflecting on experiences we have experienced adversity and pain, yet those moments have formed our character and shaped our hope for the better. Things like:

• Trying something outside of your comfort zone
• Confronting a fear and solving a problem
• Facing a significant health diagnosis
• Losing someone you love

A reverse bucket list helps us understand our level of resiliency.

Resilience derives from two words:

• Resilio: to rebound
• ience: a state or quality; a mindset

So, resiliency is the mindset of persevering through external force or internal stress. Resilience isn’t necessarily bouncing back as if a  negative circumstance didn’t happen. Thinking that time heals all wounds isn’t fully true; time creates space but life is still hard and scars still recall pain. So, while being resilient doesn’t imply bouncing back it implies we can step forward in change, trusting the future has a different good in mind.[2]

And the source of resiliency is a relationship with Almighty God who works all things together for good. Our study today is in Genesis on the life of Joseph: Down 7 UP 8 with 8 traits of resiliency.

EXAMINE Genesis 40-41     Service

Joseph

• Son of Jacob, who was 1 father with 4 wives, 12 sons, and 1 daughter (Dinah). That tells you a lot, mostly imagining the differences of opinions and disputes on priorities. And who feels bad for the daughter, Dinah!?!
• Spoiled son. Joseph was the son to the wife Jacob really loved. When she died, Jacob overcompensated and became a helicopter dad. He gave Joe a special multi-colored robe that made the other brothers jealous.
• Self-important. Joseph believed all the praises of his father, and his confidence soared. He also had dreams from the Lord about his future purpose to help others. Instead of viewing his leadership role as a servant, Joseph became prideful toward sharing these dreams with inappropriate tone. Yet, God’s fulfillment of these dreams will refine Joseph’s character and refocus His calling.
• Shunned brother. The 11 brothers heard Joseph describe his purpose to lead as arrogant. They shunned him and schemed to eliminate him. They beat him and sell him to slave-traders, and then lied to their father that Joseph died from an animal attack.
• Shielded servant. In all Joseph’s circumstances, the Lord was with him (39:2, 3, 21, 23). God raised Joseph to prominence with Potiphar. God protected Joseph when falsely accused and sentenced to prison. And God elevated Joseph’s status in the prison to serve others for God’s redemptive purpose.

Genesis 40 ¹ Some time later,

The interval of time is uncertain, though we know that Joseph entered the slave trade to Potiphar at 17y/o (37:2).^[3] We also know Joseph was 30 y/o finally exiting the prison (41:46). So, it’s likely Joseph was in his mid-20’s.

the cupbearer

Literally means to give a drink. KJV “butler” reflects its outdated language, and “cupbearer” while literal also falls short. They would not only taste-test drink and food to ensure it wasn’t poisoned, but they had oversight of all access to the kingdom. The role is a high-ranking official, and perhaps like a modern-day secret service agent.^[4]

• Imagine trying to protect a political leader who was a bit of a hot-head, upset everyone, and anyone on either side of the issues would want him gone, with your job to take all his hits. – Just hypothetically speaking.

and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their master, the king of Egypt.  ² Pharaoh was angry with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, ³ and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same prison where Joseph was confined.

Pharaoh isn’t a benevolent boss. Egyptian culture believed Pharaoh wasn’t just head of nation but the commander of the army, chief justice of courts, high priest of religions – if not himself divine; he had absolute power.^[5] He’s a false mediator/fake God and will eventually encounter the true God who sends plagues to attack all the Egyptian presumptions of deity.

• How many would appreciate it when your boss gets angry that they have authority to throw you in prison or damn you to hell?
• How many bosses would appreciate when your employees are lazy or mess-up, that you could punish them to job-prison?

Regardless, these high-ranking officials go to prison and meet Joseph. Joseph isn’t where he wants to be, but he’s exactly where God wants. Sometimes that happens in our life and we must trust God’s providence in our circumstances.

Joseph isn’t where he wants to be, but he’s exactly where God wants. Sometimes that happens in our life and we must trust God’s providence in our circumstances.

⁴ The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he attended them. After they had been in custody for some time, ⁵ each of the two men—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were being held in prison—had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own.

In ancient times, dreams were notable ways people discerned their destiny. Ancient Eastern cultures believed that sleep puts us in contact with the other world, not only with the dead but also where the gods dwell.^[6] Royal officials took dreams and visions seriously that they had interpreters with books to categorize symbolism for the meaning behind one’s dream content.^[7] And while God did occasionally speak to people through dreams, often times it was supported through OT Scriptures or prophets, and reality; while false prophets would be criticized and punished (cf Jer 23:28; 27:9; 29:8; Zech 10:1-2).

So, the cupbearer and baker are in prison, and they have a dream. And while they should be grateful they slept soundly enough to dream in prison, they were dejected bc they didn’t understand the meaning of the dream.

⁶ When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected. ⁷ So he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why are your faces so sad today?”

