Introduction
Greetings everyone! Let us delve into Genesis, Chapter 40. This chapter is exceptionally insightful. As we diligently study each chapter, you will observe that the exercise of faith becomes increasingly potent and adept. If you were to ask me, "Who possesses the greatest faith in Genesis?" I would assert that it is Joseph. Joseph's faith surpasses that of Jacob, Jacob's faith exceeds that of Isaac, and Isaac's faith outstrips that of Abraham. Faith does not stagnate from one generation to the next; rather, it continuously evolves. If we have grown to this day, can our faith surpass Joseph's? The Bible ceases to elaborate on others after Joseph, for no one can rival his faith!
Joseph's faith, within the Bible, can be said to have reached a pinnacle. If one's faith were akin to Joseph's, it would be extraordinary! The theme of this chapter is "Interpreting Dreams Comes from God." From a young age, I have been filled with curiosity about fortune-telling: How can they know the future? It is simply too divine! If one could foresee the future, it would be remarkable. For instance, if you knew which stocks would rise and which would fall, would you still lack funds? Of course not. But one must understand that man does not come into this world for money, for problems that can be solved with money are minor issues, but faith cannot be resolved with money.
You must understand that interpreting dreams comes from God. If you have God's presence, what more could you want? With God's presence, you can foresee the future; with God's presence, you can create the future. But what kind of person does God dwell with? We have discussed this in previous chapters.
In the previous chapter, "God Was With Joseph," which I elucidated with particular care, I explained that discerning good and evil can obliterate God's presence. If one possesses God's presence yet discerns good and evil, God departs. This is not a recent phenomenon, but has been the case since the creation of Adam and Eve, when it was declared that if you eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall surely die. As a result, Adam and Eve took a bite. I do not know how much they consumed, but I surmise that one bite sufficed, and the game was over.
This event eradicated God's presence. So I ask you, if you were to consume it by the basketful today, would it still be alright? Eating baskets upon baskets of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, consuming a basket a day. If the refrigerator is filled with the fruit of discerning good and evil, and you eat it upon opening the refrigerator, this is a perilous practice. You must know that one's faith in the future is extraordinary. One's faith in the future is called a dream.
Those Who Dream Have God's Presence
Do you know what kind of person God dwells with? God dwells with those who have faith. Having faith means believing that the future will be thus. As for whether the future will indeed be thus, no one knows. How can you prove it? You cannot! You can only say that you see it from afar, seemingly indistinct, like flowers in a mist. Indistinctness is a realm of immortals, filled with mist and swirling smoke, exuding an ethereal aura. For what is seen is hazy and dizzying. If one can vaguely perceive what the future holds, are you not a person of faith?
Therefore, we must all understand that if you see things concerning the future, it is remarkable, and you are a person of faith. With what do you create the future? You create it with dreams. But how far into the future can you see? Some can see three to five years, which is already commendable. Others can see thirty to fifty years. But I tell you, if you see three to five hundred years, you will surely see your own urn. Upon seeing your urn placed somewhere, perhaps someone will burn incense for you, perhaps someone will offer you a flower, or perhaps no one will care.
If there is a cemetery somewhere, with a tomb five hundred years old, who knows of it? No one knows. Therefore, brothers and sisters, you must see the future. A person with God's presence has a dream in eternity. Can you see three to five thousand years? There is a book called "Five Thousand Years of China," which recounts the history of the Chinese nation. The first two thousand years are somewhat fictionalized, and pushing further back, tens of thousands of years, we arrive at the era of Peking Man.
We must gradually become people who dream, emulating Joseph. Can you have a clear judgment about the future? Joseph was a dreamer. "Here comes the dreamer! Let us kill him and see what becomes of his dreams." It cannot be done. No matter what, the dreams are being fulfilled.
In this chapter, it seems that Joseph's dream is about to be fulfilled. Those without faith truly cannot endure. Without faith, there is no hope for the future, no dream for the future, no positive judgment. Even if there is a dream, after a while, one will feel that it is nonsense, a foolish dream. What family salvation, what birthright of the firstborn, it is all rubbish. This rubbish obliterates God's presence, so how can there be a future?
