Living Room Study

Genesis 40

“Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined.”  Genesis 40:2-3

The beginning of Genesis 39, Joseph rose to the head of Potiphar’s household. Potiphar was the captain of Pharaoh’s guard. The middle of chapter 39 details the felonious sexual harassment accusation landing Joseph in prison. But by the end of chapter 39, Joseph rises again to a position of leadership. He is still in prison but a leader, nonetheless.

All that to say, the beginning of chapter 40 indicates the prison where Joseph was held was Potiphar’s own home…“the house of the captain of the guard”.

If somebody made a pass at my wife, the last thing I would want is to keep him in my home! Compound that with the knowledge that Joseph’s former boss was the captain of the guard! It would have been nothing for Potiphar to kill Joseph, yet he allowed for Joseph to stay. Why?

The obvious answer is that God’s providence protected, preserved, and prospered Joseph. But what would Potiphar’s logic have been? There are many answers. Maybe, Potiphar needed a sharp man running his prison, no matter how soiled his character may have been. Perhaps, Potiphar knew his wife was unfaithful, but didn’t want to publicly accuse Joseph or his wife. Such would cause a scandal that might damage his own reputation. It could have been that Joseph simply had charisma and an indispensable way with money!

God may have used a myriad of factors to get Joseph to Potiphar’s home, and keep him there, simply because God had redemption plans for His people, Israel. It is obvious Joseph was a leadership triple threat: Great looks, mad stewardship skills, and the gift of prophecy & interpretation.

Joseph needed to be a slave so he could prove himself a good steward in Potiphar’s home. He needed to be attractive, so he could be accused and imprisoned. He needed to be imprisoned so he could interpret dreams…on the list goes. Our directive is not to figure out God’s plan, but honor His Name wherever He leads. Prov 3: 5-6.

Every step of our journeys is a destination of sorts, yet God leads us onward. Wherever God led, Joseph glorified Him. Don’t waste your time on arriving…obedience is an ongoing destination, the process of arriving.

Blessings.

Steve Wiggins