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Sunday School

Lesson 13: God Blesses Joseph

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David Capoccia

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Note: This transcript and summary was autogenerated. It has not yet been proofread or edited by a human.

Summary

Genesis 39-40 reveals how God remained faithful to Joseph through slavery, false accusation, and imprisonment in Egypt. We are reminded that God’s blessings continue even in the midst of suffering, and that His sovereign purposes often unfold through circumstances we cannot understand.

Key Lessons:

  1. God never abandons His covenant people — He was with Joseph in slavery and in prison, extending covenant kindness (hesed) and causing everything Joseph touched to prosper.
  2. Joseph’s refusal of Potiphar’s wife illustrates the biblical principle of fleeing sexual immorality rather than lingering near temptation, recognizing that all sin is ultimately against God.
  3. God’s blessings do not cease during trials — He continues to pour out His loyal love even when circumstances seem to go from bad to worse.
  4. The cup bearer’s forgetting of Joseph was sovereignly ordained so that Joseph would be remembered at exactly the right time for God’s greater purpose.

Application: We are called to trust God’s character and promises when suffering doesn’t make sense, rather than demanding specific answers. We should cultivate gratitude for God’s blessings even in trials, flee from sexual temptation without hesitation, and refuse to let injustice breed bitterness — knowing that God is working out a glorious purpose we cannot yet see.

Discussion Questions:

  1. When you face inexplicable suffering, do you tend to focus on the trials or on the blessings God is still giving you through them?
  2. How does Joseph’s immediate flight from Potiphar’s wife challenge the way you handle temptation — do you flee first, or do you linger and rationalize?
  3. Can you identify a time in your life when something that seemed like a setback turned out to be part of God’s larger, good purpose?

Scripture Focus: Genesis 39-40 shows God’s faithful presence with Joseph through slavery and prison; 1 Corinthians 6:18 and Proverbs 5-7 reinforce fleeing sexual immorality; John 9:1-3 teaches that suffering is not always punishment but serves God’s purposes; Hebrews 12:3 calls us to endure by looking to Christ.

Outline

Introduction

Good morning. Welcome back to our Patriarchs of the Promise Sunday School series. We are continuing with the life of Joseph. Last week we saw how God sovereignly arranged for Joseph to end up in Egypt. Today, we’re learning how God blesses Joseph in Egypt. As we would expect from our covenantkeeping God, God does not abandon Joseph.

Joseph, for his part, clings to God in faith, even while in a foreign land.

But not everything goes well for Joseph. In fact, by the end of the text we’ll be looking at today, Joseph will be suffering in a new way and still with no answers as to why the different calamities of his life have happened to him.

Nevertheless, in this account, we will see another powerful testimony regarding why even in the midst of suffering and confusion, we can always trust our good and sovereign God and thank him for his blessings.

Speaking of which, let’s ask God to bless this time. Heavenly Father, we love you and we love your word. Please open it to our understanding now. Help me be able to explain it. Bless our examination of it in Jesus’ name.

Reading Genesis 39:1-20

Amen. Please take your Bibles and open to Genesis 39. Genesis 39, that’s Pew Bible page 42 if you’re using that. We last left Joseph in Genesis 37 with his being enslaved and taken off to Egypt. In Genesis 38, which we’re not looking at, there is an interlude illustrating the immoral life of Judah, Joseph’s brother. Remember that Judah was the leader and selling Joseph to the Ishmaelites. But we pick up the account of Joseph again in Genesis 39.

Let’s read and observe this passage down to verse 20. Genesis 39:1-20.

Now, Joseph had been taken down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the bodyguard, bought him from the Israelites who had taken him down there. The Lord—that’s the Hebrew word, the Hebrew name, Yahweh. Yahweh was with Joseph, so he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian.

Genesis 39:2: “Yahweh was with Joseph. So he became a successful man.”

Now, his master saw that Yahweh was with him, and how Yahweh caused all that he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal servant. And he made him overseer over his house. And all that he owned he put in his charge.

It came about that from the time he made him overseer in his house and over all that he owned, Yahweh blessed the Egyptian’s house on account of Joseph. Thus Yahweh’s blessing was upon all that he owned in the house and in the field. So he left everything he owned in Joseph’s charge. And with him there he did not concern himself with anything except the food which he ate.

Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. It came about after these events that his master’s wife looked with desire at Joseph and she said, “Lie with me.” But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in the house, and he has put all that he owns in my charge. There was no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?”

As she spoke to Joseph day after day, he did not listen to her to lie beside her or be with her. Now, it happened one day that he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the household was there inside.

She caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” He left his garment in her hand and fled and went outside. When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and fled outside, she called to the men of her household and said to them, “See, he has brought in a Hebrew to us to make sport of us. He came into me to lie with me, and I screamed. When he heard that I raised my voice and screamed, he left his garment beside me and fled and went outside.”

Joseph’s Rise in Potiphar’s House

She left his garment beside her until his master came home. Then she spoke to him with these words: “The Hebrew slave whom you brought to us came into me to make sport of me. And as I raised my voice and screamed, he left his garment beside me and fled outside.”

Now when his master heard the words of his wife, which he spoke to him, saying, “This is what your slave did to me,” his anger burned. So Joseph’s master took him and put him into the jail, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. And he was there in the jail.

Following the inductive Bible study method, we start our textual investigation here with basic observations. Notice that Joseph is sold to Potiphar, a high-ranking official and captain of Pharaoh’s bodyguard.

But then look what appears immediately in verse 2. It says Yahweh the Lord was with Joseph. Even in slavery, even in Egypt, even far removed from Jacob and all the rest, God is with Joseph.

And what does God cause to happen for Joseph? God essentially gives Joseph a mighty touch. Whatever Joseph does, God grants success.

