GENESIS: Some Dreams do have Meanings; So Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please.”

It came to pass after these things... (Genesis 40:1)

After these things being, Joseph's brothers hating him because their father loved him more than the rest (Genesis 37:3-4); his brothers being jealous and envious of him because of the interpretation of his dreams, that he would rule over them one day (Genesis 37:5-11); his brothers kidnapping him and selling him into slavery to Midianites merchantmen, and then lying to their father that he was killed by evil beasts (Genesis 37:12-35); then being sold into slavery in Egypt and becoming in charge of Potiphar's house, but his wife falsely accusing him of rape and being thrown into prison (Genesis 39).

While in prison, the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing. The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph’s authority, because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper. (Genesis 39:22-23) So, ...that the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their lord, the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief butler and the chief baker. So he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison, the place where Joseph was confined. And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them; so they were in custody for a while. (Genesis 40:1-4)

Then the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream, both of them, each man’s dream in one night and each man’s dream with its own interpretation. And Joseph came in to them in the morning and looked at them, and saw that they were sad. So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in the custody of his lord’s house, saying, “Why do you look so sad today?” And they said to him, “We each have had a dream, and there is no interpreter of it.” So Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please.” (Genesis 40:5-8)

Two things about dreams: 1. not all dreams mean something, because The Lord knows the thoughts of man, That they are futile. (Psalm 94:11); 2. if a dream does have a meaning, the interpretation can only come from God, not through a medium or sorcerer or any other such person; And when they say to you, “Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,” should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living? (Isaiah 8:19) For God may speak in one way, or in another,Yet man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, while slumbering on their beds, then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction. (Job 33:14-16)

Then the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “Behold, in my dream a vine was before me, and in the vine were three branches; it was as though it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes. Then Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” (Genesis 40:9-11)

And Joseph said to him, “This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days. Now within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your place, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand according to the former manner, when you were his butler. But remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house. For indeed I was stolen away from the land of the Hebrews; and also I have done nothing here that they should put me into the dungeon.” (Genesis 40:12-15)

When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, “I also was in my dream, and there were three white baskets on my head. In the uppermost basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.” So Joseph answered and said, “This is the interpretation of it: The three baskets are three days. Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head from you and hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat your flesh from you.” (Genesis 40:16-19)

The way we'll know if our dreams mean something or not is first, if God does not give us the interpretation, we must speak with someone who is a Christian, filled with the Holy Spirit and has the gift of interpretation, because There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. (I Corinthians 12:4-11)

Secondly, if the interpretation of the dream comes true, then we'll know the dream or vision or prophecy was from God. "As for the prophet..., when the word of the prophet comes to pass, the prophet will be known as one whom the Lord has truly sent.” (Jeremiah 28:9) when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him. (Deuteronomy 18:22) 

Now it came to pass on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants. Then he restored the chief butler to his butlership again, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him. (Genesis 40:20-23)

Fortunately for the chief butler, Joseph's interpretation of his dream came true. Unfortunately for the chief baker, Joseph's interpretation of his dream came true also. “God is not a man, that He should lie,Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19) Scripture does not give us the details behind these two servants being put in jail, but obviously Pharaoh felt the butler's crime was not deserving of death but the baker's was. We can't just dream away or imagine away the consequences of our actions. "Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” (Job 2:10) So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. (Romans 14:12)