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Joseph
Genesis 40
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Jesus
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Comparison
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40:1 Some time later, the cupbearer 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.
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Luke 23:32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.
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Both Joseph and Jesus were sentenced with two other criminals.
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4 The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he attended them. After they had been in custody for some time,
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Luke 23:34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots... 42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise ."
Luke 27:27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.
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God's providence or choice (similar to the captain of the guard) placed the two thieves on the cross at the same time as Jesus' death. Christ attended to them and showed love to all.
Joseph served the prisoners. Jesus served us.
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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.
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Luke 23:34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots... 42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise ."
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Both of them discussed salvation with their fellow sufferers. Both interacted with care and love.
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6 When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected.
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Luke 23:40 But the other criminal rebuked him. " Don't you fear God ," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
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Each set of the criminals were dejected, Joseph's from their troubling dreams and Jesus' from the process of dying.
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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?"
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John 20:14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 "Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?"16 Jesus said to her, "Mary."
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Both were concerned with the welfare, emotions and sadness of others. Both were put in position by God to alleviate the suffering of the elect and to confirm the condemnation of the rest.
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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."
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Matthew 16:16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.
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Both revealed God's truth, taking no credit for it but giving God the glory..
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9 So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream. He said to him, "In my dream I saw a vine in front of me,
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John 15:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
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This dream could represent symbolism of the vine branches giving life and bearing fruit as told by Christ Himself.
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10 and on the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters ripened into grapes.
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Luke 2:40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.
John 15:5 "I am the vine ; you are the branches . If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
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Could it be that here the branches represent the Holy Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit? Maybe. We Christians, therefore, are secondary branches from the vine of Christ.
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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."
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Ephesians 1:18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority , power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,
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God (Pharaoh) holds all things in His hand. Christ's influence takes those of us who God has chosen and molds us into the form God wants us to become. All food for Pharaoh comes through the cupbearer, a very important job held by a very trustworthy, powerful individual who verifies there is no poison in the food, etc. No one comes to the Father except through Me, said Christ.
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12 "This is what it means," Joseph said to him. "The three branches are three days.
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Matthew 12:39 He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign ! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah . 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
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Jesus explained that He was fulfilling prophecy by the sign of Jonah with the number 3 days. Of course, He spent 3 days and nights before His resurrection. Christ fulfilling this prophecy likewise completed the plan of salvation by God once He was resurrected from the grave.
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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.
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Luke 23:43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
Mark 14:58 "We heard him say, `I will destroy this man-made temple and in three days will build another, not made by man.'"
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One of the two criminals was saved.
God (Pharaoh) rose Christ from the dead in 3 days, restored Christ to His heavenly throne by His right hand.
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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.
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1Corinthians 11:24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me."
Matthew 25:40 "The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Matthew 10:32 "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.
Ecclesiastes 4:14 The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom.
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Both Joseph and Jesus asked to be remembered.
Both directed others to show kindness.
Both directed others to tell others about them.
Both came out of prison (the grave) to reign.
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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."
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John 8:46 Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me?
Matthew 27:12 When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. 13 Then Pilate asked him, "Don't you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?"
Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin .
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Christ was handed over to the Romans by His Hebrew brothers, and was without fault.
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16 When the chief baker saw that Joseph had given a favorable interpretation, he said to Joseph, "I too had a dream: On my head were three baskets of bread.
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Matthew 19:20 "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?" 21 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth... 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?" 26 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
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Satan comes to us in a very similar manner as if it may have actually come from God (both dreams use the number 3). The stories between the cupbearer and the baker are similar. The results are completely different as one is saved, the other condemned (below).
As we see the story of the rich young ruler who, like the baker, was seeking salvation, we see the providence of God as He chooses those He will save. The rich man stood condemned as he chose other things in his life ahead of God.
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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."
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Genesis 4:3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. 6 Then the LORD said to Cain , "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."
Matthew 26:27 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, " Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
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This is similar to the grain offering for sins that Cain offered to God, exalting himself through his ability to cultivate and, here, to bake the bread. Cain and the baker both offered their sacrifice to the ruler (God and Pharaoh). Neither were acceptable and as a description of detestable sacrifice, it was only good enough for the birds.
Christ is the acceptable sacrifice (grapes- wine) symbolizing the blood (the necessary sacrifice for our sins). The cupbearer was spared. Our own good deeds are insufficient for salvation as they are polluted by yeast we use in making them.
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18 "This is what it means," Joseph said. "The three baskets are three days.
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Mark 14:58 "We heard him say, `I will destroy this man-made temple and in three days will build another, not made by man.'"
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Again, the symbolism of Christ and 3 days. In this case, not for salvation but to show how Satan mimics God's approach to the true means for salvation appear to us. This may represent Satan's unholy trinity of the "beast"- representing the Antichrist, the "false prophet"- the apostate religious leader of the end times, and the "dragon" as seen in Revelation.
Why would anyone worship Satan when he simply copies God by imitating the Trinity and other characteristics of God, incapable of an original thought, deceives and tells lies.
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19 Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head and hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat away your flesh."
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Galatians 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree ." 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
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The breadmaker was punished on a tree, expressing extreme condemnation, as we deserved and Christ took in our place. As compared to the dream, though, He was resurrected. The baker was condemned for his sin that could not be reconciled to God.
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20 Now the third day was Pharaoh's birthday, and he gave a feast for all his officials. He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker in the presence of his officials:
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John 20:11 but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13 They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?"
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You can bet that God rejoiced on the third day as Christ was risen. There undoubtedly was a celebration in heaven, as Christ's followers were beginning to hear the good news.
This passage also points forward to judgment day. Good news for some and the ultimate bad news for others. Where are you?
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21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again put the cup into Pharaoh's hand,
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Luke 23:42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise ."
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Those of us who are saved will serve God through eternity, as the cupbearer was allowed to serve Pharaoh, and as the saved thief on the cross is doing today in heaven.
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22 but he hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had said to them in his interpretation.
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Matthew 25:41 "Then he will say to those on his left, `Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
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The other criminal hung on the cross who refused Christ as the means for salvation was not saved and is spending eternity in hell. Christ, like Joseph, told those who are condemned what prophetic, horrific things will happen later.
All we need to avoid this is to rest our salvation on Christ's blood, nothing else will do.
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23 The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.
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Luke 17:16 He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him--and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19 Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."
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This exemplifies our fallen nature to neglect to give Christ the glory He deserves for teaching us about God and to offer us salvation.
Salvation is only through faith, no matter what good works (filthy rags) we may offer to God.
In Heaven, we will not be able to forget Christ's love for us. Here it is easier to forget. How many answered prayers go without our thanks?
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