In verse 3, Potiphar notices that God is granting Joseph success. Joseph begins a very rapid rise. From household slave, he becomes Potiphar’s personal attendant. In verse 4, he becomes overseer of all Potiphar’s house and everything Potiphar owns.

Verse 6 says that Potiphar did not concern himself with anything anymore except the food that Potiphar ate. The most personal of concerns. He left everything else to Joseph. Talk about trust. Talk about new honor and authority for Joseph. What a rise.

And what was the result for Potiphar? God blessed everything in Potiphar’s household because Joseph was managing it. By the way, does that remind you of anything or anyone we’ve seen lately?

“Yahweh blessed the Egyptian’s house on account of Joseph.”

Somebody who managed something on behalf of someone else and resulted in blessing. I think I heard you say it, Mike. This was just like Jacob and Laban, right? Laban’s like, “I don’t want you to go away because Yahweh blesses me on your account.” Same thing with Joseph and Potiphar.

But one source of blessing on Joseph turns out to be the source of his positional downfall.

The second part of verse 6 says that Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. Now, who else did we see recently in Genesis who was said to be handsome or beautiful? It’s the same word in Hebrew for form and appearance.

I think I heard it from over here. Yes, that’s right, Danny. Rachel. Rachel was said to be beautiful or handsome in form and appearance.

Joseph is Rachel’s son.

Joseph’s Refusal of Sexual Temptation

And verse 7 says, “Potiphar’s wife notices how handsome Joseph is and looks with desire at him. She even propositions Joseph, ‘Lie with me.’ She wants Joseph to commit adultery with her. Joseph, for his part, refuses her advance. And notice what he says to her.

He notes how much trust and authority his master has put on him. Then in verse 9, Joseph asks, “How could I do this great evil and sin against God?” In other words, not only would this be a terrible violation of his earthly master’s trust, and not only would it be gross ingratitude for all that his earthly master has given him, but it would be a heinous sin against God.

“How could I do this great evil and sin against God?”

Now just from that statement we can see what faith and devotion Joseph has for God. What conscientiousness. And this is in strong contrast to Judah in Genesis 38.

But in verse 10, Potiphar’s wife doesn’t give up. She tries to speak to Joseph day after day. And what’s Joseph’s response to this ongoing sexual harassment? It says he did not listen to her to lie beside her or be with her.

It seems Potiphar’s wife lightened her request to just have Joseph lie next to her or spend time with her, but Joseph will have none of it. He is committed to staying away from her as much as he can.

But then in verse 11, there’s one day when there’s no one in the house except her and Joseph. And so she chooses to get really aggressive. Verse 12 says, “She caught him by his garment and then told him to lie with her.”

Now, this word for garment probably refers to Joseph’s tunic, essentially a long shirt. And men at this time usually wore only undergarments. Think of something like a pair of shorts and a tunic, just two pieces of clothing. So she grabbed him by this tunic.

And what does Joseph do? Verse 12 says, “He left his garment in her hand and he fled and went outside.” Joseph didn’t just leave, he fled. He slipped out of his shirt and ran. He apparently didn’t say anything to her. At least nothing is recorded.

But he left his tunic behind, meaning he’s essentially run outside half naked. And that’s going to result in questions. Hey, Joseph, why are you without your tunic? And why does the master’s wife have it?

But the master’s wife decides to make Joseph the one who looks bad. After all, she has some pretty incriminating evidence. She’s got his shirt. So she calls the other household slaves and accuses Joseph of trying to rape her.

Do you notice, too, how she says in verse 14, “He has brought in a Hebrew to us to make sport of us.” Who is the “he” of this statement? Her husband. Not Joseph, but her husband Potiphar.

So, quick interpretation question. What’s she saying about what just happened? Her husband’s fault. It’s at least partly her husband’s fault. Potiphar was the one who brought in this dirty Hebrew.

Speaking of, notice that term “Hebrew.” Another quick interpretation question. Why suddenly bring up Joseph’s ethnic origin?

Egyptians look at him as lower than us, and you bring him to our house to mock us. Yeah, that’s right. So you said bringing up Egyptian prejudice against the Hebrews.

I don’t know if it’s specifically against the Hebrews, but this is a very common tactic. When you are in a conflict or a situation where you’re interested in assigning blame, you can draw on xenophobia and racism to give yourself more support. “No, we can never trust these Hebrews. They’re not Egyptians. They’re not the natives like us. Look what Potiphar did in bringing us this Hebrew slave.”

So this lady, she’s really cunning. Cunning with language, making herself seem like the victim when she was the one trying to victimize Joseph. She was really trying to rape him.

And sadly, this is a quite common tactic even in domestic conflicts and abuse situations today. The victimizer portrays himself or herself as the victim.

In verse 17, Potiphar’s wife gives a similar story, an accusation to her husband, who apparently has been somewhere else, perhaps with Joseph or perhaps out of town.

How does Joseph’s master react? Verse 19 says his anger burned. Notice it does not say that his anger burned against Joseph specifically, just that Potiphar was angry. But Potiphar does act against Joseph.

Verse 20 says that Potiphar puts Joseph into prison, though not just any prison. Notice it says the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. And there’s one strange aspect to this choice. Rape or attempted rape of another’s wife was a capital crime in Egypt, just as it is in the Mosaic law. Yet Joseph is not executed. He’s instead only put into prison.

Well, with these observations, let’s now formally turn to interpretation. Why does God bless Joseph in Potiphar’s house? What do you say?

Because of Joseph’s character. Okay.

Arthur says because of Joseph’s character. God is responding to someone who’s living righteously and chooses to reward him. I think that’s part of the answer. God chose Joseph. Okay.

You said God chose Joseph. In what sense? God chose Joseph for what?