Joseph’s trajectory is remarkable. His early years were prideful and insensitive toward his brothers by boasting about his own dreams of superiority. He becomes a victim with compounding problems now in prison for undeserving reasons. It’s just one setback after another. Yet, these crisis create maturity and resiliency in Joseph that he’s no longer insensitive towards others. He asks: “Why are your faces so sad today?” Joseph notices their unhappiness and hurt. Joseph doesn’t allow himself to be overwhelmed by his own problems by trusting that God wants to use his story to serve others.

Crisis create maturity and resiliency in Joseph that he’s no longer insensitive towards others. Joseph doesn’t allow himself to be overwhelmed by his own problems by trusting that God wants to use his story to serve others.

⁸ “We both had dreams,” they answered, “but there is no one to interpret them.” Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.”

Joseph has not blamed God for his problems. He’s not focused horizontally and comparing himself to others. Instead, Joseph’s focus is vertical and still affirming God’s power above all and God’s presence with him to help him navigate circumstances.

⁹ So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream. He said to him, “In my dream I saw a vine in front of me, ¹⁰ and on the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters ripened into grapes. ¹¹ Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup and put the cup in his hand.”

The cupbearer dreams of his old job. He misses the opportunities and benefits of his past, and he’s grieving prison life.

>How many people are in a prison bc of their past actions and choices? If that’s you, today we want you to seek God’s help and hope.

¹² “This is what it means,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches are three days. ¹³ Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer.

Joseph provides an interpretation with a positive message: the cupbearer will have his head lifted – in other words, he will keep his head and return in the joyful presence of his king.

Many Scriptures speak about God lifting us up from our prison problems.[8]

• Ps 3:3 “But you, O LORD are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.”
• Ps 9:13 “Be gracious to me, LORD; consider my affliction… Lift me up from the gates of death”
• Ps 27:6 The LORD lifts my head above my enemies; I will worship in his tent with shouts of joy. I will sing and make music to the LORD.”
• Ps 42:7-8 “Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls sweeping over me [but] the LORD will send his faithful love by day [and] his song with me in the night”
• Ps 24; 121 “Lift up you heads – that the King of Glory may come in… Lift up you eyes, for where your help comes, which is in the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip… and is a shelter by your side.”

• When you are down, God lifts you up.
• Resiliency is not about assembling strength but admitting weakness and asking for God’s help. 

Resiliency is not about assembling strength but admitting weakness and asking for God’s help. 

Tweet

¹⁴ But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. ¹⁵ For I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon.”

Joseph’s resiliency is his relationship with God, his integrity, and his willingness to serve others. So, he’s simply asking for the same mercy and grace that he’s extending to others.

¹⁶ When the chief baker saw that Joseph had given a favorable interpretation, he said to Joseph, “I too had a dream:

The baker wants in on hearing good news and promised rescue…

On my head were three baskets of bread.

Anytime you have baskets of biscuits, you have to assume it’s good news; SERIOUSLY: An Egyptian dictionary “lists 38 kinds of cake and 57 varieties of bread – indicating the Egyptians were first-class gourmets”^[9] *but, the good news turns into bad bc of birds. ¹⁷ In the top basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.” ¹⁸ “This is what it means,” Joseph said. “The three baskets are three days. ¹⁹ Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head and hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat away your flesh.”

We do not know the backstory, but it appears that perhaps the cupbearer was at the wrong place at the wrong time to get associated with the baker who committed a punishable offense toward the Pharaoh.

²⁰ Now the third day was Pharaoh’s birthday, and he gave a feast for all his officials.

Most scholars don’t believe this is Pharaoh’s physical birthday but celebrating his royal anniversary as ascending as Pharaoh; which was very significant and spiritual for one who believed he was a god.[10]

• *JW don’t celebrate birthdays bc the examples in Bible of those who did were Pharaoh & Herod, with both negative results occurring.

He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker in the presence of his officials: ²¹ He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand, ²² but he hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had said to them in his interpretation. ²³ The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.

Sadly, Joseph’s good deed will be forgotten. This is not bc God forgot Joseph, but bc humans failed Joseph. People can be callous and cruel. They will befriend you bc what you can do for them, but once that’s over they neglect you – – – until they need something again.
*Ever seen those types of “friends?” They’re not friends, they’re manipulators.  
**Thus, we need to distinguish why bad things happen – sometimes it’s your own choices, other times another’s choice, and occasionally it’s an occurrence in a sin-wrecked world. 

*God never forgets his children. If you’re feeling silence from heaven, then be still with your eyes and ears open for what God wants to teach you (read Ps27).

Genesis 41 ¹ When two full years had passed,

730 days. And this is just the last two years – if you add it up: from 17-30 y/o, Joseph had waited 113,880 hours (4,745 days) to reach the peak of his upward calling and divine purpose.

Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile, ² when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat, and they grazed among the reeds. ³ After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank. ⁴ And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up. ⁵ He fell asleep again and had a second dream: Seven heads of grain, healthy and good, were growing on a single stalk. ⁶ After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted—thin and scorched by the east wind. ⁷ The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up; it had been a dream. ⁸ In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.

