God Watches over Joseph

Transcription

1 January 1 BIBLE STUDY GUIDE 5 God Watches over Joseph Bible Background GENESIS 39:1-23 Printed Text GENESIS 39:7-21a Devotional Reading 1 CORINTHIANS 10:1-13 Aim for Change By the end of the lesson, we will: EXAMINE Joseph s loyalty and faithfulness to Potiphar; REFLECT on how loyalty influences decisions and behavior; and COMMIT to faithfulness and loyalty in our relationship with God. In Focus Alma accidentally dropped the punch bowl on the kitchen floor. She watched the glass scatter across the tile. K neeling down to pick up the pieces, her mind reflected on how her life used to resemble these broken pieces. Just two years ago, she worked for a well-known brokerage firm. Her company terminated her employment after she refused to falsify documents in an ongoing court battle. She was excluded from numerous professional activities and her reputation was smeared. Yet, through it all, God collected the pieces of her broken life and sustained her during that difficult time. Just like shattered glass, when we make the decision to live right for God, we may feel crushed and fragmented. God promises to stand alongside us in our commitment to serve Him faithfully with integrity. In today s lesson, Joseph found God to be faithful in his time of need.

2 Keep in Mind 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: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? (Genesis 39:9).

3 Focal Verses KJV 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. 8 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; 9 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: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? 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. 11 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. 12 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. 13 And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, 14 That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he 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: 15 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. 16 And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home. 17 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: 18 And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out. 19 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.

4 20 And Joseph s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison. 21a But the LORD was with Joseph. NLT Genesis 39:7 And about this time, Potiphar s wife began to desire him and invited him to sleep with her. 8 But Joseph refused. Look, he told her, my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. 9 No one here has more authority than I do! He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I ever do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God. 10 She kept putting pressure on him day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. 11 One day, however, no one else was around when he was doing his work inside the house. 12 She came and grabbed him by his shirt, demanding, Sleep with me! Joseph tore himself away, but as he did, his shirt came off. She was left holding it as he ran from the house. 13 When she saw that she had his shirt and that he had fled, 14 she began screaming. Soon all the men around the place came running. My husband has brought this Hebrew slave here to insult us! she sobbed. He tried to rape me, but I screamed. 15 When he heard my loud cries, he ran and left his shirt behind with me. 16 She kept the shirt with her, and when her husband came home that night, 17 she told him her story. That Hebrew slave you ve had around here tried to make a fool of me, she said. 18 I was saved only by my screams. He ran out, leaving his shirt behind! Joseph Put in Prison 19 After hearing his wife s story, Potiphar was furious! 20 He took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king s prisoners were held. 21a But the LORD was with Joseph there, too.

5 The People, Places, and Times Joseph. Joseph is the beloved son of Jacob and the firstborn son of his father s favorite wife, Rachel. The richly ornamented coat worn by Joseph was given to him by his father. This gesture of kindness served as confirmation of paternal favor. The eldest son, Reuben, had forfeited his birthright as heir when he committed incest (Genesis 35:22; 49:3-4; 1 Chronicles 5:1-2). Simeon and Levi, next in line, were ruled out because of their violence at Shechem (Genesis 49:5-7). The fourth son, Judah, was the next heir. However, Joseph, the 11 th in order, is believed by some scholars to be the recipient of the birthright. Background In Genesis 37, readers are left wondering about the fate of Joseph. In chapter 39, the story picks up and we learn Joseph has been sold by Ishmaelites to an Egyptian named Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh (Genesis 37:28; 39:1). Joseph lives in Potiphar s house and is appointed to a position of authority. In his younger days, Joseph was a very self-confident young man. He knew God s plan for his life, and before coming to work for Potiphar, he had boasted about ruling over others. Joseph s buoyancy became unbearable when he revealed to his brothers his dreams of dominion over them. Out of anguish and jealousy, his brothers plotted to kill him. Subsequently, when Joseph was sent to check on his brothers and the flocks near Shechem, his brothers sold him to a caravan of traders going down to Egypt. His brothers then took his robe, dipped it in goat s blood, and brought it to their father, who concluded Joseph had been killed by wild animals. But Joseph was alive; in fact, the caravan of traders took him to Egypt, where his life changed dramatically again. In today s lesson, Joseph finds himself serving a member of the personal staff of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. This extremely rich officer s name is Potiphar. At-A-Glance 1. Refusing to Give In (Genesis 39:7-12) 2. Refusing to Give Up (vv a) In Depth 1. Refusing to Give In (Genesis 39:7-12) The position of Potiphar s wife has given this text special attention. She remains unnamed and has a role of grand consequence and tremendous freedom. She utilizes her liberty with authority as she confronts Joseph. Her power is displayed boldly as she commands Joseph, Lie with me (Genesis 39:7). In her statement, she relinquishes all preludes to intimacy and gets right down to business. Her attitude is one of control rather than love; she is the master s wife, a woman who demands, not seduces. Joseph refuses her orders and responds to her with equal authority. Joseph turns down an invitation to engage in sexual immorality. In doing so, he gives a testimony of faithful service to both God and Potiphar.

