Joseph Interprets the Dreams of the Cupbearer, the Baker and the Pharaoh

Hi kids! Do you still remember what happened to Joseph? In the last lesson about Joseph, Potiphar and his Wife, Joseph ended up in prison because Potiphar's wife lied that Joseph did something wrong.

So poor Joseph was placed in the prison but God continued to be with him. The prison warden soon put Joseph in charge of all those held in prison.

One day, the Pharaoh became angry with his chief cupbearer and chief baker and put them in prison where Joseph was in charge. Then, one night, each of the two officials had a dream.

The following morning, Joseph asked the two what's wrong because they looked sad. They told Joseph that both of them had a dream but they did not know what they mean. Joseph said that God knows what dreams mean and they told Joseph their dreams.

The chief cupbearer said that in his dream I saw a vine with three branches. The vine blossomed and brought forth ripe grapes. Then he saw the Pharaoh's cup in his hand. He squeezed the grapes and gave the juice in the cup to Pharaoh.

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After hearing his dream, Joseph told the chief cupbearer what the dream means. The three branches are three days. Within three days Pharaoh will free him from prison and restore him to the palace. He will give Pharaoh's cup into his hand again as he used to do.

Joseph also told the cupbearer that when all is well to be kind and remember him and mention him to Pharaoh so that he may bring him out of this prison. He was unjustly taken from the land of the Hebrews and did nothing wrong to be put in prison.

When the chief baker saw that the meaning of the cupbearer's dream was good, he also told Joseph his dream. He said there were three baskets of white bread on his head. The upper basket had all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them.

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After hearing his dream, Joseph told what it means. The three baskets are three days. Within three days, Pharaoh will take off his head and hang his body on a tree where the birds shall eat his flesh.
On the third day, Pharaoh indeed set the chief cupbearer free but hanged the chief baker. Things happened just as Joseph told them. But the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph.

After two years, Pharaoh had two dreams. First, he stood by the river Nile and saw seven fat and well fed cows. Then, there came up seven other thin and poorly fed cows. The thin cows ate up the fat cows. Then Pharaoh awoke.

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The next dream, Pharaoh saw seven heads of grain, full and good, growing in one stalk. Then, he also saw seven heads of grain, thin and withered by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven plump, full grains. Then Pharaoh awoke.

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The next morning Pharaoh was so worried. So he called all the magicians and wise men in Egypt to interpret his dreams; but no one knew what they meant.

Then the chief cupbearer remembered Joseph and told Pharaoh about him. So Pharaoh sent for Joseph. Joseph shaved and changed clothes before coming to Pharaoh.

Pharaoh asked if Joseph could tell what his dreams mean. Joseph answered that it is God, not him, who will give Pharaoh the answer he seeks.

So, Pharaoh told Joseph his dreams. Joseph said to Pharaoh that his two dreams have the same meaning. God has made known to Pharaoh what he is about to do.

The seven fat cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years. The seven thin and poorly fed cows that came up after them and the seven empty heads of grain withered by the east wind mean seven years of famine. There will be seven years of great plenty all through the land of Egypt. But they shall be followed by seven years of famine,. All the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten because the famine will be very severe.

The Pharaoh had two dreams to show that the famine will surely come, and that God will do it soon. Joseph also said that Pharaoh should pick out a man who is wise and place him in charge of the land of Egypt to store up grain during the good years so that there will be food supply in the land during the seven years of famine

Pharaoh liked the plan and made Joseph the head of Egypt. All of Egypt shall be ruled as Joseph commands. Only Pharaoh will be above Joseph. Pharaoh put his signet-ring on Joseph's finger, clothed him in garments of fine linen and  made him ride his second chariot.

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Joseph was thirty years old when he was made the ruler of the land of Egypt. Joseph's wife is the daughter of Potiphera, Asenath. His first son he named Manasseh because God has made him forget all his trouble and his father's household. His second son he named Ephraim because God has made him fruitful in the land of his suffering.
So, God showed Joseph that He is with Joseph and made him a ruler over Egypt. But there's more to the story of Joseph, which we'll find out next time.

Read this story from Genesis 40-41.

KIDS DISCUSSION:
Now, let us discuss what we learned from the story.
1. What happened to Joseph in prison?
2. Who did the Pharaoh put in prison?
3. What is the dream of the cupbearer and what does it mean?
4. What is the dream of the baker and what does it mean?
5. Who told them the meaning of their dreams? Did it came true?
6. How did Joseph get out of prison?
7. What did the Pharaoh ask of Joseph?
8. Why did Joseph become a ruler in Egypt?
9. Who do you think helped Joseph get out of prison and become a ruler in Eqypt?
10. Why can we always trust God even when things are not going well?

MEMORY VERSE: Genesis 41:52
God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.

KIDS ACTIVITY:
Here are some activities that the kids can do to remember this story.