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Spiritual Gifts, Volume 3
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. Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but
forgat him.” The butler was guilty of the sin of ingratitude. After he
had obtained relief from his anxiety, by the cheering interpretation
of Joseph, he thought that he should, if brought again into the king’s
favor, certainly remember the captive Joseph, and speak in his favor to
the king. He had seen the interpretation of the dream exactly fulfilled,
yet in his prosperity he forgot Joseph in his affliction and confinement.
Ingratitude is regarded by the Lord as among the most aggravating sins.
And although abhorred by God and man, yet it is of daily occurrence.
Two years longer Joseph remained in his gloomy prison. The Lord
gave Pharaoh remarkable dreams. In the morning the king was troubled
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because he could not understand them. He called for the magicians of
Egypt, and the wise men. The king thought that they would soon help
him to understand these dreams, for they had a reputation of solving
difficulties. The king related his dream to them, but was greatly
disappointed to find that with all their magic and boasted wisdom,
they could not explain them. The perplexity and distress of the king
increased. As the chief butler saw his distress, all at once Joseph came
into his mind, and at the same time a conviction of his forgetfulness
and ingratitude, “Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying,
I do remember my faults this day.” He then related to the king the
dreams which he and the chief baker had, which troubled them as the
dreams which now troubled the king, and said, “And there was there
with us a young man, an Hebrew servant to the captain of the guard,
and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams, to each man
according to his dream he did interpret. And it came to pass, as he
interpreted to us, so it was. Me he restored unto mine office, and him
he hanged.”
It was humiliating to Pharaoh to turn away from the magicians
and wise men of his kingdom to a Hebrew servant. But his learned
and wise men failed him, and he now will condescend to accept the
humble services of a slave if his troubled mind can obtain relief.
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“Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily
out of the dungeon; and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment,
and came in unto Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have