6 How often do we seize the occasion to turn from sin when it is tugging at our coattails? Joseph reiterates to Potiphar s wife that he has been given power over her husband s household. He has authority over and access to all things except her. In his rhetorical question, How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? (Genesis 39:9), Joseph declares that such an act of adultery is not without great consequences. This is more than a sin against another man; this act involves disobedience against the Lord. In order to remain true to God, he must also remain true to his master, Potiphar. Potiphar s wife does not accept Joseph s replies. She is relentless and continues her onslaught of sexual advances. Nevertheless, Joseph repeatedly denies her sexual overtures. He avoids her at all cost. Finally, on one occasion while working alone in the house, Joseph encounters her again, and she grabs his cloak and demands that he sleep with her. Joseph runs out of the house leaving his cloak behind. What are we willing to leave behind and give up for the sake of our Christian integrity? So many Christians fail in the area of sexual temptation. Too often, we compromise our Christian values for the sake of self-gratification. Instead of running from temptation, we start walking toward it. We fail, also, to realize that infidelity does not happen in a vacuum; this sin hurts other people, rips apart families, destroys our testimony and reputation, and strips us of our integrity. Sometimes we have to do like Joseph and literally run from sin! 2. Refusing to Give Up (vv a) With Joseph s garment in her hand and Joseph in her power, Potiphar s wife conjures up a story of lies and deception. She accuses Joseph of attempted rape. She not only fabricates a story of sexual assault, but she also slanders the integrity of Potiphar s household. Her remark, This Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! (Genesis 39:14, NIV), suggests that Joseph has a condescending attitude toward her, his master Potiphar, and his entire household. She accuses her husband of doing wrong by bringing this foreigner into their midst. She shifts the focus from herself and makes Joseph and her husband the culprits. By blaming her husband, Potiphar s wife raises the stakes. When she recounts the lie to her husband, she strategically uses the words, That Hebrew slave that you brought us (Genesis 39:17, NIV), emphasizing that her husband hired Joseph and brought his supposedly wicked influence into their home. Her assertion is clever; the blame is now on Potiphar s shoulders. He is literally forced to make a hasty decision. She shrewdly implies that Potiphar s integrity is in question. How could a man of his stature make such a horrible miscalculation of another man s character? No doubt, Potiphar could not take the word of a Hebrew slave over the allegations of his wife. He had to act quickly to evade dishonor. Fueled with anger and guilt, Potiphar rectifies the situation by throwing Joseph in prison. Joseph is placed into another pit and launched into another tribulation. Again, he is not given the opportunity to tell his side of the story or argue against any evidence found against him. He is plunged into his master s prison. Joseph is a victim of a false accusation. Although he is silenced and thrown into jail, God is with him. Potiphar gave up on him, yet Joseph knew God would not forget him. Joseph did not forget God s promises to him. Joseph refused to give up and remained

