DAY TWELVE: 

Joseph: Prison and a Promotion 

Genesis 39:1-41:57

Yesterday we saw Joseph on his way to Egypt where slavery awaited him. His brothers carried his blood-stained coat to their father Jacob, who took the news of his favorite son's death very hard. We're ready to see what happened to Joseph in Egypt. But you'll notice that we've skipped chapter 38 and I'd like to fill in that gap before we proceed.

Chapter 38 tells the sordid life of Judah, Jacob's fourth son. Judah's firstborn, Er, married a woman named Tamar. Er was so evil that the Lord killed him! Er hadn't fathered an heir, so it fell to his brother Onan to marry Tamar and produce an heir for his dead brother. Er wasn't crazy about this because a son with Tamar would be considered his brother's son and would inherit Er's birthright (a double portion of Judah's estate). If Er has no heir, Onan will get the birthright. So Onan refuses to impregnate Tamar and God kills him! Judah has one more son, Shelah, but he's just a boy. Judah is also leery of giving his last son to this "black widow" Tamar. He told her to go back to her father's home to live until Shelah was old enough to marry her. The years went by and Shelah grew up, but Judah didn't send for Tamar. It looked like Tamar would grow old and die as a childless widow in her father's house. She wasn't about to let that happen. She posed as a prostitute and seduced the recently-widowed Judah and became pregnant by him. When Judah found out he was furious at Tamar's harlotry and demanded that she be executed. She presented proof that Judah was the father and he was duly chastened. Tamar bore twin boys, Perez and Zerah. Judah was both father and grandfather to these boys. We read Perez's name in the genealogies of Jesus. Jesus had a few skeletons in His family closet! But that shows us how God can use imperfect people to achieve His perfect will. 

Now on to Joseph. Such a handsome specimen didn't sit for long in the slave market. Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh's bodyguard, bought him and put him to work with his household staff. Verse three says, "His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands." Even though he was ripped from his father and all that he knew, the Lord was with Joseph in Egypt. He was there to help and bless him. And Joseph served the Lord by serving Potiphar faithfully and ably. Potiphar noticed Joseph's abilities and put him in charge of everything he had. He didn't have to worry about a thing with Joseph in charge. Potiphar also prospered because the Lord was with Joseph.

"Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance." The same thing is said of his mother Rachel in Genesis 29:17. Joseph was a looker, and Potiphar's wife noticed him. She flirted with Joseph, and when he ignored her subtle advances she came right out and said "Lie with me." Her invitation was tempting. Potiphar hadn't provided a wife for his young servant as he should have. And who would know? Potiphar is always away on Pharaoh's business. But Joseph said he couldn't betray his master's trust. More than that, "How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" To commit adultery with his master's wife would be a sin before the God who was with him and who had shown him such favor. She wouldn't take no for an answer and kept after him day after day. Finally she grabbed hold of Joseph's cloak to pull him onto her bed. Joseph slipped out of it and ran from the room. Potiphar's wife screamed rape and told her husband when he returned. Normally a slave would be put to death on the spot for something like this. But Potiphar knew both his wife and Joseph. He knew each one's character. He trusted Joseph and didn't trust his wife. But if the story got out it would embarrass Potiphar and possibly damage his standing in Pharaoh's court. So he sent Joseph to the royal prison. How unjust! Joseph didn't do anything but serve his master faithfully, and now he's sitting in jail.

You would think that Joseph seethed in bitterness. But he didn't. He set about serving the warden just has he had his master. Soon the warden saw that everything prospered under Joseph's management and before long he gave this prisoner charge of the prison. One day two new prisoners arrived, the royal baker and the king's personal butler. Both had offended Pharaoh in some way and were sent to jail until he decided their fate. These men both had vivid dreams that haunted them the next morning. They told them to Joseph, who by the grace of God was able to interpret them. The butler's dream meant that in three days he would be forgiven and restored to Pharaoh's service. The baker's dream, however, revealed that in three days he would be hanged! Joseph asked the butler to put in a good word with Pharaoh so that he could get out of prison. But the butler, not wishing to remind Pharaoh that he was in prison for a reason, didn't tell him about Joseph. Joseph languished in prison for two years after this.

Then Pharaoh himself had two very disturbing dreams the same night. In the first dream seven fat cows were devoured by seven gaunt, starving cows. In the second dream seven plump and full ears of grain were eaten by seven parched heads of grain. These dreams haunted Pharaoh, so he asked his wise men and magicians what it meant. They were unable to interpret the dream. At this point the butler spoke up and told about how Joseph had interpreted his dream and the baker's dream. Pharaoh sent for Joseph and after he had bathed and shaved he was brought into the palace. Pharaoh described his dream and God gave Joseph the interpretation. Both dreams carried the same message. Egypt would experience seven years of bumper crops, followed by seven years of severe famine. Joseph advised Pharaoh to find an able administrator to store one-fifth of the produce of the good years so that it will be available for the bad years. Pharaoh knew that he was looking right at just the man for the job. He took his signet ring off of his hand and gave it to Joseph. You're in charge! "without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt." Pharaoh gave Joseph a new name: Zaphenath-paneah, "one who reveals mysteries." He also gave Joseph the daughter of a priest for a wife. Joseph went right to work, organizing for the task that lie ahead.

What do we learn from Joseph's story to this point? First and foremost, God is always with us. Joseph had every reason to feel that God had abandoned him. His brothers sold him into slavery. Then his master's wife falsely accused him and he ended up in prison. The Lord was with Joseph through those dark days. He gave Joseph hope and gave him favor first with his master and then with his captor. Isaiah 43:1-2 says, "But now thus says the Lord,he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.'" God does not always, or even usually, spare us from hardships and trials. But He is always with us in the midst of them. The Lord was with Joseph, and He is with you and me!

Second, it's always right to do the right thing. God is always pleased when we obey Him even when it costs us something. Joseph could have given into his master's wife. Who would know? But he knew that God would know. He was right to flee from her enticements. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 says, "Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."

Third, God's work in our lives will eventually bear fruit if we will stay faithful to Him. Psalm 75:6-7 (KJV) says, "For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another." We must rest in Him and be faithful. James 4:10 says, "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you."

My final observation is that Joseph stands in contrast to his brothers. Reuben and Judah were sexually immoral. Simeon and Levi slaughtered all the men of Shechem. Jacob knew their characters and you see what he said about each of them in Genesis 49. But Joseph was a humble servant of God who kept faith in all of the relationships of life. None of his brothers could have handled the opportunity that Pharaoh handed Joseph.

That's our dose of God's Word for today. We'll continue with the story of Joseph tomorrow. In the meantime I look forward to your comments and questions!