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†. Gen 41:9-13 . .Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh: Today I
am reminded of my shortcomings. Pharaoh was once angry with his
servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of
the captain of the guard. Each of us had a dream the same night, and
each dream had a meaning of its own.
. . . Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain
of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for
us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream. And things
turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to
my position, and the other man was hanged.
Why wait till now to talk about Josephs' abilities? Well . . first off, God more
than likely put a mental block in the cupbearers head to forget all about
Joseph; and that mental block could have been something as simple as a
very reasonable decision on the cupbearer's part. Pharaoh already had a
corps of magicians and wise men who were actually very proficient at their
jobs. What need was there to suggest taking on another one; and a Hebrew
slave at that?
No doubt during the performance of his duties over time, the cupbearer had
seen lots of dreams correctly interpreted, so Joseph's dog and pony show
was nothing new to him. The kind of mental block where people talk
themselves out of something, is quite normal and very common. But now,
circumstances are going to twinge the cupbearer's conscience, not just about
Josephs' ability, but the fact that Joseph had practically begged the man to
talk to Pharaoh and get him released as a return for the favor.
†. Gen 41:14a . . So Pharaoh sent for Joseph,
Normally, Egyptians didn't associate with Hebrews (cf. Gen 43:32) and that
cultural barrier no doubt factored in to the cupbearer's mental block. But
Pharaoh was at his wit's end, and was favorably disposed to swallow his
pride for a matter that, to him, seemed of the utmost importance to not only
himself, but also to the welfare of his whole country.
†. Gen 41:14b . . and he was quickly brought from the dungeon.
All this was done so that Joseph could appear in court that very day, not
some other time. Pharaoh was anxious.
†. Gen 41:14c . .When he had shaved and changed his clothes,
Shaving for an Egyptian meant not only trimming and sculpting their beards
(by now, Joseph must have looked like Rumpelstiltskin) but also cutting their
hair; actually shaving their scalps bald like Vin Diesel. According to
Herodotus, the Egyptians had extreme care for cleanliness and would let
their hair and beards grow out only during periods of mourning.
†. Gen 41:14c . . he came before Pharaoh.
Jiminy! Here's this no-account sheep rancher from the outback getting the
full-on attention of one of the most powerful, if not THE most powerful,
monarchs in the world of that day!
You know, there comes a day-- and that day may never come for some
people --when you get that big break. It's at that moment when you better
have your ducks in a row and your peas in their pods because opportunity
knocks only for those who are prepared for it. For all others, it's bye-bye;
and don't call us; we'll call you-- or worse. If Joseph blows his big moment,
he could very well end up not just sent back to prison for life; but gibbeted
just like the baker. This is a tense moment, and somebody's life is about to
change.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
†. Gen 41:9-13 . .Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh: Today I
am reminded of my shortcomings. Pharaoh was once angry with his
servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of
the captain of the guard. Each of us had a dream the same night, and
each dream had a meaning of its own.
. . . Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain
of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for
us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream. And things
turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to
my position, and the other man was hanged.
Why wait till now to talk about Josephs' abilities? Well . . first off, God more
than likely put a mental block in the cupbearers head to forget all about
Joseph; and that mental block could have been something as simple as a
very reasonable decision on the cupbearer's part. Pharaoh already had a
corps of magicians and wise men who were actually very proficient at their
jobs. What need was there to suggest taking on another one; and a Hebrew
slave at that?
No doubt during the performance of his duties over time, the cupbearer had
seen lots of dreams correctly interpreted, so Joseph's dog and pony show
was nothing new to him. The kind of mental block where people talk
themselves out of something, is quite normal and very common. But now,
circumstances are going to twinge the cupbearer's conscience, not just about
Josephs' ability, but the fact that Joseph had practically begged the man to
talk to Pharaoh and get him released as a return for the favor.
†. Gen 41:14a . . So Pharaoh sent for Joseph,
Normally, Egyptians didn't associate with Hebrews (cf. Gen 43:32) and that
cultural barrier no doubt factored in to the cupbearer's mental block. But
Pharaoh was at his wit's end, and was favorably disposed to swallow his
pride for a matter that, to him, seemed of the utmost importance to not only
himself, but also to the welfare of his whole country.
†. Gen 41:14b . . and he was quickly brought from the dungeon.
All this was done so that Joseph could appear in court that very day, not
some other time. Pharaoh was anxious.
†. Gen 41:14c . .When he had shaved and changed his clothes,
Shaving for an Egyptian meant not only trimming and sculpting their beards
(by now, Joseph must have looked like Rumpelstiltskin) but also cutting their
hair; actually shaving their scalps bald like Vin Diesel. According to
Herodotus, the Egyptians had extreme care for cleanliness and would let
their hair and beards grow out only during periods of mourning.
†. Gen 41:14c . . he came before Pharaoh.
Jiminy! Here's this no-account sheep rancher from the outback getting the
full-on attention of one of the most powerful, if not THE most powerful,
monarchs in the world of that day!
You know, there comes a day-- and that day may never come for some
people --when you get that big break. It's at that moment when you better
have your ducks in a row and your peas in their pods because opportunity
knocks only for those who are prepared for it. For all others, it's bye-bye;
and don't call us; we'll call you-- or worse. If Joseph blows his big moment,
he could very well end up not just sent back to prison for life; but gibbeted
just like the baker. This is a tense moment, and somebody's life is about to
change.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=