E114 - Hope’s Harbor Gritty Bible Devotions - Why did Joseph go to Prison? Part 1

Hope’s Harbor

Gritty Bible Devotions

Episode #114

Title: Why did Joseph go to Prison? Part 1

Date: July 1o, 2023

Contact: info@hopesharbor.net

Key verse(s): Gen 39:20 – ‘Then Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were confined. And he was there in the prison.’

Intro: In prison. Confined in prison. Being put in prison is supposed to be for those who don’t follow society’s rules and laws. Prison is a means of punishment as an attempt to teach lawless people to obey the law, even if they don’t want to.

However, in Joseph’s case, he was innocent. Now, we have a mortal enemy called Satan who will bind anyone he can into a prison of sorts, a kind of bondage. And this is where we can learn from the story of Joseph: how to endure being wrongfully enslaved, put into bondage, locked up in prison.

Devotion focus: What to do when you are bound on every side –

So what led up to the event that caused Joseph’s owner to throw an otherwise valuable slave into prison? Well, this wasn’t Joseph’s first encounter with wicked, evil people.

The first time he was wronged was by his half-brothers when they, in a fit of jealous rage, sold him to slave traders. The reason they did this was because Joseph was their father, Jacob’s, favorite son, and let it be known. Not too smart on Jacob’s part. But then, his name meant ‘Deceiver.’ Without going into a lot of backstories, Jacob reaped a lifetime of deceit when his other sons sold his favored Joseph and then told him Joseph was killed by a wild animal.

It was the ‘What goes around comes around’ principle at work.

On a side note, the brothers who conspired to rid themselves of Joseph would, through their descendants, become the twelve tribes of Israel, hundreds of years later.

Another side note: Israel was the name GOD later gave Jacob. The fascinating thing here is that GOD used a bunch of lying, would-be murderers to be the founding fathers of the nation of Israel someday. And though I don’t like this part of the story, when I think of how merciful GOD is with me, I am encouraged to keep at it trying to serve GOD and others the best I can. I mean, if He can use those guys…

So, Joseph was sold by his brothers to a group of slave traders who took him down to Egypt where a soldier, Potiphar bought him. This wasn’t just any soldier; he was captain of the guard. Some believe he was commander of the royal bodyguard detachment assigned to the palace.

Whatever role Joseph started out in as a slave, he soon established himself by his work ethic and was eventually promoted by Potiphar to the point Joseph ruled over the captain’s entire household. This would be a position similar to head steward and involved every aspect of Potiphar’s life excluding his military role.

But then… there came someone who also noticed Joseph’s rank and that was Potiphar’s wife. Something about this slave made her think she could have sex with him. Think of it… the wife of a prominent official in the royal court of Egypt tried to convince Joseph to betray the trust his master had in him.

He refused. If you don’t know this story already, do you see where this is headed? Joseph spurned this woman’s advances, refused her allurements. A slave with high standards to the point Joseph told her in Genesis 39:8 & 9 – ‘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.

VS 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?"’

Essentially he called this woman wicked. I can only imagine how much this offended and insulted her. A slave, calling her wicked.

No one knows how long this went on, but eventually, she tired of her attempts and accused Joseph of trying to rape her. Joseph was promptly put in prison by Potiphar. Now this is a good place to ask: If Potiphar actually believed his wife, wouldn’t he have had Joseph put to death? Seems likely to me. Regardless, Joseph enters round two of injustice from others.

So what lesson can we draw from Joseph’s life so far? What similarities are there between what Joseph experienced in being wronged twice and some of the things you and I are facing, even engaged in right now?

I’ll share one of mine although I must warn you this could trigger someone having gone through violence in the past. On second thought I’ll tell you about the effects of the violence executed against me as a child.

I have treatment-resistant depression and anxiety, a direct result of violence against me when I was an innocent baby, and later as a child. It didn’t end until I was 15 years old. It’s like I’m in bondage, in a prison of depression and anxiety and I’ve tried counseling and medications trying to be free. Now these, the counseling and medication, have helped, a lot.

But still, the depression and anxiety are always lurking in the background waiting for me to slip up and forget to stay on my guard. What to do?

Listen to Genesis 39:21 – ‘But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.’

When you consider Joseph’s declaration against Potiphar’s wife that he would not sin against GOD with her, we see the result in that GOD showed him mercy and gave him favor with the keeper of the prison.

This tells me if I will stay faithful to GOD, He will bless me with mercy in my prison of depression and anxiety. And this doesn’t mean I have to be perfect in everything I do, although I do strive to obey and live for GOD to the best of my abilities. By the way, trying to live a perfect life can contribute to depression. And anxiety.

Listen, GOD sees every child of His as perfect in His Son Jesus. This means you, child of GOD.

Summary: GOD is with us everywhere and all the time as He promised in Hebrews 13:5. He is with you right now, wherever you are and in whatever circumstances. There are Christians in actual prison right now for their beliefs and faithfulness to GOD and His Gospel through Jesus and His death on that cross.

Action to consider: Read the story of Joseph in Genesis chapters 37 and 39. Read these slowly considering what it was like for this teenager, he was seventeen when his brothers turned on him. Put yourself in his place. What you do if while traveling somewhere in the world you were captured and sold into slavery? It happens you know. Even today.

Next week’s devotion: What did Joseph do while in prison?