Genesis 39:1-23: Joseph, Favored in Spite of Adversity

Genesis 39:1-23: Joseph, Favored in Spite of Adversity

The story of Joseph begins in Genesis 37 and ends with his death in Genesis 50.  Out of 12 sons, Joseph is the 11th born son of Jacob.  He is his father's favorite so much so that Jacob makes Joseph a special "coat of many colors" (Genesis 37:3).  To make matters worse, Joseph receives dreams from God that tell him he will someday be the leader over his entire family (I will further address his dreams in the next post).   

To the majority of his brothers, Joseph has become the intolerable spoiled son.  They plot to kill him, but one brother, Ruben, talks the others into selling Joseph into slavery instead.  It is sadly ironic if you think about it.  Jacob was the "supplanter" of his family by tricking and deceiving his twin brother and even his father into receiving the birthright and a special blessing that should have belonging to Esau.  And now Jacob is being tricked into believing his favorite child has been killed by wild animals and will not know until many years later that Joseph was sold behind his back to the Egyptians.

In spite of his dire circumstances, God blesses Joseph.  In Genesis 39:2-6 it says that "the Lord was with Joseph" and that "his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand."  God even allowed all of Potiphar's house to be blessed for Joseph's sake.  What a miracle that a young foreigner was held in so much esteem!

Unfortunately, Joseph again faces another horrible situation.  Potiphar's wife is attracted to the handsome Joseph and makes advances towards him.  But because Jospeh is a man of moral character, he refuses to give in to her.  In her scorn, she falsely accuses him of attacking her and Joseph gets arrested.  Now instead of being thrown into a pit by his hatefully envious brothers, he is thrown into a jail by his boss' wickedly indecent wife. 

However, Joseph is again made to prosper in captivity.  Genesis 39:20-23 shows that "the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison."  The warden even "committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper."  Another miracle from God's merciful hand!

God continued to bless Joseph in captivity.  Joseph, we can assume, was gifted with intelligence, an accommodating personality, as well perhaps a humble charisma.  He was obviously amiable and those in charge were impressed with him.

God will use our personality traits and talents to prosper us as long as we are willing to serve Him and refuse to give into the temptations of this world.  Circumstances cannot rob us of God's intended blessings or plans for our lives.