The LORD was with him

Introduction

Psalm 23:4 is a verse many of us know well and even have memorized. It reads, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” But when we find ourselves trying to apply this verse to our real life situations, we may find ourselves asking, “if God is with me, why am I in the valley of death in the first place?” If the God of the universe who desires what is good for those he loves, why does he lead me into such difficult and hard situations in the first place?

Paul gives us insight into this problem from his prisons cell when he wrote to the Philippian church. Philippians 1:12-13 says,

English Standard Version Chapter 1

12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.

Paul took his difficult situation and reinterpreted it through the reality of the presence of God. In verse 19 he says,

“Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,”

Because Paul knew that God was with him, he was able keep his eyes open and look for the ways that God would use his imprisonment for the good of his ultimate motivation in life, the spread of the Gospel. It is this kind of motivation and view of the presence of God that gave Joseph the ability to faithfully serve as a slave in the household of Potiphar. In both of these cases, the end is that the glory of God was made known to the lost around them. Our ability to glorify God and serve our ultimate purpose in reflecting the person of Jesus Christ is not compromised by our situations, it is only compromised when we fail to recognize the presence of Christ with us in those difficult situations. Joseph saw the presence of God was with him, and this radically shaped how he acted in his situation.

“YHWH was With Joseph” (2)

Our text begins by returning to the main story from the account of Judah and Tamar. Joseph is brought into the land of Egypt and bought by an officer of Pharoah named Potiphar. Up to this point, Egypt has been a symbol of the power and security of the world, just as the Canaanites are a symbol of the immorality and debauchery of the world. Both people groups stand in opposition to God and God has never looked favourably on his people going to them for their security or their immorality. Abraham had left the promised land in Genesis 12 to go to Egypt for security rather than trusting in God’s provision in the land he was promised. Now Joseph is also going to Egypt away from the promised land but not by his own choice. His immersion in the world is not voluntary and to him it is not a place of safety but instead a place of hostility and exile. And yet in this text we see Joseph raised from his humble position as a slave to be the chief of Potiphar’s house. This is explained, not by Joseph’s intellect or ability, but by this one fact: YHWH was with him.

What It means for God to be with someone

What does it mean for God to be with someone? God is omnipresent, he is everywhere at once, so what does it mean that God is with someone as opposed to not being with others? We may think of it like this: if I you go to Costco with me but you don’t have a Costco membership card they might stop you at the door. But if I show them my card and say, “I’m with theme” than you will be let into the store. Its not like the person checking people’s membership cards wasn’t aware of my physical presence, but when I say, “I’m with them” I’m communicating that I am your companion on this trip to Costco and thus my membership counts for the both of us. God is not just with Joseph in the same way he is everywhere all at once, he is with Joseph in a deeper, more personal sense.

If we look elsewhere in Scripture, we see the language of God’s presence and God being with us used to express a few concurrent ideas that help us flesh out exactly what it meant for God to be with Joseph.

It means that God’s protection was with him. Joshua 1:9 says:

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Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Although Joseph finds himself in one of the worst situations we could possibly imagine being in, this does not negate the fact that God is with him and protecting him. God’s protection may not look exactly like what we might expect or like, but it is real nonetheless and it shows its reality in the midst of Joseph’s slavery.

God makes those he is with greater and greater. 2 Sam 5:10 (also 2 Chronicles 1:1 in the case of Solomon)

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10 And David became greater and greater, for the LORD, the God of hosts, was with him.

