Ben Shiller Jacob
Joseph stepped into a supernatural shift at Potiphar’s house. Joseph experienced his life beginning to spring up. Finally, He knew his life had taken a different direction. The rate of his furtherance in this season of his life was phenomenal. Though the Bible doesn’t say how long Joseph did take to be an overseer over Potiphar’s house, it conveys one thing strongly that the Lord was with Joseph and He blessed his works of his hands and his master understood Joseph had a refined character and succeeded in everything his hands fell.
What happened in Potiphar’s House?
Joseph found favor in Potiphar’s sight, and the master handed over everything he had in his servant’s hand. There was no one greater in Potiphar’s house than Joseph (Gen 39:9). When Joseph became superior in Potiphar’s house, since he was a successful man and handsome, Potiphar’s wife, Zelikah lusted after Joseph (Gen 39:7). Zelikah started chasing down Joseph asking him to lie with her though Joseph refused many times (Gen 39:10). It became an ongoing scene between Joseph and his master’s wife. It happened one day that Joseph had to go to Potiphar’s house for his work and no one was there except Zelikah, and it seemed she was eagerly waiting for an opportunity like this. She grabbed Joseph by his garment to lie with her. Joseph swiftly left his garment in her hand and fled the scene. In her embarrassment, Zelikah kept Joseph’s garment by her side as evidence against him. She villainized Joseph in her altered story and slandered Joseph to her servants and later to her husband. Subsequently, Joseph was cast into the dungeon.
Could Joseph have been possibly avoided this incident?
The answer would be yes. Joseph took this matter lightly, in other words carelessly. Zelikah’s demand wasn’t a one-time event. She was behind Joseph for her desire to be fulfilled day by day (Gen 39:10). Certainly, Joseph showed strength of his character every time she approached him by not listening to her or ignoring her. However, Joseph didn’t act prudently. He should have been more cautious now than before because her demand recurred every single day. One side to his response to this incident might be Joseph had feared that even if Joseph would have told his master about his wife, he might not believe Joseph or even if his master was convinced, his wife could easily manipulate and twist the matter against him in no time.
Anyways, if Joseph had taken these following two steps, he could have avoided getting himself into trouble.
- Protecting oneself from being in a wrong place at the wrong time
But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside.
Genesis 39:11
Joseph was in a wrong place at the wrong time by a wrong person. What wrong place means is even though Joseph had complete access to Potiphar’s house, it becomes a wrong place if there is a tiny point of opportunity for sin. Joseph knows Zelikah is there in the house. In addition to this, there were no male servants around in the house. Even if Joseph went into the house for work-related purposes, he should have acted circumspectly, having someone with him knowing that there is an opportunity to fall into the trap of sin if the tempter is there in the house. Because Joseph knew what was going on behind the scenes with his master’s wife. It reminds me of what Yahweh said to Cain,
And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.
Genesis 4:7
Sin lies at the door. Sin is nearer to us than we think. Though we don’t want to sin, we are more likely to fall into sinful life because of the proximity of the enemy with us. The enemy is after sons of light to steal, kill, and destroy them from their destiny. When Yahweh said sin’s desire is for Cain, means the invisible adversary of his soul is after him, bombarding ungodly thoughts into his mind, tempting him to sin against Yahweh and himself. And Yahweh advised Cain to rule over every thought that raises against his moral value.
Unlike Cain, Joseph wasn’t tempted at any point in response to Zelikah’s desire for him. The problem wasn’t with Joseph but being in the presence of Zelikah who was under demonic influence. Joseph thought he could manage any worst situation since he had no affection for his master’s wife.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trusting God by having no confidence in our understanding is always utmost crucial. Often times, we might think we are in control in areas we are familiar with or have experiences when we are not in reality. This is what happened to Joseph here. Joseph relied on his understanding instead of submitting all his ways to the Lord. Speaking about submitting all our ways is beyond our human capabilities. It is possible only through a true, intimate relationship with the Lord Yeshua. Your love for Yeshua should supplant your love for yourself. Indeed, it is not an easy process. Complete submission won’t happen over night. This will take your whole life. This can be achieved by training or disciplining our soul and flesh by abiding in His Word and bringing every understanding under the knowledge of Christ with constant communion of the Holy Spirit.
For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
Philippians 3:3
2. Proximity with the sinful is not fun
That she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside.
Genesis 39:12
How was Zelikah able to catch Joseph by his garment?
They both might have ended up in conversation related to the same and Joseph ignored her obviously. Afterwards, she grabbed him by his garment which became strong evidence against Joseph before Potiphar.