I think probably because it’s in God’s plan. What happened with Joseph?

Okay. So there’s another important part of the answer. God is choosing to bless Joseph because of later plans God has for Joseph. Plans that will involve all of Joseph’s family and even the world at that time. So because of God’s later plans, God chooses to bless Joseph.

But why else, Mark? Well, to expand a little bit, I mean, it says right here that in verse 5, that Yahweh blessed the Egyptian’s house on account of Joseph, and thus the blessing of Yahweh was upon all that he owned. Just simply God chose to bless him. Yeah.

So that’s another part of the answer. This is just God saying, “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will harden whom I will harden.” God says, “I’m going to show favor to Joseph. I’ve chosen him for that.”

Remember, Joseph’s not just some random person on the earth. He’s part of the family of the Abrahamic covenant. And the things that we’re seeing happen to him, as we already noted, are the things that we’ve seen happen with Jacob and happen with Abraham.

God is blessing Joseph because he is an inheritor of that special covenant, the Abrahamic covenant. So many reasons here. It’s God’s grace. It’s God’s gracious choice. It’s Joseph’s obedience. It’s God’s future purposes. And it is God’s working out of the Abrahamic covenant of blessing.

Biblical Principles on Fleeing Immorality

How does a separate question here, slightly different direction. How does Joseph’s response to his master’s wife’s lustful advances illustrate righteous principles elsewhere in the Bible?

Multiple answers that we can give here, but what’s one way that this is true? Go ahead, Jody.

He’s against it, but ultimately our sin is against him. It’s against God and that’s first and foremost.

Very good. That’s where I see that because we think it’s people sometimes and it is, but that’s not the primary cause. Right. Good.

So to repeat the first half of your comment—sorry, I’m moving quickly here, so it’s hard for the microphone people to catch up. But you’re talking about David and his confession of his sin in Psalm 51, and he says, “Against you, you only, Yahweh, I have sinned,” because he recognizes that that’s the worst part of sin. It is first and fundamentally against God, even before it is against people.

And we see that with Joseph’s protestation of why he will not get involved. How could I sin against God?

Mark, you were going to say something.

Yeah. I think immediately of 1 Corinthians 6:18, which says, “Flee sexual immorality.” Right. And here’s an example of literally doing that, right?

Yeah. Yeah. And along with that, some other scriptures we see even in the Hebrew Bible—Proverbs 5 and 7—where in figurative and in literal terms, Solomon says by the spirit of God, don’t go near immorality. Keep your way far from the strange woman. Don’t go near the door of her house.

And you see in Proverbs 7, somebody who was not willing to do that kept lingering near her and he’s ensnared and he’s destroyed because of it.

1 Corinthians 6:18: “Flee sexual immorality.”

Matthew 5:27-30 similarly has Jesus giving direct exhortation. He says, “Whatever would cause you to sin, especially in the area of lust, cut it off, gouge it out. Better for you to enter into life maimed than to be whole and go into the fiery hell.”

We could also add Hebrews 13:4. Hebrews 13:4 says, “Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled from fornicators and adulterers God will judge.”

Joseph illustrates a high view of marriage, a high view of God, and a holy fear of the recompense of God against sexual sin. And we could cite other scriptures, other principles from the scriptures.

Now, I do need to note this passage in Genesis 39. It is not primarily meant as an instruction booklet for dealing with sexual temptation. Though Joseph’s response is a great illustration of the biblical principles.

Though it is interesting to note that these scriptures, these principles that we just cited—Joseph didn’t have those. Scripture is not even the Pentateuch, the Torah is not written during his time.

But apparently he knew enough about God from the revelation available to him in those days. And he was clearly someone filled with the wisdom of God so that he had as a fundamental conviction: you do not mess around with immoral temptation. That is instructive for us.

You’ve heard the phrase “shoot first and ask questions later.”

Flee First, Ask Questions Later

Well, when it comes to sexual sin, you must flee first and ask questions later.

“When it comes to sexual sin, you must flee first and ask questions later.”

Don’t think about it. Don’t linger. When your conscience first begins to say, “I don’t think I should be here,” get out of that situation because otherwise your judgment will soon be clouded.

God made sexual passions very powerful as part of his good design for marriage. But those passions will be used against you. If you dawdle with immoral temptation, if you flirt with immoral temptation, you will likely be entrapped.

If you naively and foolishly want to push the limits, if you want to play with fire, you will get burned. You will fall into sexual sin and by doing so you will hurt yourself and others and, worse, as Joseph says, you will sin against God.

Therefore, let us learn from the wise and faithful response of Joseph. There is forgiveness for sexual sin in Christ.

The Danger of Stubbornness in Sexual Sin

Full forgiveness, full cleansing. Praise the Lord. But the life consequences of this sin are so painful that God takes special note of it. He says, “I want to spare you. Don’t get close.” And stubborn refusal to turn from sexual sin will keep someone from eternal life.

“There is full forgiveness for sexual sin in Christ, but the life consequences are so painful that God says, ‘Don’t get close.’”

And I’m afraid that has been the case for many people.

It’s striking to me. I remember asking somebody at Grace Community Church about their process of church discipline and whether people were restored after that.

And they said most of the time, no. They don’t usually repent. Why? Because usually the persons who reach that level of discipline are involved in sexual sin and they will not give it up.

Was Joseph Naive?

If that’s a comment, hold it until later. Is that a question? Yes, it’s a question. Okay. What’s your question, Arthur?

Okay, last week I said we should show grace to Joseph. But here’s an instance where I got to ask the question. Do we not think Joseph might have been a little too naive? I mean, she didn’t just try it once. She did it over and over again and he walked into a trap.