You must know that many years ago, my dreams have become reality today. In the blink of an eye, it has been more than a decade. Over these ten years, my dreams have been realized step by step. I have a strong desire to build a glorious church for God. Years ago, an old pastor told me, "Pray diligently, be self-sufficient and self-supporting." Of those who heard this pastor's words, I have implemented them the best. There may be others who have implemented them even better, but I am unaware of them. To my knowledge, I have implemented them the best, for he conveyed a vision of a glorious church. Then I opened the Book of Ephesians, and indeed, it spoke of the vision of building a glorious church.
At that time, I recognized every word in Ephesians, but why did I not understand it when they were put together? Does everyone feel the same way? Every word in the book is familiar, there are no unfamiliar words, so why is it that when they are put together, one does not know what it is saying? But it speaks of God's glorious church, that God wants to manifest His wisdom and omnipotence through the church. Where is this to be found? Let us work slowly! Let us inch forward with faith. In our words, let us inch forward little by little, like a snail crawling. I, too, am crawling slowly, inching forward little by little. As long as there is faith, one can create the future!
Looking around today, much of it is self-sufficient and self-supporting, although it is very hard. Who does not find raising children hard? Faith can create the future. You must ask me about this. Where is your future? Your future is in your dreams. Your future is not in your logical analysis. Those who dream have God's presence. A person without faith has a very negative judgment about the future. When the environment is good, faith comes; when the environment is bad, faith disappears. Is that not a useless person? If I have offended anyone, I apologize. If there is any resemblance, it is purely coincidental.
The operation of faith is not what the eyes see. Taking a dime and saying, "This is a dime," is nonsense! Now you take a dollar and say, "This is a dollar." You take a hundred yuan and say, "This is 100 RMB." Do you need to say it? Does that require faith? That does not require faith. This faith concerns the future. Brothers and sisters, ask yourselves, what is your hope for the future? If there is no hope, there is no future. What kind of mind is that? Not even a dream.
If you say, "Pastor, I simply have no dream," I say, "Let us close our eyes together and create a dream. It is not that difficult." Dreams do not cost money to buy. Some people are in pain, and I say to them, "You will surely be healed." They say, "That is impossible." What kind of mind is that?
We must begin to have a dream in the future, not only in this life but also in eternity. What is the day I long for the most? The day I long for the most is the day I can come before the Lord with confidence. You say, "Is that not seeking death?" No, it is foresight. A person who seeks death is seeking death. Why does he seek death? Because he has no foresight. I have foresight. Therefore, in my dream, it is to stand before God and receive His reward. Thinking of this, I am full of energy, living prosperously! People generally know that I am living very energetically, full of energy. A person without foresight might as well be dead!
Those who dream in eternity have God's presence. Joseph is such a person. His dream was to pursue the birthright of the firstborn. Although he did not attain it, he pursued a dream greater than the birthright. He believed that God could create a position even greater than the birthright, which the world is not worthy of! When I began to build a church, there was approximately one church per square kilometer in Singapore. So what was there to build? It was impossible to do. It did not matter. I wanted to build a church with the most glory of God. When they heard this, they thought I was crazy, because I could not find a church. I went to many churches, but they were all inadequate.
Some people in our church left, but after a while, they returned. I asked them, "Why did you come back?" They said, "What kind of church is that? It does not even have a ministry of the written word, not even a website." In fact, those who first come among us are not very good. But it does not matter. Let us build a glorious church of God together. Building a church is not a joke. Although it was not done right at the beginning, we still had to wait until it was done right.
Some say that my vision is quite high, but the churches written about in the Bible are all like this. If it is not done right, tear it down and start over. Finally, it seems to be done right, because there is God's presence. Do we have faith in building a church? If you are a person without faith, you cannot have a future, you cannot have God's presence. Without God's presence, where does the ability to interpret dreams come from?
