God's Special Family Pt. 1

1/15/24 Big Picture Pt. 14 “Family Tales; A Missing God?”

Recap: “A Family of Folly”

PREVIOUS WEEKS:

JACOB RETURNED to CANAAN-LAND

SETTLED in SHECHEM/BOUGHT LAND

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(Q) But there were quite a few problems there… anyone remember??

RAPE of DINAH

NOTE: JACOB’S INDIFFERENCE

RESPONSE of BROTHERS (SIMEON & LEVI) — KILLING MEN of CITY

USING SIGN of COVENANT (CIRCUMCISION) AS MEANS to DO SO!!

REUBEN—SLEEPING W/ BILHAH—RACHEL’S SERVANT/JACOB’S WIFE

GOD’S CHOSEN FAMILY HAS ISSUES

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BUT in MIDST of THIS—GOD was FAITHFUL

REITERATED JACOB’S NAME CHANGE—

BROUGHT THEM SAFELY to BETHEL—DESPITE HIS SONS’ RECKLESS BEHAVIOR

TEXT ENDED: ISAAC DYING— BATON OFFICIALLY PASSED to JACOB

**GENESIS CH.36 OVERVIEWS ESAU’S FAMILY HISTORY… SKIPPING OVER....**

(T) ISSUES AREN’T OVER...

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Genesis 37

TURN & READ (V1-4): Jacob lived in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan.

2 These are the generations of Jacob.

Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.

JACOB = LIVING in PROMISED LAND...

(V2) STORY = INTRODUCED “GENERATIONS”/FAMILY HISTORY of JACOB

**GEN CH. 37-50...CALLED “JOSEPH STORY”**

REALLY = STORY of JACOB’S FAMILY

ALSO: STORY of GOD

SOVEREIGN

LOVING

PROMISE-KEEPING

JOSEPH/JUDAH RISE in PROMINENCE MOST

***JOSEPH = ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT***… CONNECTING PATRIARCHS W/ MOSES

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OUTSET of TEXT— MAJOR PROBLEM

(Q) Does anyone remember the major family problem in Jacob’s household growing up?? FAVORITISM...

ISAAC FAVORED: ESAU

REBEKAH FAVORED: JACOB

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ADULTHOOD:

JACOB FAVORED: RACHEL

JACOB DIDN’T FAVOR: LEAH

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FAVORITISM CONTINUES INTO NEXT GENERATION...

LEAH’S CHILDREN = LARGELY DISDAINED (REF. LAST WK)

NOW UNAPOLOGETIC FAVORITISM—JOSEPH.

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TEXT OPENS: 2 REASONS for BROTHERS’ HATRED.

Brought bad report of brothers....(v2)

Nice ROBE/COAT (colors/sleeves).... (v3)

ROBE = MANY-COLORS… PERHAPS NICE LONG SLEEVES...

**EXACT NATURE of ROBE = UNKNOWN… BUT it DISTINGUISHED JOSEPH as FAVORITE**

BECAME OBJECT of SCORN/ENVY

(T) And things get worse:

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READ (v5-11) 5 Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: 7 Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

9 Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” 11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.

17 YEAR OLD JOSEPH ISN’T VERY TACTFUL...

2 DREAMS—SAME MEANING… JOSEPH = IN CHARGE

Three problems:

BAD REPORT—Telling on brothers

ROBE/COAT

TOUTING of DREAMS

(Q) Can you see how this might be bubbling up???

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JOSEPH = SECOND YOUNGEST…HOW COME HE’S PROMINENT…HE’S FAVORITE....???

BROTHERS’ RESPONSES:

(V4) HATED HIM—COULDN’T SPEAK PEACEABLY

(V5) HATED HIM EVEN MORE

(V8) HATED HIM EVEN MORE

(V11) JEALOUS of HIM

(T) So what comes of these dreams??

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Joseph Sold by His Brothers

READ (V12-17) 12 Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem. 13 And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “Here I am.” 14 So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word.” So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. 15 And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, “What are you seeking?” 16 “I am seeking my brothers,” he said. “Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.” 17 And the man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’ ” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.

WHY DOES DAD SEND JOSEPH???

