Joseph In The House Of Potipher

Introduction

Genesis 37:36, "And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard."

I. It Was Here That He Received A Good Testimony

A. One Predominate Aspect Of Joseph's Testimony Was God's Presence

Genesis 39:2a and 3a, "And the Lord was with Joseph... And his master saw that the Lord was with him..."

The Bible says, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matt.5: 16). In order for Joseph's master to have noticed that the Lord was with him, Joseph could not have walked around in a "Blue Funk" all the time, grumbling about how he'd been unjustly treated. I'm not implying that Joseph didn't experience some days of emotional trauma after arriving in Egypt. I believe however, that after the initial shock, Joseph decided that if it was God's will for him to be a slave, he'd be the best slave Potiphar had ever seen, to the glory of God. The Bible further tells us to "do all to the glory of God" (I Cor.10: 31b). Joseph's obvious joy and victory in this situation can only be explained by that principle. Apart from the practice of this principle, Joseph would have experienced deep despair.

If the truth were known, most of us spend more time bemoaning our circumstances than thanking and glorifying God for His goodness. John Phillips relates the following story about Corrie ten Boom, who spent time in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II:

Who would have thought that any good thing could have come out of the notorious Ravensbruck death camp of the Nazis? Surely when she was incarcerated there as prisoner 66730, Corrie ten Boom must have wondered at her fate. Yet, in that place of torment and horror, that devoted and courageous servant of the Lord Jesus decided if she had to live in that suburb of Hell, where the only means of exit for a Jew or a Jew-sympathizer was up the smokestack of the crematorium, if death was to stare her in the face every day, if she must live daily with spine-chilling atrocities, if she must be subjected to indignity and intimidation, if she must be foul with vermin, whipped, forever hungry, terrorized day and night-why then, she would be the very best inmate Ravensbruck horror camp had ever known. She would be a Christian. So there, in barracks number 28, she held clandestine Bible classes and taught her wretched fellow inmates how to face life and death with Jesus Christ. John Phillips, Exploring Genesis, published by Mood Press, Chicago, Illinois; pgs. 310-311.

B. Another Predominate Aspect of Joseph's Testimony Was Divine Properity

Genesis 39:2b and 3b, "...and he was a prosperous man...the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand."

II. It Was Here That He Received A Great Trust

A. Joseph Found Grace In His Master's Sight

Genesis 39:4a, "And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him..."

To find favor with unbelievers is a trust not to be taken lightly. It is by this means that we may influence them for Christ. Joseph C. Aldrich, author of a book entitled, Gentle Persuasion, says, "The tragedy is that the average Christian has no non-Christian friends after he's known the Lord for two years" (Joseph C. Aldrich, Gentle Persuasion, published by Multnomah Press, Portland, Oregon, pg. 24). Joseph may have been a captive, but he captured Potiphar's respect and appreciation by his dedicated and wholehearted service. Likewise, we must be willing to serve and befriend the lost in order to win them to Christ.

The Bible tells us that faithfulness is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal.5: 22), and is required of all God's servants (I Cor.4: 2). Paul also told servants of his day to be obedient to their masters "as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart" (Eph.6: 6). It was by this practice that Joseph was able to gain the favor of Potiphar. Joseph served Potiphar as though he were serving God. By seeking to please God in his service, he was also able to please his earthly master.

B. Joseph Was Entrusted With Potiphar's Substance

Genesis 39:4b-6a, "...and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field. And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat..."

It would have been quite normal for Joseph to do just enough to get by in his service to Potiphar. After all, he didn't ask to be brought to Egypt; and he certainly never intended to be anyone's slave. But Joseph seemed to instinctively know that that would not be pleasing to God. Joseph gave his best. As a result, he was entrusted with a greater position and responsibility.

Speaking in a parable, Jesus related to His disciples the need for, and results of, faithfulness, when He said, "His lord said unto him, Well done thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord" (Matt.25: 21). Joseph certainly fulfilled the principle of this parable.

III. It Was Here That He Resisted A Great Temptation

A. Joseph Was An Unusually Attractive Person

Genesis 39:6b "...and Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured."

The word translated "goodly" refers to that which is "beautiful, comely, fair," with reference to "figure or appearance...form...visage" (James Strong, S.T.D., LL.D., Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Of The Bible, published by MacDonald Publishing Company, McLean, Virginia; Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary #'s 3303 & 8389, pgs. 51 & 122).

The words "well favoured" refer to how something or someone appears to another (Ibid, Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary #4758, pg. 72). With reference to Joseph, these words simply mean that he was handsome and good-looking in appearance.

B. Potiphar's Wife Was On The Prowl

Genesis 39:7 "And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me."

C. The Woman Pursued Joseph Persistently

Genesis 39:10, "And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her."

D. Joseph Maintained His Purity

Genesis 39:11-12, "And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within. And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out."

Aside from being the means by which the human race was to be propagated and maintained, God intended sex to be the tenderest and closest expression of love between a man and his wife.

Anything outside of God's intended purpose in this area is a perversion of God's gift, and is therefore a serious sin against God. Joseph knew this was forbidden territory.

Proverbs 6:26-29, "For a prostitute will bring you to poverty, and sleeping with another man's wife may cost you your very life. Can a man scoop fire into his lap and not be burned? Can he walk on hot coals and not blister his feet? So it is with the man who sleeps with another man's wife. He who embraces her will not go unpunished." Holy Bible: New Living Translation, published by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois; pg. 665.