With God's Presence, There is the Ability to Interpret Dreams
You must know that the ability to interpret dreams is to explain what will happen in the future. The future will be like this, the future will be like that. That is quite powerful, becoming a divine person. Some people actually come to ask me how to interpret this dream. You should not come to ask how to interpret this dream. Interpreting dreams is speaking with faith. Because what we say is quite reliable, and later it really comes to pass according to what you declare. We do not know whether the chief baker's future was determined by Joseph's interpretation that he would be killed and beheaded in three days, or whether the chief baker's dream determined his future. Perhaps both are possible.
If Joseph had declared that he would be restored to his position, he might really have been restored to his position. Joseph is an extraordinary person. To be a person like me, alas, I am starting to brag again, being a bit vainglorious. Please bear with me. That is truly remarkable. People like Joseph or like me have God's presence. You say, "Really?" There really is God's presence. One cannot say this carelessly. How do I know there is God's presence? Having a dream means having God's presence, a dream in the spiritual realm that is in accordance with God's heart. Then, speaking it out with faith, things come to pass step by step according to what I believe.
Sometimes I interpret dreams for people. This interpreting of dreams is an operation of faith. I ask you, did Joseph really see that the chief baker would be beheaded in three days? Did he really see that the chief cupbearer would be restored to his position in three days? He did not see it. He spoke it with faith. Some people have a prejudice against the five words "speaking with faith." They have grasped the pattern of my speech. I say, "In the future, you will be extraordinary. You have a bright future." They say, "Pastor, are you speaking with faith?" Does that not ruin it? They think that speaking with faith is speaking nonsense.
Can nonsense speak these words: "In the future, you can become an extraordinary person." Do you not want to become such a person? If you do not want to become such a person, then forget it. I take it back. Then you will become a mediocre person! What kind of mind is that? I encourage everyone to speak with faith. That is a very positive thing. With God's presence, there is the ability to interpret dreams. Interpreting dreams is an operation of faith.
One person pushed open the door and came into my office. He said, "Pastor, I want to change jobs." I asked, "How much do you make now?" He said, "2000." Then you should look for a job that requires 3500. He said, "Is that okay?" I said, "You are definitely worth 3500." Then he went to look for a job and really found one for 3500. Does he not owe me a favor? Because that 3500 was what I spoke with faith. Was I speaking nonsense? I was speaking nonsense. But I was speaking with faith.
The words we speak with faith can bring about the future. After a while, another person came to me and said, "Pastor, I want to find a job." I said, "Look for one for 3500," because they had just graduated and were looking for a job, starting at 2000, which was quite hard. I said to look for one for 3500. This result was what I spoke with faith. Recently, I met some brothers and sisters and said to them, "You should change jobs, at least jump one or two levels, because you are all talented and can definitely do it."
I especially like to say such things. "Hey! Your business will get better and better!" How did Joseph interpret dreams? He spoke with faith! It was not some skill. It was God's presence. A person with faith operates everything with faith. That is remarkable. You must know that if a person does not operate with faith, he is ruined, because whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
If you are a person of faith, you have God's presence. That is remarkable! With God's presence, there is the ability to interpret dreams. With the ability to interpret dreams, there is the operation of faith. Therefore, the righteous live by faith, full of faith in the future. Everyone may think that I am bragging, that this boasting is too big. But the boasts I make have all come to pass. How well I boast! After boasting, they all come to pass. Some brothers and sisters are the result of my boasting. Then you owe me a debt of boasting. Do you want to repay it? There is no need to repay it. We operate with faith. If you want to repay this debt of boasting, become a person with God's presence. That is repayment. Become a person with God's presence, become a person of faith. There are many stories about this.
One sister, although very capable, only made seven thousand yuan a month working in Shenzhen. That was not a good life! Later, I learned that she was the top scorer in her city's college entrance examination. Who would work for seven thousand yuan a month? I said, "It should be at least twenty thousand!" Is she not making more than twenty thousand yuan a month now? She wants to treat me to a meal. Actually, it is not important that you treat me to a meal. What is important is to become a person of faith, a person with God's presence, a person who can interpret dreams. Go ahead with faith, move forward with faith, become a person who dreams, a person of faith, a person with God's presence, a person who can interpret dreams. Does that not sound empowering?
