Friends, if you have your Bible and have turned there to the 39th Chapter of Genesis, and I trust you have the Notes and Outlines and, if you have them, why you’ll want to follow along.  If you do not, then be sure and write in and ask for yours today.

Now we return to the story of Joseph.  We saw last time that we were looking at Joseph in the 37th Chapter; that he was sold down in the land of Egypt to Potiphar, an office of Pharaoh and captain of his guard.  Now this is a pretty dreary prospect for a 17-year-old boy, now way down in a foreign land, sold into slavery.  And there is certainly nothing in the outward aspect of things to bring any encouragement to his heart at all.  And this boy seems to be more or less of a hard-luck boy.  You’ll notice down in the land of Egypt just as everything seems to be moving smoothly and nicely for him, then something always happens.  But it happens for a purpose!  

And it was difficult for Joseph to see it.  God never appeared to him at all.  He’s the one patriarch now that God did not appear to, and yet there’s no person in the Old Testament in whose life the purpose of God is more clearly seen than in Joseph.  The providence of God is manifest in every detail of this man’s life.  The hand of God was upon him and the leading of the Lord is evident, but Joseph is the one to whom God did not appear directly. God appeared to Abraham, he appeared to Isaac and Jacob, but not to Joseph.  And we see, though, the direction of God in his life more clearly than in any other.  He’s the Old Testament example of Romans 8:28; “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”  

And Joseph himself expressed it in rather vivid language.  When you get to the last chapter of Genesis, you’ll find out when the brethren at the death of their father felt like Joseph might turn on them, they came to him to actually ask for mercy, and he told them he held no grudge against them.  He says, “But as for you, ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good.  To bring to pass as it is this day, to save much people alive.”  

So that everything that happened in his life, looking at it from the outward aspects at the time, it looked dark; it looked like it was terrible, but each one of these was a step bringing to fruition God’s purpose in this man’s life.   And we need to reckon that even in our own lives today “that whom the Lord loveth, He chastenth” (Hebrews 12:6).  And God will not let anything come to a child of His unless it gets His permission; even something bad.  You remember Satan had to say, “Well, there’s a hedge about Job.”  Well, God let the hedge down.  There’s a hedge about you if you’re God’s child.  And nothing can touch you unless it gets His permission.  And, Friends, if it gets His permission, all things are working for good.  Even our misfortunes, our heartbreak, our suffering are for good and His glory.

OVERSEER IN POTIPHAR’S HOUSE

Now let’s follow this young man Joseph, and we’ll see what’s going to happen to him.

And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.  (Genesis 39:1)

Fine looking young man, 17 years old, make a very fine helper, and slaves were certainly sold in that day.

And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.  (Genesis 39:2)

Now immediately that he gets into the home of Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, why the LORD was obviously with him.  A blessing came to that home.

And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.  (Genesis 39:3)

Well now this sounds fine.  This is great up to this point.  And you’d like to add in “And they lived happily ever after,” but they didn’t because this is life.  This is reality.  And the child of God is going to encounter temptation and trouble and problems in this world.  This is what’s going to happen to Joseph.

Now notice Verse 4: 

And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.

Now just think of this.  Because of the way that Joseph served, why he’s elevated now to the position where he handles all of the material substance, the chattels, I guess even the real estate of this man.  In other words, the man trusted him with everything.  

Verse 5:

And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.  

And now Verse 6:

And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favored.

This man trusted him so much that he never even demanded an accounting at all.  He didn’t have to get a CPA to go over the books.  He believed in this young man.  and the only thing that Potiphar worried about as an officer of Pharaoh was that he please Pharaoh and that he did his job there, and he just let Joseph handle his own personal affairs.  The only thing that he knew was that when he sat down at the table, the food was put before him.  That’s all that he was interested in, because he trusted this young man. 

Now notice what’s going to happen.  Verse 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.

Now if you’ll note here, this man Potiphar gave him obviously the full run of his home palace and he had charge of everything.  And while Joseph was busy, why the wife was busy, but she was busy scheming up.  He was a handsome young man.  I don’t know this, but I have a notion old Potiphar was an old man.  That was generally the custom in that day anyway; an old man and a young wife.  And so she sees Joseph, and she attempts to entice him.  Now notice.

 But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house (That is, he doesn’t know all), and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;  There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?  (Genesis 39:8-9)

Now do you notice that this young man is serving God in all of this?  When he went down to the land of Egypt, which was loaded with idols—it was a land filled with idolatry just as much as Babylon was.  In that land of idolatry, Joseph maintained a testimony for the living and true God and a high moral standard.  When this woman enticed him, why he said, “No.”  He said, “My master’s turned over everything to me but you.  You’re his wife.”  

Look what a high viewpoint that Joseph had of marriage at this time!  Way back here at the beginning!  You see, God gave marriage to mankind.  It’s given to all mankind.  And when a man begins to despise the marriage vow, he is beginning to despise God, Friends.  And a man that will do that will generally break any vow he’s made to God.  It’s been always interesting for me to note in my ministry that a divorced person, that is who gets a divorce because he’s been unfaithful, that generally that individual will get as far from God as any person possibly can.  And I’ve seen that happen again and again.  

Now Joseph here is attempting to be true to God, and what a high viewpoint that he has.  Now look what’s going to come to pass because of the fact that he is attempting to serve the living and true God.