There is an important parallel here. As we read our text we see Joseph go from common slave to being in charge of the house of one of Pharaoh’s officials. This is not because Joseph’s natural talent, but because God’s is with him. God is glorified in exalting Joseph in the midst of his exile in Egypt. We should not take away from this that God is always going to make us physically successful. Remember that before Joseph was raised to prominence in Potiphar’s househeld he was sold as a lowly slave, and afterwards he will find himself in prison for a crime he never committed. God humble’s his people in order to exalt them and in that way exalt his own glory in them. Joseph does not seek this exaltation, since humble people don’t seek exaltation, but God does exalt him in and shows his own glory in that exaltation because God was with him. In this world we live in a time of lowliness where we are counted as nothing to the world (Heb 11:37-38). But in Christ we are exalted to a newness of life in which we receive every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Eph 1:3). God may exalt us in temporary, earthly ways as well in order for us to use that position for his glory, but our true hope and focus must be on Christ and our eternal exaltation in him.

God is with those he loves. 1 Kings 8:23

English Standard Version Chapter 8

O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart;

God is with Joseph because he loves him, and his presence is a sign and result of that love. God delights in showing love to those he created in his image. But this love is not based on human effort, but on God’s election. This sovereign election brings about faith and faith pleases God.

Faith and Election

God did not choose Joseph because he was the most faithful son, he is the most faithful son because God chose him. We already saw in the life of Jacob that God’s sovereign election is not based on righteousness, rather righteousness is provided by God through the faith he gives to those who has chosen to love. So those who seek God in faith show that God loved them and chose them.

English Standard Version Chapter 4

Deuteronomy 4:29

29 But from there you will seek the LORD your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Since God is with Joseph, we can safely assume that Joseph was exercising faith in God throughout this period in his life. This is also clear in verse 3 of our text where we are told that Potiphar saw that the LORD was with him, implying that he had heard of Joseph’s God from Joseph and seen God’s character accurately reflected in the lifestyle of his Hebrew slave.

The Result of God’s presence “He became a successful man”

The result of God’s presence is success for Joseph, and thus success for the house of Potiphar. This success, again, points the Egyptian master to the LORD rather than to the false gods of his people. No one, not evern Potiphar himself, is equipped to manage the household like Joseph is. The trust and faith that his master puts in Joseph not only attests to the success God has put in Joseph’s hand, but also the character of faithfulness that Joseph has displayed. A character trait that is soon to be tested.

YHWH Blesses Potiphar “And He was in the House of his Egyptian Master” (2-3)

As Joseph worked faithfully in the household of Potiphar, God blesses Potiphar through his blessings to Joseph. What should immediately stand out to us about this detail is that it is a fulfilment of God’s promise to Abraham back in Genesis 12:3. God had promised Abraham that through him all the people’s of the earth would be blessed. In other words, God’s covenant with Abraham was programmed to be a way for God to reach, not just the children of Abraham, but all the nations and cultures and tribes of the earth with the blessings of this covenant through faith. Right from day 1 the purpose of God’s covenant with the Jews was to reach the Gentiles as well. They were a Kingdom of Priests, a missionary nation, and that is exactly what God is doing through Joseph here.

The Character of God Displayed (4)

Verse 4 highlights that Joseph’s character stood out as being trustworthy, submissive, and honest. While he might easily find excuse to be unkind to his slave master, he instead shows a desire to serve for his benefit. In other words, he desired to be a blessing to him, the same desire God has for the nations, and he was willing to humble himself by submitting to the authority of this pagan ruler in order to let him see the character of God displayed in him. Think about the way our Saviour came to this world to seek and save the lost. He was born in humble circumstances, when around without a place to lay his head, endured the mockery of the religious rulers and the suffering of the cross so that through him the nations of the earth would be blessed, we would be blessed, by knowing him. God is the all-powerful creator and sustainer of the universe and he exists to glorify himself, but he shows the glory through humble means. Just as Joseph was raised out of his lowly place as a slave to be made in charge of the household he served in, Christ was raised from the humiliation of the cross to the glory of the right hand of God and a name at which every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is LORD. Pharoah is aware of Joseph’s worship of YHWH and he makes the connection between his worship of God and his trustworthy character and success in his work. This is the kind of situation that Christ spoke of in Matthew 5:16, “ In the same way let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” They cannot glorify God if they don’t know who God is, if they haven’t heard of him, and they have nothing to glorify him about if they haven’t witnessed his character. This is God’s purpose for his people, to proclaim the glories of God and to live in a way that displays his character.

