Life of Joseph | Message Two. "Detour to Our Destination"

Overview of Message One.

Last week we scratched the surface of the life of Joseph. We see Joseph as the favorite son, destined for greatness - but the accounts of his life are drastically changes to vengeance, suffering, and enslavement. Chapter 37 leaves us at a clift hanger. Will God deliver Joseph for a seemingly hopeless predicament? Will his brothers ever be held accountable for their actions?

I want to encourage you right in the beginning -

What ever you are going through - GOD IS ENOUGH TO GET YOU THROUGH!

2 Corinthians 12:9 CSB

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.

Genesis 38 Matters.

Genesis 38 is about the odd relationship between Judah, his son’s, and Tamar.

I need to you to hold on to your seat for this -

Judah is Josephs older brother and chapter 38 is the account of Judah, his sons and Tamar.

After Joseph was sold to Potiphar - Judah left to start his own family.

Judah’s first born (Er) married Tamar but God put him to death. He was evil in the sight of the Lord.

Judah’s second oldest son then married Tamar as was the custom. Onan knew that any child that Tamar had during this marriage would be credited to his dead brother - Er. So he purposely avoided getting her pregnant.

Genesis 38:8–10 CSB

8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife. Perform your duty as her brother-in-law and produce offspring for your brother.” 9 But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his, so whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he released his semen on the ground so that he would not produce offspring for his brother. 10 What he did was evil in the Lord’s sight, so he put him to death also.

There was a younger brother yet, that was not yet old enough to wed, Judah instructs Tamar to live as a window until the younger son was old enough to marry.

Judah HAD NO INTENTION of having his youngest son marry Tamar. (SHE’D ALREADY SEEN THE DEATH OF 2 OF HIS SONS - what would you DO?)

Tamar now acting as a widow - dressed up like a prostitute and tricked Judah into having sex with her, by promising her a YOUNG GOAT!

Tamar wasn’t about to be played - she took Judah’s signet, cord, and staff as collateral for the Goat.

Before Judah could return - Tamar fled the scene. “SHE OUT”

Tamar became pregnant from this affair: This was her father-in-law’s child.

They brought her before Judah on the charge of immorality

Judah couldn’t even say anything because she was standing there with his -signet, cord, and staff as evidence of the encounter.

We are going to get to some similarities between Judah and Joseph towards the end of the message.

Sold But Safe with God.

Genesis 39:1–2 CSB

1 Now Joseph had been taken to Egypt. An Egyptian named Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guards, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him there. 2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master.

Slavery always involves something being TAKEN. (v1)

Sin will TAKE you farther than you want to go.

People throughout the centuries have been wrongly taken into slavery. A sinful act.

Addictions TAKE you.

TEMPTATION TAKES YOU if you allow it.

BUT EVEN IF YOU GET TAKEN ON A DETOUR - GOD IS READY TO REDIRECT YOUR PATH.

A few years ago someone that lived on our street came over and asked me if I could give the a ride to the convenience store and I said YES! Little did I know. Once we were on the way, he needed to stop by this place and that place and I was staying calm -doing the Lord’s work- you know. but then after the 3rd stop he hands me an address and says - WE NEED TO GO HERE! I said okay - Why? He says - the man that lives there owes me money and I am about to go collect it one way or the other. My heart was pounding. I said = man - we bout to just slide home bc I am not about to be on the news with you. THAT RIDE TOOK ME FARTHER THAN I WANTED TO GO.

We may be taken - we may slip up, we may be enslaved to something JESUS IS READY TO BREQK YOUR CHAINS1

You might not understand what is happening in your life -

LOOK AT VERSE 2

Genesis 39:2 CSB

2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master.

Though Joseph was a new slave, Though he had no idea what was going on - THE LORD WAS WITH HIM!

HE BECAME SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE THE LORD WAS WITH HIM.

POTIPHAR BECAME SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE THE LORD WAS WITH JOSEPH.

-ALL OF OUR HELP COMES FROM THE LORD -

THOUGH WE MAY BE IN TOUGH - HARD PLACES, GOD IS WITH US.

JOSEPH, The Overseer.

Joseph was a slave, but because God had a plan

(say it - God has a plan)

Joseph is promoted to the position of overseer

Genesis 39:3–6 CSB

3 When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made everything he did successful, 4 Joseph found favor with his master and became his personal attendant. Potiphar also put him in charge of his household and placed all that he owned under his authority. 5 From the time that he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house because of Joseph. The Lord’s blessing was on all that he owned, in his house and in his fields. 6 He left all that he owned under Joseph’s authority; he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome.

Jospeh is now made an overseer of all of Potiphar’s household. (still a slave, but one with position)

THE ENDING OF VERSE 6 - JOSEPH WAS HANDSOME AND WELL-BUILT. - HE WAS SOME KINDA GOOD LOOKING IS WHAT THAT MEANS.

NOW THE ACCOUNT IS ABOUT TO TAKE A TURN.

