Preaching the Word
The "First Principle" podcasts which are numbered # are a great tool for believers to go over the essentials of the Christian Faith.
The "Mysteries of God's Word" podcasts are an indepth study of Scripture.
The other podcasts are sermons that have been given, some verse by verse and others topical.
It is my passion to be true to God and His Word. To preach in such a way that people can easily see the LORD as our Creator and as our Redeemer. To understand that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever even as we live in a world that is continually changing. Salvation is and has always been through faith alone in the Messiah alone. His name is Jesus the Christ; there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Preaching the Word
Genesis 39 - Joseph's Eduring Faith and Integrity - The Mysteries of God's Word
Discover the enduring power of faith and integrity through the incredible journey of Joseph in the Book of Genesis. How does one maintain unwavering trust in divine providence while facing betrayal, false accusations, and imprisonment? This episode promises to uncover the profound lessons embedded in Joseph’s story, exploring his rise to prominence in Egypt despite being sold into slavery and encountering intense temptation from Potiphar's wife. Experience the transformative power of steadfast faith as we examine Joseph’s ability to thrive under adversity, turning challenges into opportunities for growth and favor.
Join me on Mysteries of God's Word as we journey through Joseph's trials and triumphs, highlighting his moral courage and the divine favor that follows those who remain true to their principles. From prospering in Potiphar's household to finding favor in prison, Joseph's tale is a testament to resilience and trust in the Lord. Reflect on the profound implications of his story for our own lives, and prepare for an enlightening continuation in two weeks as we explore Genesis chapter 40, where Joseph's gift of dream interpretation sets the stage for further revelations in his extraordinary narrative.
Email: nathan@nathandietsche.com
Grace and peace to you from God, our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Welcome again to another Mysteries of God's Word. I want to apologize to those of you who follow me regularly and were anticipating this podcast. Last Tuesday, unfortunately, I came down with a very severe flu bug and was out for over three days, so I was unable to get this out. Today is friday of that week and my voice is just recovered, so I'll be putting this out on tuesday of this upcoming week. And as long as I'm mentioning this, I want to give a shout out to some of you who have followed me for so long. Now, while I can't see everybody who listens to my podcast, I can see when somebody downloads a podcast, and I've had someone from Frankfurt, germany, downloading my podcast every week for over a year. And also I want to give a shout out to Charleston, west Virginia. There seems to be a group of people down there, one in particular, who's keeping tabs to download the moment my podcast comes out. And thank all of you who have been following me and downloading and listening. It is a great encouragement to me to see all of your participation, especially those of you who are so faithful to do it every week. With that said, I also want to mention that after this podcast comes out, we will also be skipping a week of putting our podcast out, because I will be on vacation with my wife and then we'll come out with a podcast again on March 3rd.
Speaker 1:Now on to Genesis, chapter 39, joseph and Potiphar's wife, beginning at verse 1. Now, joseph had been brought down to Egypt and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. The Lord was with Joseph and he became a successful man and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hand. Here in our first three verses, we're reminded again in verse 1, how Joseph was brought down to Egypt. This first verse is essentially a restatement of Genesis, chapter 37, verse 36, linking these two chapters together and picking up the narrative of Joseph being sold into slavery. After we just read about Judah and Tamar Again, just to get our minds around the characters that are being spoken about here, the Israelites who had brought Joseph down into Egypt to sell him were a group of nomadic Arabians that had formed a caravan for trade.
Speaker 1:Potiphar, again, is a high-ranking officer in Egypt. He is the captain of the guard we're told here. We know through this chapter and the next, he is responsible for the imprisonment of senior members of Pharaoh's staff and therefore has oversight of a prison which appears to be at his home. Furthermore, potiphar is more of a title than a name, and it means the one whom the God Ra has given. Now we see in verses 2 and 3 that the Lord is with Joseph and he becomes successful. He's in the house of Potiphar and, as the Lord is with him, despite the fact that he's sold into slavery, he's been betrayed by his brothers, he clearly has trust in the Lord and he becomes successful and prospers in spite of all of this opposition by those who should love him. And he became prosperous in the house of his master, potiphar. And Potiphar saw it. Potiphar saw how the Lord was with Joseph and everything that he did was successful, picking up in verse 4,. So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. From the time that he made him overseer of his house and over all that he had. The Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake. The blessing of the Lord was on all that he had in the house and the field. So he left all that he had in Joseph's church and because of him.
