Genesis 37:36 Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard.
Joseph could’ve been sold to someone obscure but, in the providence of God, he was sold to one of Pharaoh’s officials, so he could be groomed for higher service. If Joseph was going to be in charge of Egypt, he’d have to learn how government works, how leadership behaves, and how to handle responsibility. Joseph learned quickly, and handled himself so well, that he was soon in charge of Potiphar’s entire estate. With Joseph in charge, Potiphar didn’t have to worry about a thing, except what to have for dinner (Genesis 39:6).
*****
Genesis 38:1 At that time, Judah left his brothers and went down to stay with a man of Adullam named Hirah.
We’re not told why Judah left his brothers, at this time, but it may have been due to their sin against Joseph. Their mutual secret would’ve weighed on their consciences and poisoned their relationships. Sin creates disharmony, and Judah wanted to get away. We can’t do evil to others without doing it to ourselves.
Genesis 38:2 Judah met the daughter of a Canaanite man.
Together they had three sons, and the oldest married a woman named Tamar. He died young, however, so Tamar married Judah’s second son. He also died young, so Judah offered Tamar his third son as soon as he grew up. But Judah was afraid his third son would also die young, so he didn’t fulfill his pledge.
This put Tamar in a difficult position. She was twice a widow, and without any children. Her prospects for marriage were poor, and she’d have no one to take care of her when she was old. In a culture that prized motherhood, her situation was bleak. So Tamar took action.
She veiled her face and went to a place known for prostitution. Judah came by, but he didn’t recognize her, and bought her service in exchange for a goat. He didn’t have a goat with him, however, so he gave Tamar his seal and staff as a pledge. This is how Tamar became pregnant by her father-in-law—on purpose—to secure his financial support.
Genesis 38:24 About three months later Judah was told, Your daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of prostitution, and as a result she is now pregnant. Judah said, Bring her out and have her burned to death!
Judah’s double standard is regrettable, but many condemn others for sin they allow themselves. Judah was ashamed when Tamar produced his seal and staff, proving that he was the one who made her pregnant. She later gave birth to twins, and all four are mentioned in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:3).
Here we see the kind of people God sent his Son to save--not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy (Titus 3:5), wrote Paul. God used the unseemly union of Judah and Tamar to bring his Son into the world. We should never do evil that good may result (Romans 3:8), but nothing is so evil that God can’t use it for good (Romans 8:28).
*****
Genesis 39:5 [T]he Lord blessed the household of [Potiphar] because of Joseph.
It wasn’t because Potiphar prayed and obeyed that his household was being blessed, but because of Joseph. Joseph may’ve been the only person in Potiphar’s household who believed in God, and it was because of him that God was blessing Potiphar’s household.
Likewise, God may bless our employers because of us. Christians ought to serve their employers wholeheartedly, and pray for God’s blessing wherever they are. God may bless our places of employment simply because we are there.
Genesis 39:6-7 Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, Come to bed with me!
Day after day, Potiphar’s wife pursued Joseph; and, day after day, Joseph declined. Finally, she grabbed him by the cloak and said, Come to bed with me. Joseph ran out of the house at once, but he left his cloak behind (Genesis 39:10-12). Potiphar’s wife was so angry, she told her husband that Joseph had made advances; and when she screamed, Joseph ran out of the house without his cloak. So Potiphar threw Joseph in prison (Genesis 39:11-20).
Many have discovered for themselves that life isn't always fair. We hope to be rewarded for good behavior, not punished for it. But setbacks are often a setup for God to bring us good. We glorify God by trusting him, even when things go badly.
Genesis 39:20-21 But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him.
There he met a couple of Pharaoh’s officials whose dreams he was able to interpret. Two years later, when Pharaoh had a dream, one of the officials mentioned Joseph. Pharaoh summoned Joseph to interpret his dream (Genesis 41:14) and, suddenly, he was in the presence of Pharaoh. This wouldn’t have happened if Joseph hadn’t gone to prison. Sometimes we have to go down, before we go up.
When I was in middle school the building had a new section and an old section. If you were on the second floor of the new section, and wanted to go to the third floor of the old section, first you had to go down, then over, then up. That’s how it is with God. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up (James 4:10), wrote James.
Genesis 41:15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.
Pharaoh thought the dream was important, and he was right. Seven skinny cows ate up seven fat cows, and seven skinny grains ate up seven fat grains (Genesis 41:17-24). The meaning was clear to Joseph: there’d be seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine (Genesis 41:29-30).
Drawing on all he’d learned about Egypt, Joseph advised Pharaoh on how to prepare. Pharaoh was so impressed that he put Joseph in charge of Egypt, second only to himself (Genesis 41:43). In a single day, Joseph went from the prison to the palace.
It may’ve seemed like a dream to Joseph, but all who serve God faithfully will also be promoted. To one Jesus will say, take charge of five cities (Luke 19:19). And to another he will say, take charge of ten cities (Luke 19:17). We might be on the bottom now, but our promotion is coming soon.
Reflection and Review
How did God use Judah and Tamar’s sin?
Why did God allow Joseph to be thrown into prison?
What can we learn from Joseph’s promotion?
