The two dreams of the Butler and the Baker and their fulfillment in the story of Joseph, display the gospel of Jesus Christ, and Communion.
“And it came to pass after these things, [that] the butler of the king of Egypt and [his] baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt... And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph [was] bound”. (Genesis 40:1, 3)
“And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which [were] bound in the prison. And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they [were] sad. And he asked Pharaoh's officers that [were] with him in the ward of his lord's house, saying, Wherefore look ye [so] sadly to day? And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and [there is] no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, [Do] not interpretations [belong] to God? tell me [them], I pray you”. “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] her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes: 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”. “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”. (Genesis 40:5-13)
The butler’s dream of the vine, the grapes, and Pharaoh’s cup correlates with the cup of communion.
Mat 26:27-29 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave [it] to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.
The ‘fruit of the vine’ represents blood, and thus, life.
“For the life of the flesh [is] in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it [is] the blood [that] maketh an atonement for the soul”. (Lev.17.11)
When we partake in communion, the cup of the fruit of the vine represents life in Christ. While it is not a substitute for being filled with His Spirit, it is rather a reminder that by His crucifixion with the shedding of His blood, He brought Life. We have communion with Him when we are crucified with Him by repentance and baptism in His name, and filled with His Holy Spirit.
“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death”; (Philippians 3:10)
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every [branch] that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (John 15:1-5)
The fruit of the vine represents the Holy Ghost.
On the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Ghost was first poured out, some mocked and said, “These men are full of new wine”. (Acts 2.13)
But Peter answered, “these are not drunken, as ye suppose…But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh”. (Acts 2.15, 16, 17)
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; (Ephesians 5:18)
Now, “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 uppermost basket [there was] of all manner of bakemeats 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, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee”. (Genesis 40:16-19)
The Chief Baker with his bread represents the flesh, or body. While the fruit of the vine of the Butler represents the Spirit of God, which cannot die, the bread of the Baker represents the flesh of Christ, which was hung on the tree.
“And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake [it], and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body”. (Mar.14.22)
“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that hangeth on a tree” (Gal.3.13)
“I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world”. (John 6.51)
As the Chief Baker represents the body of Christ, and subsequently our flesh, we are to crucify our flesh as well, so that we may be filled with the Spirit.
Three days represents the three days of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.
“Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day” (Luke 24.46)
“And it came to pass the third day, [which was] Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants. And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand: But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them”. (Genesis 40:20-22)
Pharaoh’s birthday on the third day was a representation of Christ being born from the dead.
“And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all [things] he might have the preeminence”. (Colossians 1:18)
When we obey the gospel, we have a new birth.
“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever”. (1Peter 1:23)
The word “Pharaoh” is of Egyptian derivation meaning, “Great House”. Here Pharaoh is a type of Christ, as He is the King and the ‘Great House’ of the Holy Spirit.
The Chief Butler represents the Life that is in Christ.
“For the life of the flesh [is] in the blood” (Lev. 17.11)
“And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave [it] to them: and they all drank of it. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many”. (Mark 14.23, 24)
After Joseph had interpreted the Chief Butler’s dream, Joseph told him to remember him.
“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: 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”. (Genesis 40.14, 15)
“And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand… Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him”. (Genesis 40.21, 23)
Just as Joseph told the Chief Butler to remember him, Jesus told his disciples to remember Him when they would take the cup with the fruit of the vine.
“After the same manner also [he took] the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink [it], in remembrance of me”. (1 Cor.11.25)
“And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: … And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but [there was] none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh”. (Gen.41.1, 8)
“Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day”: (Gen.41.9)
For two years, Joseph had been left bound in prison, and the Chief Butler had forgotten to tell Pharaoh there was an innocent Hebrew bound in prison. The chief butler remembered his faults.
Before we take communion, we are to remember our faults.
“But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of [that] bread, and drink of [that] cup”. (1Corinthians 11:28)
“For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world”. (1 Corinthians 11:31, 32)
When the Chief Butler remembered his faults, he remembered Joseph. When he remembered Joseph, Joseph ascended from a place of being bound, to a position of power.
When the Chief Butler remembered Joseph, Joseph brought salvation, blessing, and provision to the life of the Butler, and the entire world!
Similarly, as Jesus said at the Last Supper, “I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom", Joseph ascended to rule the kingdom of Egypt, and yea, all the world. The Chief Butler now took the grapes, and pressed them into Joseph's cup, and gave the cup into Joseph's hand. Joseph is a type of Christ.
“And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find [such a one] as this [is], a man in whom the Spirit of God [is]? And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, [there is] none so discreet and wise as thou [art]: (Genesis 41:38-39)
"And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah;” (“Zaphenath Pa'neach") (Genesis 41:45)
This name is said to mean, "Treasury of the glorious rest". Egyptian scholars recognize this Egyptian name as 'Salvation' and 'Saviour of the age'. Hebrews interpreted the Hebrew form of the word as, 'He who explains hidden things'.
Joseph, as a type of Messiah, was recognized and bowed down to by the world as the savior and giver of bread. It was years later that the children of Israel came to Joseph for bread and likewise bowed down to him. This is type and shadow of the last days.
“Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him [ruler] over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I [am] Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt. (Gen 41:40-44)
When we repent and apply the blood of Jesus Christ in water baptism in His name for the remission of sins and receive the Holy Ghost, we are restored to God, as the butler was restored to his position with Pharaoh.
To release the Spirit of Christ in our life, we need to examine and judge ourselves, as the butler remembered his faults.
When we remember Christ in communion, He is loosed and elevated in our life to a position of power, authority, salvation, provision, as the Butler remembered Joseph, and Joseph ascended to rule all the land of Egypt.
“Remember Me”