RAT THEM OUT AGAIN??

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JOSEPH = SENT on QUEST...

SHECHEM = APPROX. 50m NORTH of HEBRON (CITY of MASS KILLING of MEN)

DOTHAN = 15m FURTHER NORTH

JOSEPH COMPLETES SEARCH—FINDS BROTHERS,, FAR FROM HOME W/ FLOCKS & HERDS...

(T) FAVORITE SON…LEAST FAVORITE BROTHER… GOING to CHECK on BROTHERS— WE’LL SEE HOW THEY APPRECIATE THIS...

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READ (V18-24) 18 They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him. 19 They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. 20 Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.” 21 But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.” 22 And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father. 23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. 24 And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.

DREAMS SEEM to BE CAMEL’S BACK-BREAKING STRAW....

REASONABLE CONCLUSION: IF WE KILL HIM,, DREAMS WON’T COME TRUE!

WE’LL BLAME on WILD ANIMAL.

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REUBEN to RESCUE: LET’S NOT KILL HIM—JUST CHUCK HIM in PIT...

JOSEPH SHOWS UP—BROTHERS SNATCH ROBE,, TOSS HIM in PIT

PROBABLY DRIED UP CISTERN

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READ (v25-28) 25 Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. 26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. 28 Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.

**DO YOU SEE HOW CALLOUSED HIS BROTHERS’ HEARTS HAVE GOTTEN???**

EATING WHILE BROTHER = TRAPPED

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TRADERS PASS BY

DOTHAN = ON ROUTE BETWEEN GILEAD & EGYPT

JUDAH HAS GOOD IDEA

REUBEN WANTED to SPARE JOSEPH

JUDAH WANTS a PROFIT

**PLUS THEN NO BLOOD on THEIR HANDS!**

SELL JOSEPH for 20 SILVER SHEKELS

“For shepherds who might expect to earn, if employed by others, about eight shekels a year (cf. LH 261), the sale of Joseph represented a handy bonus!”[1]

2.5 YEARS WAGES!

(T) How will they cover over this??

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READ (v29-36) 29 When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes 30 and returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is gone, and I, where shall I go?” 31 Then they took Joseph’s robe and slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. 32 And they sent the robe of many colors and brought it to their father and said, “This we have found; please identify whether it is your son’s robe or not.” 33 And he identified it and said, “It is my son’s robe. A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.” 34 Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. 35 All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, “No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” Thus his father wept for him. 36 Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard.

REUBEN—PANICKED

BROTHERS FINISH PLAN—WILD ANIMAL EXCUSE

GREAT IRONY:

SCHOLARS POINT OUT the SIMILARITY… BROTHERS DECEPTION & JACOB’S DECEPTION of ISAAC.

USING CLOTHES & GOAT

REBEKAH COOKED GOAT

JACOB DRESSED UP W/ ESAU’S CLOTHES & GOATSKINS...

JACOB GOT @ HIS OWN GAME!

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JACOB CONCLUDES HE’LL MOURN TILL HE DIES...

BUT WE SEE—JOSEPH is ALIVE…HEADING to EGYPT

(T) FAMILY STORY CONTINUES...

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Genesis 38: Judah and Tamar

READ (38:1-5) It happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers and turned aside to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. 2 There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. He took her and went in to her, 3 and she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. 4 She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. 5 Yet again she bore a son, and she called his name Shelah. Judah was in Chezib when she bore him.

REMEMBER: GENERATIONS of “JACOB”

JOSEPH = DOMINANT CHARACTER—BUT THIS STORY FOLLOWS ALL the SONS...

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WHILE JOSEPH = IN EGYPT,, JUDAH = GETTING MARRIED...

JUDAH MARRIES a FOREIGNER

ISAAC & JACOB MARRY in FAMILY… JUDAH MARRIES LOCAL.

HAS 3 SONS...

(T) WE’LL SEE HOW this GOES...

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READ (v6-11) 6 And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord put him to death. 8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” 9 But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. So whenever he went in to his brother’s wife he would waste the semen on the ground, so as not to give offspring to his brother. 10 And what he did was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and he put him to death also. 11 Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house, till Shelah my son grows up”—for he feared that he would die, like his brothers. So Tamar went and remained in her father’s house.