I mean, we got to think about that. What was going on in Joseph’s mind is that it’s almost like we know the example of Samson when Delilah kept asking him to reveal the source of his strength. It says that Samson thought that when she said the Philistines are upon you, when he finally told her the truth, he thought the result would be the same. But then it wasn’t.

So my question is, do we not see that there was some slight naivety on Joseph’s part? Because he walked into a trap, right into a trap.

A fair question. Was Joseph being naive considering that he knew that she was after him? We don’t have all the details of the circumstances. We only have what the Bible gives us. But based on what the Bible gives us, I don’t think we should read that in.

Especially because it says he went into the house to do his work. He doesn’t have complete freedom. He can’t be like, “I’m not going into the house when she’s there.” He’s a slave. He has to do what Potiphar has called him to do.

Perhaps he did not know that nobody else was in the house at the time. Maybe she did, but I don’t think that we should read that he was being naive here and he just fell into the trap. Not based on the details that we have in the scriptures. That’s my thought there.

But anyways, let me ask another interpretation question. Why wasn’t Joseph executed? I mean, this is a crime that gets people killed. And in a way, rightly so. But why wasn’t Joseph killed?

“He went into the house to do his work. He’s a slave. He has to do what Potiphar called him to do.”

Why Wasn’t Joseph Executed?

It may be that the husband Piper did not totally believe his wife’s story, or at least he wanted to do more investigation before he carried out a death sentence.

We don’t hear any defense from Joseph in the text, but perhaps his protestations of innocence helped save him. He is a slave though, so maybe that wouldn’t have counted for much.

It may also be that even if the husband did believe his wife, the faithful life of Joseph in every other area and the great blessing Potiphar received because of Joseph caused Potiphar to lighten the sentence on Joseph.

But whether either or both of these things is true, the imprisonment and not execution was ultimately because of God, because of God’s sovereignty. God wasn’t going to let Joseph be killed in this way. God had a very important purpose for Joseph’s life.

God’s purpose required Joseph being put in prison, but not killed. And in a very particular prison at that, because in that prison Joseph would meet two very important people, which is what we should look at next.

Let’s look at Genesis 39:21 to chapter 40:23. Here’s Genesis 39:21 going down to verse 23 of the next chapter.

But Yahweh was with Joseph and extended kindness to him and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer.

“God’s purpose required Joseph being put in prison, but not killed.”

The chief jailer committed to Joseph’s charge all the prisoners who were in the jail, so that whatever was done there, he was responsible for it. The chief jailer did not supervise anything under Joseph’s charge because Yahweh was with him and whatever he did, Yahweh made to prosper.

Then it came about after these things the cup bearer and the baker for the king of Egypt offended their lord, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh was furious with his two officials, the chief cup bearer and the chief baker. So he put them in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard in the jail in the same place Joseph was imprisoned.

The captain of the bodyguard put Joseph in charge of them, and he took care of them and they were in confinement for some time. Then the cup bearer and the baker for the king of Egypt who were confined in jail both had a dream the same night, each man with his own dream, and each dream with its own interpretation.

When Joseph came to them in the morning and observed them, behold, they were dejected. He asked Pharaoh’s officials who were with him in confinement in his master’s house, “Why are your faces so sad today?”

Then they said to him, “We’ve had a dream, and there is no one to interpret it.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell it to me, please.”

So the chief cup bearer told his dream to Joseph and said to him, “In my dream, behold, there was a vine in front of me, and on the vine were three branches, and as it was budding, its blossoms came out, and its clusters produced ripe grapes. Now Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, so I took the grapes and squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand.”

And Joseph said to him, “This is the interpretation of it. The three branches are three days. Within three more days, Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office. And you will put Pharaoh’s cup into his hand according to your former custom when you were his cup bearer.

Only keep me in mind when it goes well with you. And please do me a kindness by mentioning me to Pharaoh. Then get me out of this house, for I was in fact kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing that they should have put me into the dungeon.”

When the chief baker saw that he interpreted favorably, he said to Joseph, “I also saw in my dream, and behold, there were three baskets of white bread on my head. And in the top basket there were some of all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, and the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.”

Then Joseph answered and said, “This is his interpretation. The three baskets are three days. Within three more days, Pharaoh will lift up your head from you and will hang you on a tree, and the birds will eat your flesh off you.”

Thus it came about on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday. Then he made a feast for all his servants. And he lifted up the head of the chief cup bearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. He restored the chief cup bearer to his office and he put the cup in the Pharaoh’s hand.

But he hanged the chief baker just as Joseph had interpreted to them. Yet the chief cup bearer did not remember Joseph but forgot him.

God’s Faithfulness in Prison

Well, let’s observe this next passage. Notice how this section begins with the same phrase that we saw at the beginning of the last one. Yahweh was with Joseph into slavery, into prison. God still hadn’t abandoned Joseph. God was actually still blessing Joseph even through these harrowing experiences.

In fact, what do you notice happens in the jail that mirrors what we previously saw?

God is with Joseph and causes what to happen? Blesses everything that Joseph does. Gives him favor. He’s suddenly in charge of the jail. Joseph is liked by the overseer and eventually put in charge of everything since God blesses it. Joseph must have had some serious gifts of administration. He must have been a hard and trustworthy worker. But are these the reasons for Joseph’s success?

If you look back again at Genesis 39:21, not only does it say that Yahweh was with Joseph, but it also says that God extended kindness to him. Now, guess which Hebrew word is behind this word translated kindness. It’s mentioned before. It’s a good word to know. Normally translated loving kindness in the New American Standard.

“Into slavery, into prison — God still hadn’t abandoned Joseph. God was actually still blessing Joseph.”

This is that word for loyal love, covenant kindness that is so characteristic of God. God is continually pouring it out on Joseph even in these difficulties.