JOSEPH HAS WORKED HARD, EARNED RESPECT, SHOWN INTEGRITY, AND HAS SHOWN POTIPHAR THAT HE A MAN TO BE TRUSTED. -

NOW POTIPHAR’S WIFE IS GOING TO GET INVOLVED.

…JOSEPH, “Shikhvbah Immi”

Temptation always seems to be present.

Temptation is not from GOD -

1 Corinthians 10:13 CSB

13 No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it.

This verse is often misinterpreted by saying - God will not give you more than you can handle. God will 100% give you more than you can handle so you learn to rely on him.

Instead of a river, God often gives us a brook, which may be running one day and dried up tomorrow. Why? To teach us not to rest in our blessings, but in the blesser Himself.

A.W. Pink

But in temptation - we have, through the Holy Spirit - POWER to overcome.

LET’S SEE WHAT JOSEPH IS OVERCOMING.

Genesis 39:7–12 CSB

7 After some time his master’s wife looked longingly at Joseph and said, “Sleep with me.” 8 But he refused. “Look,” he said to his master’s wife, “with me here my master does not concern himself with anything in his house, and he has put all that he owns under my authority. 9 No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do this immense evil, and how could I sin against God?” 10 Although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her. 11 Now one day he went into the house to do his work, and none of the household servants were there. 12 She grabbed him by his garment and said, “Sleep with me!” But leaving his garment in her hand, he escaped and ran outside.

All accounts point to the fact that Potiphar’s wife was not some old dried up grape on the vine. - she was beautiful, and desired by many men.

HER SIGHTS ARE ON JOSEPH! A WOMAN OF POWER, USED TO GETTING WHAT SHE WANTS

JOSEPH REFUSED ON EVERY OCCASION - HE SAID IN PW TALK - GET OUT MY FACE LADY!!

She said over and over again to Joseph - Shakhav Immi.

Shakhav Immi - Means “LIE WITH ME” and was the most used term from sexual relations.

JOSEPH WAS A MAN OF INTEGRITY AND A MAN OF GOD.

The Blame Game.

Genesis 39:12–20 CSB

12 She grabbed him by his garment and said, “Sleep with me!” But leaving his garment in her hand, he escaped and ran outside. 13 When she saw that he had left his garment with her and had run outside, 14 she called her household servants. “Look,” she said to them, “my husband brought a Hebrew man to make fools of us. He came to me so he could sleep with me, and I screamed as loud as I could. 15 When he heard me screaming for help, he left his garment beside me and ran outside.” 16 She put Joseph’s garment beside her until his master came home. 17 Then she told him the same story: “The Hebrew slave you brought to us came to make a fool of me, 18 but when I screamed for help, he left his garment beside me and ran outside.” 19 When his master heard the story his wife told him—“These are the things your slave did to me”—he was furious 20 and had him thrown into prison, where the king’s prisoners were confined. So Joseph was there in prison.

Now she’s grabbing what she wants. Can you see this play out in your head like I do.

NO means NO - Sister Potiphar’s Wife.

vs 12 - as he is fleeing the scene - by the way this is the best way to escape temptation - GET AWAY FROM IT.

She held on to the garment as he fled from her and went outside.

v13 - she saw he left the garment and plotted against him -

vs 14 - Her accusations begin along with her XENOPHOBIA.

XENOPHOBIA - the dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries.

THERE HAS BEEN A RECENT RESURGENCE OF RACISM AND XENOPHOBIA - IT IS A SIN. ONE THAT MUST BE REPENTED OF.

Genesis 39:14–15 CSB

14 she called her household servants. “Look,” she said to them, “my husband brought a Hebrew man to make fools of us. He came to me so he could sleep with me, and I screamed as loud as I could. 15 When he heard me screaming for help, he left his garment beside me and ran outside.”

THEY ARE IN EGYPT - SHE IS CALLING THE HOUSEHOLD SERVANTS (FROM EGYPT) TO COME LISTEN TO HER ACCUSATIONS.

SHE STARTS BY SAYING:

MY HUSBAND - BLAME.

BROGHT THIS HEBREW - RACISM & XENOPHOBIA

TO MAKE FOOLS OF US - NO ONE LIKES TO BE A FOOL.

SHE SAYS HE WAS TRYING TO RAPE HER BUT SHE YELLED AND HE LEFT HIS ROBE. - DID THESE SERVANTS OF THE HOUSE HEAR HER SCREAM - NO! BC SHE DID NOT SCREAM.

VS 16-20 NOW SHE PLACES THE ROBE BESIDE HER UNTIL POTIPHAR GET HOME AND TELLS HIM THE WHOLE STORY AGAIN - LIES, LIES, LIES.

POTIPHAR HEARS THE ACCOUNT (FROM HIS WIFE) AND HAS JOSEPH THROWN IN PRISON.

