Genesis 39:1-23

February 5, 2017

Lord’s Day Worship

Sean Higgins

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The sermon starts at 17:55 in the audio file.

Or, Joseph’s Favor in the Sight of His Lord

Genesis 39 may be the most well known and most often referenced story in Genesis, certainly in the last half of the book. It has made-for-television type drama. The protagonist is far away from home, alone and in unfavorable circumstances until he works his way up into recognition and esteem. Also, it doesn’t hurt ratings that he is a hunk. The antagonist is also a stock character, the bored woman with a busy husband. She is one of the real housewives of Egypt. The conflict comes from her repeated attempts to seduce him and his resolute resistance. But heaven help the target of a scorned woman. Soon the honest hero suffers genuine consequences of false accusations and falls to a position worse than where he started.

While this narrative would indeed draw millions of soap opera viewers, and while it has produced perhaps millions of Sunday School lessons about resisting temptation, I’ve not yet mentioned the main point of the chapter, nor would that point probably be portrayed in a performance. The point of this story is not so much Joseph’s successes or his righteousness but rather the LORD’s providence. The point is less about Joseph’s plight and more about the LORD’s purpose. From the human perspective we appreciate Joseph’s industry and integrity and tenacity, as well as his doubts and discouragement; he must have wondered, “Is this how my sheaf is supposed to stand so tall?” From the divine perspective, which Joseph doesn’t get to see until afterward, we marvel at the LORD’s presence and blessing and plot to save all Israel’s family.

There are three scenes in chapter 39, blessing and promotion in a difficult situation (verses 1-6), temptation and accusation in a tricky situation (verses 7-20), and imprisonment and success in an unlikely situation (verses 21-23).

Blessing and Promotion (verses 1-6)

The account of Judah and Tamar interrupted the report about Joseph. The events in Genesis 38 took place over twenty-plus years, years that overlap with Joseph’s exile in Egypt. We knew that Joseph’s brothers sold him to Midianite traders who then sold Joseph in Egypt (Genesis 37:36), and Genesis 39 takes us back in time to pick up the story.

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. Joseph became the property of a man in charge of soldiers and slaves. This was a man Pharaoh trusted to get things done, and probably not due to his charm.

The most important part of the chapter is in verse 2, and it is repeated in the final scene of the chapter as well in verse 21. The LORD was with Joseph. The LORD promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that He would be with them, but Joseph had not received such a direct word. It is uncertain how and when Joseph perceived the LORD’s presence. In fact, it is likely that Joseph didn’t “feel” like it was true, at least not in every moment. The reason Moses points it out is because first, being sold into slavery was not a sign that God had abandoned Joseph and second, the successes of Joseph were owed to the LORD. When the situation isn’t good we think He’s gone, when the situation is good we think we did it. Both are wrongheaded.

The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. Potiphar was a “man of Egypt,” Joseph is a “man of success.” It’s unlikely that Joseph started in the house but rather in the fields. Moses doesn’t say in what ways Joseph was successful, but his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. Joseph must have talked about his God, which is sort of surprising since it would not earn him sympathy with the Egyp[...]