Monday, March 26, 2012

The Faithfulness of God: Genesis 41:1-57


We continue today in this series entitled, “The Certainty of Providence,” and the big idea that we are trying to establish in our hearts is how we can be certain that God works all things together for our good and His glory.  In Genesis 41, we see God’s providence begin to unfold as Pharaoh promotes Joseph from the prison to the palace.  What we learn from the chapter is that God is faithful to vindicate the suffering of His servants in His time and that His providence will be seen in our lives if we will wait on Him.  Today I would like you to consider three reasons that we should wait on God:

I.     God is Faithful in His Timing (41:1-13)

[41:1] After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile, [2] and behold, there came up out of the Nile seven cows attractive and plump, and they fed in the reed grass. [3] And behold, seven other cows, ugly and thin, came up out of the Nile after them, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile. [4] And the ugly, thin cows ate up the seven attractive, plump cows. And Pharaoh awoke. [5] And he fell asleep and dreamed a second time. And behold, seven ears of grain, plump and good, were growing on one stalk. [6] And behold, after them sprouted seven ears, thin and blighted by the east wind. [7] And the thin ears swallowed up the seven plump, full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream. [8] So in the morning his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was none who could interpret them to Pharaoh.
[9] Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “I remember my offenses today. [10] When Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, [11] we dreamed on the same night, he and I, each having a dream with its own interpretation. [12] A young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. When we told him, he interpreted our dreams to us, giving an interpretation to each man according to his dream. [13] And as he interpreted to us, so it came about. I was restored to my office, and the baker was hanged.” (Genesis 41:1-13 ESV)

Let’s review for just a second.  Joseph has been kidnapped and sold as a slave by his own brothers.  As a slave in Egypt, Joseph honored God by resisting temptation and for that God-honoring obedience, was falsely charged and thrown into an Egyptian prison.  In that prison, he met a person who could potentially do something about his situation, but this person completely forgot about Joseph.  He has now spent two long, silent years in prison and it does seem on the surface that everyone has forgotten about Joseph, even God. 

It is in this chapter that we begin to see that God has not forgotten about Joseph.  What has looked like one bad break after another turns out to be the providential working of God.  We see a “checkmate” of sorts culminate in this chapter.  God has Joseph in exactly the right place at exactly the right time.  God gives Pharaoh this pair of dreams at exactly the right time.  God causes the cupbearer to remember Joseph at exactly the right time.  It’s like a game of chess that you think you are winning when suddenly your opponent moves a single piece and says, “Checkmate!” 

We are encouraged yet again to remember that God is always faithful in His timing.  He is working His perfect plan in His perfect time.  That’s part of what providence means.  In the end, only God is sovereign.  Joseph is not ultimately the victim of his brother’s betrayal, of Potiphar’s anger, of the cupbearer’s indifference, or even the rule of Pharaoh (Prov. 21:1).  In the end, Joseph is only a victim of the providential working of a faithful God. 

The question for us is that same as it was for Joseph: can we wait on God?  In John Calvin’s commentary on these verses, he wrote, “that nothing is more improper, than to prescribe the time in which God shall help us; since he purposely, for a long season, keeps his own people in anxious suspense, that by this very experiment, they may truly know what it is to trust Him.” [1] In the silence and uncertainty, God is trying to teach us to wait on Him and His timing.

II.   God is Faithful in His Revelation (41:14-36)

[14] Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they quickly brought him out of the pit. And when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh. [15] And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” [16] Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.” [17] Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Behold, in my dream I was standing on the banks of the Nile. [18] Seven cows, plump and attractive, came up out of the Nile and fed in the reed grass. [19] Seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and thin, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt. [20] And the thin, ugly cows ate up the first seven plump cows, [21] but when they had eaten them no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as ugly as at the beginning. Then I awoke. [22] I also saw in my dream seven ears growing on one stalk, full and good. [23] Seven ears, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprouted after them, [24] and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears. And I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”

[25] Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. [26] The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one. [27] The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind are also seven years of famine. [28] It is as I told Pharaoh; God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do. [29] There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt, [30] but after them there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will consume the land, [31] and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of the famine that will follow, for it will be very severe. [32] And the doubling of Pharaoh's dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about. [33] Now therefore let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. [34] Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plentiful years. [35] And let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. [36] That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine.” (Genesis 41:14-36 ESV)

There are many things that are going on in this section, but the main idea is what God is revealing to Pharaoh through Joseph for the good of all.  And in God’s revelation, He is showing His mercy to Joseph and to Pharaoh through Joseph.  He is calling a pagan man who thinks he is god to trust Him and he will!  Pharaoh is going to act on faith in the God of Israel! 