JUDAH—TAKES WIFE for SON

SON, ER — ERRED… IS KILLED (NO IDEA WHAT HE DID)

(V8) DUTY of BROTHER-IN-LAW

LEVIRATE MARRIAGE [lev-er-rit]

MANDATED in LAW—PRESERVING BROTHER’S NAME in ISRAEL

Deuteronomy 25:5 (ESV)

5 “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her.

PUBLIC CEREMONY of DISHONOR for ONE WHO WOULDN’T DO THIS.

BROTHER,, ONAN JUST WANTS BENEFITS of SEX WITHOUT RESPONSIBILITY...

**WHOLE REASON for this MARRIAGE WAS to PERPETUATE BROTHER’S NAME W/ OFFSPRING**

++ CONSIDER ABRAHAMIC COVENANT—JUDAH’S LINE = ABOUT to STOP!

GOD KILLS THIS GUY TOO!

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ONE FINAL SON… SHELAH—SHOULD’VE GOT TAMAR...

MUCH YOUNGER

TAMAR WAITS—LIVES AS WIDOW

(V11) JUDAH REALLY WAS JUST WORRIED ABOUT SHELAH DYING TOO!

TAMAR —TOUGH POSITION

Gordon Wenham: “Tamar is therefore left a widow, but technically betrothed to Shelah.”[2]

WIDOWED…BUT BETROTHED...

TECHNICALLY SINGLE, BUT TECHNICALLY NOT!

(T) MESSY SITUATION…SURELY SOMETHING GOOD CAN COME OUT of IT??

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READ (12-19)12 In the course of time the wife of Judah, Shua’s daughter, died. When Judah was comforted, he went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13 And when Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,” 14 she took off her widow’s garments and covered herself with a veil, wrapping herself up, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she had not been given to him in marriage. 15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. 16 He turned to her at the roadside and said, “Come, let me come in to you,” for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” 17 He answered, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” And she said, “If you give me a pledge, until you send it—” 18 He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” She replied, “Your signet and your cord and your staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him. 19 Then she arose and went away, and taking off her veil she put on the garments of her widowhood.

TIME PASSES—JUDAH’S WIFE PASSES AWAY… && JUDAH STILL NEVER GAVE SHELAH to TAMAR

JUDAH GOES W/ FRIEND to SHEEPSHEARING— FESTIVE TIME,, CELEBRATION

TAMAR DRESSES UP as PROSTITUTE

JUDAH USES HER SERVICES

LEAVES BEHIND SPECIAL SIGNET SEAL (SELF-IDENTIFYING STAMP) & STAFF in PROMISE of GOAT

SHE GETS PREGNANT

TAKES OFF PROSTITUTES GARMENTS & PUTS on GARMENTS of WIDOWHOOD...

(T) WILD STORY…WHERE WILL IT GO NEXT?

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READ (v20-23) 20 When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite to take back the pledge from the woman’s hand, he did not find her. 21 And he asked the men of the place, “Where is the cult prostitute who was at Enaim at the roadside?” And they said, “No cult prostitute has been here.” 22 So he returned to Judah and said, “I have not found her. Also, the men of the place said, ‘No cult prostitute has been here.’ ” 23 And Judah replied, “Let her keep the things as her own, or we shall be laughed at. You see, I sent this young goat, and you did not find her.”

JUDAH TRIES to FULFILL PLEDGE & MAKE PAYMENT...

BUT NO PROSTITUTE is AROUND AT ALL…WEIRD...

SO AS to NOT BE LAUGHED AT—THEY DROP the MATTER

(T) BUT is the MATTER DONE?

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READ (v24-26) 24 About three months later Judah was told, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has been immoral. Moreover, she is pregnant by immorality.” And Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned.” 25 As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, “By the man to whom these belong, I am pregnant.” And she said, “Please identify whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff.” 26 Then Judah identified them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not know her again.

COUPLE MONTHS LATER—BELLY STARTS to SHOW

JUDAH SIMPLY CONCLUDES to BURN HER!

