The Cupbearer and the Baker

Wow, it’s 2025—can you believe it? Before Christmas, I set myself a challenge: to start reading the Bible from the beginning. I wanted to learn more about the background of the women in Jesus’ family. As I read, I was struck by how God’s love is woven throughout the stories in the Old Testament. Thank goodness Jesus came to save us, so we no longer have to bring animal offerings. Seeing God’s grace shine through these stories is beautiful.

A couple of stories really spoke to me. One was the story of the cupbearer and the baker in

Genesis 40:1–23, and the other was in the New Testament, where Jesus says in Luke 10:18, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.”

These two stories reminded me that Jesus was present from the very beginning and that there always was a redemption plan. Isn’t that beautiful? From the start, all God has wanted from us is a relationship with Him. The story of the cupbearer and the baker is symbolic of communion—flesh and blood.

How Did the Cupbearer’s Dream Speak to Me?

Genesis 40:9–11:

“So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream. He said to him, ‘In my dream, I saw a vine in front of me, and on the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters ripened into grapes. Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and put the cup in his hand.’”

Genesis 40:12–13:

“‘This is what it means,’ Joseph said to him. ‘The three branches are three days. Within three days, Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer.’”

This passage spoke to me because it represents the blood of Jesus. It also mentions “three days,” the same number of days before Jesus rose from the dead. Isn’t it incredible how this story is so symbolic? It foreshadows events that would take place many years later.

The cupbearer’s role was sacrificial—he tested the wine to ensure it was safe to drink, knowing that something terrible could happen to him if it wasn’t. Similarly, Jesus placed His full trust in His Father, knowing that everything would ultimately be okay.

Another detail that stood out to me was the description of the grapes: “budded, blossomed, and ripened.” These were no ordinary grapes—they were the best, symbolising Jesus’s pure and perfect blood. When it was time for Him to be crucified, it was the perfect moment—the harvest was ripe.

Genesis 40:13 also resonated with me:

“‘Within three days, Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position.’”

This reminded me of how Jesus restored what Satan had taken. In Revelation 1:17–18, it says:

“Jesus alone holds the keys of authority and control of Death and Hades, and He lives forever and ever. Keys denote authority and power. In this instance, God does not entrust the power over Death to men, but holds it Himself, as He alone can be trusted. Jesus has many titles.”

Isn’t that wild?

Now let’s look at the baker:

Genesis 40:16-22

16 When the chief baker saw that Joseph had given a favourable interpretation, he said to Joseph, “I too had a dream: On my head were three baskets of bread.[a] 17 In the top basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.” 

18 “This is what it means,” Joseph said. “The three baskets are three days. 19 Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head and impale your body on a pole. And the birds will eat away your flesh.”

In this part, it similarly mentions three days, but this time it represents Jesus’s flesh. The striking part is when it states that the Pharaoh will impale his body, which parallels what happened to Jesus when He was crucified. John 19:31-34

Jesus’ Side Is Pierced

31 Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 32 Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.

I just thought, isn't it amazing how these stories weave through the Bible like threads! God is so good, and He had Jesus in His plan from the very beginning. While listening to Russell Brand speak at Ocean's church, I was moved by this verse:

Luke 10:18

18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 

This reassures us of Jesus's presence has always been there from the start and how God's plan was always to redeem us.