Joseph was such a person. Even in prison, he did not discern good and evil, and he did very well every day. Later, he did so well that he became the warden. Being a warden is a hard job. The warden is not much different from the prisoners. He goes to work there every day. People are sitting inside, and he is sitting inside. Even meals have to be brought by himself. It is very hard. As a result, the warden got tired of being the warden and said, "Joseph, you manage it. You do my job." Joseph said, "Then what do you do?" He said, "I will just manage you." As a result, Joseph managed the prison. As he managed it, there was a need to interpret dreams.
Some time later, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their master, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh was angry with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same prison where Joseph was confined. (Genesis 40:1-3)
If Joseph's mistress had not falsely accused him, he would not have been able to enter this place. This place confined all the big shots! The cupbearer, the baker, the governor, the minister were all in there. Giving this one a fortune, interpreting a dream for that one, it was extraordinary! Joseph did not know how much of this he did, but this event was recorded. Everyone must not underestimate the position of cupbearer. The cupbearer is a very powerful official. Nehemiah was a cupbearer, very close to the emperor. He knew everything, especially when receiving officials from all sides for drinking, the cupbearer was there, knowing everything! This matter was arranged so wonderfully.
Dreams Come from the Spiritual Realm
How much do we know about the spiritual realm? If you only have money in your eyes, you are a spiritually blind person. If you only love money, you are ruined. Why? Behind the money is Old Ma, and Old Ma will not kill you! Dreams come from the spiritual realm, and interpreting dreams comes from God. If you are a spiritual person, are you still small in the spiritual realm? Spiritual people see through everything! Everyone does not understand dreams very well, which is truly a tragedy, because if I say too much, you may think I am fooling you. Everyone must know that dreams come from the spiritual realm. If you think there is no spiritual realm, this kind of thinking is ignorance.
If God's people do not understand the spiritual realm, they are ignorant. If people know the world but do not know the spiritual realm, they are also ignorant, without a future. Like grasshoppers after autumn, they cannot jump far, and when winter comes, they are finished. If people do not know the spiritual realm, it is a tragedy. How many people among us do not know the spiritual realm?
Some time ago, one of our pastoral district leaders scolded one of her subordinates. Why? If she did not scold her, she would be foolish. Her husband's father, that is, her father-in-law, had a bad relationship with her. She was thinking of driving her father-in-law to another place. Evil! This is harming herself! How deep is this curse! Not understanding the spiritual realm, not understanding blessings, being ignorant of the things of the spiritual realm, only seeing those few dollars. We are afraid of offending her if we manage it, and afraid of harming her if we do not manage it. We are too difficult!
Dreams come from the spiritual realm. People who dream are spiritual people. People who interpret dreams with faith are doing the work of spiritual people. Therefore, spiritual people see through everything, even understanding the things of the future eternity. Therefore, they are blessed! If she drives her father-in-law away, is that not ruin? When it is your turn in the future, you will also be driven out, and you will not be better off. Curses are passed down from generation to generation. As for whether her father-in-law did this before, I do not know, but today you have done it, and you will not be better off. I can testify to this.
My grandfather died in 1962. My mother took care of him, and she did her best to be filial. I really admire my mother. My mother is the best daughter-in-law in the world. She took care of him very well. I am also very grateful. I have a good mother, very filial. My grandfather was penniless, coming to our house like a beggar. But my mother took care of my grandfather, changing him and washing him. There really is no such good daughter-in-law in the world. But there is blessing!
Later, I was born. My mother had me. If she had no money, I gave her money. If she was sick, I prayed for her and she was healed. She did not suffer much when she was old. Although she did not understand the spiritual realm very well, what she did was very spiritual. How do dreams come about? Dreams are the operation of the spiritual realm. The day before I was born, my mother had a dream. It was a big python, opening its bloody mouth to eat my mother. As a result, she woke up in a cold sweat in the dream, and then I was born. My mother often told me, "Son, you will be an extraordinary person in the future." I grew up listening to these words.
