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The Joseph Process: Potiphar's House
By Janine Scott-Lowe, MD
Genesis 39: 1-2, 4-5: Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there. The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered...Potiphar put him in charge of his household and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. From the time he put him in charge...the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph.
Joseph had been "rescued" from his pit, as his brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites who then brought him to Egypt. He was then sold ANOTHER time, this time to Potiphar, a high ranking official in Pharaoh's court. Purchasing Joseph turned out to be a BLESSING for Potiphar, as God's favor was on Joseph, and thus affected Potiphar's household and work as well. Potiphar enjoyed God's blessings and prosperity DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF A GODLY MAN IN HIS HOME.
I wonder if the environments where WE are also experience blessings because of OUR presence? Is the favor on our lives contained to us only, or also on those in our homes or even on our jobs? Gives us something to think about.
We must remember that, in Potiphar's House, Joseph is still NOT a free man, but a slave. Even in harsh or negative circumstances, God is STILL WITH HIM and continues to BLESS him and what he does. So it is with us as well. All may not be PERFECT in our lives, but we still have SO MUCH to be thankful for. Man may not be treating us well, but God IS STILL WITH US and BLESSES US, KEEPS US, PROVIDES FOR US, many times INSPITE OF US--Thank God!
Now, let's turn to Potiphar's wife. POTIPHAR sees Joseph's TALENT and his INFLUENCE in his household, while HIS WIFE sees Joseph's GOOD LOOKS. Genesis 39: 6-8 says that Joseph was WELL BUILT and HANDSOME, and after a while, his master's wife TOOK NOTICE OF HIM and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he refused. Here, Joseph is showing his INTEGRITY. In him saying "no" to Potiphar's wife, he wasn't just thinking about what he would have done to Potiphar, but moreso, the sin he would have committed against God. I wonder if Joseph realized that the favor and blessing he had on his life was not ultimately because of his own skill and talent, or even because of Potiphar's goodness to him, but was ultimately due to GOD'S goodness to him. Why should he do this wrong thing, and be disobedient to his God, who gave him so much? Another thing to notice is that Potiphar's wife didn't just ask him ONE time--no, "she spoke to him DAY AFTER DAY, but he refused to go to bed with her, OR EVEN BE WITH HER." (Smart man! Doesn't the Word say that we are even to avoid the APPEARANCE of evil---Help us Lord!)
Finally, after repeated rejections, Potiphar's wife is furious. She could no longer control herself and tried to grab Joseph and make him sleep with her, but he runs away (smart again!), leaving his cloak in her hand. She eventually lies on Joseph, claiming that he tried to rape her, infuriating her husband who then throws Joseph in prison.
Talk about an unfair turn of events! Here Joseph is, doing a great job for Potiphar, causing him to prosper because of the work that he did. Joseph stands in his integrity, rebuffing the advances of his master's wife, not one, but many times. But now, here is he, thrown into prison due to a false accusation, a lie told of something he did not do.
What do we way to this? It seems so unfair. Where's the justice in all of this? You know, I have no real answers here. This situation reminds me of times in my life when I may have done the right thing, but got back what I thought were wrong results. At these times, it seems as if God is no where to be found. But, I am learning to TRUST GOD even when I can't TRACE Him. Although I may not FEEL that He is with me, HE'S STILL THERE, and as I HOLD ON TO HIS WORD, I remember and know that He's GOING TO WORK OUT EVEN THESE SITUATIONS FOR MY GOOD. I have also learned that I DON'T have to fight back against the evil done towards me all the time. The Lord says that vengeance is HIS, HE will repay. I may not see it, but because God's Word says it, I know it is TRUE. During these confusing and trying times, our lesson is to KEEP TRUSTING GOD and KEEP DOING THE BEST WE KNOW TO DO, believing that He WILL WORK OUT the situation, and that RIGHT WILL COME OUT OF IT at some time.
That's what happens to Joseph, just not yet. Stay tuned for "The Prison."
God Bless!
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