Genesis 39 - 40
- Our last lesson took a side trip in looking at a portion of Judah's life.
- He was Jacob's 4th son.
- The purpose of the story was to explain the background of Jesus' genealogy from Jacob through Judah.
- In today's lesson the narrative goes back to the main story of Joseph, the 11th son of Jacob, and how he fared after being sold into slavery in Egypt.
- The last time we saw him he had been transported to Egypt and sold to a man named Potiphar who was the king's captain of guard and execution.
*Our chapter will begin to recount Joseph's experience in this new country and situation.
I. Ancient Egypt
- Egypt was already an old country by the time Joseph arrived there.
- It was a nation ruled by Pharaohs (meaning great house) who handed power down from generation to generation through family dynasties.
- Scholars do not know for sure which king ruled when Joseph was there (the Bible only refers to him as Pharaoh - the title).
- Some believe that it was the HYKSOS Dynasty because these rulers were foreign kings that had conquered Egypt and had a Semitic (from the family of Shem - Noah's son, Abraham's ancestor) blood.
- This explains the king's favorable treatment of Joseph and his family later on.
- In later centuries these dynasties were forced out of power and replaced by purely Egyptians kings which some suggest may explain why Joseph's ancestors were subsequently treated harshly.
- This done because the descendants of Joseph may have been seen as distant relatives of the foreign kings now expelled and replaced by Egyptian ones.
*Nevertheless, Joseph is in a pagan country that had very low moral standards and practiced polytheism (worship of many gods).
II. Joseph in Potiphar's house
vs. 1-6 (READ)
- Potiphar was captain and chief executioner.
- The word "officer" means eunuch
- It was common in those days to castrate high officials to prevent them from interfering in the king's harem or staging a military coup in order to begin a family dynasty of their own.
- Potiphar may have agreed to this to reach high office after marriage or his wife married him to reach a high social plateau without regard to his sexual limitations.
- This part also gives us a good physical and character description of Joseph (which the Bible doesn't usually do).
- Joseph was handsome and intelligent.
- He was a good administrator and trustworthy.
- He became successful and, as far as a slave could, because independent.
- He showed that he was a Godly, spiritual man.
- All of Joseph's good qualifications and good work were attributed to the presence of God in his life.
- The Egyptian was a pagan so the fact that he realized that God was blessing Joseph was because Joseph gave credit for his ability and success to God.
vs. 7-10 (READ)
- For reasons made a little clearer by the fact we know Potiphar was a eunuch, his wife became desirous of Joseph and tried to have sex with him.
- We see Joseph deal with the situation but in an ineffective way.
- He tries to reason with her by convincing her with the things that he is convinced with:
§ It would be hurtful to her husband who has been so good to him.
§ It would be a sin against God.
- Point here is that this woman doesn't care about what her husband feels (she is seducing a slave in his own house) and she is a pagan so arguments about God will have no effect on her.
- Joseph is probably being naïve here in thinking that reviewing his own reasons for avoiding sins will dissuade the one who is tempting him to sin.
- Sometimes this is just a stalling tactic we use just to hang around to take in the aroma of sin without taking a bite.
- Like Eve, we stand around reviewing why we shouldn't do something instead of being proactive and rebuking the temptation and the tempter.
- Of course he was in a bad position because telling his master might have gotten him killed.
- One thing he didn't do of course was to appeal to God for help at this point.
vs. 11-20 (READ)
- The seduction fails and the wife is angry and humiliated at being refused so she cries "Rape".
- The thrust of her attack however is not that she may have been sexually attacked, but that a foreigner had such power in the household and thought he could try something like this. (jealous of his influence)
- Note that Potiphar's anger is kindled but it doesn't say he was angry at Joseph.
- The fact that he wasn't killed and ultimately rose to prominence in the prison suggests that Potiphar may have been less angry about his wife's accusations and more annoyed in losing his right hand man.
- Had he been in a jealous rage, Joseph would have been a dead man; instead he was put in prison and still allowed a lot of freedom there.
- Doesn't minimize his suffering or the in justice, but it does explain why he wasn't executed.
vs. 21-23 (READ)
- Joseph demonstrates his great talents and the fact that God is blessing him.
- The Bible shows that even though Joseph was gifted, it was God's blessings that made him prosper, not just his abilities.