7 faithful. He sustained harsh mistreatment and injustice. Truly, the favor of the Lord was with him for his punishment could have been death instead of prison. Sometimes our decision to remain loyal to God places us on the receiving end of someone else s scorn and anger. Nevertheless, God honors our allegiance to Him. Our commitment to live in accordance with God s Word will orchestrate our choices, navigate our paths, and dictate our behavior. The Lord was with Joseph, and He is with us when we stand on the principles of His Word. Do not give up and compromise what we know is the right thing to do. Do not surrender the opportunity to experience a deeper, richer, and enduring relationship with Jesus Christ. Don t give up doing what is right! Search the Scriptures 1. What did Potiphar s wife do with Joseph s garment (Genesis 39:16)? 2. How did Potiphar react when he heard his wife s words (v. 19)? Discuss the Meaning Why do you think the Lord allows Christians to endure temptations that have the potential to jeopardize our integrity? Lesson in Our Society Sexual immorality has become commonplace in our society and is present in the church. Some secular psychologists claim that some people suffer from an unfaithful gene. Others argue that the church is too rigid, irrational, and old-fashioned in its stand on sexual abstinence. Despite these ridiculous claims, the Bible is still right. Do you think the church is too rigid or conservative in teachings on sexual purity and integrity? Make It Happen Peer pressure, loneliness, and a desire to be needed are some reasons why Christians get involved in sexual misconduct. Many individuals want to share their struggles and are afraid of being judged. Over the next week, ask the Lord to lay on your heart someone who is struggling with faithfulness and integrity. Pray and ask the Lord what you can do to help. Follow the Lord s instruction as He guides you in approaching this individual. Follow the Spirit What God wants me to do: Remember Your Thoughts Special insights I have learned:

8 More Light on the Text Genesis 39:7-21a 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. After these things is a statement affirming that God blessed Joseph, even as he was taken into slavery by the Ishmaelites, and sold to Potiphar, an officer in Pharoah s army. At 17, Joseph s life was destined for greatness and prophetic fulfillment, although he had little understanding of his ultimate purpose. All Joseph knew was that his brothers hated him, they stole the coat that their father had given him, and he was thrown into a pit, where he was eventually sold to the Midianites (see Genesis 37:25-28). The Midianites were actually descendants of Joseph, through Abraham and his concubine Keturah (see Genesis 25:1-2). From there, Joseph became the property of Potiphar and served him. Potiphar had enough sense and insight to recognize that there was something different about this foreigner. Every task he assigned Joseph was successfully completed. Because of his integrity, Joseph was promoted quickly to oversee all the work and people in Potiphar s house. Even though Joseph was far away from his family, God never left him. He showed the young man loyalty, and blessed the work of his hands. As God showed loyalty to Joseph, Joseph was loyal to Potiphar. Thus, God blessed Potiphar for Joseph s sake. No matter what situation young Joseph encountered on his journey to greatness, it was evident that God was with him. The favor of Joseph s life was not only appealing to Potiphar, but also to Potiphar s wife. Perhaps because Moses did not find it necessary to identify her, we are not given Mrs. Potiphar s first name. She was just a tool to be used by God to get Joseph into the place of greatness. She is only recognized as a woman who seemed to have an insatiable appetite for sex outside of marriage as she approached Joseph with a horrible proposition: Lie with me. With success also come tests or temptations for believers. It was only after Potiphar had promoted Joseph, and the favor and authority of God were evident in his life, that the wife wanted to sleep with him. 8 But he refused and said unto his master s wife, Behold my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he had committed all that he hath to my hand: The text is rather ambivalent on why Mrs. Potiphar wanted Joseph in her bed. Did she not already have everything she could have wanted from her husband? Did not her husband meet her sexual needs? What could Joseph have given to Mrs. Potiphar that her husband could not provide? Did she need to be reminded of her marital obligations by this Hebrew? Whatever the reason, Joseph wanted no part of the role of paramour. He refused her advances. The word refused in verse 8 comes from the Hebrew word ma'en (maw-ane) and the idea is to be unwilling to participate in any wrong or sinful activity. The text does not go in detail as to how Joseph was able to rebuff Potiphar s wife. There is no reference that he learned his morality or integrity from his father Jacob, or his brothers (see Genesis 34 and 38).Yet, Joseph had the

