YES, Joseph was cast into prison, and that most unjustly. But it is blessed to know that the Lord showed him mercy and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
Whether in circumstances of trial, or in circumstances of comfort and honor; whether inside a prison’s walls, or at liberty in a palace, all is well, if only the Lord’s presence is known. And it was very blessedly known in Joseph’s case. God had prospered him in the house of Potiphar, and all that was in the house was put in his hand. God prospered him in prison, and soon the prison-keeper committed all the prisoners to his charge. Thorough faithfulness begets confidence; and thus it was with Joseph. And the Lord was with and prospered him in all he did.
While he had the entire charge of those in the prison, two notable prisoners were put under his care; these two were the chief butler and. the chief baker of the king. They had offended Pharaoh, their king, and in his anger against them he had had them cast into prison; and the captain of the guard put them in Joseph’s hand.
One night, after they had been there some time, they each had a remarkable dream. When Joseph went to them in the morning he saw they rooked sad, and he asked them the cause of their sadness. They told him they had each had a dream and there was nobody to interpret it to them. Joseph told them that interpretations belonged to God. He then asked them to tell him their dreams. The butler told his dream and Joseph interpreted it in this way; the butler was to be restored in three days to his former place in Pharaoh’s house. Joseph asked him to think of him, and make request to Pharaoh that he might be brought out of that place, for, said he, “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 of the butler’s dream was good, he told his dream also. But, ah! it had a very different reading; the poor baker was to be taken out of prison in three days, and to be hung upon a tree; and the birds were to eat his flesh.
It came to pass just as Joseph had interpreted the dreams. Pharaoh made a feast for all his servants on the third day after the dreams, for it was his birthday; and on this day he restored the butler to his butlership, and he hanged the chief baker.
When the butler was back in his old place, he forgot all about Joseph, and his request to show him kindness and make mention of him to Pharaoh. So the years passed on and Joseph was still left in the prison. But he was not forgotten of God.
ML 02/16/1902