Joseph could’ve been sold to someone obscure but, in the providence of God, he was sold to one of Pharaoh’s officials, so he could be groomed for higher service. If Joseph was going to be in charge of Egypt, he’d have to learn how government works, how leadership behaves, and how to handle responsibility. Joseph learned quickly, and handled himself so well, that he was soon in charge of Potiphar’s entire estate. With Joseph in charge, Potiphar didn’t have to worry about a thing, except what to have for dinner (Genesis 39:6).
*****
Genesis 38:1 At that time, Judah left his brothers and went down to stay with a man of Adullam named Hirah.
We’re not told why Judah left his brothers, at this time, but it may have been due to their sin against Joseph. Their mutual secret would’ve weighed on their consciences and poisoned their relationships. Sin creates disharmony, and Judah wanted to get away. We can’t do evil to others without doing it to ourselves.
Genesis 38:2 Judah met the daughter of a Canaanite man.
Together they had three sons, and the oldest married a woman named Tamar. He died young, however, so Tamar married Judah’s second son. He also died young, so Judah offered Tamar his third son as soon as he grew up. But Judah was afraid his third son would also die young, so he didn’t fulfill his pledge.
This put Tamar in a difficult position. She was twice a widow, and without any children. Her prospects for marriage were poor, and she’d have no one to take care of her when she was old. In a culture that prized motherhood, her situation was bleak. So Tamar took action.
She veiled her face and went to a place known for prostitution. Judah came by, but he didn’t recognize her, and bought her service in exchange for a goat. He didn’t have a goat with him, however, so he gave Tamar his seal and staff as a pledge. This is how Tamar became pregnant by her father-in-law—on purpose—to secure his financial support.
Genesis 38:24 About three months later Judah was told, Your daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of prostitution, and as a result she is now pregnant. Judah said, Bring her out and have her burned to death!
Judah’s double standard is regrettable, but many condemn others for sin they allow themselves. Judah was ashamed when Tamar produced his seal and staff, proving that he was the one who made her pregnant. She later gave birth to twins, and all four are mentioned in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:3).
Here we see the kind of people God sent his Son to save--not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy (Titus 3:5), wrote Paul. God used the unseemly union of Judah and Tamar to bring his Son into the world. We should never do evil that good may result (Romans 3:8), but nothing is so evil that God can’t use it for good (Romans 8:28).
*****
Genesis 39:5 [T]he Lord blessed the household of [Potiphar] because of Joseph.
It wasn’t because Potiphar prayed and obeyed that his household was being blessed, but because of Joseph. Joseph may’ve been the only person in Potiphar’s household who believed in God, and it was because of him that God was blessing Potiphar’s household.
Likewise, God may bless our employers because of us. Christians ought to serve their employers wholeheartedly, and pray for God’s blessing wherever they are. God may bless our places of employment simply because we are there.
Genesis 39:6-7 Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, Come to bed with me!
Day after day, Potiphar’s wife pursued Joseph; and, day after day, Joseph declined. Finally, she grabbed him by the cloak and said, Come to bed with me. Joseph ran out of the house at once, but he left his cloak behind (Genesis 39:10-12). Potiphar’s wife was so angry, she told her husband that Joseph had made advances; and when she screamed, Joseph ran out of the house without his cloak. So Potiphar threw Joseph in prison (Genesis 39:11-20).
Many have discovered for themselves that life isn't always fair. We hope to be rewarded for good behavior, not punished for it. But setbacks are often a setup for God to bring us good. We glorify God by trusting him, even when things go badly.
Genesis 39:20-21 But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him.
There he met a couple of Pharaoh’s officials whose dreams he was able to interpret. Two years later, when Pharaoh had a dream, one of the officials mentioned Joseph. Pharaoh summoned Joseph to interpret his dream (Genesis 41:14) and, suddenly, he was in the presence of Pharaoh. This wouldn’t have happened if Joseph hadn’t gone to prison. Sometimes we have to go down, before we go up.
When I was in middle school the building had a new section and an old section. If you were on the second floor of the new section, and wanted to go to the third floor of the old section, first you had to go down, then over, then up. That’s how it is with God. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up (James 4:10), wrote James.
Genesis 41:15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.
Pharaoh thought the dream was important, and he was right. Seven skinny cows ate up seven fat cows, and seven skinny grains ate up seven fat grains (Genesis 41:17-24). The meaning was clear to Joseph: there’d be seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine (Genesis 41:29-30).
Drawing on all he’d learned about Egypt, Joseph advised Pharaoh on how to prepare. Pharaoh was so impressed that he put Joseph in charge of Egypt, second only to himself (Genesis 41:43). In a single day, Joseph went from the prison to the palace.
It may’ve seemed like a dream to Joseph, but all who serve God faithfully will also be promoted. To one Jesus will say, take charge of five cities (Luke 19:19). And to another he will say, take charge of ten cities (Luke 19:17). We might be on the bottom now, but our promotion is coming soon.
Reflection and Review
How did God use Judah and Tamar’s sin?
Why did God allow Joseph to be thrown into prison?
What can we learn from Joseph’s promotion?