Here we have two applications: in every circumstance God desires to reveal Himself to us and through us.  He wants us to learn that He is a God who reveals what His people need to know, when they need to know it.  He also wants us to view every circumstance as a platform from which to point others to Him because everyone needs Him, both prisoners and Pharaohs.

III.God is Faithful in His Provision (41:37-57)

[37] This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. [38] And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” [39] Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. [40] You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” [41] And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” [42] Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck. [43] And he made him ride in his second chariot. And they called out before him, “Bow the knee!” Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt. [44] Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” [45] And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphenath-paneah. And he gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On. So Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.

[46] Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt. [47] During the seven plentiful years the earth produced abundantly, [48] and he gathered up all the food of these seven years, which occurred in the land of Egypt, and put the food in the cities. He put in every city the food from the fields around it. [49] And Joseph stored up grain in great abundance, like the sand of the sea, until he ceased to measure it, for it could not be measured.

[50] Before the year of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph. Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore them to him. [51] Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father's house.” [52] The name of the second he called Ephraim, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

[53] The seven years of plenty that occurred in the land of Egypt came to an end, [54] and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. [55] When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do.”

[56] So when the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. [57] Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth. (Genesis 41:37-57 ESV)

Here we see God provide for Joseph and for the world through Joseph.  What we see God provide for Joseph is ultimately healing.  He restores him and makes him both forgetful and fruitful.  The names that Joseph gives to his two sons are Hebrew names that are praises to God. 

I think there is a twofold application here.  First, we need to see that God can and will heal our hearts if we will wait on Him.  He can cause us to forget our hardships and be fruitful in our affliction.

Friend, I don’t know your past, but I do know this: God can get you past your past.  Many people remember what they should forget and forget what they should remember.  God can make you forget what you need to forget.  But there is more!  God can also make you fruitful in your affliction.  He can make you rich in your poverty. 

Second, There is another provision we do not want to miss in this chapter.  God also provides food for the world and saves them from starving to death through Joseph.  Here the blessing of Abraham is seen on the nation of Egypt as well as the known world (Gen. 12:1-3).  We need to hear the call this passage gives us as the people of God.  We too are called to take the blessing of Abraham, which Galatians 3:8,16 says is Jesus Christ, to the world so they will be saved.  Jesus Christ is the ultimate revelation and provision of God that we must proclaim in our good times and bad times for the salvation of others.  

In the life of Joseph so far, we see this cycle of him being exalted and then humiliated.  He was exalted by his father and humiliated by his brothers.  He was exalted by Potiphar and humiliated by Potiphar’s wife.  He was exalted by the keeper of the prison and humiliated by the cupbearer.  Why?  It is because this is the pathway to maturity for all of God’s saints.  There are lessons and joys that we learn in trials that we don’t learn anywhere else.  1 Peter 5:6-7 says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” 

This was also the path of the One who is greater than Joseph, THE Suffering Servant.  He was His Father’s beloved Son and was also betrayed by His own for silver.  Like Joseph, He was tempted and did not sin.  Like Joseph, He was falsely accused and suffered His fate along with two other prisoners.  And just as the pit could not hold Joseph, the grave could not hold Jesus!  God raised Jesus Christ from the dead and exalted Him to the right hand of the throne.  And there is coming a day where, just as every knee in the known world had to bow to Joseph, every knee in the universe will bow to Jesus Christ and every tongue will confess that He is Lord (Phil.  2:10).  His is the ultimate story of providence and His salvation is infinitely greater than that which Joseph offered.  The salvation that Jesus offers is the forgiveness of your sins and eternal life with God forever.  But just as salvation from this famine came only through Joseph, this great, eternal salvation is offered only through Jesus.

So, here is the big idea again today: God is faithful to vindicate the suffering of His servants.  Sometimes He will do so in this life, and sometimes He will do so in the next.  But be certain of the truth that He will.  The question in our lap today is this: we will wait on God? 