LATER,, UNDER LAW....ADULTERY = TYPICALLY PUNISHED BY DEATH—

//BUT NOT BURNING…ONLY in SEVERE CASES...

DAUGHTER of PRIEST

INCEST W/ MOTHER & DAUGHTER

&& JUDAH WAS GUILTY TOO!! SO HE CONDEMNED HIMSELF!!

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ALWAYS EASIER to CALL OUT SIN in LIVES of OTHERS…ISN’T IT?

EASIER to CALL OTHERS’ SINS “SIN”… AND OURS “FAULTS”

JUDAH DOESN’T FEEL ANY ACCOUNTABILITY for HIS ACTIONS—BUT SHE SHOULD DIE.

PLOT TWIST!! CHECKMATE: TAMAR HAS HIS STUFF!!!

JUDAH = GUILTY on ALL ACCOUNTS

DIDN’T GIVE SHELAH

REQUESTED PROSTITUTE’S SERVICES

“HE is the MAN”

(T) HOW’S THIS TURN OUT??

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READ (v27-30) 27 When the time of her labor came, there were twins in her womb. 28 And when she was in labor, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” 29 But as he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out. And she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” Therefore his name was called Perez. 30 Afterward his brother came out with the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.

TWINS—ONE CUTS in LINE

PEREZ— ANCESTOR of DAVID & LORD JESUS CHRIST!!

LION of TRIBE of JUDAH COMES THROUGH TAMAR!

GOD is ABLE to WORK THROUGH MESSIEST SITUATIONS...

**TO ANYONE WHO’S BIRTH WAS “UNPLANNED” in WORLD’S EYES…**

GOD HAD a PLAN.

I’M THANKFUL THIS STORY IS HERE

(T) BUT ALL ALONG—THIS STORY = INTERRUPTION in JOSEPH’S SLAVERY STORY!

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Genesis 39: Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife

READ (39:1-6a) Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. 2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. 4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. 5 From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field. 6 So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate.

BEEN a MESSY STORY—ONLY EXPLICIT MENTION of GOD = GOD’S KILLING of JUDAH’S 1ST 2 SONS...

GOD = SEEMINGLY ABSENT from JOSEPH’S STORY!!

IN JOSEPH’S STORY.... WE WONDER, “WHERE is GOD???”

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EVER WONDER THAT in YOUR OWN LIFE?

PROBLEMS HEAPED UPON PROBLEMS

NOTHING GOING RIGHT

WHERE is GOD??

HE’S RIGHT THERE.

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(V2) LORD WAS WITH JOSEPH—MAKING HIM SUCCESSFUL.

(Q) REMEMBER WHAT SET JACOB APART? GOD’S PROMISE To BE WITH HIM!

EVEN LABAN RECOGNIZED GOD’S BLESSING on JACOB!

§ Back in Genesis 30:27 Laban exclaims, “The Lord has blessed me because of you.”

HERE,, JOSEPH’S PAGAN MASTER—POTIPHAR— SEES GOD’S BLESSING on HIM!!

JOSEPH = ELEVATED—CHIEF in the HOUSEHOLD.

(T) BUT JOSEPH ALSO TAKES AFTER HIS MOTHER, RACHEL:

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READ (v6b-10) Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. 7 And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.” 8 But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. 9 He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” 10 And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her.

(Q) REMEMBER HOW RACHEL WAS DESCRIBED?? BEAUTIFUL in FORM & APPEARANCE

JOSEPH TAKES AFTER RACHEL— HANDSOME in FORM & APPEARANCE— IDENTICAL HEBREW WORDS!

POTIPHAR’S WIFE DESIRES JOSEPH—INVITES HIM to SLEEP W/ HER— REPEATEDLY!! DAY AFTER DAY!!

JOSEPH REFUSED.

HE POINTS OUT HOW it WOULD BETRAY HIS MASTER

FURTHERMORE: IT’S a SIN AGAINST GOD!!

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WHAT a POWERFUL REMINDER to US in FIGHTING TEMPTATION

1 Corinthians 6:18–20 (ESV)

18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.

19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,

20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

1 Corinthians 10:12 (ESV)

12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.

