Hey all!
I came across this blog post of mine from 2011 where I proposed an online BSF study.
I’m so happy that this finally came to fruition with the pandemic. I just thought this was REALLY cool since my proposal is very similar to what BSF came up with.
Happy Throwback Sunday!
Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker offended Pharaoh and were put in the same prison as Joseph. Both men had a dream that they could not interpret. Joseph saw that they were sad and asked them why. They said they could not interpret their dreams, so Joseph told them God could and to tell them the dreams.
11) Joseph noticed that they cupbearer and the baker were sad and asked them why. They said they could not interpret their dreams, so Joseph told them God could and to tell them the dreams. This shows that Joseph knew the men well enough to know when they were dejected and cared enough to ask and to offer help.
12) My family. Be more present with them, ask more questions, listen more.
I’m wondering about the repeated phrases here I never noticed before: the repetition of their positions and the fact they were in prison. No word in the Bible is wasted, so there has to be some reason here.
The cupbearer was responsible for tasting all of the drink and food before Pharaoh ate it to make sure it was not poisonous. The baker cooked Pharaoh’s food. Scholars believe there was a plot against Pharaoh, and these two were accused. However, the cupbearer and the baker were in prison for God’s reasons and plans.
Note how Potiphar, who is the captain of the guard, assigned these men to Joseph. Potiphar probably believes Joseph is innocent as indicated by this action. (Genesis 39:1).
Here’s we see Joseph’s heart is like Jesus’s. He helps others and pays attention to their feelings. Most people would not have cared about the sadness of these two men. After all, they were all leading desperate lives as prisoners, so why care about others?
Joseph had a sincere desire to help these men feel better about their dreams. He knew God used dreams to foretell the future like the dreams God had given him. (Genesis 37:5-11), Note how it’s God who knows. Joseph takes no credit for these dreams.
Fun Fact: The Bible records God speaking to almost twice as many nonbelievers as believers. God uses all people in His plans the world.
Not all dreams are prophetic (Ecclesiastes 5:3, 5:7). and some are from false prophets (Deuteronomy 13:1-5, Jeremiah 23:25-28).
We know God speaks to us in the Bible for sure. He can speak to us individually as well in other ways.
Esau moved to a land some distance from Jacob because the land could not support both of their livestocks. Esau settled in Seir.
13) Esau intermarried with Canaanite women. God still blessed him as he had to move away from Jacob because their livestock were too great in number. Esau was the father of the Edomites.
Esau was important enough in God’s eyes to have all of his descendants listed in the Bible. He was loved despite his sins and blessed beyond what was deserved. God is faithful even when we aren’t! Can you imagine the blessings He has in store for those who are faithful?
Genesis lists the families not in the line of Messiah first. After this, we’ll hear no more of Esau and his line; it will be all about Jacob’s line.
Seir is the land south of the Dead Sea.
God blessed Esau because he was Abraham’s descendant and not for what he did. Again, God can do what He likes, even if we don’t agree with it. Kings came from Esau.
Fun Fact: Edom is mentioned more than 130 times in the Bible.
God loved Jacob and hated Esau (Malachi 1:2-3 and Romans 9:13).
Amalekites came from Amalek in this list. They were Israel’s enemies (Exodus 17:8-16; Deuteronomy 25:17-19; 1 Samuel 15:1-8).
It’s cool to see history played out.