“Genesis 40:16-23”

Sunday, March 29, 2020

“When the chief baker saw that he had interpreted favorably, he said to Joseph, 'I also saw in my dream, and behold, there were three baskets of white bread on my head; and in the top basket there were some of all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, and the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.' Then Joseph answered and said, 'This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days; three more days Pharaoh will lift up your head from you and will hang you on a tree, and the birds will eat your flesh off you.' Thus it came about on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made 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 office, and he put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand; but he hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had interpreted to them. Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.”

---End of Scripture verses---

“When the chief baker saw that he had interpreted favorably...” (verse 16) After the baker saw that the cupbearer's dream had received a favorable interpretation it filled his heart with confidence and excitement. The similarities between his dream and that of his prison mate had infused him with hope and he was eager for Joseph to interpret his dream as well. Unfortunately for the baker, his dream portended a much different outcome and a crueler fate awaited him at Pharaoh's birthday celebration.

Verses 16-17 – While there were similarities between the dreams of the baker and the cupbearer, specifically the prominence of the number three, the dissimilarities were the determining factor for the divergent outcomes. In the previous dream, it was the cupbearer doing the tasks and performing the service to Pharaoh. In the baker's dream, however, things were taking place that were beyond his ability to control. Nahum Sarna observed concerning the birds eating the bread from the basket on his head, “The baker has neither the strength nor the presence of mind to drive them away—an ominous detail.”

“Then Joseph answered and said, 'This Is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days.” (verse 18) The fallout of the two dreams would come to fruition according to the same timetable. “Within three more days Pharaoh will lift up your head from you and will hang you on a tree, and the birds will eat your flesh off you.” (verse 19) “Joseph notes that, unlike the cupbearer, the baker does not prepare the delicacies himself and does not personally serve Pharaoh in his dream. In fact, the food does not even reach Pharaoh, for it is eaten by the birds. This symbolizes the devouring of the baker's own flesh by the vultures.” (Nahum Sarna)

Even though the baker anticipated and was desirous of a favorable report and positive outcome, Joseph merely told him the truth. Joseph knew it was not his prerogative, nor was it in his power, to change the word of God for the purpose of pleasing someone or making them feel good about a dire situation. He was not being thoughtless or cruel, he was only conveying the word and will of the Lord as he should. “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal faithfully are His delight.” (Proverbs 12:22) “Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness.” (Ephesians 6:14) “These are the things which you should do: speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace in your gates.” (Zechariah 8:16) “Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.” (Ephesians 4:25)

Do not be afraid to kindly tell people the truth of God's word, because that is exactly what they need to hear. “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths..” (2 Timothy 4:1-4)

“Thus it came about on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made 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.” (verse 20) “The birthdays of the kings of Egypt were considered holy, and were celebrated with great joy and rejoicing. All business was suspended, and the people generally took part in the festivities" (Pulpit Commentary) “This was a holiday season, celebrated at court with great magnificence and honored by a free pardon to prisoners.” (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary) Both the cupbearer and the baker had their “heads lifted,” so to speak, out of prison and before the tribunal for closer examination of their individual cases. But only one of them received that much desired pardon.

“He restored the chief cupbearer to his office, and he put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand; but he hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had interpreted to them.” (verses 21-22) “They were both lifted out of prison, but the one was lifted up to his former post and place in Pharaoh's court, and the other was lifted up to a gallows...” (Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible) It is possible from the wording of verse 19 that Pharaoh actually had the baker decapitated and his body impaled (hanged) on a post (tree). Joseph had amazingly interpreted the dreams with great precision and accuracy. And yet, equally amazingly, “the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.” (verse 23) Somehow amid all the cupbearer's exuberance and euphoria, all thoughts and remembrance of Joseph had completely escaped his mind. “The ingratitude of the Egyptian cupbearer prefigures the later national experience of the Israelites in Egypt (cf. Exod. 1:8).” (Nahum Sarna)

Please read Genesis 41:1-8 for tomorrow.

Have a blessed Lord's Day!

-Louie Taylor

Share