Intense Temptation Series

WHEN LIFE IS THE PITS: INTENSE TEMPTATION

A. We are continuing the series on the Life of Joseph titled: “WHEN LIFE IS THE PITS”.

1. We realize that LIFE can be HARD—“THE PITS”—if you will.

a. RELATIONSHIPS, EXPECTATIONS and CIRCUMSTANCES don’t always TURN OUT the

way we WANT.

b. This is certainly true of Joseph.

COMMENT:

He went from being his Father’s FAVORITE enjoying all the PRIVILEGES that that POSITION afforded him, to winding up as a SLAVE in EGYPT—and, as we will see today, it goes DOWN HILL from there.

2. The PIT that Joseph UNEXPECTEDLY and UNDESERVEDLY finds himself in this time, is the result of “INTENSE TEMPTATION” that he doesn’t even GIVE IN to.

B. When we left Joseph last week, he had been SOLD into SLAVERY by his older BROTHERS to a band

of ISHMAELITE MERCHANTS on their way to EGYPT.

1. After arriving in Egypt, they then SOLD Joseph to a wealthy man named Potiphar, who was one of

“Pharaoh’s officials—a CAPTAIN of the GUARD”- Genesis 39:1-2.

a. Potiphar learned rather quickly that Joseph was BLESSED by God and APPOINTED him as

MANAGER of his HOUSEHOLD- vv. 2-4.

b. Despite what all Joseph had gone through, he remained FAITHFUL to God.

COMMENT:

Potiphar, seeing something DIFFERENT and TRUSTWORTHY in this HEBREW SLAVE, PLACES him in “charge of everything that he owns.”

2. Family, no matter WHERE WE ARE or WHO WE ARE WITH, we are to live FAITHFUL and

OBEDIENT LIVES for God.

a. Yet, it is so easy to allow the CULTURE of our SOCIETY and the PEOPLE in our SOCIAL CIRCLE to influence us to FOLLOW the FLOW of the WORLD around us and LIVE like THEM.

b. Although Joseph is far from HOME living in a CULTURE dominated by IDOLATRY and

IMMORALITY, he remained LOYAL to God and to his CONVICTIONS.

MESSAGE:

I. JOSEPH’S TEMPTATIONS

A. Joseph finds himself being constantly TEMPTED to have a SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP with his

master’s WIFE- Genesis 39:6b-10 (READ).

1. Scholars believe that around ELEVEN YEARS have passed from the time that Joseph was SOLD

into SLAVERY by his BROTHERS—making him 28-years-old.

a. The latter-part of v. 6 describes Joseph as “well-built & handsome” (MUCH LIKE MYSELF).

b. Mrs. Potiphar has been eyeing Joseph for a while, and decides to make a MOVE on him, “come to bed with me.”

COMMENT:

We don’t know much about Potiphar’s WIFE, other than what we READ here. Was she YOUNG? Was she BEAUTIFUL? There is no DESCRIPTION as to how she LOOKED. But we do know from historical writings that ANCIENT Egypt put a lot of EMPHASIS on PHYSICAL

BEAUTY.

And being the WIFE of a wealthy “OFFICIAL of Pharoah and a CAPTAIN of the GUARD” who would certainly have his PICK from the ELIGIBLE SINGLE WOMEN in town, I think it’s REASONABLE to ASSUME that she was an ATTRACTIVE WOMAN.

2. When she TEMPTED Joseph to COME TO BED with her, HE REFUSED saying, “I wouldn’t do

that to my master who put everything he owns in my charge, except you because you are his wife.”

a. Joseph knew his CHARACTER—his REPUTATION and CREDIBILITY—was a STAKE.

COMMENT:

He didn’t see this as a HARMLESS ACT: “What’s the big deal? Nobody else needs to know. We’re just going to have a little fun. After all, it’s just sex.”

Joseph knows better than that. In fact, he reminds her, “…you are his wife…”- v. 9. Joseph is pointing out the SACREDNESS of MARRIAGE by trying to help her understand that she BELONGS only to Potiphar, not him or anyone else.

b. But even more IMPORTANT, Joseph knew that by GIVING IN to the TEMPTATION, he

would be jeopardizing his RELATIONSHIP with God: v. 9b- “…How then could I do such a

wicked thing and sin against God.”

COMMENT:

Joseph described this ACT as “WICKED and SINFUL.” It’s not an “AFFAIR” or a “DATE” or a “HOOK UP”! We often want to call SIN by another name—to SUGAR-COAT it in an ATTEMPT to make it sound more BENIGN. But Joseph called it what it is: “a wicked, sinful act against God.”

3. But even after Joseph stressed how SACRED MARRIAGE is and that he would not PUT his RELATIONSHIP with God in jeopardy by COMMITTING this “wicked, sinful act”, Mrs.

Potiphar continued to SEDUCE him “day after day”- v. 10.

a. Church, don’t ever think that the TEMPTATION you face is ONE and DONE!!

COMMENT:

Satan doesn’t GIVE UP that easy! If you turn him down ONCE, he will TRY it again and

again and again.

b. “But in this instance, Joseph not only continually REFUSED to go to bed with her, but to even

be AROUND her”- v. 10.

COMMENT:

Joseph was DETERMINED to not even put himself in a SITUATION where he is TEMPTED, so he tries to AVOID her all together. Sadly, however, we often do just the