[13] The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; [14] from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, [15] he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds. [16] The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. [17] The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue. [18] Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, [19] that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. [20] Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. [21] For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. [22] Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.  (Psalm 33:13-22 ESV)

[62:1] For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. [2] He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.  (Psalm 62:1-2 ESV)

[5] For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. [6] He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. [7] On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. [8] Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah  (Psalm 62:5-8 ESV)

[5] I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; [6] my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. [7] O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.  (Psalm 130:5-7 ESV)

[28] Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. [29] He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. [30] Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; [31] but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.  (Isaiah 40:28-31 ESV)


[1] John Calvin, Comm., 312

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Never Forgotten: Genesis 40:1-23

Have you ever felt forsaken or forgotten, like no one cared? You are not alone. Most of us have known what it is like to feel forgotten, forsaken, and mistreated at some point in our life. And if you haven’t, you need only to be patient!

Before we reach the end of Genesis 40, this is exactly how Joseph will be tempted to feel. This is a chapter where Joseph becomes completely forgotten by everyone, everyone but God. What we will learn in this chapter is that even when we have been mistreated and it seems that we have been completely forgotten and forsaken, God remains “with” His people.

By way of reminder, I want to repeat again the two explanations that God being “with” us meant last week. First, that God being with us means that He is not only there, but is active. He is at work for our good and His glory. Second, God’s being with us also means that He is there showing us “hesed” in the midst of what we are walking through. He is showing covenant loyalty, faithfulness, kindness, goodness, mercy, love, and compassion.[1]

The question that this chapter will answer for us is: how are we as the people of God supposed to express our hope and faith in God when we feel forsaken and forgotten?

I. In Our Suffering, We Express Our Faith in God by Looking Outward (40:1-19)

a. Serving Those Around Us (1-4)

[40:1] Some time after this, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord the king of Egypt. [2] And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, [3] and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined. [4] The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be with them, and he attended them. They continued for some time in custody.

In our trials, there is an incredible temptation to focus inwardly and think only of us. This is especially true when it seems that we have been forsaken and forgotten. We want to sit around licking our wounds and feeling sorry for ourselves. F. B. Meyer called this the “gratification of lonely sorrow.” Now that is an interesting statement, isn’t it? What is gratifying about lonely sorrow? Self-pity is, because it screams to the world, “What about ME? Stop and take notice!”

Joseph makes the most of his time in prison by serving others rather than feeling sorry for himself. We will see shortly that this was a genuine service and not just a job. Joseph cared about Pharaoh’s chief officers.

Learn something from this passage: every trial you experience will put others in your circle. They may have been there all along or they may become part of your circle as a result of your suffering, but you will find others around you. This is one of God’s ways of networking! The question is this: will you look outward or inward in your suffering? Will you look for ways to serve others that God has put in your circle in the midst of your suffering or will you crawl into the corner of your own pity party?

b. Pointing Those Around Us to God (5-8)

[5] And one night they both dreamed—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—each his own dream, and each dream with its own interpretation. [6] When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. [7] So he asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in custody in his master's house, “Why are your faces downcast today?” [8] They said to him, “We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.” (Genesis 40:5-8 ESV)

Here we see another aspect of what it means to have an outward focus in our suffering: pointing others to God. This is what Kent Hughes calls Joseph’s “God reflex.” When tempted, Joseph pointed Potiphar’s wife to God (39:9). When he gets opportunity with these prisoners, He points them to God. And he will do the same thing with Pharaoh too (41:16). Joseph’s words here remind us of Daniel’s in Daniel 2:28, where he seizes the opportunity to tell king Nebuchadnezzar that when there wasn’t a man in Babylon who could interpret the king’s dream, there was “a God in heaven” who could!

Joseph is pointing these prisoners to the only One who can help them in their plight and is doing so with great confidence. He knows his gifts and is ready, willing, and confident to use them to serve others as a way to point them to God.

c. Speaking the Truth in Love to Those Around Us (9-19)

[9] So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph and said to him, “In my dream there was a vine before me, [10] and on the vine there were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes. [11] Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup and placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand.” [12] Then Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days. [13] In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you shall place Pharaoh's cup in his hand as formerly, when you were his cupbearer. [14] Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. [15] For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.”

[16] When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream: there were three cake baskets on my head, [17] and in the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head.” [18] And Joseph answered and said, “This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days. [19] In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head—from you!—and hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat the flesh from you.” (Genesis 40:9-19 ESV)

The final way that we see Joseph looking outward in His suffering is in His speaking the truth to others around Him. In one case this meant encouragement; in the other it meant saying some truly hard things. How easy would it have been to make up something to tell the baker? Joseph tells him the truth. As Chuck Swindoll says, “He was not winning friends; He was representing God.”

