Pharaoh’s two officers’ dreams were very upsetting, considering what had already happened to them. They longed to have them interpreted and hoped they would be given a good omen. Prior to Joseph’s interpretation, the dreams, although upsetting, were something both men could hold on to in the vague hope that they prophesied something good, which was yet to occur in their seemingly hopeless lives. However, Joseph had no such thing that occurred in his life that would give him hope, unless one would point to the Lord’s blessings that came to him in both Potipher’s house and in the warden’s grim prison. Yet, what really occurred there that we could call hope? Even if Joseph did find hope in the current blessings of the Lord, nothing in what the Lord did clearly pointed to Joseph’s release.
While Joseph did dream, when he was a free man, no such dreams were recorded later, except for the dreams of others, and although it may be tempting to do so, we shouldn’t put New Covenant revelations or understanding into Joseph’s heart. We have the full picture of what occurred, but Joseph was still living out that unfinished scene.
I can’t imagine what it was like to be the baker, believing that within three days Pharaoh would call for him and hang him upon a tree. If he had any hope left, I imagine he hoped Joseph was wrong. On the other hand, how did the chief butler feel? Certainly, he had a better reason to hope, but once again, what if Joseph was wrong? Could the young man, now twenty-eight years old, be trusted? How did he become so wise in such a short time, and, if he truly were wise, how did he end up in prison? How could the gods be with him, if he had been kidnapped, sold into slavery and, finally, ended up in prison? So, did the chief butler really have hope, or did he merely have a wait and see attitude, because he had nothing to lose at this point?
On he third day after Pharaoh’s officials had their dreams, Pharaoh celebrated his birthday, and he made a feast for all of his servants, and he remembered his chief baker and his chief butler and brought them out of prison (Genesis 40:20). Nevertheless, he was angry with them for a reason, and it is implied that he thought his life was in danger. Perhaps he got sick and now recovered, but nevertheless, he couldn’t look like a fool, as though he sent them to prison for no good reason. Therefore, he hanged the chief baker, but he restored his chief butler to his former position (Genesis 40:21-22). Therefore, everything that occurred to the men happened just as Joseph had predicted it would, when he interpreted their dreams.
Nevertheless, Joseph was forgotten, and once again he would have to endure the life of one who had no freedom. Did he remember his dreams over 10 years ago, when at age 17, when he dreamed of his father and brothers bowing to him, as though he were royalty? If he did, nothing is recorded that he remembered or still had hope in those dreams. Yet, he was correct in his interpretation of the dreams of Pharaoh’s officers, and the only implication of despair he ever expressed is in this plea to the chief butler to remember him to Pharaoh, and bring him out of this place. However, without doubt, the chief butler didn’t want to risk offending Pharaoh a second time (Genesis 40:23). Therefore, he never mentioned Joseph, so Joseph continued his bleak life in the cold, dark prison, where he served his master, the warden.
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