Joseph part 3

Genesis 39.

When we left Joseph, he had been through a bit.

just to recap

His brothers hated him

he had shown maybe a little arrogance

his was his father’s favorite

his brother’s sold him into slavery

and they tricked their dad into thinking he had been killed by a wild animal.

Meanwhile, the one’s who bought Joseph, sold him to Potiphar, one of the officials of the Pharoah

that is where we are starting in verse 1

The New International Version Chapter 39

Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.

2 The LORD was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.

Though Joseph’s situation started off looking like a bad road ahead, and heads up, it won’t be perfect

We do see God’s protection over him

we see that he starts off with a better living arrangement than most slaves.

vs. 3

The New International Version Chapter 39

When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, 4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. 5 From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the LORD was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field

Potiphar saw the Lord was with Joseph

This means, the way Joseph was living and acting must have been in accordance with God’s will

So Potiphar put his trust in Joseph to run his household

because he did this, the Lord blessed not only the work Joseph was doing, but all of Potiphar life, because he trusted God’s faithful servant!

vs. 6

The New International Version Chapter 39

So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.

Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7 and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”

8 But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. 9 No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” 10 And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.

Potiphar trusted Joseph so much, he put him in charge of everything while he was gone.

He had access to everything, had control of everything, had decision making powers.

This was a big deal.

Things were looking very up for Joseph

Then, Potiphar’s wife steps in.

She began to make, not so subtle advances towards Joseph.

“Sleep with me”

she was very clear on her desires.

Joseph tells her no, but not just no

he expresses how much trust Potiphar had left with him giving the indication that he couldn’t betray that

then he expresses that he could not do a wicked thing like sleeping with her and sin against God

Probably what every woman wants to hear.

but for her, she didn’t care, she kept persisting.

Joseph would not give in.

for those who love the Lord, and live their life dedicated to Him and His will, it is not necessary to remind them to avoid sin

why? because the despise sin, and want to avoid it out of their love for him.

This was obviously not Potiphar’s wife’s ideology

she pursued him every day and he refused to sleep with her and avoided being around her all together.

vs. 11

The New International Version Chapter 39

One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. 12 She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.