Joseph in Potiphar’s House

The Story of Joseph Continues.

Promises and challenges for us taken from the story of Joseph.

Genesis 39:1-23 (NLT)
Joseph in Potiphar’s House
¹ When Joseph was taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelite traders, he was purchased by Potiphar, an Egyptian officer. Potiphar was captain of the guard for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.
² The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. ³ Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. ⁴ This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned. ⁵ From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. ⁶ So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat!
Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, ⁷ and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded.
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 do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.”
¹⁰ She kept putting pressure on Joseph 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 went in to do his work. ¹² She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, “Come on, sleep with me!” Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house.
¹³ When she saw that she was holding his cloak and he had fled, ¹⁴ she called out to her servants. Soon all the men came running. “Look!” she said. “My husband has brought this Hebrew slave here to make fools of us! He came into my room to rape me, but I screamed. ¹⁵ When he heard me scream, he ran outside and got away, but he left his cloak behind with me.”
¹⁶ She kept the cloak with her until her husband came home. ¹⁷ Then she told him her story. “That Hebrew slave you’ve brought into our house tried to come in and fool around with me,” she said. ¹⁸ “But when I screamed, he ran outside, leaving his cloak with me!”
Joseph Put in Prison
¹⁹ Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife’s story about how Joseph had treated her. ²⁰ So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held, and there he remained. ²¹ But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. ²² Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. ²³ The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The Lord was with him and caused everything he did to succeed.

Examine the Scriptures

Genesis 39:1-23 (NLT)
Joseph in Potiphar’s House
¹ When Joseph was taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelite traders, he was purchased by Potiphar, an Egyptian officer. Potiphar was captain of the guard for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.

A prominent court official and a high ranking officer in Egypt.

• God was positioning Joseph for the plans He (God) had in store for Joseph.

² The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. 

•  The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did.

 Deuteronomy 31:6 (NLT) A promise to Joshua and the people of Israel.
⁶ So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Hebrews 13:5 (NLT) The promise given to New Testament Christians.
⁵ … For God has said,
“I will never fail you.
I will never abandon you.”

• God said, “I will never abandon you.” (A promise given to New Testament Christians.)

 ³ Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. 

• Potiphar realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did.

• People are watching us. Set a good example for them in all you do.

Set a good example.

1 Timothy 4:12 (NLT)
¹² Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.

A challenge to us.

1 Peter 2:12(NLT)
¹² Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.

⁴ This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned. 

Application for us.

Ephesians 6:5-9 (NLT)
⁵ Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. ⁶ Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. ⁷ Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. ⁸ Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free.

 ⁵ From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. 

• The Lord blessed Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake.

Genesis 12:1-3 (NLT)
¹ The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. ² I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. ³ I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

⁶ So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat!

 With Joseph in charge, Potiphar didn’t worry about a thing – except what kind of food to eat.

 Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, ⁷ and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded.

Proverbs 7 addresses this sin.  Listen to the concluding verses of Proverbs 7.

Proverbs 7:24-27 (NLT)
²⁴ So listen to me, my sons,
and pay attention to my words.
²⁵ Don’t let your hearts stray away toward her.
Don’t wander down her wayward path.
²⁶ For she has been the ruin of many;
many men have been her victims.
²⁷ Her house is the road to the grave.
Her bedroom is the den of death.

A warning for Joseph and a warning for us.

1 Peter 5:8 (NLT)
⁸ Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

•  Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil.

 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 do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.”

Joseph recognized the seriousness of adultery,

Against his master

But more importantly, against God.

¹⁰ She kept putting pressure on Joseph 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 went in to do his work. ¹² She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, “Come on, sleep with me!” Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house.

Teachings in the New Testament.

1 Corinthians 6:18 (NLT)
¹⁸ Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body.

2 Timothy 2:22 (NLT)
²² Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.

• Run from sin.

¹³ When she saw that she was holding his cloak and he had fled, ¹⁴ she called out to her servants. Soon all the men came running. “Look!” she said. “My husband has brought this Hebrew slave here to make fools of us! He came into my room to rape me, but I screamed. ¹⁵ When he heard me scream, he ran outside and got away, but he left his cloak behind with me.”

• Potiphar’s wife shifted the blame onto her husband for bringing the Hebrew slave into their home.

¹⁶ She kept the cloak with her until her husband came home. ¹⁷ Then she told him her story. “That Hebrew slave you’ve brought into our house tried to come in and fool around with me,” she said.  

¹⁸ “But when I screamed, he ran outside, leaving his cloak with me!”

Joseph Put in Prison
¹⁹ Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife’s story about how Joseph had treated her. ²⁰ So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held, and there he remained. 

• Based on false accusations, Joseph was deemed guilty and imprisoned.

²¹ But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. 

• God never promised that life would be easy, but He did promise we would never be alone.

Psalm 34:17 (NLT)
¹⁷ The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.
He rescues them from all their troubles.

 Psalm 145:18-19 (NLT)
¹⁸ The Lord is close to all who call on him,
yes, to all who call on him in truth.
¹⁹ He grants the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cries for help and rescues them.

Psalm 46:1 (NLT)
¹ God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.

Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)
¹⁰ Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NLT)
³ But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.

1 Peter 5:10 (NLT)
¹⁰ In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.

 And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. ²² Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. ²³ The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The Lord was with him and caused everything he did to succeed.

With Joseph in charge, the prison warden had no worries.

• The Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love.  The Lord caused everything he did to succeed.

To Be Continued