Genesis 39: 20- 23 And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison. But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.

Genesis 40:1-23 1-3 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 Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers. And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.
Vs. 5 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.

Overcoming Prison


Even in prison Joseph was a hero, he would not be discouraged or defeated. He rose to the rank of chief trustee and though he was not free, even the walls and bars of prison could not overwhelm him. Once again, we see the true hero. Here is a person who will never stop doing what is right. He will never give up because of the hard circumstances he finds himself in, nor will he quit believing that God is with him.

This is exactly what Jesus teaches in Luke 18:1 “1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.”

Heroes keep praying, keep trying, keep working, but they don’t faint. They don’t give up. Heroes may be knocked down, but they don’t stay down.

You can the next maxim coming, can’t you? Maxim 3. Heroes don’t quit!

Type of Christ: Prisoner of Judgment


Here again is a type of Christ. What does Isaiah 53:8 say? “He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation?”

Joseph was an innocent man thrown in prison and no one would speak for him, even the butler he helped. Jesus was taken in judgment to the prison, he was beaten there, a crown of thorns put upon his brow, and a robe of purple slapped on his lacerated back. Many voices mocked Him, but none spoke to defend Him. Later after the judgment of the cross, Jesus died and was imprisoned in a tomb, but He overcome even that prison of death. He is the hero of heroes just as he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Jesus overcame the prison of the grave and rose to save us. Joseph came out of the prison of Egypt to save the people of Egypt. Two years more Joseph waits until another set of dreams sets him free. And he will become the hero of Egypt.