Joseph Interprets Dreams in Prison

"Do not interpretations belong to God?" Genesis 40:8

Joseph had been sold by his cruel brothers and had become a slave in Egypt. A lie was told about him and he was put into prison. But Joseph did his best and did what he was told and God blessed him. The prison's keeper found out Joseph was different from the others. He gave Joseph responsibilities within the prison, such as feeding the prisoners and bringing them water. Joseph was able to speak to the prisoners and shared kind words with them. 

One day two new prisoners came in. One was the chief of all of Pharaoh's bakers and the other was his cup bearer. He carried Pharaoh's wine. Something had happened and they were suspected of doing something wrong, so they'd been sent to prison. One morning Joseph saw them looking sadder than usual. He asked what was the matter and they said they'd each had a dream. No one knew what it had meant. The Egyptians thought that dreams would bring a message and there were men in Egypt who said they could understand them. These dreams did have a meaning and God allowed Joseph to understand them. 

The cup bearer had dreamt he saw a vine with three bunches of grapes. He was squeezing the juice into the king's cup as he used to do. Joseph said this meant in three days the cup bearer would be working for the king again. Joseph asked him to tell the king about him when he was free. 

The baker dreamed that he had three baskets full of pastries and breads, but birds flew down and ate all the food. Joseph told him this meant he was going to die and birds would eat his body. And this is what happened. 

Pharaoh looked into what had happened and found out the truth. The baker was then killed and the cup bearer returned to his duties. But he was ungrateful and forgot all about Joseph and his promise to tell Pharaoh about him. 

QUESTIONS

1. Who was Joseph?

2. Where was he?

3. How did he get to Egypt ?

4. Where had he been put ?

5. Had he done anything wrong ?

6. Who trusted him ?

7. What did he do in the prison ?

8. Who came into the prison ?

9. What was the cup-bearer's dream?

10. What was the baker's dream ?

11. What did Joseph say the cup-bearer's dream meant?

12. What did the baker's dream mean?

13. What happened ?

14. What had Joseph asked of the cup-bearer?

15. Did he remember ?    

Joseph is Faithful in Egypt

"The Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand." Gen. 39:3

Joseph was a slave in Egypt. A slave is a person who belongs to a master, just like his cows and horses do. He isn't paid for his work and he can't leave. A slave also can be sold to someone else. 

Poor Joseph. He used to live as a the son of a rich man. He wore a coat of many colors, he had many servants, and didn't have to obey anyone but his father. He used to live in a beautiful land, all hills and valleys, where he would take care of his father's animals. But now he was a salve in a strange land. People spoke a language he didn't understand. No one cared for him or was nice to him and he lived in a house in the city, far away from the hills he loved. 

Joseph had one comfort, and that was he knew God was with him. He prayed to God and did the work assigned to him. He did his work well, and everything he did was successful. His master came to trust him, because he knew Joseph would take care of everything as if it were his own. He was sure everything would be safe. 

But his master's wife told a lie about Joseph. She said he behaved badly, and he was put in prison for something he hadn't done. This sounds bad, but it was God's way of bringing something good to the land and to Joseph. Soon Joseph was loved and honored even in prison, and God helped everything he did succeed as before.  

Try this. The next time you have to do homework or chores at home, ask God to help you to make it succeed. Then try your best. He will help you and it will turn out well. Then try to deserve to be trusted. This is a good thing. If you remember that God always sees you, then do what's right even with no one is with you. This is the way to be trusted in all you say and do. If you only do good when someone is watching, you're not truly serving others. Live in a way that your parents will know

"Out of sight

Know all is right, 

One law for darkness

and for light."    

  

QUESTIONS

1. Whose son was Joseph?

2. How many brothers did Joseph have?

3. What had they done to him?

4. Why had Joseph's brothers sold him?

5. What is a slave?

6. How did Joseph behave as a slave?

7. Who comforted him ?

8. How did he take care of his master's things ?

9. Who told a lie against him?

10. What was done to him?

11. But who was with him still?

12. Did he always stay in prison ?

13. And what did people think of him, wherever he was?

14. What is the way to be like Joseph?

15. If you are trusted to carry a message, how should you do it?

16. Who always sees you?

17. Then, even if no one is nearby, how should you behave?