Speaker 1:Here, in verses 4 through 6, we are again reminded of how we were told by Jacob's father that Joseph had an old head on a young body. Joseph's maturity at such a young age is shown by how responsible he is and how he is able to care for the estate of Potiphar. Eventually, potiphar continued to give Joseph more and more responsibility until he trusted him so fully he put Joseph in charge of the entire estate. Now, surely we are told that the Lord was with him and caused all that he did to succeed both in the house and in the field for Potiphar. So Joseph's success wasn't his own diligence, but nevertheless we must not discount how Joseph continued to trust in the Lord and use the gifts that God had given him to benefit those around him, no matter where he was. And because he did it and because he trusted the Lord, no matter what his circumstance, the Lord prospered him. And we read that Potiphar left all that he had in Joseph's charge and because of him, he had no concern about anything but the food he ate. That's a statement showing that Potiphar placed everything so completely under the care of Joseph that his only concern was what his next meal would be. Joseph completely cared for his master Potiphar and everything that he had. And we also read Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.
Speaker 1:That phrase, form and appearance, was also used back in Genesis 29-17 to describe how Rachel was so beautiful. The word form refers to the figure, the face, the physical present. The word for appearance refers to how people commonly see the person. So Joseph was handsome in his physical presence, and people saw him as handsome when they would look upon him, picking up in verse 7,. And after a time, his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said Lie with me. But he refused and said to his master's wife Behold, because of me, my master has no concern about anything in his house and he has put everything that he has in my charge. He is not greater in this house than I am. He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then, can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her. In verse 7, we see that the wife of Potiphar cast her eyes on Joseph.
Speaker 1:Egyptian women were not kept in seclusion, as some women today in the Orient are, but in fact they were given a great deal of freedom, so much so that they became dangerously shackled to sin. As is commonly the case when people are given freedom without good moral boundaries, it encourages pride in their own choices with bad morals. Egyptian women were known for their intrigues with sexual affairs and drunkenness. Many of the monuments in Egypt attest to how the sexuality of women was idolized, and they also speak of their love of licentiousness. From what we know of history, the actions of Potiphar's wife would not be uncommon for a woman of her rank.
Speaker 1:It's also interesting that the eyes of Potiphar's wife only fall on Joseph after he has gained the full trust of Potiphar and now prominence over the entire household. And Potiphar's wife asks Joseph to lie with her, but Joseph refused. And amongst the things he tells her, I think the most prominent is he says how can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? And we see in that statement that while the eyes of Potiphar's wife were on Joseph, joseph's eyes were on the Lord. Joseph was not simply following an ethical code, but he desired to walk with God, the God who had given him his dreams, the God of his fathers, given him his dreams, the God of his fathers, abraham, isaac and Jacob. Joseph resists the advances of this Egyptian woman, even trying to reason with her by telling her how her husband trusts him with the entire estate and her husband is gracious towards him giving him whatever he desires. But she is his wife and that is a sacred relationship not to be touched.
Speaker 1:Joseph's stand here on personal purity stands in contrast to the story we just read in the last chapter of Judah and Tamar, showing how Joseph trusted in God's design for marriage while his brother did not. This exemplifies that, even though Judah will be the physical seed through whom the Messiah will come, joseph is the chosen seed of God through faith in this generation. We also see that this wasn't just a one-time temptation that Potiphar's wife put before Joseph. It says she spoke to Joseph day after day. The temptation that Potiphar's wife put before Joseph was a constant flirtation and a temptation over many days, perhaps even weeks or months. She wouldn't just ask Joseph to be with her, but also just to come down and lie next to her. She saw Joseph as her servant and she has a goal of conquering him through her sexual proudness and she's not going to give up until she has her prize. But it says Joseph would not listen to her.
Speaker 1:Joseph saw this Egyptian woman's advances for what they were evil in the sight of God. He knew they would break the trust of his master and they would bring dishonor upon him, his master and even the woman wanting to be with him. And Joseph began to tune out this woman's evil words in his mind altogether, so that when she spoke he simply ignored her Picking up in verse 11,. But one day, when he went to the house to do his work and none of the men of the house were there in the house, she caught him by his garment saying Lie with me. But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house. And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house, she called to the men of the household and said to them See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me and I cried out with a loud voice. And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house. So back in verse 11, it says but one day.
Speaker 1:So, when it became abundantly clear to Potiphar's wife that her first approach of being flirtatious with Joseph was going nowhere, she changes her tactics and she's planning on ambushing him and forcing herself on him when nobody else is there, and then, when nobody else is in the house, she catches Joseph by the garment. In the house, she catches Joseph by the garment. Now, this Hebrew word for garment here could be translated clothes, robes or wardrobe. This is a description of Potiphar's wife taking hold of Joseph's primary clothing. Considering that Joseph was sold as a slave to her husband, she very likely believes he should obey her commands as well, including the command to lie with her. Her ambush, an attempt to force herself upon him, must at some level be frustration, not only that Joseph resists her sexuality as a woman, but also that he denies her authority over him as a slave. She grabs at his garment and demands that he sleep with her. But in truth, her actions have the reflections of the wayward wife described in Proverbs 7, 13-19, which reads she seizes him and kisses him. And with bold face she says to him in Proverbs 7, 13-19, which reads she seizes him and kisses him. And with bold face she says to him I had to offer sacrifices and today I had to pay my vows. So now I have come out to meet you, to seek you eagerly, and I have found you. I have spread my couch with coverings and colored linens from Egyptian linen. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of love till morning. Let us delight ourselves with love, for my husband is not at home. He has gone on a long journey and so it is with Potiphar's wife.
