Promoted, demoted and forgotten - Faaeaina, faamaulaloina ma faagaloina

Scripture Focus: Kenese 40:1-23

After these things, the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker offended their lord, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cup bearer and the chief baker. He put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound. The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he took care of them. They stayed in prison many days. They both dreamed a dream, each man his dream, in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the cup bearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were bound in the prison. Joseph came in to them in the morning, and saw them, and saw that they were sad. He asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody in his master’s house, saying, “Why do you look so sad today?” They said to him, “We have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it.” Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Please tell it to me.” The chief cup bearer told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “In my dream, behold, a vine was in front of me, and in the vine were three branches. It was as though it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters produced ripe grapes. Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand.” Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days. Within three more days, Pharaoh will lift up your head, and restore you to your office. You will give Pharaoh’s cup into his hand, the way you did when you were his cup bearer. But remember me when it will be well with you, and please show kindness to me, and make mention of me to Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house. For indeed, I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.” When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, “I also was in my dream, and behold, three baskets of white bread were on my head. In the uppermost basket there were all kinds of baked food for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.” Joseph answered, “This is its interpretation. The three baskets are three days. Within three more days, Pharaoh will lift up your head from off you, and will hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat your flesh from off you.” On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he made a feast for all his servants, and he lifted up the head of the chief cup bearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. He restored the chief cup bearer to his position again, and he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand; but he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. Yet the chief cup bearer didn’t remember Joseph, but forgot him.
- Genesis 40:1-23 (WEB)

Study:

This passage recounts a poignant moment in Joseph’s life. While imprisoned, he demonstrates a gift for interpreting dreams, correctly predicting the fates of the cupbearer and baker. The cupbearer was restored to his position, while the baker faced a grim end. However, a stark betrayal follows – the cupbearer completely forgets Joseph, despite his explicit request for remembrance and help. This illustrates the unreliable nature of human promises. The cupbearer made an implicit promise to advocate for Joseph, a promise that was carelessly broken. The text highlights the irony of Joseph's situation: he possesses a God-given ability to offer accurate interpretations, even within the confines of his unjust imprisonment, yet remains forgotten and overlooked. This is a 'bad promise' of sorts even though it was never formally stated – a promise of gratitude implied by the act of receiving a life-changing interpretation.

Application:

We often encounter broken promises in our daily lives. Sometimes these are explicit agreements that are not honoured. Other times, they are unspoken expectations of reciprocity or kindness. This story reminds us not to place our ultimate hope in the promises of others, no matter how well-intentioned they may seem. Human beings are fallible and prone to forgetfulness, selfishness, and changing priorities. More importantly, it highlights the importance of looking to God, the ultimate source of faithfulness. Joseph's trust wasn't in the cupbearer, but in the God who gave him the gift of interpretation and who ultimately had a plan for his life, even when it involved periods of suffering and disappointment.

Reflection Questions:

• Can you recall a time when someone failed to keep a promise to you? How did you respond?
• How does this story challenge our tendency to rely on the promises of others?
• Where do you place your hope when faced with broken promises or disappointments?
• How can we forgive others who have broken promises to us, and move forward?
• In what ways can we be more reliable in keeping our own promises?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we thank you for your unwavering faithfulness, even when others fail us. Help us to remember to place our trust in you alone, and to forgive those who have disappointed us. Grant us the strength to be people of our word, and to live lives that honour your promises. Amen.

Tags: Genesis, Joseph, Dreams, Promises, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Betrayal, Trust, Disappointment, Bad Promises, Hope