The story of Joseph continues today. Joseph was sold as a slave to Egypt by his brothers. Before he was sent off, Joseph was loved the most among his brothers by their father. He had a dream and was filled with hope. At home, he was treated like a prince. Then all of a sudden, he was sold and became a slave in someone else’s home-he must have been shocked. One who experience sudden change in status or environment face a great shock. Some people faint, become paralyzed, experience insomnia, or get diagnosed with a mental problem due to the sudden great shock. However, I believe that those who truly believe in Christ become stronger not weaker in the sudden change in circumstance. Because “we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”. We shared a story on Thursday during Bible study: There was a man who was blind from birth. People asked Jesus, “Why is the man blind? Is it because of his sins or the sins of his parents?” We tend to think that an accident occurs or one is ill because of someone’s mistake. However, Jesus said, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life”. Difficulty brings an opportunity to see God’s work. This is Christian’s perspective on life. If we truly look at life as Jesus did, we would not be filled with distress and give up on life when difficulty face us.
Let’s take a look at verses 1 and 2: 1 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there. 2 The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.
There was no one to help Joseph. He had no future. He could not predict his destiny. In this situation, we can ask two questions: First, “Why did this occur?” What did Joseph do wrong to face this kind of distress? Joseph is not the answer. The cause of your suffering is not you. The answer to the question is God. Difficult circumstances as this occur in our lifetime. In those moments, we want God to explain the reasons for the sufferings. How grateful would it be for God to tell Joseph ahead of time that His plan was to raise him up higher than Pharaoh’s officials? If God gave a hint, 13 years of pain would not have been so difficult. However, Joseph did not know that God’s plan was to raise him to become the second to highest in power of Egypt within 30 years. Bad things seem to happen to good people. Believe that God’s providence is there. We can escape from fear and suffering when we believe that God’s hands are on us. This leads to the second question.
The second question we may ask is, “Out of all the houses, how did Joseph end up in the house of Pharaoh’s official?” The answer to this question is not Potiphar but God. Potiphar’s house was chosen so Joseph can meet the Pharaoh. Here we see God’s invisible providence. Know that God works and leads His people even in times we cannot feel or see Him. Joseph seems to be unfortunate to be sold off as a slave by his brothers before the age of 20. He could have cried after being sold by his brother. However, the Bible does not state that he cried or lamented. Joseph endured the suffering as the slave. Few moments ago, he used to wear a colorful robe. Now he wore a slave’s clothes. He did not own any possession. His life and death was determined by the owner. In this difficult and rough situation, verse 2 of today’s passage says that Joseph prospered. No matter how much I read this verse, I cannot understand this statement. How can Joseph’s current circumstance be the form of a prosperous person? If Joseph was really filled by God’s grace, shouldn’t he have been able to escape and return back home? How can someone who prospered be suffering? If Joseph was prosperous, instead of Pharaoh’s official, he should have met the Pharaoh himself or not work as a servant but be served. However, he was a servant. The Egyptian became Joseph’s owner. God wanted to do something through Joseph while he was there. God does not like seeing his people being stuck in a corner, shaking, and being anxious. God also does not want us to eat and play.
You have probably heard about Warren Edward Buffett, the second wealthiest man on Earth. When he gave 85% of his possession, about 31 billion dollars, to the community, news reporters asked him, “Why did you invest your money on the community instead of passing it down to your children?” Then he replied, “I gave to my children. I gave enough for them to eat and live; I did not give them enough to eat and play.” He is a wise father. Many children of wealthy family fail because they only eat and play. Warren’s children probably will not fail. God does not give us so we could eat and play. We need to make an effort; we need to sweat and be tense in our life. This way we can be a proper person. One does not gain a built body without sweating and exercising. Muscles do not form without carrying something heavy. In this aspect, suffering is beneficial to our faith. We need to endure the suffering. This is the reason God left Joseph in that situation.
