MEMORY VERSE: Genesis 40:23
BOOK TO REMEMBER: Job (pronounced to rhyme with robe). Write "Job" on slips of paper and pass out to students at the end of class.
PRAYER: Thank God for providing the things that we need: food, clothing, water, air, etc.
SPECIAL SONG: The Books of The Old Testament (see March - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #3 on this blog), The Sons of Jacob (see April - Lesson - The Twelve Sons Of Jacob), Joseph Had A Coat Of Many Colors (see April - Lesson - Joseph's Coat Of Many Colors).
VISUAL AID: TV Box (see directions and ideas on February - Visual Aid #1 on this blog).
LESSON POINTS:
- Where did we leave Joseph last week? Yes, he was in Egypt, but exactly where in Egypt? That's right! He was in prison. But God was with Joseph and, even though he was in prison, was still watching over and taking care of Joseph. People could see that the LORD was with Joseph because everything that Joseph did, it turned out well! People wanted Joseph to do things for them because they could see that God was helping Joseph. Joseph obeyed God and God helped Joseph.
- Time passed as Joseph was in prison and it happened that the king of Egypt's chief butler and chief baker had made Pharaoh angry enough to put them in prison where Joseph was kept. Do you know what a Pharaoh is? Just like we call our leader of the United States "President", Egyptians called their leader "Pharaoh." That was the name of all of Egypt's kings. The keeper of the prison made Joseph responsible for these two prisoners all the time they were in the prison which was awhile.
- One night, each of these men, the butler and the baker, dreamed their own dream which was different from the other. When Joseph came in to see them in the morning, he looked at them and they were very sad. Joseph asked each of them, "Why are you so sad today?" They both said to Joseph, "We each have dreamed a dream and there is no interpreter or no one can tell us what the dreams mean. Joseph asks them, "Doesn't all interpretation belong to God? Tell me what you dreamed."
- The chief butler told his dream to Joseph first. He said that he dreamed that there was a vine and on the vine there were three branches. "The blossoms came on the vine and even clusters of grapes grew on them. I had Pharaoh's cup in my hand. I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup and put the cup into Pharaoh's hand." Then Joseph said, "Here is what this dream means: The three branches are three days and within three days Pharaoh will put you back in the palace and you will be chief butler just like you used to be, putting Pharaoh's cup back into his hand.Think of me when you go back to the palace and with kindness by reminding Pharaoh that I am still here, so he can take me out of this prison for I have done nothing wrong to be here in this prison in the first place."
- When the chief baker saw that the butler's dream turned out good, he wanted Joseph to tell him what his dream meant. He said to Joseph, "In my dream, I had three white baskets on my head and in the top basket were all kinds of baked goods, but the birds would come down and eat the baked goods." Joseph told him that his dream meant that within three days Pharaoh would lift his head and hang him on a tree and the birds would peck his skin and he would die.
- In three days, it was the Pharaoh's birthday and he made a great big feast for all his servants. He took the chief butler and the chief baker out of the prison. The chief butler became the butler again and he gave the cup again to Pharaoh, but Pharaoh hanged the chief baker just like Joseph interpreted the dreams!
- The chief butler should have been so happy that he was back in the palace and he should have been amazed that everything that Joseph said came true, but he did not remember Joseph. He forgot Joseph and Joseph stayed in the prison a while longer. We will see what happens next week!
- Discuss how God used to talk to men through dreams, visions, or directly to them, but now God has given us the Bible for all to read and obey. There is no need for further revelations because God has given us his Son. Isn't that what Hebrews 1:1, 2 is saying? (Read verses.) God, in different times and different ways, spoke in past times to the Israelites (Jewish nation) through the prophets, but in the last days--which is now--He speaks to us only through his Son. (John 1:1-5, 14). Today, we have all we need--the Bible (2 Tim. 3:16, 17). (Read verses). The Bible is good for all things. There is no need for miracles, signs, dreams, etc. because now we can pick up God's Word and read it anytime. God can and will speak to us if we read.
- Talk about God helping Joseph and Joseph's obedience to God.
ACTIVITY: Butler/Baker Flip-side
Materials needed: 8.5" x 11" white paper, black marker, scissors, crayons.
Materials needed: 8.5" x 11" white paper, black marker, scissors, crayons.
- Fold white paper in half, length-wise.
- Either the Bible Teacher makes all the "black lines" prior to coming class, or each student, who is able, draws a line (like the one in the picture above) on a sheet of paper. The line must look pretty close to the one above, or it will not come out right. On one side it will become a picture of the baker with three baskets on his head and, on the other side, it will become the fancy cup that the butler gave Pharaoh.
- Cut on black line.
- Open paper. One side will be a picture of the butler, and the other side will be a picture of the cup that the butler gave to Pharaoh. One paper = Two pictures!
- Draw picture of the butler's fancy cup with two handles on one side. (See picture below.)
- Draw picture of the baker with three white baskets of bread on his head on the other side of the paper. (See below.)
- Write "Genesis 40:9-13" and "Butler" on the fancy cup side.
- Write "Genesis 40:16, 17" and "Baker" on the white basket side.
- Tip: All pictures will not be drawn the same way. That is beauty of art. That is the beauty of children's art!