Later, my mother found a fortune-teller. As soon as the fortune-teller arrived at my house, he pointed at me and said, "Hey, this child will be blessed in the future." At that time, I did not know what it meant to be blessed. It was not because I had done anything. It was just a very magical thing. Dreams come from the spiritual realm. If you have a messy dream, there is a pile of messy things in the spiritual realm. Dreams that come from God are called visions. Dreams that come from the devil are called nightmares. Dreams that come from the devil are not about the future. They are just a pile of messy things.
God Not Only Bestows the Ability to Interpret Dreams, But Also the Opportunity
In this world, officials are fond of fortune-telling. Why? Because they are always eager to know if they will be promoted and become wealthy in the future. Now, two high-ranking officials, both at the national level, have come to know Joseph and become fellow inmates in prison. This world is quite interesting. These two individuals, who previously had no acquaintance, suddenly find themselves studying at the same school and become classmates, which changes things. They join the army and happen to be in the same company and dormitory, leading to their acquaintance. In reality, they had no connection before. The chief cupbearer and the chief baker ended up in the prison under Joseph's management. Joseph managed the prison in an orderly manner, and as a result, both the chief cupbearer and the chief baker were under Joseph's jurisdiction, which is quite remarkable.
Joseph not only managed the prison but also frequently engaged in fortune-telling for some and interpreting dreams for others. He didn't do this for just a day or two; he did it regularly and became quite skilled at it. This was child's play for him. Then came the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, making the provincial governors and other officials insignificant. Local dignitaries living with Joseph became commonplace, as this prison was like Qincheng Prison, housing high-ranking officials.
One day, both the chief baker and the chief cupbearer had a dream, and they were troubled, not knowing what the dream meant. So, they sought Joseph to chat and told him about their dreams. Joseph said, "I can interpret that. Does not interpretation belong to God? With God's presence, interpreting dreams for you is child's play." After Joseph interpreted the dream for the chief cupbearer, he was later released from prison. Joseph was also quite clever, telling the chief cupbearer, "Remember me when you get out."
"Then the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream: “In my dream I saw a vine in front of me, and on the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters ripened into grapes. 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.” “This is what it means,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches are three days. 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. But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison." (Genesis 40:9-14)
Isn't this about having connections? Having connections with a national-level cadre is quite something. The chief cupbearer is somewhat like a high-ranking official today, belonging to the top decision-making level and participating in the highest decision-making processes. As a result, Joseph established a relationship with the chief cupbearer. Is there a difference between having connections and not having connections? Now that he has a relationship with the chief cupbearer, he will also establish a relationship with Pharaoh in the future, which is also related to interpreting dreams. In the future, the chief cupbearer will be under Joseph's management. How could this be such a coincidence? The chief cupbearer and the chief baker offended Pharaoh and were imprisoned in the prison under Joseph's management. Where can you reason about this?
Isn't God directing this? Who else could be directing it? It must be God. As a result, this relationship was established. Because the dream interpretation was initially quite good, one after another came to Joseph to interpret their dreams. There was a long queue, but the Bible couldn't write about so many, so it wrote about two, and as a result, this matter was recorded. We won't talk about the dream the chief baker had, but in the future, if you also dream of three baskets of bread and birds come to eat your bread, you should know that it's a nonsensical dream. Because it was Joseph's interpretation that played a role. If Joseph hadn't interpreted it that way, the chief baker wouldn't have necessarily died.
So, this dream is clearly God directing this play. From Joseph being sold into Egypt as a slave, all the way to him becoming the chief manager in Potiphar's house, this is too remarkable. All the big and small matters of the house were under his management. Later, because he offended the mistress, he was imprisoned. Joseph managed and interpreted dreams in prison, and later met the important officials of the court. Joseph is extraordinary; this is a three-level jump! God is directing and bestowing the opportunity to interpret dreams. It depends on who you interpret the dream for.
