Title: Temptation and Suffering/Genesis 39:7-23
Contents
Genesis Exposition 74
temptation and suffering
(Genesis 39:7-23)
Joseph prospered because God was with him. Although he was sold to Egypt and served as a slave to Potiphar, it was his happiness and strength that God was with him. His work prospered, and he brought blessings to Potiphar's house. I asked if it would be okay if I stopped, but a problem arose. Temptation of a woman. There are three temptations in man. They are money, reason, and power. These are temptations that, if done wrong, lead to great failure. But when Joseph was prosperous, the temptation of the opposite sex approached him.
Joseph triumphs over this temptation. Today's Bible teaches very well how temptation approaches and how to overcome it. After overcoming temptation, we would like to share grace by examining the hardships that came to Joseph and engraving the meaning of the sufferings the Lord gave us.
Temptation
He came to Egypt because of his brothers' hatred, but because God was with him, he prospered, and it seemed that a comfortable life was waiting for him rather than being a slave. However, there is an ambush in front of Joseph. It is the temptation of Potiphar's wife. Not everyone is afflicted. In our life, the good and the bad always come together. Believers should see the good and try to kill the bad.
(Verse 7) "After that, his master's wife blinked at Joseph and asked him to lie with him." If you want to feel a little more comfortable, the devil's temptation is what you come to. This principle was the same today and in the days of Joseph. Potiphar's wife tempts them to have fun and sin together. This temptation was tenacious. The word “winking an eye” is used in three places other than this one in the Bible (Psalm 35:19, Proverbs 6:13, 10:10). However, all these verses are used as signals to plot evil. Potiphar's wife had sent a sly glance to do evil with Joseph. It was a good thing that Joseph did not fall for such a sinister look.
(Verse 10) “Every day the woman asked Joseph.” It speaks well of the tenacity of that temptation. (Verse 12) "The woman took the robe and said, "Let's sleep with me." That's right. Satan is tenacious. It makes it even more vicious. (1 Peter 5:8) “Be sober and watchful, your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Do you not know the roar of a roaring lion? They relentlessly attack us to grab hold of us and make sure we fall. Satan does this because he knows that many people will fall for it if they persist.
Could it be that only Joseph was tempted by this temptation? Adam and Eve are representatives of it. they passed “It was pleasing to the eye and good for food.” Although it was not an active temptation, David fell into the temptation when he saw Bathsheba taking a bath. Samson loses the same temptation. is. He loved a woman named Delilah from the Valley of Sorek. But the woman choked every day to make Samson fall. (Judges 16:16) “Every day he urged him with those words, and he choked him, and Samson’s heart was troubled to the point of death.” In the end, he passed. If we fall into temptation, only destruction and death await.
reject
Tests must be fought and won. But the temptation must be rejected or run away. Joseph refused and ran away because it couldn't be done. (Verse 8) "Joseph refused and said to his master's wife." A true Christian should dare to say “NO” when it is necessary to say “NO”. Joseph did that. Still, the temptation never stops. (Verse 10) “The woman asked Joseph every day, but he did not listen, and they did not lie with him, nor were they with him.”
As we approached each day, we weren't even together this time. If the temptation is strong, the rejection must be strong to win. There are things you shouldn't even do together. Believers must be with God, but they must also know that there are things that must not be done together. Joseph knows it all too well.
(11, 12) “At that time Joseph went into the house to serve, and no one in the household was there.” The woman grabbed her clothes and said, “He slept with me, and Joseph threw his clothes in his hand and ran away.” “Despite these temptations, he proudly carries out his mission. However, they have no choice but to run away from the temptation to make the last move. That's right. There are times when running away is best. Believers must also know how to run when they need to run away.
Here, we need to understand why Joseph resisted such persistent temptation. (9) “There is no one greater in this house than I, and the master has kept nothing from me, but you are his wife. How then can I do this great evil and sin against God?” Joseph said. Although it is on earth, it clearly shows that it is in heaven. First of all, it is said that you cannot betray your loyalty to your master. Believers must be faithful to their promises on this earth. Then Joseph said that he could not sin when he thought of God.
A person who can live on earth or see heaven, that is, a Christian, must be such a person. All Christians need the ideal of seeing the sky with their feet, though their feet are on the ground. This is the high Christian dream and ideal. Even though we are here now, we must live while enjoying the peace of heaven. So, even if you are disgraced on earth, you can enjoy peace in heaven.
hardship
Joseph's refusal to temptation immediately leads to innocent suffering. When things don't go their way, Potiphar's wife accuses Joseph innocently. (14:15) “And he called the men of the house, and said to them, Behold, the master is bringing a Hebrew to us and mocking us. He left his clothes on me and ran away.” He justified himself by saying nonsense.
After notarizing in front of many people like this, when her husband comes in again, she makes the same innocence. (17:18) "Speaking to him with these words, he said, "The Hebrew servant whom you brought with us has come to me to taunt me, and I cried out to him, and he left his garments with me and fled away." . They express their legitimacy by showing proofs rather than proofs. Use multiple people to justify yourself. On the surface, her accusations are perfect. In the end, her accusation goes as intended. (19, 20) “When his master heard that his wife had told him, ‘Your servant has done this to me,’ he was very angry. So Joseph’s master caught him and put him in prison, where he put the king’s prisoners in prison. was a place"
In return for escaping temptation, Joseph was sentenced to an innocent prison sentence. But the prison sentence was prepared by God. There, he meets Pharaoh's servants and gains a grown-up reputation for interpreting dreams. We must not forget the love of the Lord, who works together for good. (Verses 20, 21) “Joseph was in prison, but the Lord was with him.” Yes, it is a very important word. (Verse 23) “The Lord was with Joseph” Although Joseph's circumstances keep changing, God does not leave him. So Jade is heaven for Joseph.
Dear saints,
Do you want a heaven where there is suffering? Or do you want a comfortable hell? “I would rather be a hungry Socrates than a full pig.” Temptation lurks behind prosperity. Reject and run away. Then, even if you suffer, don't forget that God is with you. It's not about where you are, it's about who you are with. Aren't you dealing with temptations that you shouldn't be with? Even if it is difficult, I hope you are with God.