Genesis
chapter 39 initially appears to be an example of evil prospering, but
God teaches us so much through the trials of Joseph. Joseph had been
sold to an Egyptian official named Potiphar who was “Captain
of the Guard“.
We read, “The
Lord was with Joseph and he prospered…When the master saw that the
Lord was with him and the Lord gave him success in
everything…Joseph found favor in his eyes…Potiphar put him in
charge of the household…and everything he owned“.
Sounds like Joseph was on the fast track to success, except when we
look at the timeline, Joseph worked for Potiphar for eleven years.
Most of us get upset when we don’t get promoted in eleven weeks! So,
while “The
Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph“,
it is clear Joseph worked diligently. He could have blamed the
unfairness of his situation but instead he prospers. Next we read
that Potiphar’s wife desired Joseph because he was handsome. She
repeatedly asked him to “come
to bed with me“.
Understand, Joseph is in his twenties, he is single and he has
complete access, but note what he tells her; “My
master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his
wife. How could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?“.
Joseph gives young people a model for remaining pure; “He
refused to go to bed with her or even be alone with her“.
Joseph did three things, he kept busy, he did not allow the
opportunity to be alone with her and he called sin what it is, a SIN
AGAINST GOD.
Mrs.
Potiphar was bold and one day she sent all of her servants out to try
to trap Joseph. “She
caught Joseph by the cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!”.
But he left his cloak in her hands and ran out of the house“.
There are three types of sin that the Bible tells us to flee from.
1 Corinthians 10:14 warns, “flee
from idolatry“;
2 Timothy says, “Flee
from the evil desires of youth“;
and 1 Corinthians 6:18 tells us to “Flee
from sexual immorality“.
We are told to flee from these things because they are so
dangerously destructive. 1 Corinthians chapter 6 explains that if we
are Christians, our bodies belong to Christ “for
you have been bought with a price“,
and the apostle makes the point that sexual intimacy is a spiritual
bonding as well. He goes on to command us not to cause Christ to
join with a harlot. These are strong words because God uses the
symbol of marriage to explain the unity we have with Christ. God is
never unfaithful to us.
Mrs.
Potiphar realizes Joseph left his cloak and calls all the servants;
“He
came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed“.
It says that Potiphar “burned
with anger. Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison“.
The punishment for a slave should have been death, so we have to
wonder if Potiphar believed his wife. Again, notice Joseph does not
say anything in his own defense. While Joseph is in prison we are
told, “The
Lord was with him… and granted him favor in the eyes of the
warden…the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in
prison“.
The chapter concludes, “The
Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did“.
Each time Joseph finds success he is unjustly punished, but he
continues to honor God. God is making Joseph the man he needs to
become. James 1:12 encourages us, “Blessed
is the man that perseveres under trial“.
God is simply preparing you to be able to testify, “And
my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in
Christ Jesus”
(Philippians 4:19).