Genesis 41:1 Commentary and Bible Study

What disappointment Joseph must have felt when the butler returned to the palace and nothing more was heard. For two more years his hopes were dashed. Was it deliberate – the butler wanted no connection with his unfortunate time in prison – or did he just forget? If so, why hadn’t the Lord brought it to his memory? Many perplexing questions arise in our minds when we face delays or obstacles, and we have no information to resolve matters. They must be handled by faith, and not allowed to cause us to become overly anxious. In time, Joseph would understand all, and admire the wisdom of God and far greater than his own. God could have given Pharoah his dream at any time. Leaving Joseph in prison was not an oversight but part of God’s perfect plan. God does not explain his plan to us in advance. In this passage we see some of the reasons for the events of providence, but the Lord always has a myriad of purposes for what he does, and what is revealed here is just a small part of them. But for now, this did not seem like the way that God would work, and Joseph must have chided himself for thinking that he had read providence correctly. His faith however was being built up. Subsequently, he would be able to suffer further hardships and delays without doubting God. Everything appeared to be lost when the reverse was in fact the case. In the plan and purpose of God Joseph was receiving a complete and unique training for the high office which lay before him.