Have you ever considered that we, like Joseph, have a message of good news and bad news to tell? The bad news is that we are all rebels before God and that there will literally be hell to pay. The good news is that God loves rebels and sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for them in their place and that they can be saved from God’s wrath by repenting and putting their faith in Jesus. Are you faithful to telling that news to others, even when it is hard?

Whom do you find in your circle of suffering? Church, God desires to showcase His all-satisfying worth in our suffering. He wants a watching world to learn that His steadfast love is better than life (Ps. 63:3). This is what an outward focus preaches to that watching world: that we are rich even in our suffering and are willing to share our treasure through serving and speaking.

II. In Our Suffering, We Express Our Faith in God by Looking Upward (40:8-23)

a. Hoping in God’s Truth (8-22)

[20] On the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, he made a feast for all his servants and lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. [21] He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand. [22] But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. [23] Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him. (Genesis 40:20-23 ESV)

There are two ways that this passage encourages us to look upward in faith, and the first way is to hope in the truth of God. The truth that I am speaking of is this truth of God’s being “with” us. We are to hope in the certainty of providence.

This pair of dreams in Genesis 40 is the second of three pairs of dreams in the Joseph story (Joseph’s, the prisoner’s, and Pharaoh’s). One can’t help but remember the first pair of dreams when they read these, and I think that we are meant to. These two dreams are meant to remind Joseph of his own two dreams and are a reminder to him that God is making good on the dreams He gave to Joseph through the dreams He is giving to others. Joseph can be certain that God will bring about his dreams just as he did the dreams of these two prisoners. God’s providence is certain.

So these dreams remind us that God is still “with” Joseph even when everyone else has forsaken and forgotten him. The way this chapter ends begs us to ask the question of whether or not God had forgotten Joseph too. He has not forgotten His servant. He is “with” him still. That is the truth that gives rise to hope in Joseph’s life and ours as well. God is always “with” us, working for us and showing steadfast love to us, even when we feel forsake and forgotten by everyone else. You are never forsaken or forgotten.

b. Hoping in God’s Timing (20-23)

The second way that we are encouraged to look upward in this chapter is by hoping in the timing of God. There is one very important difference between Joseph’s pair of dreams and the other two pair of dreams that we see in the Joseph story. The dreams of the prisoner’s and the dreams of Pharaoh both included a time frame for fulfillment. Joseph’s dreams included no such time frame. This is because God wants Joseph to trust Him and His timing in the fulfillment of his own dreams.

Consider this: had Joseph not been betrayed, he would not haven ended up in Egypt as a slave. Had he not ended up in Egypt as a slave, he would not have been falsely accused and imprisoned. Had he not been falsely accused and imprisoned, he would not have met the chief cupbearer. Had the chief cupbearer remembered Joseph and got him out, he would not have been waiting in prison when Pharaoh had his dreams of the coming famine and would not have been there to interpret them. And had he not been there to interpret those dreams, God’s people along with the rest of the known world would have starved to death.

Friend, God’s ways are not our ways. They are higher and they are better (Is. 55:8-9). God uses the suffering of Joseph to mold Joseph into a spiritual warrior, to save His people, and to save the nations.

Are you willing to hope not only in the truth of God but also the timing of God, even if it takes a while? Are you willing to trust Him? That is the most important issue in your life.

The reality is that you are never forsaken or forgotten by God in your suffering. On the contrary, you can be certain that God is “with” you. And one thing that He is doing is molding you into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ, so that you can be a showcase of His all-satisfying worth to a watching world. This is the message of 1 Peter 3:14-16: “But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.”

Consider also James 1:2-4: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

There is one who is greater than Joseph who can identify with feeling forsaken and forgotten. His name is Jesus Christ. As He hung on the cross, He cried out to His Father, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34) Jesus was forsaken so that we could know that we never would be. His work on the cross has paid for our sins and brought us near to God. And those who have been brought near will never be far again! Believe that. Breathe that. Walk in that truth. Never let go of the truth that God will never let go of you. And if you have never given your heart and your life to Jesus Christ, I invite you to come to Him today and embrace the God who will never leave you or forsake you. You will not find a love like that anywhere else in this universe.



[1] K. Lawson Younger, Jr., NIVAC: Judges & Ruth, 393

Sunday, March 11, 2012

The Providential Presence of God: Genesis 39:1-23

What does it mean to be successful? And what is the secret to being successful? We must always be careful to define success Biblically because there are times where prospering before God looks like failure to the world. And it is my assumption that many times we do not take God’s work of providence into account when we consider what a successful life would be.