III. Joseph in prison - Ch. 40:1
vs. 1-4 (READ)
- These men were officers in the king's court:
- Cup bearer responsible for vineyards, wine and service. Also protect against poisoning.
- Baker responsible for food prep and service as well as protection.
- The fact that they were imprisoned and one subsequently executed may seem that they were involved in some sort of conspiracy (possibly assassination).
- While an investigation is pending to find out which one is really guilty, both were imprisoned.
- The fact that Joseph served and saw to their needs says that they were well treated while the investigation went on.
vs. 5-8 (READ)
- Joseph had much experience with dreams and was especially concerned regarding the dreams which they had which troubled them so much.
- He declares that God is the interpreter of dreams (because dreams are often about the future and God controls the future).
- From this we also learn that Joseph was aware of his own ability to interpret dreams given to him by God.
vs. 9-15 (READ)
- The butler's dream is interpreted as a sign that in three days he would be freed and restored.
- The fact that the branches gave grapes which he immediately presented to the king showed that there was no tampering with the wine before it got to the Pharaoh.
- The official is relieved and as a fellow innocent prisoner, Joseph asks him to use his influence to get him out of jail when he is released.
vs. 16-19 (READ)
- The baker, encouraged by the favorable interpretation of the butler reveals his dream to Joseph.
- His dream holds the clues to his downfall.
- There is no sequence where the preparation of the food and service to the king are linked without interruption.
- This suggests that anyone could have put the baked goods together.
- The fact that the birds come to eat some of the food says that the king did not get everything that was intended for him.
- The dream, if a reflection of the baker's work, showed that he failed to guarantee the purity of the food and failed to protect it from its source to its destination.
- Joseph interprets the dream and gives the bad news to the baker along with the fact that all of this will take place in three days.
- Here is where God's power is seen in his ability not just to give meaning to images but to be specific about future events.
vs. 20-23 (READ)
- The king's birthday along with the attending feast (birthday parties are an old custom) was an ideal opportunity to announce the results of his investigation.
- With all the servants present, the king could make a good object lesson about the consequences of disloyalty or poor service.
- The butler is restored and immediately takes up his former position, but the baker as Joseph predicted, is convicted and sentenced to die.
- This should have impressed the butler greatly but because of his new duties and perhaps the fear of competition from such a gifted man, he forgot about Joseph and his promise to him.
*In Gen. 41 we find out that another two years goes by as Joseph languishes in prison before the butler remembers him and speaks to the Pharaoh on his behalf.
-next week Joseph in Pharaoh's Court.
IV. Lessons
1. Your boss is watching you
- If you want to know what kind of Christian you are, ask your boss because he/she is always watching you.
- Joseph provided a tremendous witness for his faith to his slave masters because they in their role as taskmasters naturally observed not only what he did but how he did it.
- It should be quite evident to our superiors that we are Christians because of the quality of our work and our attitude.
- Bosses usually like to hire Christians because they know that there's something different and better in Christian employees - and they are blessed because of them.
*If you can't convince your boss that you're a Christian, you'll have a hard time convincing anyone else.
2. Run from temptation
- Joseph was young, cocky, ambitious and thought he could handle anything (he'd survived a kidnapping!)
- Satan is smarter and stronger than we are by ourselves - when you hear or see a poisonous snake, you don't tease it or play with it, you run away.
- Joseph couldn't run but he could've asked God for help, but he didn't and the evil of others overwhelmed him and hurt him.
- Sometimes we can avoid sin but we need help to avoid the schemes and attacks of others against us.
*A wise man runs away not only from personal temptation, but runs away from the appearance and the occasion of sin so that he can avoid it touching him - even indirectly.
3. God is a slow cook
- The best food is usually cooked slowly to preserve the flavor and not burn or dry up the ingredients.
- God is a slow cook because He takes all the time necessary to prepare people for certain works, service, ministry.
- Joseph was 17 when sold into slavery; he was 30 yrs old when made the head of Pharaoh's courts.
- Thirteen years as a slave in Potiphar's house and prison.
- It may have seemed like wasted time for this young, intelligent, talented man to spend 13 years as a slave and a prisoner.
- But if your life is dedicated to God and His service, there is no wasted time, He uses every moment to either:
- Perfect your holy character
- Prepare you for a specific ministry
- Point you towards a person
*God gives back the wasted years here, promises unlimited time in heaven if we submit our time to Him and His purpose.