GREATER MEN & WOMEN THAN YOU & I HAVE FALLEN.

JUST RECENTLY: STEVE LAWSON

(T) WILL JOSEPH HOLD HIS GROUND??

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READ (v11- 18)11 But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, 12 she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house. 13 And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house, 14 she called to the men of her household and said to them, “See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. 15 And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house.” 16 Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home, 17 and she told him the same story, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to laugh at me. 18 But as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment beside me and fled out of the house.”

JOSEPH DOING HIS DUTIES is CAUGHT PHYSICALLY

**LITERALLY “FLEES” SEXUAL IMMORALITY**

AGAIN,, JOSEPH’S CLOTHING GETS HIM in TROUBLE

POTIPHAR’S WIFE ACCUSES HIM of TRYING to RAPE HER.

(T) HOW WILL POTIPHAR RESPOND???

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READ (v19-23) 19 As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, “This is the way your servant treated me,” his anger was kindled. 20 And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. 21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. 23 The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed. [5]

Gordon Wenham: CONSIDER—BLESSING that JOSEPH WASN’T KILLED,,, BUT PUT in PRISON INSTEAD!

BROTHERS READY to EXECUTE OVER JEALOUSY—RAPING WIFE?? MUCH WORSE OFFENSE.

**NOTE** GOD is STILL WITH JOSEPH…EVEN in PRISON...

JOSEPH = QUICKLY ELEVATED in the PRISON.

GOD MAKES JOSEPH a SUCCESS…AGAIN.

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Takeaways:

1. Human folly doesn’t trump God’s plans…

THROUGH the BROTHERS’ JEALOUSY the DREAM COMES TRUE!

WHAT if THEY DIDN’T SELL HIM???

THROUGH the ACCUSATION the DREAM COMES TRUE!

WHAT if HE SLEPT W/ HER???

THROUGH the PRISON the DREAM COMES TRUE!

WHAT if POTIPHAR HAD HIM KILLED???

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IN MIDST of WILD STORIES,, SUFFERING,, FALSE-ACCUSATIONS…GOD WAS PROVIDENTIALLY WORKING BEHIND the SCENES to ACCOMPLISH HIS PERFECT PLAN.

GOD WAS GOING to spare HIS CHOSEN FAMILY—THROUGH JOSEPH!

WHEN OUR LIVES ARE AWRY—PERHAPS WE OUGHT to TRUST GOD is STILL AT WORK???

**BEYOND JOSEPH—CONSIDER HOW the SIN of JUDAH BRINGS ABOUT PEREZ—DAVID— JESUS CHRIST.

GOD CAN REDEEM EVEN the MOST MESSED UP SITUATIONS FOR HIS GLORY

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2. ALL SIN = ULTIMATELY DIRECTED AT GOD.

SINNING AGAINST OTHERS, YES.

SINNING AGAINST OUR OWN SELVES, YES.

BUT ULTIMATELY SIN is AGAINST GOD.

—> JOSEPH USED this TRUTH to FLEE SEXUAL IMMORALITY <—

Ephesians 4:30 (ESV)

30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

NLT: “And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live”

SEE JUDAH FALLING to SEXUAL TEMPTATION

JOSEPH CONQUERING SEXUAL TEMPTATION

GOD WORKED THROUGH BOTH

BUT WE DON’T WANT to JUSTIFY SIN

OUR SIN SHOULD BE a BIGGER CONCERN to US THAN the SINS of OTHERS...

GOD DESIRES for US to WALK in HOLINESS…

to REPRESENT HIM

&& to TRUST that HIS WAY is BEST in THIS LIFE…AMEN?

Close in Prayer

[1]Gordon J. Wenham, Genesis 16–50, vol. 2 of Word Biblical Commentary(Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1994), 356. [2]Gordon J. Wenham, Genesis 16–50, vol. 2 of Word Biblical Commentary(Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1994), 370. [3]John H Walton, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (Old Testament): Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009), 127. [4]Gordon J. Wenham, Genesis 16–50, vol. 2 of Word Biblical Commentary(Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1994), 370. [5] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ge 37:1–39:23.