I’d like you to think of God’s providential working in our lives is as a dance that God is inviting us to join Him in. Today we will see a man named Joseph join the God who is at work in this dance, and we will see that when we join God, His providential presence becomes the secret to true success in our lives. We find our deepest joy and greatest victory when we take His hand and join Him in this dance. And we take His hand by placing our faith in His providential presence at work for us.

I. The Providential Presence of God Prospers Us in Our Trials (38:1-6a, 20-23)

a. God with Us (1-6a):

[39:1] 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. [2] The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. [3] His master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. [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. [5] From the time that he made him overseer in 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 house and field. [6a] So he left all that he had in Joseph's charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate. (Genesis 39:1-6a ESV)

Joseph is prospering in a trial here. And the author of Genesis goes to great lengths to make sure we do not miss why Joseph is prospering: because “the Lord was with Joseph.” This is put forth as the reason that Joseph prospers: because God was “with” him. Notice that God’s being “with” Joseph doesn’t simply mean that He is there, but that He is there working. He is causing Joseph to succeed. He is giving Joseph favor in Potiphar’s sight. So when we read that “the LORD was with Joseph,” we need to understand that it is not just the presence of God being spoken of, but the providential presence of God being described. He is not simply there; He is there at work for His glory and Joseph’s good. It is a description of God’s active faithfulness to Joseph in particular and His people in general.

Let me also point out that this passage is not teaching what some call the “prosperity gospel.” The reason we can be certain that the “prosperity gospel” is not being taught here is because Joseph is a slave! Also, things don’t get better for Joseph in this chapter, but worse. He is suffering unjustly as this chapter begins and he is going to suffer even more unjustly before it is over.

[20] 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. [21] But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. [22] 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. [23] 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. (Genesis 39:20-23 ESV)

Joseph goes from being a slave to a being a prisoner! And where is God in all of this? Look at verse 21: “But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.” Catch this: Joseph is not protected from his circumstance; he is protected in his circumstances.

Now here we learn another thing that God being “with” Joseph means: that He is showing Joseph “steadfast love.” This is one of the most beautiful words in the Hebrew language: “hesed”. There is no English word that can adequately translate “hesed” because so much is wrapped up in that one word. It means covenant loyalty, faithfulness, kindness, goodness, mercy, love, and compassion.[1]

This is important to remember: when everything seems to go wrong, we can still be certain that God is showing “hesed” to His people. He is still keeping covenant. He is still being faithful. He is still being good. He is still showing steadfast love to us. This is ultimately what it means for God to be “with” us.

And know that if you belong to God, know that God is “with” you. Matthew 28:20: “And behold, I am WITH YOU ALWAYS, to the end of the age.” Hebrews 13:5-6: “Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will NEVER LEAVE YOU nor FORSAKE YOU.’ So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” Is this not the message of Romans 8:31-39, that nothing can separate us from the steadfast love of Jesus Christ? Our God is with us!

Also, don’t miss another thing that is at work here. He is thrown in to prison precisely where the “king’s prisoners were confined” (20). If you know the Joseph story, you know that Joseph is now one man away from Pharaoh. What looks like a set back is actually progress in God’s providential plan.

b. Us with God:

But we can’t stop here. We also need to see Joseph’s faithfulness in this account. This chapter shows us two ideas side by side: (1) God’s faithfulness to Joseph and (2) Joseph’s faithfulness to God. This is the dance of providence. What Joseph does is walk by faith in the God who is providentially “with” him. And in trials, Joseph shows us what walking by faith looks like: always making the most of our situation for God’s glory. Joseph believed that he was ultimately God’s slave and ultimately God’s prisoner, and he sought to bring God glory wherever he found himself. And hear me on this: you are only free to do that when you have rested your hopes in the promise that God is with you.

This is what it means for us to dance with God in this dance called providence: to walk by faith in the God who is with us and bring Him glory wherever we find ourselves. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” And as we walk by faith with our providential God , our testimony is to be a witness to those around us. Potiphar recognized that God was with Joseph. This Matthew 5:14-16 in action: [14] “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. [15] Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. [16] In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

So to sum this first point, we are saying that providence is a dance in which God is always with us, working for us, and showing steadfast love to us and that He is also asking us to take His hand and join Him on the dance floor. We do so by waling by faith in a way that brings Him glory and is a witness to the world around us. And when we take His hand, we find a prosperity that the world cannot take away in our trials.