So how did Joseph gain favor with the chief jailer? God gave it to him. Joseph is faithful. That’s true. But that’s not why Joseph is successful. Joseph is successful by God’s grace. And that’s true for our successes, too.

Notice that Joseph meets two important people at the beginning of Genesis 40: Pharaoh’s chief cupbearer and chief baker. Now, these would be important positions. Not only because food and drink are personally interesting to Pharaoh—he wants to eat what is delicious—but also because food and drink are potential sources of what?

Poison.

Joseph Meets the Cup Bearer and Baker

Thus, Pharaoh needs to be able to trust the men who oversee these positions. But these two men did something to offend their Pharaoh. We don’t know what it is, and they’re put into this same prison with Joseph. Now, these are VIP prisoners.

Verse four says that the captain of the bodyguard, who’s probably still Potiphar, puts Joseph in charge of them.

“Pharaoh needs to trust the men who oversee food and drink. These are VIP prisoners.”

After some time, it turns out that these two men both have dreams the same night.

Dreams and Their Interpretation

Verse 6, in the morning when Joseph comes to serve the prisoners, both men are looking dejected. They tell him it’s because they had dreams without anyone to interpret those dreams.

Now, we need to remember that dreams were treated as a pretty big deal in ancient days, and Egypt was no exception. The world of dreams was thought of as like the halfway realm between the human world and the divine world. Many Egyptians considered dreams to be omens of the future.

There was a whole science of dream interpretation with handbooks published to interpret your own dreams and specialists to consult about particularly important dreams. These court officials probably were used to having access to dream interpretation resources. But now in prison, they’ve had clearly significant dreams without any way or anyone to interpret them.

It’s not like these dreams are obvious. I think someone asked last class about how Joseph was able to or how did the family interpret the dreams that Joseph had about the sheaths bowing down and the stars and moon bowing down. I don’t know. Those dreams are kind of a little obvious in their interpretation. Okay, Joseph, we get the symbolism here. We think we know what you’re trying to say.

But these dreams—three branches, three baskets—what does that mean? You need someone to interpret. Someone who really knows what’s going on.

“Dreams were treated as a big deal in ancient days. They were the halfway realm between the human and divine world.”

Now notice Joseph’s response to hearing about these dreams. He says, “Do not interpretations belong to God?” So right away, Joseph asserts, “If there’s a divine message in a dream, God himself must be the one to give you the interpretation. Whatever you think you’re going to get by in your science, your consultations, that’s nothing. You need God.”

So that’s a quick repudiation of dream science of the Egyptian cult.

Joseph Interprets the Dreams

But then Joseph says, “Tell it to me, please.” Joseph then hears and interprets the cup bearer’s dream. After three days, the cup bearer will be restored to his position before Pharaoh. But notice verses 14 and 15.

Joseph requests that the cup bearer remember Joseph and speak to Pharaoh about Joseph to get him out of the dungeon since Joseph is innocent. Seems like a fair request, especially because he just interpreted the dream.

The baker then pipes up. The text says, seeing that he had interpreted the cup bearer’s dream favorably, the baker pipes up and gives Joseph his dream, hoping that he too would get a favorable interpretation. But Joseph’s interpretation in response—well, I should say this. In Joseph’s interpretation, there’s a really startling play on words.

The cup bearer’s head would be lifted up in the sense of receiving Pharaoh’s favor again. But after three days, the baker’s head would be lifted up in the sense of his head being removed from him. The baker’s body would then be impaled and the birds would eat his corpse. The text does not record the baker’s reaction to that, but we can imagine it was something.

But is Joseph right in these interpretations? Are these just stabs in the dark? No. He’s exactly right. After three days at Pharaoh’s birthday celebration, the cup bearer is restored and the baker is hanged. But then notice verse 23. Yet the chief cup bearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

Come on, man. You didn’t remember that Hebrew slave in the prison who attended you so well and comforted you in interpreting this special dream for you.

“The cup bearer’s head would be lifted up in favor. The baker’s head would be lifted up — removed from him.”

Meanwhile, Joseph continues to languish in prison for a crime he never committed. Actually suffering because of someone else’s crime against him. Is Joseph really experiencing the blessing of God? Let’s interpret again. How did Joseph accurately interpret these dreams?

You said God’s providence. Glenda, what were you going to say? He says God is the only interpreter of dreams. So God’s the only interpreter of dreams, but he says, “Tell me, I’ll interpret it.” Wait, what?

How did that happen? How did that work? Clearly. All right. What were you going to say, Danny? I was going to say he had some experience with dreams as a young boy. All right. So certainly that’s worth observing. Joseph already had some experience with dreams, but these, like I said, are a little bit more complicated.

And Joseph says, “Do not interpretations belong to God?” So how is Joseph able to interpret them?

I see Mark’s hand. At the risk of maybe reading a little bit into it, I think of Daniel when he was able to interpret. He gave explicit credit to God. “It’s not in me to do it. God is giving me the insight.” I think that’s implied here, although not stated.

Exactly. That must be it. If he says interpretations belong to God, but here I’m going to interpret, he’s saying God has given me the ability. God has given Joseph the ability to interpret these dreams. Now, how Joseph knew he had this ability is never explained. But Joseph knew that God would grant Joseph the interpretation.

And this ability will prove key in the account we look at next time.

The Cup Bearer Forgets Joseph

Another question: Why did the cup bearer forget Joseph? We don’t know. Maybe the joy of restoration made him forget about the whole prison experience. Maybe he figured some Hebrew slave in the prison is not that important to remember.

People have an amazing ability to forget kindnesses and to show little to no gratitude. Just look at what people do with God every day, despite his sustenance and kindness. Maybe that’s what’s happening here. This just results in more suffering for Joseph.

But here, as with the previous passage, the ultimate reason these things happen, the ultimate reason the cup bearer forgets was because of what? God caused him to forget.