Pharaoh has these two dreams but he was growing anxious and fearful bc he didn’t know the meaning of his dreams – and when the leader is unsettled the people unfocused and unhelpful. No one knew what to do.

This also shows that Pharaoh is a false god compared to Joseph’s God.

⁹ Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I am reminded of my shortcomings. ¹⁰ Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard. ¹¹ Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. ¹² Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream. ¹³ And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was hanged.” ¹⁴ So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh. ¹⁵ Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” ¹⁶ “I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”

Joseph is standing before the Pharaoh of Egypt and yet he’s not unsettled or unfocused. He’s entirely confident in the LORD’s power and presence in his life. Joseph isn’t seduced by power like many partisan religious leaders, instead he speaks his convictions with truth and grace.

²⁵ Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. ²⁶ The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream. ²⁷ The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine. ²⁸ “It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. ²⁹ Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, ³⁰ but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land. ³¹ The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe. ³² The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon.

Essentially, Pharaoh’s dream is

• Fat cows / full stalks = food abundance
• Skinny cows / empty stalks = famine
• God is undeniably going to act

³³ “And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. ³⁴ Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. ³⁵ They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. ³⁶ This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.” ³⁷ The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. ³⁸ So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?”

Pharaoh realizes he has fame, power, wealth, education, entertainment pleasure, even spirituality, but he doesn’t have the Spirit of God.
*Friends, if we don’t have the Holy Spirit, we are missing purpose and joy.

The rest of the verses are Pharaoh designating Joseph to be anticipatory prefigure of Elon Musk. Joseph will streamline the government efficiency to carry out economic reform, lower spending, increase savings, pay down debts, BUT before you go getting excited, he also levies a 20% tax (Ge 41:34), strengthen domestic businesses, and cultivate international allies to prepare for an unforeseen catastrophe to everyone else – but revealed by a gracious yet just God.

Pharaoh also gives Joseph his daughter in marriage, who will produce two children: Manasseh (God has helped me forget my hardship) & Ephraim (God has made me fruitful in affliction).  

⁵⁶ When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe throughout Egypt. ⁵⁷ And all the countries came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the world.

APPLY/TAKEAWAY

Friendship is a gift from God. Joseph was the only follower of God in a foreign land. He was overwhelmed and overpowered by Egyptian culture with Potiphar’s wife. He was alone in prison even though he was surrounded by crowds of people and in charge as a leader. When the cupbearer and baker arrived in prison, Joseph thought he found allies and friends to help him out. But they let him down and forgot him. He was without the blessing of a needed friend.

So, if you have a friend who has helped you and not hurt you; or a spouse who has stood by you and not forsaken you, then you should express gratitude to them and praise to God.

If you lack a friend, remember Joseph. Joseph didn’t manipulate others; he ministered to them. To gain friendship we must learn how to serve in extravagant ways, trusting God will provide for you at the right time.

> Who is someone who needs you as a friend?

Ro 12:10-14 “Love one another deeply as family. Outdo one another in showing honor Do not lack diligence in zeal; be fervent in Spirit; serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope; be patient in tribulation; be persistent in prayer. Share with the saints in need; pursue hospitality. Bless those who persecute you.”

Faith in God is not passive. Many people think that believing in God is like having a genie who will remove our problems. They believe waiting on God means they sit back and watch God do all the work. Instead, what we learn in Joseph’s life is that he is waiting AND working. For 13 years he struggles with rejection, depression, hurt, and abandonment. And the only way he avoids disillusionment or bitterness is because he stays active. The key to resilient faith is obedience in the dark.  

Famine strikes everyone. No one will escape the imminent collapse of society and judgment from God.  The day will come like a thief in the night, when you least expect. So, we prepare for famine by running to the greater Joseph – “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb 12:2)

---

[1] Thought inspired from Taryh Marie Stejskal, The 5 Practices Of Highly Resilient People, p.24, ff.

[2] Thought inspired from Taryh Marie Stejskal, The 5 Practices Of Highly Resilient People, p.17.

^[3] K. A. Mathews, Genesis 11:27–50:26, vol. 1B, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2005), 746.

^[4] Chad Brand et al., eds., “Cupbearer,” in Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003), 373.

^[5] Chad Brand et al., eds., “Pharaoh,” in Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003), 1287.

^[6] Gordon J. Wenham, Genesis 16–50, vol. 2, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1994), 382.

^[7] Albert F. Bean, “Dreams,” in Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, ed. Chad Brand et al. (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003), 442.

[8] Cf Ps 3:3; 33:20; 91; 18:2; 121:1-2

^[9] Gordon J. Wenham, Genesis 16–50, vol. 2, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1994), 384.

[10] See James Hoffmeir, Israel in Egypt, 89-91 as quoted in K.A. Matthews NAC Genesis Vol 1B, p.752.