Joseph had seen this temptation coming. He could tell by the way the woman looked at him ("cast her eyes upon" v.7). Day after day she pursued him, letting him know how much she liked him, and trying to find time alone with him. Finally, the woman attempted to physically force herself on Joseph. The time for persuasion and discussion was over. Joseph did the only thing he could do-he ran. When it comes to temptations involving our fleshly passions, we need to follow Paul's command to, "Flee also youthful lust..." (II Tim.2: 22a).

In the Australian bush country grows a little plant called the "sundew." It has a slender stem and tiny, round leaves fringed with hairs that glisten with bright drops of liquid as delicate as fine dew. Woe to the insect, however, that dares to dance on it. Although its attractive clusters of red, white, and pink blossoms are harmless, the leaves are deadly. The shiny moisture on each leaf is sticky and will imprison any bug that touches it. As an insect struggles to free itself, the vibration causes the leaves to close tightly around it. This innocent-looking plant then feeds on its victim. Our Daily Bread, December 11, 1992.

Joseph refused this woman's advances on the ground that it would dishonor his master's trust.

Genesis 39:8-9a, "But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife..."

Joseph basically told Potiphar's wife that he could not do as she asked because it would be a slap in the face to his master, who had trusted him with everything he owned. He had been given the highest position in Potiphar's household, and Joseph wanted his conduct to be befitting of that trust.

Did you notice how Joseph politely reminds this tigress that she was another man's wife? He said, "My master hasn't kept back anything from me in all of his household, except you; and that's only because you are his wife." Joseph tells her this as if she had forgotten. My guess is that she hadn't forgotten at all. She just didn't care. One commentator notes as follows:

Egyptian females, even though married, were distinguished for licentiousness and immorality, and were not condemned to live in seclusion (Bohlen), but were allowed freely to mix in promiscuous society, which facts perfectly account for Joseph's temptation by his mistress. Pulpit Commentary, Old Testament, Commentary on Genesis 39: 7.

Joseph refused this woman's advances on the ground that it would defile him via transgression. Genesis 39:9b, "...how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"

Sometimes we modern-day Christians have a tendency to attribute special spiritual qualities to Bible characters. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Joseph had all of the temptations and desires of the flesh that we experience today. However, Joseph was focused on pleasing God, and not on satisfying his fleshly desires.

IV. It Was Here That He Realized A Great Treachery

A. Joseph Was Indicted

Genesis 39:13-18, "And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he (Potiphar) hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice: And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out. And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home. And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me: And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out."

Shakespeare once said, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" When this woman's advances toward Joseph were spurned, her rampant passion became revengeful plotting. She determined
 
that if she could not have her way with Joseph, then he would hurt for it. So she framed Joseph by claiming that he had attempted to rape her.

No one likes to be falsely accused. But the fact that it could happen makes it doubly important to live a holy, godly life. Peter indicated that if we are falsely accused, our godly life should vindicate us.

We read in I Peter 2:11-12, "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation."

B. Joseph Was Imprisoned

Genesis 39:19-20, "And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled. And Joseph's master took him, and put him into prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison."

Though one cannot be dogmatic, there seems to be some indication that there was a longstanding rift between Potiphar and his wife. For one thing, Potiphar's wife tends to blame her husband for this whole trumped-up affair. Before her husband came home, she accused him before the servants by saying, "See, he (Potiphar) hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us..." (Gen.39: 14). Though she tones down her statements a bit after Potiphar comes home, the barbs still seem to come through when she says, "The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me:" (Gen.39: 17). This gives rise to the thought that this woman had been harboring some anger against her husband for some time.

Another thing that leads me to believe that there may have been trouble between Mr. and Mrs. Potiphar is the fact that we are told only that Potiphar became angry when his wife made the accusation of rape against Joseph (Gen.39: 19). We are not told that he was specifically angry with Joseph. I believe that Potiphar was already aware of his wife's deceptive nature, and probably found her accusations against Joseph suspect. For one thing, he had observed Joseph's godly life and attitude, and had found him to be a man of integrity. Since Potiphar had probably developed a habit of pacifying his wife rather than enduring the fallout, I believe he was simply angry about the situation, because he knew he would have to do something to please his wife. Besides all that, mere imprisonment seems to be a little unlikely in light of the seriousness of the accusation made against Joseph. If Potiphar really believed that Joseph had tried to rape his wife, execution by Potiphar's own hand would seem more likely, since masters had life and death authority over their slaves.

Ironically, this brings to mind a parallel between Potiphar of the Old Testament and Pilate of the New Testament. Pontius Pilate, after hearing the accusations made against Jesus by the Jews, stated, "I find no fault in him" (John 19: 6). But, just as Pilate was obliged to please the Jews concerning Jesus (Mark 15: 15), even so, Potiphar was obliged to pacify his wife concerning Joseph.

There is also a parallel to be drawn between Joseph and Jesus in their response to false accusations. You will notice that Joseph made no defense when Potiphar's wife accused him wrongly. In like manner, the Scriptures say of Christ, "...as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth" (Isa.53: 7b).

Conclusion

Though this situation looked like a terrible setback, it was actually a terrific setup. You see God was still preparing His servant for his calling in life. God's goal for Joseph had never been the pit, the house of Potiphar, or even the king's prison. These were merely training stations along the path to the palace. Paul the apostle said it best when he stated, "...all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" (Rom.8: 28).