Many people struggle in their faith when things don’t go their way. In today’s passage, God reminds us that just as “the Lord was with Joseph,” so He will be with us!
Scripture:
Genesis, chapters 39-41; Luke, chapter 16
Genesis 39:1-10 (NASB):
Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the bodyguard, bought him from the Ishmaelites, who had taken him down there. And the Lord was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian. Now his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all that he did prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal servant; and he made him overseer over his house, and put him in charge of all that he owned.
It came about that from the time he made him overseer in his house and over all that he owned, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house on account of Joseph; so the Lord’s blessing was upon all that he owned, in the house and in the field. So he left Joseph in charge of everything that he owned; and with him there he did not concern himself with anything except the food which he ate.
Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. And it came about after these events that his master’s wife had her eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Sleep with me.” But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in the house, and he has put me in charge of all that he owns. There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil, and sin against God?” Though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he did not listen to her to lie beside her or be with her.
Observations: The Lord Was with Joseph
The story of Joseph is one of my favorite stories in Scripture, for a number of reasons. First, Joseph continued to believe in God’s plan for him in spite of difficulties along the way. Second, when God’s plan came to pass, Joseph did not seek vindication for past wrongs against him. And third, the story of Joseph plays an important role in the book Divine Mentor. That book led me to a new practice in my devotional life, and ultimately to write this blog.
Verse 2 caught my attention this morning as I read today’s passage: And the Lord was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. I suppose one reason that it caught my attention is because I know how the story unfolds! Joseph is in Egypt because his brothers sold him as a slave. They had planned to kill him, but then decided to sell him instead. So now Joseph is in Egypt, far from his home and family. He had to be thinking, “What about God’s plan for me now?”
Chapter 39 gives us what appears to be the answer: Joseph ends up in the household of Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh’s bodyguards. Of all the places he could have landed, Joseph comes to the home of a very powerful man. Perhaps God has some plan for him there? And Joseph’s service for Potiphar certainly seems promising: the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house on account of Joseph (verse 5). Potiphar understandably gives Joseph more authority, because God blessed everything that Joseph did. Eventually, he left Joseph in charge of everything that he owned (verse 6).
The Lord Was with Joseph Even in Difficulties
However, a dark note rises in the story: Potiphar’s wife is attracted to Joseph, and asks him to go to bed with her. Joseph refuses: “How could I do this great evil, and sin against God?” Joseph’s priorities have not changed, even with the success he has experienced. Potiphar trusted him with his entire household, and Joseph would not violate that trust. But Joseph also knew that it would be even more wrong for him to violate God’s standards. He served Potiphar faithfully, but his primary concern was faithfulness to God.
There is an old saying that “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” Potiphar’s wife is an demonstration of that saying. When Joseph continually refuses to sleep with her, she decides to get back at him. When she finds him alone with her in the house one day, she grabs his garment and says, “Sleep with me!” But Joseph runs away – leaving his garment there in her hand. That gives her the opportunity to get back at him; she accuses him of attempted rape. When she told her husband this false story, “his anger burned” (verse 19). He had Joseph thrown into prison, “the place where the king’s prisoners were confined” (verse 20).
Application: But the Lord Was with Joseph
How many of us would think that this was the end? Maybe Joseph had misunderstood his dreams, and God’s plan for him. Potiphar’s house was near the seat of power; God blessed everything Joseph did. Why did it all turn out so wrong? Because God’s plan wasn’t for Joseph to be in Potiphar’s house; that was just a stop along the way. And Pharaoh’s prison was another stop along the way. Chapter 39 ends with the declaration: “the Lord was with him; and the Lord made whatever he did prosper” (verse 23). Even in prison, the Lord was with Joseph.
If you’ve read chapters 40-41, you know what happens next. Joseph interprets the dreams of Pharaoh’s chief cupbearer and baker, who were in prison with him. Two years later, the cupbearer remembers Joseph, when Pharaoh is searching for someone to interpret his own dreams. Joseph tells Pharaoh what the dreams mean – what God is planning to do – and Pharaoh puts Joseph in charge of preparations for the coming famine. “See, I have placed you over all the land of Egypt” (41:41, emphasis added). He also gives Joseph his signet ring – the seal of authority in the kingdom.
Why did Pharaoh do this? He told his advisors, “Can we find a man like this, in whom there is a divine spirit?” And then he said to Joseph, “Since God has informed you of all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you are” (41:38-39). The Lord was with Joseph – and everyone could see it.
Because the Lord Was with Joseph, Joseph Could Leave Things in God’s Hands
One other thing to note: when Joseph attained authority, he didn’t try to get back at people who had wronged him along the way. Later in Genesis, we’ll read about his brothers coming to Egypt to get food – not recognizing Joseph as the man in charge. That’s a familiar story, which ends with one of my favorite verses: “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good” (Genesis 50:20).
But as I read today’s passage, it struck me: he also didn’t try to get revenge against Potiphar and his wife. Pharaoh had placed him over all the land of Egypt! He could have said, “Okay, now I’m going to clear my name and punish those who wrongly accused me!” But he didn’t – probably for the same reason he didn’t take revenge on his brothers. “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” God’s work requires our full attention; we don’t have time to hold grudges and settle scores. “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Romans 12:19).
Prayer:
Father, thank You for reminding us that the fact that You are with us does not mean that everything will go our way. Instead, we have the faith that even in difficult circumstances, You are with us. Help us to see Your hand in our lives today; strengthen our trust in You. Amen.