Down to Egypt

Now Joseph had been taken to Egypt. An Egyptian named Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guards, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him there. The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master. —Genesis 39:1-2 CSB

One of the recurring themes in Jospeh’s life is that God showing up in unexpected places.

Rising to the Top

Joseph found favor with his master and became his personal attendant. Potiphar also put him in charge of his household and placed all that he owned under his authority. From the time that he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house because of Joseph. The Lord’s blessing was on all that he owned, in his house and in his fields. He left all that he owned under Joseph’s authority; he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. —Genesis 39:4–6a CSB

Potiphar recognizes that something is different about Joseph and begins to promote him — until Joseph is in charge of Potiphar’s entire household and all of his affairs.

Voice of Seduction

Now Joseph was well-built and handsome. After some time his master’s wife looked longingly at Joseph and said, “Sleep with me.” But he refused. “Look,” he said to his master’s wife, “with me here my master does not concern himself with anything in his house, and he has put all that he owns under my authority. No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do this immense evil, and how could I sin against God?” Although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her. —Genesis 39:6–10 CSB

The beginning of verse 8, might be, one of the most shocking statements in the entire Bible — “But he refused.”

Joseph’s refusal is immediate and direct. He doesn’t react in anger, but he isn’t playing games either.

Just because we love Jesus and fought well today, doesn’t mean the war is over.

On the Run

Now one day he went into the house to do his work, and none of the household servants were there. She grabbed him by his garment and said, “Sleep with me!” —Genesis 39:11–12a CSB

There are no off-days in the fight against sin and temptation.

Avoid even the appearance of evil…

Leave It Behind

She grabbed him by his garment and said, “Sleep with me!” But leaving his garment in her hand, he escaped and ran outside. —Genesis 39:12 CSB

Joseph’s actions provide a great example for how we ought to deal with sin and temptation — FLEE!

Many of us though, spend a good portion of our life right on the edge of sin.

Whatever garment you have to leave behind is well worth your integrity, your family, and your eternity.

Spinning Tales

When she saw that he had left his garment with her and had run outside, she called her household servants. “Look,” she said to them, “my husband brought a Hebrew man to make fools of us. He came to me so he could sleep with me, and I screamed as loud as I could. When he heard me screaming for help, he left his garment beside me and ran outside.” She put Joseph’s garment beside her until his master came home. Then she told him the same story: “The Hebrew slave you brought to us came to make a fool of me, but when I screamed for help, he left his garment beside me and ran outside.” When his master heard the story his wife told him—“These are the things your slave did to me”—he was furious and had him thrown into prison, where the king’s prisoners were confined. So Joseph was there in prison. —Genesis 39:13-20 CSB

Potiphar’s wife uses Joseph’s coat to frame him for attempted rape.

Upon hearing the story, Potiphar is furious and has Joseph thrown into prison without trial.

Imagine the shock and betrayal Joseph must have felt — first from Potiphar and then from God.

God in Unexpected Places

But the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him. —Genesis 39:21a CSB

Joseph is learning the same lesson as his father Jacob — God will meet you in the middle of NOWHERE.

You are not alone in your suffering. You are not alone in your temptation.

Back in Charge

But the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him. He granted him favor with the prison warden. The warden put all the prisoners who were in the prison under Joseph’s authority, and he was responsible for everything that was done there. The warden did not bother with anything under Joseph’s authority, because the Lord was with him, and the Lord made everything that he did successful. —Genesis 39:21-23 CSB

The text wants us to know that this isn’t solely, or even primarily, because of Joseph’s leadership skills — this is a direct result of the Lord being WITH Jospeh.

Two Lessons

1) Purity is possible, but only to the vigilant.

2) The rewards for faithfulness are enormous, but they’re not immediate.