What does it mean to prosper anyway? (Genesis 37-41)

37:3-5

It’s human nature to be envious. When someone is elevated, it makes us feel lower. This happened with Joseph’s brothers. “Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.”

This weird phenomenon is born in pride. Pride is full of comparisons. It is what motivates us to put others down or gossip behind their back. If others fall, we feel elevated. Many of us are this way. I’m probably like this.

It isn’t charity or the pure love of Christ. Christ’s mission was to lift us. God’s work and glory is to raise us to his level. If we succeed, it doesn’t bring them down. It adds glory to them. I think the more that we identify as children of God, it will be easier for us to rejoice when other succeed and feel sorrow when someone struggles.

37:8-9

This pride and jealousy also manifests in their anger at the suggestion that Joseph would reign over them. “And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.” Consider that Joseph was the 11th child. It was unthinkable that the 11th child would be superior to them. Also, Joseph was the firstborn of Rachel. The others were sons of Leah and servants of Leah and Rachel. They probably knew the story of how the sons were born and perhaps were self-conscious about the story of their births.

It certainly didn’t help their jealousy and anger when Joseph explains the dreams. “And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.” They were offended at the thought of them bowing down to him. They each wanted to lead rather than follow. They wanted to be first rather than last.

This is human nature. Many of us would feel the same way. Hopefully, we wouldn’t sell our brother into slavery though…

37:19

They apparently were calling him a name. “And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.” They didn’t prefer to consider him a brother and a son of their father. Instead, they are ridiculing him and calling him a name that symbolizes something he does that they hate.

This is a way to dehumanize someone. It is a way to mistreat them and not feel bad about it. We do the same thing today. We call people far-left or far-right. We categorize people as liberals or conservatives rather than fellow sons and daughters of God. There are so many categories of people being created these days. We are enjoying putting them in a box. It makes it easier to ridicule them and even mistreat them - just like Joseph’s brothers.

39:2

Joseph prospered. “And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man.” This begs the question - if we are righteous and “the Lord is with us,” are we going to prosper. Yes we are. This doesn’t necessarily mean financially. In fact, I’m not sure that Joseph became rich while serving his master the Egyptian. It sounds like he was given a lot of trust and responsibility. It was in this way that he prospered. Yet, he was still a slave. So, how will we prosper if we are righteous. What’s “guaranteed?” If you are righteous, you will definitely prosper in these ways:

• You will not be brought down by sin.

  • Drug abuse.

  • Infidelity.

  • Incarceration.

• You will uplift those around you. As you do, you’ll see that returned to you.

  • You’ll have good relationships with your spouse and your children.

  • You’ll have friends that support and strengthen you.

• You will progress in what you endeavor to do.

  • Living righteously means being honest with others, including your employer.

  • Being righteous is also being industrious. You won’t be idle or slothful.

• The Spirit will inspire you to make good decisions.

  • You’ll be directed about where to live and what jobs to accept.

  • You’ll make good decisions as the Spirit opens up your mind.

These are some serious benefits to walking with the Lord. In every meaningful way, you will prosper as you live righteously. In other words, the things you care about on your deathbed will bring you joy as you review a life righteously lived.

It doesn’t guarantee that you’ll make a lot of money. But, frankly, you’ll be in a lot better position to earn money if you are living righteously.

39:8-9

“But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” Joseph had a high sense of loyalty and desire to be righteous. I think it’s interesting that he explains this very clearly to Potiphar’s wife that:

• Your husband trusts me and I am worthy of that trust.

• What you’re suggesting is just wicked and would be a sin against God.

Most sins are like this. To commit the sin would hurt another person and go against God’s law. So, with many sins, we are not being loyal to two people when we commit sin.

39:10

“And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.” Like many temptations, it appears that this wife tempted Joseph over and over again. Most temptations are not “one and done.” Temptations repeat - especially if the temptation matches a specific weakness that we have. I am never tempted to steal something at the store. 100% of the time, I am not tempted. However, I’m tempted to be angry with my fellow drivers EVERY day. That temptation repeats and repeats. I believe that these “chinks in armor” temptations are the ones that we need the Lord’s help to overcome. We shouldn’t attempt to overcome these types of weaknesses on our own.

39:12

“And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.” Joseph is demonstrating a correct way to resist temptation. He fled. He left the situation. He didn’t engage to a small degree and then run. He didn’t stay and rely on his willpower to get him through the temptation. Instead, he left the vicinity of the temptation. For many situations, I see this as the best way to leave temptation is to leave.

An even better method for avoiding temptation is to not be in the vicinity of it in the first place. We should not put ourselves in a situation where we can reliably predict temptation will be there. If we know that there will be drinking at a party and that’s a temptation for us, we shouldn’t go to the party. If we know we’ll be alone with our prom date at his house late at night, we should make other plans.

Don’t put yourself in a compromising position and then rely on our running skills to get us out of it. In this case, Joseph “went into the house to do his business.” This makes perfect sense. The next line reads, “…and there was none of the men of the house there within.” This is a red flag. It may have been a good policy for Joseph to not be in that house without other men inside. First, he wouldn’t even be in the location to sin - which is always the best strategy. Second, he would have had witnesses to contradict her accusations.

39:21-23

“But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper.” So, Joseph continued to prosper. Did he really? He was in prison - unfairly accused of a crime that he didn’t commit. How is he prospering?

I think this gets back to what I was writing earlier about prospering is relative. Prospering means different things. I believe that to prosper is to do as well as possible in your current situation. That will look different for all of us. My version of prospering is much different than a man in Iran right now. My version of prospering is different than a man’s version during World War II. My current version of prospering is different than it was twenty years ago.

A man in any situation can make the most of his situation through following through on the covenants he’s made. If he lives righteously in every way, including being industrious and trustworthy, that man will prosper as much as he can in his situation. That’s all any of us can ask for.

40:23

After Joseph correctly interpreted the butler’s dream and he returned to the service of his king, he forgot about Joseph. “Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.” Unfortunately, this is human nature. We are sometimes interested only in those who can help us. We sometimes view people as a means to an end. Once we have gotten what we want from them, we set them aside. It obviously important that we aren’t like this. People are not pawns for our game of life. If we see each man or woman as a precious, eternal being who has divine potential, we’re less likely to forget about people.

40:8, 41:16

I like how Joseph points to God with the interpretations of dreams. He could have pointed at himself as the Great Interpreter and he would be indispensable perhaps. Instead, he gives credit to God. At first, when interpreting the servants dreams: “And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God?”

Even with Pharaoh himself, he says something similar. “It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.” He gives credit to God. He doesn’t attempt to assume the glory of being celebrated and respected as a great seer. We could all do better at giving God the credit for the good things that happen in our lives.

41:37-40

“And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.” Joseph giving credit to God didn’t take away from others’ respect for him. I think that Joseph, with his righteousness and priesthood, he stood out among men. The Spirit gave him wisdom.

It was the power of God that made Joseph unique among men in Egypt. We should recognize that, when we have the Spirit with us, others can see it. Having the Spirit is the great separator of people - more than education, career success, athletic ability. Certainly, in the end, it will definitely be the great separator between the sheep and the goats. The only question that will matter in that day will be if the Spirit was with us or not.

If you’ve ever lived without the Spirit, you know what I’m talking about. When the Spirit withdraws, we are left to ourselves. Our minds are not clear. Inspired ideas do not come. We become more like the natural man - relying on instincts and individual brainpower. It’s hard. When we live in the Spirit, our nature changes and others can perceive it.