9 ability to see beyond the immediate pleasures of sin (see Hebrews 11:25), to a full, surrendered life. 9 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: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? Because of his loyalty and integrity, Joseph had won the trust and confidence of his superior and God. He dared not cross the line, no matter how strong the temptation that came his way. Therefore, Joseph reminded Poitphar s wife of two obvious points: (1) Despite his promotion and influence, he would not violate Potiphar s trust. He had authority over the servants and other employees, but not over Potiphar s wife; and (2) Joseph would not sin against his God. The word sin in Hebrew is chatta'ah (khat-taw-aw) and it means to miss the way, forfeit, and abandon righteousness. Another meaning is to be off target and get lost. Joseph had already been abandoned by his brothers and was lost in Egypt, away from all his familiar surroundings. To yield to the sexual desires of Potiphar s wife would have taken him farther away from the God who sustained him. It is difficult for many of us to comprehend that when we fall into temptation and sin, we really are violating our relationship with God. We should consider the bigger picture when we are faced with temptation and recognize that when we sin, our failure is against God, who gives us the ability to say no. 10 And it came to pass, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. If there was one characteristic that marked Potiphar s wife, it was her relentless pursuit of Joseph. She would not take no for an answer, and his explanation as to why he does not want to be with her apparently increases her resolve to undermine his integrity. Potiphar s wife is like a dripping faucet that cannot be shut off. Sooner or later, she was determined to have her way with Joseph. But Joseph showed Potiphar s wife a servant of God who would not compromise his convictions or relationship with God. Joseph endured her barrage of sexual advances day by day and hearkened not unto her. The Hebrew word for hearken is shama` (shaw-mah), and one of its meanings is to give undivided listening attention to another, or perceive a message with the intention of obeying. Potiphar s wife kept putting pressure on him (v. 10, NLT), with her incessant sexual advances, but Joseph did not relent. In the process, his integrity and faith strengthened. 11 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. 12 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. With the phrases day by day (v. 10) and it came to pass about this time (v. 11), Moses conveyed a time lapse between Potiphar s wife s first and subsequent approaches of Joseph. Perhaps she had developed a strategy to get Joseph into her bed, and she needed some time before its details unfolded. Or she may have temporarily backed away from Joseph to give him the idea that she had gotten the message. But Potiphar s wife was brazen, determined to get her

10 prized possession if it took her one day, month, or year (see Proverbs 7:10). The idea of brazen is something harsh, loud, and marked by contemptuous boldness, with defiance or impudence. Indeed, Potiphar s wife was bold! She waited for the opportune time, and as Joseph worked in the house alone, she struck again. This time, she grabbed his tunic garment, perhaps given to him by Potiphar, and pulled him close. Lie with me, she said again (Genesis 39:12). Joseph had two choices: (1) yield to her demand, and hope no one found out; or (2) leave his garment in her hands, and run out of the house with all his might. Joseph chose the latter. He may have left his garment with her, but he left with his integrity in the hands of God. 13 And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, 14 That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, see he 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: 15 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. 16 And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home. Potiphar s wife was angry with Joseph. Not only had he rebuffed her sexual advances, but he also ran away. How insulted she must have been! Wasn t she attractive to the young man? Didn t he find her enticing and alluring? As a servant, shouldn t he have done what she told him to do? For the second time in his young life, another of Joseph s garments was used against him. The accusation was damning. Joseph left the garment to flee from an aggressive woman. Now the garment would be used to seal his fate. Potiphar s wife had all the evidence she needed. She called all of her husband s servants into the house and showed them Joseph s garment. She also planned to use the servants and instigated that Potiphar brought Joseph into the house to mock, not just Potiphar s wife, but everyone else, including the servants. The word mock in Hebrew is tsachaq (tsaw-khak) and means to laugh; to make a toy of. She was enraged that a mere servant, a mere Hebrew, would do such a thing. She made sure that the servants would turn against [this] Hebrew by including them in her scheme (vv ). John MacArthur says that Potiphar s wife used the term Hebrew servant as a pejorative, intended to heap scorn upon someone whom she considered definitely unworthy of any respect (MacArthur Study Bible, 73). Potiphar s wife repeated her story to the servants to instill within them contempt and anger. By the time Potiphar arrived home, everyone would be able to convey to him just how vile and wicked Joseph was. ( We thought he was a man of integrity, but he tried to sleep with your wife. Look, here is his garment to prove that he was in your wife s bedroom. ) 17 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: 18 And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out. 19 And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying after this manner did they servant to me; that his wrath was kindled.