HAVING JOSEPH PLACED IN PRISON WAS NOT THE TYPICAL PUNISHMENT FOR THOSE COMMITTING CRIMES SUCH AS ATTEMPTED RAPE - IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DEATH. THE FACT THAT POTIPHAR DID NOT HAVE JOSPEH EXECUTED POINTS TO THE FACT THAT HE MAY NOT HAVE COMPLETELY BELIEVED HIS WIFE - AFTER ALL, IT’S LIKELY SHE HAD TRIED THIS BEFORE, BASED SOLELY ON POTIPHAR’S ACTIONS.

JUST LIKE JUDAH WAS TEMPTED AND FAILED WITH SEXUAL IMMORALITY - JOSEPH IS TEMPTED YET SHOWS INTEGRITY AND FLEES.

WE CAN HAVE VICTORY OVER TEMPTATION. THERE ARE MORE SIMILARITIES THAT WE WILL COME TO THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF JOSEPH.

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME JOSEPH’S GARMENT IS USED IN DECEPTION.

TO INFORM JACOB THAT WILD ANIMAL HAD KILLED HIM

TO ACCUSE HIM OF RAPE BY POTIPHAR’S WIFE.

IN CHARGE BEHIND BARS.

Genesis 39:21–23 CSB

21 But the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him. He granted him favor with the prison warden. 22 The warden put all the prisoners who were in the prison under Joseph’s authority, and he was responsible for everything that was done there. 23 The warden did not bother with anything under Joseph’s authority, because the Lord was with him, and the Lord made everything that he did successful.

JOSEPH FINDS FAVOR WITH THE PRISON WARDEN AND IS PLACED IN CHARGE OF ALL PRISONERS.

JOSEPH IS NOT DONE - HE’S JUST ON A DETOUR TO HIS GOD GIVEN DESTINATION.

TWO TIMES WE ARE REMINDED OF ONE THING.

THE LORD WAS WITH JOSEPH. (VS 21 & 23)

THE LORD IS WITH YOU AND YOU ARE NOT DONE - HEAR ME AGAIN - THE LORD IS WITH YOU, AND YOU ARE NOT DONE.

YOU MAY BE ON A DETOUR - BUT KNOW THIS - GOD IS THERE WITH YOU!

GOD IS WITH YOU IN WHEN THE TEMPTATIONS SEEM TO MUCH, HE IS THERE.

GOD IS WITH YOU WHEN YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS GOING ON.

GOD IS WITH YOU WHEN YOU FEEL YOU HAVE SUNK TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PIT. GRAB HIS HAND - HE WILL PULL YOU UP AND OUT.

GOD IS WITH YOU IN THE LATE NIGHT WHILE YOU ARE CRYING OVER FAILURES AND TRIALS, AND WONDER HOW YOU ENDED UP WHERE YOU ARE - GOD IS THERE. SURRENDER TO HIM.

YOU ARE CREATED IN THE VERY IMAGE OF GOD - AND TRUST ME - A DIRTY DIAMOND IS STILL A DIAMOND - GOD IS THERE WITH YOU.

THOUGH THE WAY SEEM DIM, WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE TO TURN - MAYBE LIKE JOSPEH - ONE DAY YOU’RE THE FAVORITE, THE NEXT YOU’RE A SLAVE, ACCUSED OF RAPE, AND PUT IN PRISON. - BUT NEVER FORGET - GOD IS THERE.

WHEN THE ROAD IS ROUGH AND STEEP, FIX YOUR EYES ON JESUS. HE ALONE HAS POWER TO KEEP, FIX YOUR EYES ON HIM, JESUS IS A GRACIOUS FRIEND, ONE ON WHOM YOU CAN DEPEND, HE IS FAITHFUL TO THE END, FIX YOUR EYES ON JESUS.

Romans 10:13 NKJV

13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

IS OUR FIRST STEP.

John 14:6 NKJV

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

I KNOW - YOU MAY THINK YOU ARE TOO FAR GONE, TOO LOST IN SIN, BEEN LIVING WRONG TO TOO LONG - LET ME JUST ILLUSTRATE THIS TO YOU :

EVERY week, people have the habit of taking clothes to the cleaners that have been soiled. The job of the cleaners is to freshen them up and get them smelling good again. Jesus has a pick up cleaning service. He picks up dirty people

people who have allowed their lives to sink into the mud for one reason or another—and cleanses them, and it’s FREE OF CHARGE all you need to do is ask. CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD AND BE SAVED!

Romans 10:9 NKJV

9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

LAST THING -

GOD IS NOT DONE WITH YOU.

SAY IT WITH ME -

GOD IS NOT DONE WITH ME.

YOU MAY BE ON A DETOUR - BUT BLESS GOD, HE WILL GET YOU TO YOUR DIVINE DESTINATION -

THE LORD IS WITH YOU, HE WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL.

LET’S GIVE THANKS TO GOD IN THIS PLACE TODAY.

Genesis 50:20 CSB

20 You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.

GOD MEANT IT FOR MY GOOD.