The cup bearer is still responsible for his own actions. But this is God’s superintending sovereignty over the chief cup bearer’s mind. After all, it’s in the Lord’s hands. It was God’s sovereign will that Joseph be left in prison a longer amount of time.

We’ll see next time that it will be another two years before Joseph is brought before Pharaoh. In total, then, between Joseph’s enslavement and imprisonment, he will have spent 13 years in Egyptian bondage, slavery and imprisonment.

“It was God’s sovereign will that Joseph be left in prison a longer amount of time.”

So the question is, okay, God, you’re responsible, but why? Why are you treating your servant so badly? Joseph’s doing everything right.

He’s being a good slave. He’s remaining sexually pure. He’s serving diligently even while he’s in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. God, why are you now leaving him to suffer?

Why Did God Allow the Delay?

Well, first we have to say the text has already told us that God has been with Joseph and the good that Joseph has experienced even in the midst of this suffering has been from God’s very hand the whole time. In short, God has been good to Joseph even in the trials, even in the false accusations.

But as to what God is doing with this extended trouble, this new trouble, God doesn’t have to explain himself and he doesn’t do this. As far as we know, there is no communication from God to Joseph as to what’s going on. What then can Joseph cling to? No direct answers for this suffering. Who God is and the promise God gave.

What promise? Well, going back to those other dreams, God declared to Joseph twice that one day Joseph’s family would bow down to him. It doesn’t look anything close to that right now. But God’s not done, because we know the rest of the story. We know exactly why these things are happening, why the delay, why the forgetting.

Joseph was purchased by Potiphar so that when falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife, Joseph would end up in the prison with the royal officials. That way, Joseph could interpret the cup bearer’s dream and then be forgotten in prison. Why was that forgetting important? So that Joseph would only be remembered when Pharaoh has his important dreams.

Therefore, Joseph would not merely be released from prison, but brought right into Pharaoh’s presence to interpret Pharaoh’s dream. And when he does so, he would consequently become exalted in Pharaoh’s kingdom and then save the kingdom and save the surrounding peoples and save God’s Abrahamic fledgling flame. If Joseph were remembered right away, that good purpose would have been thwarted.

“Joseph had to be forgotten so he could be brought out of prison at exactly the right time.”

He had to be forgotten so he could be brought out of prison at the right time. Joseph doesn’t know, not specifically, but all the hardships he’s experienced and still will experience is actually leading to a glorious end. And the same is true for us, though not in the exact same way as Joseph.

God’s Perfect Wisdom in Suffering

Now, someone might say, “Couldn’t God have accomplished this same wonderful outcome in some other way that was easier on Joseph?

Perhaps, but God determined in his perfect wisdom and love that this was the best way. If that’s the way God chose to do it, that must be the best way.” Because God is infinite wisdom. He knows the best outcome and he knows the best means to obtain that outcome.

This is what we just read in chapters 39 and 40. This would most glorify God. This would best sharpen and shape Joseph’s faith. This would best instruct the later generations of Israel. And this would best serve as instruction and example for us.

“God is infinite wisdom. He knows the best outcome and the best means to obtain that outcome.”

Trusting God Through Inexplicable Suffering

So here we see a clear application. Brothers and sisters, you are going through and will go through suffering in life that doesn’t make sense. You will do what’s right and be punished for it. You will hold true to God and then encounter deep tragedies. You will be sinned against.

But the one who sins against you gets away with it. Many of these painful difficulties will be long lasting, even years long. You will ask, “God, why? What have I done to deserve this trouble?”

The unspoken answer from God will be, “This is not punishment for sin. This is my working out a glorious purpose which you do not see yet.”

You remember how the disciples encountered a blind man in John 9 and asked Jesus who sinned, this man or his parents that he would be born blind? Why did this calamity come about? Somebody must have sinned.

But what’s Jesus’ reply? Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

This is also the answer for our inexplicable suffering. God is yet at work and doing something good for you, for others, and for his own glory. He is yet with you in the suffering. He is still doing good to you in the middle of the suffering just as he does with Joseph.

John 9:3: “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

God’s Blessings Continue in Trials

The New Testament makes clear to us that Abrahamic blessing, yes, even every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ is on us in the midst of suffering. Not to remove us from the suffering necessarily, but to sustain us through it. This is why Christians are called to give thanks in all things. Ephesians 5:20.

I’ll say this, too. Even through injustice, suffering and persecution, God is with you if Jesus Christ and his blessings are on you.

Do not stop. It’s not like he says, “Okay, I’m just going to withhold my blessing for a little bit till you go through this hard thing and then I’ll give it to you again.” No, no, no. Even that trial is part of his blessings. He doesn’t stop. He doesn’t suddenly retract them.

He’s in the suffering working out a kind purpose in his loyal love. So what should we do in response to that truth? Believe it. Own it. We must own this truth.

I know you’ve heard this before in church. You’ve heard it before in this Sunday school. You’ve heard this before from me. But we need to hear it again so that it becomes our rock-solid conviction.

“Even that trial is part of his blessings. He doesn’t stop. He’s in the suffering working out a kind purpose in his loyal love.”

Hold Fast to God’s Character and Promises

Let this truth that we can trust God in the middle of inexplicable suffering be driven deep into our souls. Because if it is, we will find unexpected strength in trials. We will find that peace that surpasses understanding. We will find that joy in the midst of sorrow.

Here’s the amazing truth of scripture. If you’re in Christ, God loves you with an infinite love, but his ways are higher than yours. Do not demand a specific answer from him for the various circumstances of your life. You are not capable of seeing all that he sees.

Do as Joseph did. Hold fast to God’s character. Hold fast to God’s promises. Be assured it will all work out in the end. And if it hasn’t worked out yet, what does that mean?

