JOSEPH AND TEMPTATION
One of the unconscious phrases that tells so much about the condition of our
society is the response that one receives from many when talking about a young
couple a few years after their marriage. "Oh, are they still together?"
The prevalence of divorce is one of our great national tragedies. However, this
problem is not limited to those "in the world." We hear with increasing
frequency of those in the church, even gospel preachers, becoming involved in
a divorce situation. The immorality so rampant in the world usually finds it
way among members of the church. Why is this so? The answer is temptation. The
apostle Paul said that the Old Testament was written for our learning. In this
article let us look at an example of one who met and overcame temptation.
Turn to Genesis 39:1-23 so that we may study about Joseph and temptation. Most
of us, I am sure, are familiar with the story of Joseph. He was the eleventh
of twelve sons in the family of Jacob. Because he was the older son of Jacob's
beloved Rachel, his father showed him favoritism which provoked jealousy on
the part of his older brothers. Eventually, Joseph's brothers sold him to a
band of Ishmaelites or Midianites, who in turn took him to Egypt and sold him
to Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh's guard. Though but a slave, he proved so
trustworthy that his master made him the overseer of his house. But Potiphar's
wife cast lustful eyes on Joseph and presented him with temptation. There are
three characters in this story who need to be considered.
I. Potiphar's wife was a temptress.
We have other examples of seductive women in the Bible. Tamar tempted her father-in-law
Judah to commit fornication (Gen. 39). Delilah
apparently seduced Samson to enter into an illicit relationship with her which
utimately resulted in his downfall (Judg. 16). Bathsheba lured David to engage
in adultery (2 Sam. 11). Of course, David's actions constituted sin, but one
of the unanswered questions of God's word is, what was Bathsheba doing bathing
herself in a place that was in full view of the king's rooftop where he very
likely was often to be found? Nothing said here is intended to diminish the
sinfulness of the behavior of any of the men mentioned but, as one of my history
teachers said, it takes two to tango!
To me, Potiphar's wife is an excellent example of the kind of woman that Solomon
described and warned against in Proverbs 7:10-14 (and with seven-hundred wives
and three-hundred concubines, Solomon ought to know): "And there a woman
met him, With the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart. She was loud and rebellious,
Her feet would not stay at home. At times she was outside, at times in the open
square, Lurking at every comer. So she caught him and kissed him; With an impudent
face she said to him: 'I have peace offerings with me; Today I have paid my
vows."' I hate to sound "down on women" too much, but I fear
that there are far too many ladies in the church today who, unconsciously I
hope, are leaving the impression with men that they are "easy" or
like harlots by the way they dress, act, and speak. The feminism and freedom
for women that characterizes today's society has had far too great an impact
on those who are to be godly women. For example, I am appalled just at what
some young women wear to church services, let alone what they probably wear
in other places.
The New Testament addresses this subject. Certain ly, men are to guard their
hearts that they do not look at a woman to lust after her and thus commit adultery
with her in their heart (Matt. 5:28). But women should help the men in this
area by adorning themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation
(1 Tim. 2:9). Godly women will not seek to make themselves attractive to others
solely on the basis of their outward appearance, whether it be by gaudy dress
or by skimpy attire, but rather on the basis of "the hidden person of the
heart, with the incorruptible ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is
very precious in the sight of God" (1 Pet. 3:34). While it is unfortunate,
it is also true that young men may desire a certain kind of girl to date but
another kind of girl to marry. Young ladies who are Christians will strive to
be the kind of girl that they want to marry.
II. Joseph was the one faced with the temptation. We, too, are faced with all
sorts of temptation today. We need to understand the nature of temptation and
the consequences of yielding to it. "But each one is tempted when he is
drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived,
it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death"
(Jas. 1:14-15). Temptation is made possible because of the lusts within us.
That is why John tells us not to love the world with its lust of the flesh,
Just of the eyes, and pride of life (1 Jn. 2:15-17). And the end result of giving
in to temptation is death - not just physical death, although that is sometimes
the case, but spiritual, eternal death (Rom. 6:23; Rev. 21:8).
