The Book of Genesis
Day 367
Ge 39:6 Thus he
left all that he had in Joseph's hand, and he did not know what he had except
for the bread which he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and
appearance. 7 And it came to pass after
these things that his master's wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said,
"Lie with me." 8 But he
refused and said to his master's wife, "Look, my master does not know what
is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. 9 "There is no one greater in this house
than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his
wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" 10 So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by
day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her. 11 But it happened about this time, when
Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was
inside, 12 that she caught him by his
garment, saying, "Lie with me." But he left his garment in her hand,
and fled and ran outside.
The pressure is
relentless. Potiphar’s wife keeps it up day after day but Joseph refuses to
commit this sin against God! He refuses to lie with another man’s wife! Even
more to his credit, we read in verse 10 that he made every attempt to not be
alone with her! What godly wisdom from this young man!
Adultery doesn’t
usually begin with an invitation at the water cooler. It’s not a “hello, my
name is _________ would you like to commit adultery with me?” Adultery
typically follows stolen intimate moments alone. Those moments are often
preceded by the longing looks that Jesus
defines as adultery in Mt 5:28 "But
I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already
committed adultery with her in his heart.
James explains the
progressive nature of sin this way: Jas 1:14 But each one is tempted when he is
drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when
it is full-grown, brings forth death.
Joseph refused to
be drawn away by any carnal desires. He refused to allow himself to even be put
in a position of temptation. In so doing, he was fleeing those youthful lusts
that Paul spoke of in his second letter to Timothy: 2Ti 2:22A “Flee also
youthful lusts;”
Do not be deceived
in this matter! Don’t think that you will be different, that you are stronger
than others. Recognize your own flirtatious stirrings and those of others and
flee. Seek to build accountability into all meetings with the opposite sex,
(note that Potiphar’s wife was not successful in compromising Joseph until all
others were out of the house….the witnesses were gone!
Finally, submit to
God, resist the devil and he will flee from you, and the most he will get from
you will be an empty cloak as you remain faithful to God!
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