“Hold fast to God’s character. Hold fast to God’s promises. Be assured it will all work out in the end.”

You’re not at the end yet. Or maybe you just haven’t seen how it works out. But God’s promises always hold true.

Application Questions

Joseph was treated unjustly, but he still entrusted himself to his faithful God. In an even greater way, Jesus, the Son of God, suffered injustice. But what did he do? The same thing. He entrusted himself to his Father because he knew that God was accomplishing something great even in his suffering of injustice.

And it will be the same with you. Hebrews 12:3 says, “For consider him who has endured such hostility by sinners against himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

This is the main truth from these chapters today: you can trust and obey God even when you suffer injustice and even when you can’t see what God is doing, because God is at work. You can know God is at work for your good and his glory.

I think back to what we already saw with Jacob seeing the staircase—God pulling back the curtain. He says, “You don’t see what’s happening. You’re really afraid. You’re in danger. You’re suffering. But look, I’ve got angels going up and down, up and down, accomplishing my will. I haven’t forgotten about you. I’m at work.”

The same thing applies to Joseph. The same thing applies to us. We can trust God.

I’m going to briefly go through three application questions and then I’ll open up for questions first and then comments.

First, are you grateful for all the ways God blesses you even through suffering? When trials come, do you focus on the trials and what you don’t have, or do you focus on the blessings you still do have through the trials and what you will get from the trials?

Second, how have you been treated unjustly in your life? If you’ve lived more than a year, you’ve probably been treated unjustly in some way. Whatever you’ve suffered hasn’t made you bitter—bitter against God or bitter against those who’ve sinned against you.

Do you realize first of all that you do not deserve any good from God? You ought to say with Jacob, “I am not worthy of all the loving kindnesses that you have shown me.”

Do you also realize that the sin and injustice you experienced was under God’s control? He could have prevented it. He could have stopped it. He didn’t. Do you also recognize that God is working something good for you and for himself through the very injustice you suffered?

How should you humble yourself before God in light of this and glorify him for his ways?

“Do you recognize that God is working something good for you through the very injustice you suffered?”

And then one more question: Has your own sin brought suffering in your life? Do you realize how God even has a gracious and redemptive purpose in allowing your sin and its consequences so that he may drive you to repentance? Have you learned from your sin experience, seeing now how to live wisely and avoid all the ways that sin damages and destroys?

Do you love God for his kindness to you despite all your sin, especially in what Christ did for you in his life, death, resurrection, and ascension?

Questions from what you’ve heard today?

What I observe is that Joseph had two dreams. The first one caused jealousy. The second one caused him to go to prison. But when I look at Joseph’s life, everything was down—down to slavery, down to Egypt, down to the prison. He was just going down, down, down until God was ready to bring him up. And this is what happens in our lives when we keep going down, down, down. Don’t think God forgot us. But one day he’s going to bring us up.

That’s definitely more of a comment than a question.

It’s interesting that you say that because in one sense, yes, it seems like Joseph just keeps going down, down, down. But it’s actually more complicated than that because it’s down to slavery and then up to overseer of Potiphar’s household, and then it’s down to prison and then up to overseer of the prison. But then it goes even higher than that—personal attendant to Pharaoh and second in Egypt. I mean, talk about going up.

We can sometimes ignore the ups, the blessings in our lives because we’re still so focused on the downs. We see multiple of them in a row or in really big ways and we say, “I guess it’s all down from here. God has forgotten me.” I know I’ve been there definitely many times in my life.

But you have to submit your analysis of the situation, flawed as it is, to what Scripture says. God says, “I don’t forget my people.” I think of the line from Lamentations: “If he afflicts, what will he also do? He will show compassion.” So if he brings you down, he’s going to bring you up. At some point, sometime, he’s going to bring you up.

Is there any evidence that Joseph complained or wavered in his faith?

I think you might already know the answer to that question.

I think I do, but I’m not sure.

To my knowledge, and I think you said something along these lines last time, Mark, there’s no clear mark against Joseph’s integrity in all of Genesis. You can say, “Well, he shouldn’t have shared those dreams with his brothers. He was just being arrogant.” But I think it’s too ambivalent, too ambiguous to make a mark there.

But in terms of his behavior in Egypt, I can’t see anything that would say he sinned against God in this way. And certainly not in complaining. Even when he asked the chief cupbearer to remember him, it’s not with complaint, anger, bitterness, or despair. He lets his hardship and anguish be known, but he still shows himself to be a man of integrity and faith, which is amazing and a good example.

Think about what this meant for the people of Israel as they’re going into the promised land and they’re facing uncertainty. They’re facing what maybe sometimes looked like a down. But God says, “Remember Joseph? Remember what I did with him over the years?”

Should We Expect Dreams from God Today?

“Trust me, I’m going to take care of you.” Tina, how should we see our dreams now?

Is it just rambling of our minds, or should we pay close attention that maybe something is being said to us personally? A great question. How should we interpret and understand our dreams now, considering they were very significant at that time and even in many places in the world today?

People still find great significance from dreams. From what we hear, they seem to play a part in the conversion of some people, especially in the Islamic world. They have dreams about Jesus, and then they hear the gospel or seek out the gospel and they are saved.

But here’s the thing with what we see in Genesis, different places in the Old Testament, and then in the New Testament. We need to be aware that God has chosen to work in certain ways in the past in terms of special revelation, which he has not chosen to work now.

The fact that there were no scriptures at this time, and the fact that scripture, even as it was being given, was not completed, made the necessity of prophets, dreamers, seers—different terms you could use for the Old Testament. It was necessary to give special revelation through them.

But because the foundation of the apostles and prophets has been laid according to Ephesians 2:20, there’s no more need for this special revelation. And in fact, there’s no way to confirm it in an unambiguous way today.