Speaker 1:Joseph, essentially being attacked by Potiphar's wife as she is seizing his garment, realizes the situation he's in it, says he left his garment in her hand and he fled. That is a description of Potiphar's wife tearing Joseph's clothes right off of him as he flees, even willing to leave his primary clothing in her hands. Joseph's actions here are a lesson for every man to heed when sexual temptation comes at you full force, it's not a time to stand or to resist, it is a time to run. Joseph is a faithful example to all men of how we are to walk in personal purity before God. Just a few verses ago, when Potiphar's wife was asking Joseph to sleep with him, he shows us his faith in the ways of God by saying no, he did stand his ground and he resisted the temptation coming at him. But when the temptation turns full force and attempts to force him into immorality, joseph knows this is not a time to stand, this is a time to flee. Joseph teaches us here when somebody is attempting to trap you in immorality, the right thing to do is to flee the evil, even if it means you'll be accused later. Be the man of integrity.
Speaker 1:We also see in verse 14 that Potiphar's wife calls the men of the household. So wherever they were because they weren't in the house to begin with they must have been somewhere on the estate. So she calls them and summons them and she convinces them of her story. She uses the language that he has brought a Hebrew among us to laugh at us Now the use of Joseph's nationality, both here and when she later speaks to her husband, shows a contempt for the Hebrews. The Egyptians as a culture looked down on shepherds and in particular the Hebrews, because they both sacrificed and ate sheep, rams and cows, all of which were very sacred to the Egyptians, as the Egyptians saw them as part of their pagan worship of different gods. Therefore, the Egyptians thought the Hebrews were just ignorant, low-class people.
Speaker 1:Potiphar's wife, in her lying argument, states that she cried out with a loud voice, which seems very interesting because she has for many days, if not weeks and months, been pursuing Joseph and flirting with him, to the point of now tearing his clothes off his body. But she claims she's the victim of his lust. And then, of course we read she says he left his garment beside me and fled out of the house. Again, in an effort to cover her own lack of lust and self-control, she accuses Joseph of leaving his clothes beside her as he flees the house Verse 16,. Then she laid up his garments by her until his master came home and she told him the same story, saying the Hebrew servant whom you've brought among us came into me to laugh at me, but as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried. He left his garment beside me and fled out of the house. So after Potiphar's wife manipulates the household servants, she now arranges Joseph's garments in such a way as to incriminate him. And when Potiphar gets home, the scripture tells us that she tells him the same story as any good manipulator does they keep the lie together, telling the same lie over and over, again and again. She uses the derogatory phrase that Hebrew servant in a condescending way to show her husband that Joseph is unworthy to be given any respect or defense. In addition to shaming Joseph, she also shames her husband, potiphar, and says the one whom you brought among us. This woman knows effectively how to manipulate her husband, twisting the truth so that she gets what she wants.
Speaker 1:Verse 19. As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him this is the way your servant treated me His anger was kindled and Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined. And he was there in prison. And we see, potiphar's response to his wife was that his anger was kindled After being accused by his own wife of bringing a low life Hebrew servant into the house who tried to force himself onto her, potiphar becomes enraged.
Speaker 1:This is a sign of a man that doesn't think with his mind but rather thinks with his emotions. Certainly, potiphar knows the character of his wife and he's also seen Joseph give him nothing but loyalty and faithfulness. But Potiphar does not give Joseph any type of hearing, nor does he talk with him, but he simply throws him into prison. And he can do this because he is the captain of the guard who oversees the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined. This great man, who's held in high esteem in Egypt, who stood in the very pharaoh's court, is duped by his wife and in a rage of anger, he simply throws Joseph into one of his cells, picking up in verse 21,.
Speaker 1:But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph's charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed.
Speaker 1:Again, we see that, regardless of Joseph's circumstances. It does not stop the faith of Joseph. It says the Lord was with Joseph. The Lord continued to prosper Joseph even when he was thrown into prison and Joseph gained the favor of the prison guard. Joseph became so well thought of by the prison guard that the keeper of the prison started to have Joseph watch the other prisoners as well as tending the chores. And again, we are told the Lord made it succeed. The Lord was looking after Joseph in the prison and as Joseph has been faithful to acknowledge the Lord in his ways, the Lord is making Joseph's path straight. Thank you for joining me this week. Join me in two weeks for chapter 40, where Joseph interprets two prisoners' dreams. God bless you this week.