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.  (Genesis 39:10)

You see this man Potiphar as an officer of Pharaoh was away from home a great deal.  I expect maybe too much away from home.  And this woman didn’t just tempt Joseph one time, but again and again and again.  It was a constant temptation to him.  And this young man did not yield.  

Well, you can imagine that welling up in her now there is just absolutely boiling a resentment now against Joseph.  And the old Bromine has it.  “Hell hath no fury like that of a woman scorned.”  And believe me, she’s going to take revenge on Joseph.  

Verse 11 now of Chapter 39 of Genesis.

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.  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.  And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, 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….  (Genesis 39:11-14)

Things weren’t so well between Potiphar and his wife.  Notice how she speaks of him in such a mean, degrading way.  She says, “See, he hath brought in a Hebrew unto us to mock us.”  In other words, the wife probably had been guilty of this before.  The one man that I feel sorry for is Potiphar.  He’s the sap if there ever was one, but I’m of the opinion that he suspected something all along, and she’s beginning now to cover up her tracks.  She says, “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.”

May I say to you this boy now, just in his teens, down there in the land of Egypt now is being framed in the most dastardly manner.  

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.  (Genesis 39:15)

Now that’s still her charge against him.

And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home.  (Genesis 39:16)

In other words, the husband was away from home.  And so she has all of this built up a story to tell him when he arrives.  And when he arrives:

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:  And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out.  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.  (Genesis 39:17-19)

Now he believed her, though.  This fellow Potiphar, I don’t know what he was—he was an officer in the army of Pharaoh.  He must have been among the brass.  I guess when he was with them, he probably was a pretty sharp soldier, but he sure was a stupid husband.  And he’s a sap.  He believes this wife.  I feel sorry for him married to this woman.  He doesn’t stand a chance, and I’m of the opinion she’d been unfaithful many times before.  And Joseph was to be another one in her conquest, and it just didn’t work.  So she frames up against the young man.  The charge now is brought against him.

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.  (Genesis 39:20)

Now, here this boy is certainly having bad luck, is he not!  He was the favorite up there of his father, wearing a coat of many colors.  The next thing he knew, his brothers take off his coat, they put him down in a pit.  The next thing he hears them dickering with tradesmen, Ishmeelites going to Egypt, and this boy—17-year-old boy sold down into Egypt.  And I’m of the opinion on the way down and after he got there he spent many nights wetting the pillow with tears, and he certainly was homesick.

Now just as he’s getting along in this new position, been elevated to a high position, he’s a capable young man and a fine looking young man, the wife of Potiphar, she tempted to lure him to commit a sin.  And his high moral standard is something that you need to note, and he does not yield.  As a result, why she frames him, and the poor boy doesn’t stand a chance.  After all, you can see the position that Joseph is in.  He’s a slave.  And though he’s been elevated, he’s still a slave.  And on the other side, here is Potiphar’s wife—it’s like Cesar’s wife.  You just don’t say anything about her.  And her word would be accepted.  You can well understand poor Joseph; he didn’t even need to open his mouth; he’s guilty before he could make any kind of a defense at all.  And he summarily and immediately finds himself put in the prison, and he’s put in the prison where there those that were prisoners of Pharaoh were put.

Now again, in Verse 21, we read:

But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.   And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.   The keeper of the prison looked not to anything that was under his hand; because the Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper.  (Genesis 39:21-23)

Now the hand of God is certainly obvious and seen in this man’s life!  But over against it is the terrible things that happened to him.  Now he finds himself in prison.  How discouraging that must be or would have been to the average person.  But the interesting thing is we’re told the LORD was with Joseph.  He didn’t appear to him as to the other patriarchs.  And he showed him mercy and, lo and behold, Joseph found favor here with the keeper of the prison.  Now I think he was naturally a very attractive young man and a man of tremendous ability.  I think that is true beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was a man of remarkable abilities.  But the important thing is all of that would have come to null had not God been with him.  And God was with this young man and God was leading him.  All of this is moving to the accomplishment of a purpose in this young man’s life.  

Now, Joseph recognized that!  And when he recognized that, that gave him a buoyancy, an attitude of optimism.  The circumstances did not get him down.  He lived on top of his circumstances.  I have a preacher friend of mine, and he tells me that my problem is the circumstances are all on top of me, and I never live on top of my circumstances.  Well, I’m of the opinion that that’s true to a certain extent.  I think many of us may be that way, but certainly this boy here is one that’s living on top of his circumstances.  And the LORD is with him, and he recognizes that the hand of God’s in his life.  And he never was discouraged.  They say, you know, that discouragement is one of the finest weapons that Satan has; discouragement and disappointment.  But this young man seems to have surmounted all of his circumstances.  And we find here the chastening of the LORD is grievous at the time, but it’s going to yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness in the life of this boy.  

Now the thing is that the story of Joseph reveals that every man does not have his price.  Satan says he does.  But there have been several men that Satan couldn’t buy.  Joseph was one.  Job was another.  Paul the Apostle was another.  These were men, and there have been many of them, that Satan can’t buy.  He certainly despises mankind.  

Poor ole Potiphar here, he’s the one to be pitied and not Joseph actually.  And it’s a good thing Joseph is out of that home for God’s moving in his life.  Was it the will of God for Joseph to be put in prison?  Well, it’s almost essential for him to be there.  We’re going to see that next time.