Interpreting dreams for the most popular person next to the emperor is quite something. God is directing and bestowing opportunities upon Joseph. I feel that having God's presence is very good. Nothing is better than God's presence. You can have nothing else, but you cannot be without God's presence. Money, houses, cars, you can have none of those, but you cannot be without God's presence. This is the good portion I have chosen. Having God's presence is very good. For someone like me, there are always opportunities.
The Chief Cupbearer Forgot Joseph, But God Did Not Forget
In order not to disrupt God's plan, God merely allowed the chief cupbearer to forget, but God did not forget. Because God is preparing a greater plan, to make Joseph the chief steward of Pharaoh's house. Second only to one, above ten thousand. Managing the entire Egypt, God's plan is fantastic! Later, as you read the Bible step by step, Joseph's dream was not ultimately fulfilled? If Joseph had been mixing around in Jacob's house in Canaan, what could he have amounted to in that small puddle?
Going to Egypt, entering the vast sea and becoming a big fish is much more impressive. Egypt is such a large place, how good it is. God's plan is being accomplished step by step, advancing according to the dream Joseph had. I wish that brothers and sisters could have a heavenly dream in the spiritual world. Begin to see God's hand advancing step by step in your life, accomplishing God's beautiful plan in you according to what you believe.
Anyone can forget you, but God will not forget. God will never forget us, because our destinies are in God's control. If you are willing to be used by God, then let God manifest His power in you, but you must be a person with dreams and with God's presence. Begin to possess the ability to interpret dreams, which is the ability to create the future. You can have nothing else, but you cannot be without God. Anyone can forget us, but God will not forget us.
If you can remember this sentence, I tell you: You may look at yourself and see nothing but flaws, but it doesn't matter. You must have a heavenly dream. Like Joseph, not pursuing your own benefits, but pursuing the meaning of living in God's presence. I live for this, I die for this, and I pay all the price for this. Even if it means being a slave or being in prison, it will not ruin God's great plan in us. How difficult is it to have such faith? It's not difficult at all; it's just a choice.
Know that God is directing a play in you and me. May He make us a precious vessel. May we be used by God and become a vessel that manifests God's glory. The last few sermons I preached were about God's glory. I feel particularly excited when I preach them, and I am particularly excited when I study this chapter. Not for any other reason, but because you and I have a faith, a hope, a pursuit, and a thirst in eternity. This is our dream, and God is with us. Every step we take, we can see God's miraculous deeds.
Summary
I will make a summary. This chapter highlights one thing, which is that faith can create the future. No one and nothing can deprive you of your future, only your inner faith or unbelief. Either it accomplishes your future, or it ruins your future. This is no joke. Joseph sat in prison for three years and was a slave in Potiphar's house for ten years. He didn't wear out the prison floor, but he sat out a prime ministership. This is because faith can control the future and create the future. What a wonderful spiritual law this is. I ask you, does having faith cost money? It doesn't cost a single penny, but faith can create a beautiful future.
May God bless everyone!
Genesis Chapter 40
40:1 Some time later, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their master, the king of Egypt.
40:2 Pharaoh was angry with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker,
40:3 and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same prison where Joseph was confined.
40:4 The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he attended to them. After they had been in custody for some time,
40:5 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.
40:6 When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected.
40:7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?”
40:8 “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.”
40:9 So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream: “In my dream I saw a vine in front of me,
40:10 and on the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters ripened into grapes.
40:11 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.”
40:12 Then Joseph said to him, “This is what it means: The three branches are three days.
40:13 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.
40:14 But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison.
40:15 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.”
40:16 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.
40:17 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.”
40:18 “This is what it means,” Joseph said. “The three baskets are three days.
40:19 Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head and impale your body on a pole. And the birds will eat away your flesh.”
40:20 On the third day, the birthday of Pharaoh, 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:
40:21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand,
40:22 but he impaled the chief baker, just as Joseph had predicted to them.
40:23 The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.