Genesis 40:20-23 – Path to greatness

It was common for a pharaoh to have a grand celebration on his birthday, and even more common for him to grant pardon to prisoners on that day. So we read that “…it came about on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. He restored the chief cupbearer to his office, and he put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand; but he hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had interpreted to them.” What Joseph had interpreted proved to be true. The words told to both the cupbearer and the baker came to pass exactly as he had said. Joseph had unwaveringly trusted that his own two dreams would be realized one day. And he had waited for eleven years. When every word he said to the two royal prisoners came to pass his mind must have gravitated to his own two dreams again. Things were looking up for him and certainly Joseph would be heartened and probably more optimistic. Especially when he knew that the cupbearer had been restored to his former position. He was hopeful that he would remember his request and relay his plight to the king.  

Joseph was wrong. Disappointingly verse 23 reveals that, “Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.” Just capture the scene for a while. Imagine the prison door swung open and the bearer of good news appeared and announced the cupbearer’s pardon. The cupbearer must surely be beaming with a wide cheerful smile. He must be gratefully shaking Joseph’s hand. Congratulatory words must have flown from Joseph’s lips. With Joseph’s hope up, something like that could have been said, “God bless you my friend, and please remember to tell Pharaoh about my plight.” His response must have been equally positive. “Sure, don’t worry Joseph, I will when I have the first opportunity.” But alas it was an empty promise. Just imagine Joseph standing yearningly at the portal of the prison each morning, waiting for the prison gate to swing open with the same good news. He waited one day, than another, and soon his days had turned into weeks and nothing moved. Then the weeks turned into months and then into two years and his hope was dashed.

Before God births something great in any life, there will always a period of incubation. This was true for Joseph. From the time he was thrown into the pit, then sold to the Ishmaelite trader, bought by Potiphar, and then thrown into prison till he was released, took some eleven to twelve years of his life. This period of incubation seems to be true of most of God’s great servants. Abraham waited some 25 years for a son to arrive. Moses was prepared for 40 years in the desert. King David’s accession to the throne took him many years before the whole of Israel recognized him as their king. The Lord Jesus took 30 years in obscurity before his three short, impactful years of prominent ministry.

The upswing of Joseph’s life would only take place in another two years. Before he was propelled into greatness, many things had to go in to prepare him for that moment.    Just think of the whole range of negative experiences Joseph had undergone. Think of his experience in the pit, then exposed to the luring temptation of Mrs Potiphar for a while. As if they were not enough, then came the imprisonment again. And he had to wait another two seemingly long years before Pharaoh would come to know about him out of necessity. All in all, from the time he was thrown into the pit in Shechem till the day he was recognized by Pharaoh, 12-13 years had passed. While Joseph was brought through all these, it was undeniable that God was with him. His spiritual reflexes were being honed. Through it all he learned to trust God instinctively.

And from Joseph’s experience we learn that disappointments are part and parcel of life. In reality, they are needful for our spiritual growth. They drive us to turn to God and literally wring and squeeze every ounce of faith out of our life. Trails actually push us into a corner and demand that we place our trust in God and learn to rest in Him.  We must remember that delays are not God’s denials. His purpose and plans for our lives are never frustrated by delays. Instead, it’s in delays that God polishes His chosen instrument to get them in readiness for effectiveness. We must learn to see whatever circumstances we have experienced, and will experience, as God getting us ready for the purpose He had made us for. We must yield to God’s moulding so that we can be the sharpened instrument when we are wielded and brandished under His mighty hand. So just trust Him!