If Joseph knew what God was planning, he would be a happy prisoner at this very moment. While he was slaving away, serving the other prisoners, as a servant of the captain of the guard, God was giving Pharaoh dreams. God prevented the interpretation of those dreams by any of the court wizards because there was an expert dream interpreter in prison that God had some plans for. Joseph had already interpreted the dreams of the baker and the cup-bearer. The baker’s head was cut off as Joseph said, and the cup-bearer was released from prison and promised to let Pharaoh know about Joseph’s unique gifts. But it wasn’t until the wizards in the court failed to give Pharaoh an adequate interpretation of his dreams that the cup-bearer remembered that there was a Hebrew man in prison who was pretty good at dream interpreting. God convicted the cup-bearer of his sin of breaking his promise to Joseph, leaving him in jail for as much as a couple of years. During those two years, while Joseph was still in prison, what was going on?
The cup-bearer was re-establishing himself in Pharaoh’s house, Joseph appeared to be languishing in prison, losing hope, but God was giving Pharaoh dreams. There were several dreams that the wizards could not understand nor interpret. God was convicting the cup-bearer of his failure to keep his promise to Joseph, and God was giving Pharaoh dreams! While Joseph languished, God already had a plan and worked out those details. Joseph didn’t see it at the time, but he continued to serve the chief of prison’s guard and just waited. Joseph expected to be released because he was innocent. Had the cup-bearer told Pharaoh about Joseph immediately, Pharaoh may have replied that everyone in prison claims to be innocent and just ignored the cup-bearer. But now, Pharaoh needed Joseph and his abilities. In God’s perfect timing, the cup-bearer was reminded of his sin against Joseph and brought the Hebrew youth to Pharaoh’s attention. No matter what situation holds you captive today, you can be assured that God is working out his perfect plan for your redemption at this very moment. Don’t worry, be happy, and wait on God.
Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dream and predicts seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. He then recommends that Pharaoh find a qualified individual to manage the portfolio while things are good to make the lean times manageable. Genesis 41:39-41 then informs us that “…Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.’ And Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.’” Pink wraps up his discussion with this: “What a blessed change this was: from shame to glory, from the dungeon to the place of rule, from being a slave in fetters to being elevated high above all, Pharaoh alone being excepted. This was a grand reward for his previous fidelity and a fitting recognition of his worth. And how beautifully this speaks to us of the One whom Joseph foreshadowed! He was here in humiliation and shame, but He is here so no longer. God has highly exalted Him. He is “gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him” (1 Pet. 3:22).”1
1 Arthur Walkington Pink, Gleanings in Genesis (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2005), 377.