The Blessings of God Shared “YHWH blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s Sake” (5-6)

In verses 5-6 we see that God’s blessings are turned to Joseph and that his Egyptian master is blessed as a result. In this way, God is blessings the nations through his people. There are many ways that Christians and Gospel ministry have benefitted the world, and this brings glory to God when it is plain that the blessings God gives to his people benefit those around us. This is not only a blessing but a call to come and be a part of the people whom God directly blesses. It also calls them to account, to worship the God who provides every good thing. And that’s the thing, God is showing Potiphar that he is the source of all good things. If Potiphar had other helpful and honest men working for him, would he not also be a blessing from God? What about the sun and food and the air he breathes? See, the point of God making his people a blessing to the nations is not so that the nations can have more good stuff, it’s so that they can see that God is the source of every good thing and that knowing him and being loved by him as his people is the true blessing to which all blessings point. Joseph’s success shows the power, character, and blessings of God and it is based on a personal faith and the covenant of love that God has with him.

A Contrast with Judah’s relationship with a pagan culture

This is sharply contrasted with what we saw in the life of Judah last week before his repentance. While Joseph is imprisoned in a pagan culture, Judah embraced it. While Joseph was known for his sexual immorality and selfishness, Joseph is known for his faithfulness and success. While Joseph is causes pagans to look to God as the source of blessing, Judah is looking to Canaanite practices to achieve what he wants. The difference observed between these two is the difference between a hypocrite and a true child of God. The hypocrite takes the name of ‘Christian” but does not devote them self to what it means. They submit to their own appetites and desires, making excuses for them or hiding them, rather than submitting to the Word of God. The hypocrite is either taken in by the immorality of the world or an immorality hidden from the world in a show of self-righteousness. They are quick to speak their opinion but slow to pray and seek God’s face. They are quick to defend their worldly pursuits and slow to pour themselves into the work of the Kingdom of God. When they are in the midst of the world, they become like it rather than converting those in it. They are quick to criticise another Christian and slow to forgive and love them. And they are quick to accept a teaching or doctrine that confirms their fleshly passions and they ignore teachings that centre on the glory of God, the person and work of Christ, and the effectual sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit to make us holy and obedient in our lives. Judah’s hypocrisy was exposed, as it often eventually is, and God gave him the grace to repent of it.

Blessing the World with the Presence of God (What does this story say about God and his desire for the world?)

Because the calling that Abraham had and Joseph practiced in Egypt is the same calling we have as Christians. Like Judah and Joseph, we are in the midst of a fallen culture among sinful people, sinful like we once were before the grace of God called us into the glory of Christ Jesus. His life fulfilled all that was expected of the people of God. He filled the righteous standard of God by being the only truly righteous man. In his death, his righteousness was transferred to his people who believed on his name as a gift while out sin was transferred to him. And God was pleased to crush his son on the cross so that we might die to sin and live to the righteousness that we have obtained in Christ. So we are to live righteous lives, not to make ourselves righteous but because we have been made righteous in God’s sight through the finished work of Christ on the cross. The question is, will you display the righteousness of Christ to the world or will the world absorb you until there is no evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work at all? Remember that our lives in the New Covenant have the same purpose as Joseph’s did, just with more power, more revelation, and more closeness with God through Christ. Like Joseph, we are called to be a blessing to the world in which we live and not to be assimilated into it as one of it’s own. God’s brings this blessing about in three ways. These three vehicles of God’s blessing are reflected in the perfect life and ministry of Christ.