II. The Providential Presence of God Protects Us in Our Temptations (38:6b-19)

[6b] Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. [7] And after a time his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.”

In this passage we meet the original “desperate housewife”! This “cougar” is on the prowl after Joseph!

[8] But he refused and said to his master's wife, “Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. [9] 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?” [10] And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her.

Sexual promiscuity was very common among slaves and their owners in this culture, which makes Joseph’s refusal all the more remarkable. Joseph refuses to sin here for three reasons. First, he views it as a sin against his master. Second, he views it as a sin against the sanctity of marriage. Joseph views marriage as sacred. Finally, and most importantly, he views it ultimately as a sin against God. The Bible teaches us that all sin is ultimately against God (Ps. 51:4). God sees and will judge all sin. Joseph not only understands this but also believes this. He fears God, which is actually another expression of His faith in God. Fear of God is an expression of faith in God to see and judge sin. But in spite of Joseph’s refusal, Potiphar’s wife does not stop her advancements toward Joseph.

[11] But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, [12] 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.

We also learn a great deal about the nature of temptation in this chapter, especially sexual temptation. Notice first that men are not the only people who struggle with sexual sin. Also, we see here how sexual sin begins with the eyes (7), and we are reminded to guard our own. And finally we learn from this passage that sometimes the best way to fight temptation is to flee from it (12). This is the command of 1 Corinthians 6:18: “Flee sexual immorality.” Paul instructed young Timothy to “flee youthful passions” (2 Tim. 2:22). If you meet a lion on a path, you don’t stand and fight, you run for your life! God promises us to always provide a way to escape temptation (1 Cor. 10:13) and sometimes that way is to run. And remember, that when we run from temptation, we are running to God!

[13] And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house, [14] she called to the men of her 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. [15] 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.” [16] Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home, [17] and she told him the same story, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to laugh at me. [18] But as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment beside me and fled out of the house.”

[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. [20] 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. (Genesis 39:6b-20 ESV)

Joseph ends up in prison, but let me say again that he is ultimately successful before God because he doesn’t fall to temptation. In the end, honoring God is all that ultimately matters. If God is pleased, we have been successful.

This passage does call us to develop such an esteem for the providential presence of God that we refuse to sin even when no one is looking and take drastic measures not to do so. It call us to walk by faith by fearing God. In our temptations, this is what it means to take God’s hand and join Him in the dance of providence. God’s providential presence is a fortress of protection when we are tempted if we will walk by faith. When you’re tempted to sin in times where it seems no one is looking, pray that God would cause you to (1) be aware of His presence and (2) both fear and savor His presence. Choose to believe that Christ is better than the empty pleasure offered by the sin in front of you.

Also, we need to walk by faith in the fact that God is able to help us in our temptations. The power of the gospel is power to help you have victory over sin. This doesn’t mean that you will be perfect. It doesn’t mean that you will not be sinless, but it does mean that you will sin less. It does mean that victory is there for the taking if you will lay hold of it by faith.

In closing, let’s do remember that even Joseph could not be a “Joseph” without the Lord’s being “with” him. So Joseph is a commendable example, but we need to go further and make the connection as to why he is such a commendable example: because God is providentially “with” him.

We need more than a good example. We need someone who can resist temptation for us. We need someone who can stand and defeat it rather than have to run from it. Jesus Christ in the only such person in history. He was tempted, He withstood, and just as Joseph’s victory earned him a prison cell, Jesus’ victory earned Himself a cross. But in dying on the cross, He won our ultimate victory. He stood, fought the lion and won. His is even our source of victory now when we trust Him and He is our substitute when we fail, and He becomes both by us placing faith in Him. I cannot over emphasize the importance of faith today. That is why this “dance” analogy is so important. You must see every trial and temptation as the hand of God extended to you, inviting you to join Him. Say “yes” to Him today.

God is with you! Settle this in your heart today. The issue is not if we will ever be tried or tempted. The issue is always if we will believe in, trust in, hope in, and depend upon the God who is with you when tried and tempted. Will you? When we trust God (when we walk by faith), we find that God becomes a rock and a fortress for us. At the end of it, we either trust Him or we don’t. Fear, worry, anxiety, etc. come from not trusting in God, from not walking by faith. Rather than freaking out and running from God, we are to run to Him and hide in Him. We are to take His hand and join Him in this dance of providence.



[1] K. Lawson Younger, Jr., NIVAC: Judges & Ruth, 393