Jump Start # 399 

Genesis 39:9 “There is 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?” 

  We continue our study of Joseph this week. He was the favorite of his father and hated by his brothers. They sold him to some traveling merchants who took him to Egypt and sold him there to Pharaoh’s bodyguard.

  It seems that Joseph’s world was upside down. He wasn’t rescued by his father, because he assumed that he was dead. Alone and in a strange place, God was with Joseph. Our chapter tells us that in verse 2 and the next verse states that “his master saw that the Lord was with him.” Joseph excelled. His master made him the overseer of his house—which is remarkable since Joseph was a foreigner.

  Things seem to be going well for Joseph. That’s when temptation knocked on his door. His master’s wife was a loose, immoral woman who didn’t care about her marriage. She tries to seduce Joseph—not once  but nearly every day. One time she grabbed Joseph but he escaped, leaving his garment in her hand. She cried rape and Joseph was arrested and put in prison. The Lord was with Joseph.

  Our verse today is a powerful answer to sexual temptation. Joseph’s reply reveals two great thoughts:

• First, it was a great evil. Sexual activity is only right within marriage. God designed it to be enjoyed and fulfilled that way. It is the greatest expression of love and the most transparent of feelings and emotions. Outside of marriage, sexual activity is wrong! The Bible says that over and over (1 Cor. 6:18). What is good and healthy becomes a great evil when not expressed in marriage. Joseph knew that. One of 10 Commandments specifically said, “Thou shall not commit adultery.” He knew. Even away from home in a foreign land, it’s still wrong. Even with someone who doesn’t follow the Bible—it’s wrong. It’s wrong. There is no way it could be right. She was married to someone else.

  Our sex saturated society doesn’t get it. There is a movie playing at the theaters now about a young couple who decide to have a sexual relationship without any strings attached. It’s supposed to be a love comedy. I don’t see God laughing. Satan smiles though. I wonder how many going to that movie will think, ‘that’s a great idea.’ Purely physical—purely sin! We’ve taken something good and ruined it by not following God’s way. Sex outside of marriage layers life with trouble and burdens the heart with things not supposed to be there.

• Secondly, Joseph released that this great evil was against God. It wasn’t against his boss’ wife—it was against God. Joseph was responsible to God. He knew that. He understood that. He didn’t use his dysfunctional upbringing as a reason why he couldn’t help himself. He didn’t use the fact that he was abandoned and lonely as a reason. None of those things matter. It was his choice and he chose NO.

  I am glad this story is in our Bibles. Joseph was a young man. He shows that yes, a young person can be pure. Yes, a young person can control them self. Yes, a person can do what God said. God can depend upon us.

  Joseph never was far from God and as a result God was never far from Joseph. When this daily temptation came up, Joseph remembered God. That’s what got him through. That’s what helped him. He didn’t think about her—he didn’t think about himself. It was God. And those thoughts led him to running. Sometimes that’s the best solution. Sometimes that is the only solution. Leave. Leave the party. Leave the date. Leave the situation. Get out.

  You might say, ‘Well, Joseph still got in trouble.’ Yes, but he was innocent. He knew that and God knew that. Sometimes the righteous suffer at the hands of the wicked. Sometimes standing costs—but it’s the right thing to do. We can be a Joseph. Walk away from those tempting situations. Walk away from those tempting people. Keep God in your heart.

  How could I do this great evil? What an impressive statement. Joseph saw sin as God sees it. There’s nothing thrilling about evil. There’s nothing good about evil. There’s nothing fun about evil. There’s nothing exciting about evil. It’s pure evil! Leave it alone. Walk away from it.

  How could I…

Roger