Blessing the World through Gospel Preaching

First, we are a blessing to the world through Gospel preaching. In Mark 1:38 Jesus tells his disciples that preaching is the reason he came to earth, and in Mark 16:15 he tells his disciples to do the same. Christ’s ministry of preaching was passed on to his people as the grand mission of bringing the good news of how to know God through faith in Christ to all the nations and people’s of the world. Now this doesn’t mean that every Christian is called to speak from a pulpit or stand on a soapbox in the street, but it does mean that every Christian is called to be a proclaimer of the Gospel of Christ. Since Potiphar attributed Joseph’s success to his God, it is obvious that Joseph had been vocal about his commitment to YHWH and his character of love and faithfulness. Good deeds are not enough, Christ-like actions are not enough, they must be accompanied by a proclamation of the truth, otherwise your are just a nice person. It should be our desire to be so full of the Gospel and it’s truths be so frequently on our lips that our transformed life will automatically be traced to that one thing.

Blessing the World through a transformed Character

And that leads us to the second way that we are made to be a blessing to the world, through a transformed character that conforms to the character of the God we serve. In Joseph’s life, we see an example of someone who was known for being faithful, hardworking, wise, just, and honest. This reflected the character of a God who is righteous and holy, not one who is like the immoral gods of the Egyptians or Canaanites. There is nothing about a Christian that the world finds more distasteful than hypocritical behaviour. This is helped, not by legalistic rule following, but by an intense and Spirit-driven desire to be like Jesus and reflect his character in our lives as we partake of his great ministry. We are God’s representatives in this world and 2 Cor 5:18 tells us that we were reconciled to God thoruugh Christ and the ministry of reconciliation has been given to us. In other words, Christ reconciled you to God so that you can show people Christ so that they can be reconciled to God. You cannot show people to Christ if the Spirit does not produce in you the sweet aroma of obedience to and love for God and a Christ-like love for a lost world.

Blessing the World in the hardest circumstances

Finally, we need to be doing both these things in the hardest circumstances. While God was with Joseph, he was far from the promised land and continued to be a slave. Even after he is wrongfully thrown in prison Joseph continued to reflect the character of God and God continued to give him success despite his difficult situation. Unfortunately, I have met many Christians who stop coming to church as soon as they encounter a difficult time in their life. Some go back to old sinful habits they put to death years ago, or simply become bitter and you cannot speak with them without hearing grumbling and bitterness either towards God or towards someone else. This was evidently not Joseph’s attitude. I remember meeting with a Christian family a few years ago. They have 5 kids but the mother had a rare form of arthritis that made every movement often very painful so that she sometimes went weeks without being able to get out of bed. The father had also just been diagnosed with cancer. I remember they came to visit us and there was just this glorious, holy joy that radiated from them. It was contagious. It was like I had never seen anyone so happy and at peace as they were. All they wanted to talk about was how good God had been to them and how he had been at work through all that they were going through. I’m not saying that you aren’t reflecting Christ if you are not happy all the time, what I’m saying is that God does gives grace to those who seek him and his glory in the midst of their suffering.

Blessing the world with the attitude of our suffering Saviour

How can we have such an attitude? Not by ourselves or our own power. Again, we turn our eyes to the example of our suffering Saviour. 1 Peter 2:21 tells us that we have been called to suffer like Christ who did not open his mouth. When reviled he did not revile in return, when he suffered he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. If you, brother and sister, have gained so much from the suffering of Christ in the forgiveness of sins, the imputed righteousness of Christ, and the eternal life and love of God, how will you act in the difficult circumstances you are faced with in order to reflect Christ?

Conclusion

The attitude of Joseph serves as an excellent example of God’s will for those who trust him. But much more fully, it turns our eyes to Jesus. Joseph is an example, but still a weak one. It points us to the example we have in Christ. Not only does he give us the perfect example of bearing the image of God in a fallen world, he gives us the power by the Holy Spirit to walk in his footsteps by transforming us into his own image. In Christ we have everything we need to know God, preach his Gospel, reflect his character, and be a blessing to a world that he has given so much to save.