This argument Joseph could have avoided in the first place. Joseph was quite sure it would create an unwanted scene if his master’s wife saw him alone. Joseph failed to foresee the snare of his adversary.
It is imperative to understand the tricks and traps of our common enemy. Do not underestimate his deceptions. Getting closer to your enemy simply means your enemy has almost caught you. If the enemy doesn’t get your flesh, your garment is more than enough for him to sidetrack you from your God-given destiny.
Jesus said to his disciples before he was betrayed,
I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.
John 14:30
Yeshua proclaimed with full assurance that He left no room for the devil to grab a hold of Him. Satan tried with all his might to get closer to Yeshua by various tricks and traps he learned over centuries for forty days and forty nights in the wilderness, but he couldn’t even get a spot to have a control over Yeshua which forced Satan to flee from Yeshua.
Back Story Behind Potiphar’s Wife Slander
What happened in the house of Potiphar was unknown to everyone. No one has witnessed this incident whatsoever. Then why did Zelikah twist the story and slander Joseph to her servants and her husband? To answer the question, we should hear the backstory of Joseph and what he did to his brothers. Joseph slandered his brothers to keep his ‘favorite child position’ before his father, Jacob, when he had opportunities to correct them in the first place. Joseph brought very bad reports about his brothers in one of versions says. Here very bad reports mean he was exaggerating their misconduct, in other words, slandered. This paved the way for the entry of the spirit of slander. Later Joseph was paid the price for the slander he did to his brothers through Potiphar’s wife, when she slandered Joseph to her servants and husband.
Shiller’s Takeaway
While Christians have great promises and prophecies remain, never neglect the fact that we will attain these promises without working along with the Holy Spirit. Satan knows a little more than we know about ourselves. To keep us off the track is his utmost necessity. This is so true when we take Joseph as a specimen.
Joseph was born to be a ruler. That is his design. Wherever he went, he was given authority and power. Scripture is very clear in three places that Joseph was meant to be a ruler:
- When Joseph came into Potiphar’s house as a servant afterwards, he became an overseer in his master’s house. Everything was put into his hands.
- When Joseph ended up in the prison as a prisoner due to false accusation, the keeper of the prison handed all the prisoners to Joseph’s hand. (Gen 39:22)
- After interpreting Pharaoh’s dream rightly, Joseph was given in charge of the Pharaoh’s palace and over the land of Egypt. (Gen 41:40-44)
Since the enemy knew where Joseph was heading towards, he set traps before Joseph to hinder his progression towards his destiny as a ruler. Every time Joseph attained a significant position to be fruitful, Satan stole it from him. Satan fought against Joseph through Zelikah, Potiphar’s wife when Joseph his birthright as a ruler and put him in prison. In prison, after becoming overseer over all the prisoners, and interpreting the dreams of Butler and Cupbearer, when requested them to release him from prison, the enemy closed that exit.
From all these, it is understood that how much we must careful be in our day-to-day dealings as Christians, as Born-Again believers.
Don’t buy the false notion which says if we have promises from God, it will surely come to pass in its own time. Have we not seen how much Joseph had to go through even though he had a strong character. So, what about us who don’t have it?
It needs a lot of integrity in a young man like Joseph to say no to a woman with beauty and power. Joseph said no because of his faithfulness to the ordinances of the Lord and then to his master, Potiphar. Joseph understood himself what he was before and now. What he becomes now is solely by Yahweh’s grace and mercy.
In one of my previous blogs, mentioned about identifying a person who really is (exposure of one’s true self), give him power and money. In this context, Joseph had given the authority and money. He had full access to his master’s house. When he was given authority and power, Joseph’s true self was revealed. His intention was pure and holy as he was. Let me put it this way, Joseph is a great example of being integrous or honest.
The quality of integrity is being cemented or grounded in one’s belief system in his speech and action whether he is in public or private. Joseph was strong in this virtue. Joseph was a man of highest integrity, undoubtedly.
Let’s make a decision today to surrender to the will of the Holy Spirit and enquire about His counsel and instructions. Additionally, not to depend on our own understanding and thought instead trusting God and His might.
Communion with a Contrite Heart
Heavenly Father, thank You for constant fellowship through the Holy Spirit. We acknowledge that we are so much blessed than Joseph because of the Holy Spirit within us. Father, we pray that You train us to work along with the Holy Spirit to reach our destination without any delay due to our disobedience, completely trusting You in all our ways, giving glory in the magnificent name of Yeshua we pray – AMEN!