Monday 10 September 2007

Background

The adventures of Joseph in Egypt are like a classic soap operaof the ancient world - read chapter 37 forthe back story if you aren't familiar with it. The tale isfascinating in its own right, but it is important because itexplains how it came about that the Israelite tribes migrated toEgypt. (Read on to the end ofGenesis for how the story develops.)

The naivety and arrogance of youth demonstrated by Joseph, coupledwith the apparent favouritism shown by their father, so infuriatedhis brothers that they contemplated the most heinous crime, onlyrelenting at the last minute choosing instead to sell Joseph intoslavery.

Seeing that Joseph was young and well-built, Potiphar, a well-to-doEgyptian, bought him as a slave and set him to work in his villa.However, Joseph's handsome appearance and muscular physique provedtoo attractive to Potiphar's wife and her desire for him grewstronger until she could resist him no longer. Struggling to freehimself from the amorous attack Joseph ran from the room. Producinghis cloak, Potiphar's wife, scorned by Joseph, condemned the slaveboy to imprisonment amongst the king's prisoners.

The lessons of life were pretty tough for Joseph. His youthfularrogance perhaps arose form an overly protective and dotingfather, an arrogance that would only diminish along the toughjourney to Egypt shackled as a slave and the days spent cleaningthe house of Potiphar and waiting upon the family.

But Joseph, accepting his lot, came to admire and respect, if notlove, his master and devoted himself to service in the household.The Lord blessed Joseph and everything that he did so that Potiphartrusted him completely. To have slept with Potiphar's wife wouldhave been to break that trust and ruin the relationship.

To Ponder

Have you ever been punished or made to look bad,because you acted with integrity?

Can you think of ways you have learned importantlessons from tough things that have happened to you in life?