11 Whether Potiphar s wife s sole purpose for plotting against Joseph was to get him out of the house, as her resentment of a foreigner was palpable, or she was really attracted to him and was angered by his rebuffs, is uncertain. When Potiphar arrived home, his wife blamed him for bringing Joseph to the home, and she accused Joseph of sexual advances. She also indicated that Joseph was nothing more than a foreigner that Potiphar had given special privileges and authority, which should have gone to the Egyptians. What a mockery! She also planted the seed in her husband that she was a victim and had nothing to do with the attempted adultery or rape. She made it seem like it was a scheme cooked up by Joseph, the foreigner that Potiphar had brought to their home. There are always two sides to every story, but Potiphar s wife was so convincing in spinning her web of deceit that Potiphar didn t bother to ask for more specific details of the incident. All he knew was that his wife had been illicitly approached, and it kindled his wrath and anger against Joseph. Certainly, he would believe his wife before a servant. In verse 19, the word wrath comes from the Hebrew word 'aph (af) and expresses the idea of an intense, boiling anger where the nose and eyes are dilated, breathing becomes more pronounced, and the emotional tone of the voice is raised significantly. It would appear that once the incident was conveyed to Potiphar, he was boiling mad and perhaps, ready to bring physical judgment onto Joseph. Solomon affirms, Jealousy is a husband s fury; Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. He will accept no recompense, Nor will he be appeased though you give him many gifts (Proverbs 6:34-35, NKJV). The servant that Potiphar trusted had become his enemy. 20 And Joseph s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison. 21a But the Lord was with Joseph. Potiphar did not bother to ask Joseph what happened, or why he thought he could get away with having sexual intercourse with his wife, especially in his house. Instead, he consigned Joseph to a prison that is reserved for the royal servants of the king. Moses does not infer whether Potiphar may have been reluctant to turn Joseph over to the prison, nor does he identify the other prisoners, at least at this time. Still, Moses made this point clear: But the LORD was with Joseph (Genesis 39:21a). Though Joseph was wrongfully accused, and his integrity tested by a wanton and brazen woman, he could rest assured that, no matter the outcome, God was with him. At the time, Joseph may have felt God was a million miles away, and there was no hope for him in prison. But he received special grace and favor to resist sexual temptation, and remain truthful to Potiphar and his God, because Jehovah Jireh was truly Joseph s provider, and He demonstrated His nearness to the young Hebrew, in prison, too. Sources: Berlin, Adele, and Marc Brettler, eds. The Jewish Study Bible. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, Bruce, F. F. et al., eds. Zondervan Bible Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing, Elwell, Walter A., and Philip W. Comfort. Tyndale Bible Dictionary. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Hayford, Jack W., Litt.D. et al., eds. The New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, NKJV. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers,

12 Life Application Study Bible (NLT). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, MacArthur, John. The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV. Nashville, TN: Thomas NelsonPublishers, Mattingly, Gerald L. Midan, Midianites. The Harper Collins Bible Dictionary. Paul J. Achtemeir et al., eds. San Francisco, CA: HarperCollins Publishers, The New Interpreters Bible, Vol. I. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, The New Strong s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, Potiphar. The Harper Collins Bible Dictionary. Paul J. Achtemeir et al., eds. San Francisco, CA: HarperCollins Publishers, Say It Correctly Garment. GAR-mint. Hearkened. HAR-kined. Hebrew. HEE-broo. Joseph. JOH-sif, -suhf. Potiphar. POT-uh-fahr.