Promises were made and unfulfilled until God prepared the circumstances to bring Joseph out of his hardships.

1. Don’t Wait For the Butler
Genesis 39:19-40:23
www.Biblestudies-online.com
By David Turner

2. Genesis 39:19–40:23 (ESV)
19 As soon as his master
heard the words that his wife
spoke to him, “This is the way
your servant treated me,” his
anger was kindled. 20 Andanger was kindled. And
Joseph’s master took him and
put him into the prison, the
place where the king’s
prisoners were confined, and
he was there in prison.

3. Psalm 105:16 -17 When he (God) summoned a
famine on the land and broke all supply of bread, he
had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold
as a slave. His feet were hurt with fetters; his neck
was put in a collar of iron; until what he had said
came to pass, the word of the LORD tested him.

4. 21 But the LORD was with Joseph
and showed him steadfast love
and gave him favor in the sight of
the keeper of the prison. 22 And
the keeper of the prison put
Joseph in charge of all the
prisoners who were in the prison.
Whatever was done there, he wasWhatever was done there, he was
the one who did it. 23 The keeper
of the prison paid no attention to
anything that was in Joseph’s
charge, because the LORD was
with him. And whatever he did,
the LORD made it succeed.

5. Titus 2:9–10 (ESV)
9 Bondservants are to be submissive to their own
masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing,
not argumentative, 10 not pilfering, but showing all
good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the
doctrine of God our Savior.doctrine of God our Savior.

6. 40 Some time after this, the
cupbearer of the king of Egypt and
his baker committed an offense
against their lord the king of Egypt.
2 And Pharaoh was angry with his
two officers, the chief cupbearer
and the chief baker, 3 and he put
them in custody in the house of the
captain of the guard, in the prison
where Joseph was confined. 4 The
captain of the guard appointed
Joseph to be with them, and he
attended them. They continued for
some time in custody.

7. 5 And one night they both dreamed—the cupbearer and the
baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—
each his own dream, and each dream with its own
interpretation. 6 When Joseph came to them in the morning,
he saw that they were troubled.

8. 7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody
in his master’s house, “Why are your faces downcast today?”
8 They said to him, “We have had dreams, and there is no one to
interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not
interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.”

9. 9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph and
said to him, “In my dream there was a vine before me,
10 and on the vine there were three branches. As soon as
it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters
ripened into grapes. 11 Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and
I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup
and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.”

10. 12 Then Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the
three branches are three days. 13 In three days Pharaoh will
lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you
shall place Pharaoh’s cup in his hand as formerly, when you
were his cupbearer.

11. 14 Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please
do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get
me out of this house. 15 For I was indeed stolen out of the
land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that
they should put me into the pit.”

12. 16 When the chief baker saw
that the interpretation was
favorable, he said to Joseph,
“I also had a dream: there
were three cake baskets on
my head, 17 and in the
uppermost basket there wereuppermost basket there were
all sorts of baked food for
Pharaoh, but the birds were
eating it out of the basket on
my head.”

13. 18 And Joseph answered and said, “This is its interpretation:
the three baskets are three days. 19 In three days Pharaoh
will lift up your head—from you!—and hang you on a tree.
And the birds will eat the flesh from you.”

14. 20 On the third day, which was
Pharaoh’s birthday, he made a
feast for all his servants and
lifted up the head of the chief
cupbearer and the head of the
chief baker among his servants.
21 He restored the chief
cupbearer to his position, andcupbearer to his position, and
he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s
hand. 22 But he hanged the
chief baker, as Joseph had
interpreted to them. 23 Yet the
chief cupbearer did not
remember Joseph, but forgot
him.

15. LessonsLessons

16. God doesn’t promise us that life will be roses.
2 Timothy 3:10–13
10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct,
my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my
steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that
happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—whichhappened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which
persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued
me. 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus
will be persecuted, 13 while evil people and impostors will go
on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

17. God Allows hardship in order to test our faith
James 1:2–4
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials
of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing ofof various kinds, for you know that the testing of
your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let
steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be
perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

18. The Test is Proof that God Loves You
1 Peter 4:12–13
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial
when it comes upon you to test you, as thoughwhen it comes upon you to test you, as though
something strange were happening to you. 13 But
rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that
you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is
revealed.

19. Joseph Trusted God
He knew the promise to Abraham, Isaac and his
father Jacob and that he was part of that
promise.
Joseph’s previous dreams comforted him andJoseph’s previous dreams comforted him and
gave him faith that God had a purpose for him.

20. Those Others forsake Us, God Doesn’t
Deuteronomy 31:6
6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or
be in dread of them, for it is the LORD yourbe in dread of them, for it is the LORD your
God who goes with you. He will not leave
you or forsake you.”

21. Joshua 1:5
5 No man shall be able to stand
before you all the days of your life.
Just as I was with Moses, so I will beJust as I was with Moses, so I will be
with you. I will not leave you or
forsake you.

22. Genesis 28:15
15 Behold, I am with you and will
keep you wherever you go, and will
bring you back to this land. For I willbring you back to this land. For I will
not leave you until I have done what
I have promised you.”

23. Hebrews 12:11
11 For the moment all discipline seems
painful rather than pleasant, but later it
yields the peaceful fruit of righteousnessyields the peaceful fruit of righteousness
to those who have been trained by it.

24. 1 Peter 5:10
10 And after you have suffered a little
while, the God of all grace, who has
called you to his eternal glory incalled you to his eternal glory in
Christ, will himself restore, confirm,
strengthen, and establish you.

25. Philippians 1:29–30
29 For it has been granted to you that
for the sake of Christ you should not
only believe in him but also suffer foronly believe in him but also suffer for
his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict
that you saw I had and now hear that I
still have.

26. Philippians 4:11–13
11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I
have learned in whatever situation I am to be
content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I
True Faith
know how to abound. In any and every
circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing
plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I
can do all things through him who strengthens
me.