Genesis 40:9

Genesis 40:9 says, And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me;  The chief butler was the first to tell Joseph his dream.  He had to either believe that God would reveal the interpretation to Joseph or that he had nothing to lose by sharing the dream with Joseph.  Sometimes, people may come to us because they want to believe that as Christians we have a special relationship with God and He can help us, and at times they may come to us simply because they figure they have nothing to lose.  In either case, we need to look to God for the right way to help them and make sure that He receives the honor and glory if He gives us the answer to their problem.  Verse ten states, And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes:  The butler said that he dreamed of a vine with three branches that budded, blossomed, and brought forth clusters of ripe grapes.  Though the chief butler might have thought that it was a nice dream, he believed that it had some deeper meaning.  I believe that if God does speak to us, whether through a dream or some other method, that He will make us aware that He is behind the dream or whatever method He uses to speak to us.  Not every dream is a message from God, but if it is, I believe that we will know that it is.  Verse eleven adds, And Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand.  In his dream, the chief butler was once again serving Pharaoh, this time with the juice from the grapes.  Again, he could have dismissed this dream as simply wishful thinking on his part.  We must never be too quick to dismiss our hopes and dreams as wishful thinking, but should always look to see if God is behind them.  We may sometimes need to look to fellow believers to help us be certain that it is God speaking to us.  Verse twelve declares, And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days:  Joseph began to give the interpretation of the dream to the chief butler.  Joseph had already said that the interpretation would come from God.  He said that the three branches represented three days.  Joseph did not say that some day what he was going to say would happen, but set a very specific time table for this to happen.  Verse thirteen adds, 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.  Joseph gave the chief butler good news.  Within three days, he would be restored by the Pharaoh to his former position.  Since the Pharaoh put the chief butler there simply because he was angry with him, the Pharaoh could release the chief butler simply because he chose to.  Fortunately, when we share the gospel with others, if they accept it and are set free from sin, it is not because of an arbitrary action of God.  If we accept Christ in faith, we will be restored to God forever.  Even though the chief butler was to be restored, he was still subject to Pharaoh changing his mind again.  Fortunately, as followers of Christ, once we accept Christ as Savior and Lord, we are forever forgiven.  Verse fourteen states, But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house:  Joseph did not say if the butler was restored, but when he was.  We must put our faith in the promises of God, which Joseph believed this to be, no matter if they are fulfilled quickly or at a much later time.  Joseph only asked one thing, and that was for the butler to speak to Pharaoh on his behalf.  Joseph did not demand any material compensation, and neither can we when we share the gospel with others.  Verse fifteen adds, 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.  I don't believe that Joseph said this to gain pity, but that he was simply stating the facts of his situation.  Joseph was falsely condemned, but he still had faith that God would deliver him from the prison.  Even if we were to be falsely imprisoned, we must have faith that God will deliver us, if not in this world, then in the one to come.