Like many do today, Joseph could have offered excuses to justify his going ahead
with Potiphar's wife. He might have reasoned, "I'm young and have a right
to sow a few wild oats." In fact, Joseph was sold into Egyptian slavery
at the tender age of seventeen. But he understood the principle stated by Paul
in 1 Timothy 4:12: "Let no one despise your youth, but be an example of
the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity."
He might have thought, "I'm far away from home and no one else will ever
know." Unfortunately, other people usually do learn of our sins. "And
be sure your sin will find you out" (Num. 32:23). And even if no one else
on earth will ever know, God will know (Psa. 139:7-12). Or he might have said,
"It's my own life and I'll do with it whatever I want to." But that
is not true, especially for the child of God. "Or do you not know that
your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from
God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify
God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's" (1 Cor. 6:19-20).
Rather than throwing in the towel, Joseph overcame this temptation by saying,
"No!", by exercising self-control. Whenever we are faced with a temptation
like Joseph, whether it be to commit fornication, drink alcoholic beverages,
abuse drugs, watch pornographic movies, read filthy literature, tell dirty jokes,
lie, cheat, steal, disobey the laws of the land, or whatever, may we have the
courage of our convictions that characterized Joseph to stand by the principles
of righteousness that we know to be true from God's word. "And everyone
who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain
a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore . . . I discipline
my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others,
I myself should become disqualified" (1 Cor. 9:25-27).
III. The third character in this story that needs our consideration is God.
Joseph recognized that to lie with Potiphar's wife would in fact be a sin against
God. Yes, it would be a great wickedness against Potiphar's wife, against Potiphar
himself, against Joseph's own body, and against Joseph's family who brought
him up to do better, as well. But all sin is primarily against God. When David
sinned with Bathsheba he acknowledged in his prayer to the Lord, "Against
You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight" (Psa. 51:4).
Whenever we think about doing something that is a sin, we need to consider that
it will be a violation of the very will of God himself (1 Jn. 3:4). That might
help us stop and think twice before doing it.
Yes, God knows when we sin. And God hates the sin that we commit. But God also
wants to help us overcome sin. Jehovah is not some mean, nasty taskmaster who
is just waiting for us to sin so that he can gleefully mark it down in his little
black book and then look forward with joy to casting us into hell because of
it forever and ever. He has promised us assistance. "No temptation has
overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will
not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation
will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it" (1 Cor.
10:13). However, it is up to us to find that way of escape that we might take
advantage of the Lord's aid. "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne
of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need"
(Heb. 4:16).
How does God provide this help, this way of escape? One way is through his word
that he has revealed to us. David wrote, "Your word I have hidden in my
heart, That I might not sin against You" (Psa. 119:11). In this written
word we have an account of the life of Jesus who left "us an example, that
you should follow His steps: Who committed no sin, Nor was guile found in His
mouth" (1 Pet. 2:21-22). Jesus was tempted in all points like we are, so
he understands what we have to endure; yet, he did so without sin (Heb. 4:15).
When Jesus faced those temptations, he resisted Satan by relying upon God's
word. "It is written. . . . It is written again. . . . For it is written"
(Matt. 4:1-11). If we develop this same dependence upon the Scriptures and use
them as Jesus did, we can "resist the devil and he will flee from"
us (Jas. 4:7).
Conclusion
I cannot think of a finer example, apart from our Lord, of how to meet and overcome
temptation than Joseph, unless it be Daniel and his three friends. I would hope
that, as we seek to raise our children in the nurture and admonition of the
Lord, their main heroes will not be war generals, television actors, movie stars,
or rock singers, but the great men and women of faith found in God's word. These
stories are recorded to thrill our hearts, raise our hopes, and strengthen our
resolve to keep ourselves unspotted from the world. May we turn to them often
for comfort and encouragement in our struggles against temptation and sin. And
may they draw us closer to the Lord that we might be more like him who died
to save us from our sins.
By Wayne S. Walker via The Defende rVolume 48; October 1, 2006; Number 40
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