Certainly, there will be people who say that they have had a dream from God and this is the message, or they’ll say they’ve had a vision from God or a prophecy from God and this is the message. But how do you know that person is telling you the truth? How do you know he didn’t just have a funky dream or a thought that he thought was from God?

Sometimes you can say, “Actually, that contradicts scripture. That definitely didn’t come from God.” But even if it doesn’t contradict scripture, how do you know it’s really from God?

There’s no way to confirm it because you don’t have the miraculous signs, the unambiguous miraculous signs that the prophets and apostles were doing. So all that to say, dreams are mysterious, but we do not expect today that God will speak to us in a revelatory way in a dream.

If he did, we would never be able to confirm whether it was really from God. So it doesn’t make sense for God to do that.

That being said, I do acknowledge that God providentially might use a dream you had in a way that’s beneficial to your life. I’m not saying that dream was God’s special message to you, but for those people who have dreams about Jesus Christ and they are affected in a way that leads into the gospel, that’s God’s kind providence.

Maybe you’ve had significant dreams in your life that weren’t necessarily from God, but they just made something come to your mind that you then thought about afterwards that you didn’t think about before. I acknowledge that God providentially could do that.

Okay, I think we can handle maybe one more question.

“Because the foundation of the apostles and prophets has been laid, there’s no more need for this special revelation.”

Yeah, I’ll let Keith decide. What do we have?

Well, the question is, are we open to comments?

Was Joseph in Potiphar’s House Prison?

Does Magna have a question or is that also a comment? All right. We’re going to go to Magda then. Sorry, it’s a two-part question.

Two parts. We only have two minutes, so it might be really quick. Okay, go ahead.

Piper was the captain of the bodyguard. Was Joseph in his house prison because it’s then mentioned that the captain of the bodyguard is the one who sent the cup bearer and the baker to Joseph for his keeping. Is there a connection there?

And do you think that Potiphar knew Joseph was innocent and that’s why he kept him in his house prison and that’s why he gave him jurisdiction over the cup bearer? Yeah, this is a good question you asked, especially because there’s one detail I didn’t bring out to you. In the description of Joseph in prison, where is that line? It refers to his master’s house. Trying to find where it was.

Does anybody else see it in chapter 40?

Yes. Chapter 40:7. “He asked Pharaoh’s officials who were with him in confinement in his master’s house. Why are your faces so sad today?”

So considering that the position of captain of the bodyguard is mentioned again, especially with that official putting the chief cup bearer and the chief baker into the dungeon, it does seem like this prison may still be in the very house that is Potiphar’s house. And it may be that the one who was the highest level over this prison was actually Potiphar himself.

So what does that say about Potiphar’s belief of Joseph’s guilt? Again, it is interesting that he doesn’t have Joseph executed. And it’s interesting that it didn’t say he was angry against Joseph.

I read one commentator suggest that he may have actually been angry against his wife, that this is what had taken place.

So I can’t say for certain that Potiphar knew that Joseph was innocent and that’s why these things happened this particular way, but the details do line up in a way where that could be true.

“The details line up in a way where Potiphar may have known Joseph was innocent.”

Closing Discussion

Okay, Steve, your comment.

In my old age, my wandering mind just wonders once Pharaoh exalted Joseph, what Potiphar’s wife thought. I mean, we could maybe—you’re doing a maybe this might be a precursor to next week or something like that. How did his brothers feel? We know how his brothers felt, but we don’t see Joseph taking any kind of revenge, which I think exemplifies his character at this point. I think that’s something for us to take heart in.

Yeah, that’s good.

Yeah. And we don’t hear any more about her, but certainly we don’t hear about Joseph taking any kind of action against her.

So maybe she was convicted, maybe she repented, or maybe she remained stubborn in her sinfulness even after that. But certainly, what a testimony God gave to her and to all of Egypt through Joseph.

Can I make one quick comment? No, but we’re already at 10:01.

It has to be really quick.

Okay, we can’t even give him the microphone. Just do it. Go quick.

Okay. My comment is this. The reason why I asked the question about Joseph’s vulnerability is that the example of Joseph is an example that I used when I was a social worker. I had to go into homes where children were being abused or wives were being abused. I always made sure I had someone with me. I never put myself alone with abused children or abused wives because of the example of Joseph.

Yeah.

Because there, whether it was his vulnerability or whatever was going on, he walked into a trap. Yeah. And knowing the nature of people, you have to protect yourself.

Yeah. Actually, I think that’s a really good comment. Even if Joseph was not doing anything wrong, we certainly can learn that in a situation there are situations where somebody may seek to entrap you.

Yes. And that reminds me of something that I remember hearing while I was in seminary about elders doing visits to certain people in their congregation. If they were visiting a woman, you don’t go alone. There was at least one instance that was reported where a woman consulted an elder of the church to come visit her. He took somebody with him, and when he arrived, he saw that it was a trap. She tried to take pictures in a compromising way with the elder as soon as he arrived at the door, but the other elder was right there. So it was thwarted.

So there’s definitely wisdom in what you shared, Arthur.

Okay.

“Knowing the nature of people, you have to protect yourself — never put yourself alone in a vulnerable situation.”

But that’s it for today. Next time we look at how Joseph becomes the second most powerful man in Egypt. But let me close in prayer.

Lord, we thank you for the testimony that you can be trusted even in suffering. God, sometimes it just hurts so bad and the questions are so loud and persistent in our minds. But thank you for this testimony, for this sure word that we can hold to. You are a God of covenant love. You will not forget your people. You will bless your people in the midst of suffering, and you will bless your people through the suffering.

God, I pray that that truth would be imprinted on our hearts from this lesson and through the sermon today in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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