The Bible repetitively says that God was with Joseph (verses 2, 3, 21, 23…) This is the secret to life of faith. You are pitiful if you are in church but not with God. In the other hand, you are victorious even if you are in the corners of Africa as long as God is with you. If one lives as one pleases in the Promised Land, one’s life will be unfortunate. Oppositely, even if one is in Egypt as a slave, if God is there, he or she will be blessed. God did not prevent Joseph from becoming a slave of an Egyptian. The sound of thunder from the sky to kill the slave owner and sending a tornado to blow Joseph back home seems good. God did not do that. Instead, God was with him. The Bible repetitively says that God was with him in Canaan, in Egypt, when he was at peace, and when he was suffering. Do not let go of this. Even more important fact is that a foreigner Potiphar saw that God was with Joseph. This is the hope of our prayer. The world must know that I love God and that God loves me. The Bible says the Egyptian knew that God was behind that foreign slave. God filled him with grace and made him prosper.
Change your perception on prosper. When people say, “Make me prosper,” they think of business doing well or having a healthy body. However, it is not so. Overcoming suffering, this is truly becoming prosperous. We often sing the hymn (pg434), “All the way my Savior leads me; what have I to ask beside? Heavenly peace, divinest comfort, here by faith in Him to dwell; for I know whatever befall me, Jesus do all things well.” Do not be mistaken. Doing all things well does not signify being healthy, making a lot of money, and not becoming a servant. You may become a slave like Joseph, work abundantly, and be in the lowest social status but be prosperous. When God is with us, we will gain the strength to overcome the suffering. We do not fear even when death approaches. Joseph was sold into the house of Potiphar, but God went with him, and despite the status of a slave, he lived like the owner. This is becoming prosperous; God was with him. God being with us guarantees victory and grace. There are many sports team in the United States. There are two ways to win the game. First is to become the best player. Then one would win. However, someone with a poor physical body cannot win. There is a limit to one’s capabilities. Then what can be done? The one with a poor physical body could join the team with the best players. If I was in the same team as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O’Neil, I would win. We must be on Jesus’ side. Proverbs 3:6 says, “in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” No one who walk with God is lost. Moses led 1.5 million Israelites out of Egypt. He was not able to do this because he studied well or because he was physically strong. He did not learn magic. God did it. Exodus 33:14 says, “The LORD replied, ‘My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’” God is with us; this is the best thing we can ask for. As long as we depend on God, He is with us.
It is written in verses 4-6 of today’s passage: 4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. 5 From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the LORD was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. 6 So he left in Joseph's care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome,
Remember this: If Joseph tried to run away and did not obey, he would not have been able to fulfill God’s work. Even in the unfortunate circumstance, he did his best as the slave. His job as a slave must have been difficult. He did not work only when Potiphar was seeing, but he sincerely worked hard. He was honest. Potiphar eventually entrusted Joseph of everything he owned. The Pharaoh’s official probably had many slaves, and entrusted everything he possessed shows great trust in Joseph. Surprisingly, afterwards, Potiphar’s house was blessed by God. Not only his house, but he harvested more crops than usual. The Bible says that Potiphar was blessed because of Joseph. If you want to live a life of a successful Christian, worship God properly. No one who carelessly and simply worships by form live a proper life of faith. Successful Christian are influential at home and at work. Serving God at church is important, but that is not all; you must not live as you please outside church. Preaching, evangelizing, and praying, it is all important. But do not think little of the work you do outside of church. Even though Joseph worked as a slave, when he worked in the name of the Lord, it became the work of God. Do not think that working at church only counts. For this reason, the Bible says that whether you eat, play, drink, or go on a vacation, do it all in the glory of God. Those who live a proper life as Christian do not use others but others are blessed because of me. There were two deacons who did not have a good relation. One deacon prayed to God, “Please, let me do well in all I do.” Then God replied, “I will give you what you ask. But I will give the other deacon twice as much as you ask.” After thinking, the deacon prayed to God, “Lord, take one of my arm away.” How terrible. The characteristic of true blessing is seen when others are blessed through you. When we all live like Joseph, the world will change. I pray that we will be renewed and the world we live in will be renewed.
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