To be a great leader you need to be
trained. Joseph’s father, Jacob tried to
spare Joseph from responsibilities of work and treated him special. God knew Joseph could never be the kind of
leader God wanted until he learned to be a servant. God used sufferings and disciplines in
Joseph’s life to prepare him to become the second ruler over all of Egypt while
having a servant’s heart.
Genesis 39
– The Faithfulness of Joseph
After Joseph’s brothers sold him to a caravan of Midianites. He was bought by Potiphar who was one of the Pharaoh’s officials and brought to Egypt as a slave, but God hadn’t abandoned Joseph. God’s divine plan positioned Joseph in Potiphar’s house. There Potiphar realized that the Lord was with Joseph. He saw that Joseph had many skills, was responsible and capable. Everything he did was successful so he was given authority over everything in Potiphar’s house. God’s promise to Abraham was happening. ”I will bless those who bless you….” – Gen. 12:3.
If you want to be great in God’s kingdom, learn to be the servant of all (Matt. 20:26). Jesus has many titles, but one of the most meaningful is Servant of the Lord (Matt. 12:18). By choosing to be a servant for God you will see many blessings. Joseph was a servant and a slave, but free. His brothers were free, but slaves to their secrets, lies, shame, and guilt.
Potiphar trusted Joseph. Joseph also impressed Potiphar’s wife. He was well-build and handsome and she wanted to sleep with him. Remember Joseph was a slave and slaves had little choice in the something their masters wanted, but Joseph knew God does not permit such behavior. She tempted him day after day, but refused her. She became very angry. On day she lied and said he tried to rape her. Instead of Potiphar putting Joseph to death, he put him in prison probably because he really didn’t believe his wife. He knew what kind or person she was and what kind of man Joseph was.
Joseph, like Jesus, didn’t defend himself. Instead he suffered for someone else’s sin. Jesus resisted all temptation and was punished for the sins others. He is our example and hope when we fall into temptation.
This story of Joseph and the Potiphar’s wife sounds like a soap opera. Obviously, this story is intended to teach us the importance of fleeing sexual immorality. Joseph is proof that we can be morally pure in a polluted world.
How can we resist the temptation to sin? Be like Joseph. Be aware of your situation and where you are vulnerable. Be aware of how temptation works. Make a commitment to purity and integrity in all of life. Be focused on your responsibilities and not on your own needs. Then when tempted, run!
The enemy loves to temp God’s people. He lives to temp those who say they love God. That was Joseph. Temptation is to be refused. We are to flee or run from it. We all have temptations day after day just like Joseph. Our temptations may not be sexual in nature, but they are temptations. “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.“ – 1 Cor. 10:13. God provided Joseph a way to escape as He does for all of us, but it’s up to us to take it.
Again Joseph got what he didn’t deserve. He was sent to prison. God had blessed him in the pit and as a slave and God continued to bless him in prison. Nothing could change God’s plan for Joseph’s life. God was with him and caused the prison guard to like Joseph. The prison guard put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners.
Lessons from Genesis 39:
Through the discipline of service Joseph proved to be faithful in the small things so that God could promote him to greater things.
Principle: God uses suffering and discipline to prepare us for great things.
Genesis 40
– The Cupbearer and the Baker
The king’s cupbearer and baker had offended the king so they were put in prison where they met Joseph. (A cupbearer is the wine taster for the king.) Joseph saw that they were sad and depressed. It was not being in prison that made them sad, but their dreams. God can always find a way to trouble the sinner’s spirit. Joseph was not consumed with anger, bitterness or self-pity because he was in prison. Prison didn’t stop him from serving people. He was kind and compassionate and saw that they were clearly disturbed by their dreams and he desired to interpret them. This shows the heart of Joseph.
They asked if there was anyone who could interpret their dreams. Joseph reminded them that the interpretations of dreams belong to God and they should tell their dreams to Joseph. His eagerness to hear and interpret the dreams reveals Joseph’s trust in God and confidence of His love and care for him. The cupbearer’s eagerness shows that he sensed God’s closeness to Joseph. When you live a holy life, others notice.
Joseph interpreted the cupbearer’s dream telling him he would be found innocent and would be restored to his office in three days. He asked the cupbearer to remember him and show him kindness so he could get out of prison. Joseph interpreted the baker’s dream telling him he would be found guilty and in three days and Pharaoh would cut off his head.
The dreams came to pass just a Joseph had said. On the third day the baker’s head was cut off and the cupbearer was restored to his previous position in Pharaoh’s house. However, the cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him. He may have forgotten Joseph, but God never did.
Joseph was wronged again. Joseph was left in prison two more years. This must have been the darkest days of Joseph’s life, but this was part of God’s plan. The time had not come for Joseph to go back to Pharaoh’s house. We think that God works slowly and we become impatient, but God knows the best time for things to happen in our lives. He is in control and it will happen when He says it will.
The cupbearer may have been a terrible person, self-absorbed, or totally ungrateful by forgetting Joseph’s kindness. We blame the chief cupbearer’s ingratitude to Joseph, yet we ourselves act much more ungratefully to the Lord Jesus. We should never forget the sufferings, promises and love of our Redeemer.
Do you sometimes feel that God has forgotten you? The Lord will never leave you. Maybe you have left the Lord. If you have left the Lord, He is calling you back. He wants to forgive you, but you must first ask Him.
God used all those years preparing Joseph to be content regardless of what was going on around him. God’s presence in our suffering purifies us. If your hope is in God, you will not be focused on self-pity, but on serving Him by serving others like Joseph did. Our disappointments take away hope in ourselves and in others. The only thing left is hope in God. He uses our disappointments so our only hope is in Him.
You may be experiencing a sour marriage, a rebellious child, a job loss, or a betrayal of friend. Let’s be real. People disappoint us in many ways and even mistreat us. They can be selfish and uncaring. You can grow bitter and angry and blame them for your problems of you can trust the sovereign God and rejoice in His grace toward you. They will stand before God for how they’ve treated you and you will give an account for your attitude and response to them. So be loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, and kind.
We see a foreshadowing of the mission of Jesus. Through his own death and resurrection on the third day, the same day the cupbearer was restored to his position, Jesus came to set the captives free from their prison. He set people free from the prison of the curse of sin and death. Joseph shows us Jesus with a message from God. He brings life or death. Joseph’s words rescued one prisoner and not the other. Jesus’ words brings a message that rescues all.
Join me here next week for the next chapter in Genesis. -- I encourage you to trust in Jesus.
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