(Genesis) Genesis 40:9-19

And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me, and in the vine were three branches. And it was as though it budded, and a blossom shot forth, and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes. And Pharaoh's cup was in his hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup unto Pharaoh's hand.

And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it, the three branches are three days. Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place, and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand after the former manner when thou wast his butler. You see, it's interesting that in these dreams, that in the Old Testament, you don't have God moving that way after you have the canon of Scripture, after the New Testament is concluded.

We don't need that today. But God did speak in this day through dreams, and he spoke in the language that these people could understand. A butler would understand about serving wine, because that's what he did to Pharaoh, that he served him.

And that would be something he could understand. Also, you remember later on that old King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream of an image. He was certainly acquainted with images, with idols.

Now we find here that this is the interpretation. Joseph here interprets the dream. He says that you're going to be restored in three days.

He said, Now when you are, verse 14, but think on me when it shall be well with thee, and show kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house. And poor Joseph said, Look, they put me way back here in the prison. I'm so far back in the prison that they just have to pump water to me.

I'm just forgotten, and I will stay here and rot unless somebody moves in my behalf. Now, you're going to be out of here in three days. I've interpreted your dream.

Don't forget me. And he promised he wouldn't. Verse 15, Joseph is still speaking.

For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon. When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and behold, I had three white baskets on my head, and in the uttermost basket there was of all manner of baked meats for Pharaoh, and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head. And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof, the three baskets are three days.

Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, shall hang thee on a tree. The birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee. Now, that's the interpretation for the baker, and it speaks to him in the language he understands.

He sees these baskets that are filled with these little cookies, sweetmeats, baked meats. This is the language the man would understand. Now Joseph interprets it for them, and he tells him that, but it's not going to be good for you, and three days he'll take you out and hang you, and the birds are going to eat your flesh.