Joseph: A Model of Moral Integrity and Fear of the Lord

In your Bible today, we are looking at the Book of Genesis, Chapter 37. The subject today is Joseph, the model of moral manhood, and I have a secondary title today: this is a Father's Day message, but it's for all men and all women, because it will be relevant for you as well. So I hope you will listen to me.

We begin in Genesis 37:2, which introduces us to the generations of Jacob. Joseph was 17 years old and was feeding the flock with his brothers. His father's wives were with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpa. Joseph brought an evil report of his brothers to his father, which made his brothers hate him.

Israel loved Joseph more than all of his children because he was the son of his old age, and he made him a coat of many colors. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than them, they hated him even more. Joseph then told them a dream he had, which made them hate him even more. In the dream, Joseph's sheaf of grain stood upright while his brothers' sheaves bowed down to it. His brothers asked him if he would reign over them, and they hated him even more.

Joseph then had another dream, which conveyed the same message.

Why is Joseph so important in the Bible? He is given 12 chapters in the Book of Genesis, from Chapter 37 to Chapter 50, except for Chapter 38. This is extraordinary, as very few people other than Jesus Christ have that much volume of scripture devoted to them.

Joseph's life provides the background for the Book of Exodus. Without understanding these 12 chapters, it is difficult to fully comprehend the significance of the Book of Exodus. It answers questions such as how the Hebrews, who were not a nation yet, ended up in Egypt and became slaves.

Joseph is relevant to us today because he knew what it was to face extreme temptation and to succeed in overcoming it. On Father's Day, this is a particularly relevant passage. Joseph was a 17-year-old, who would be a junior or senior in high school today. He was the favorite son of his father, Jacob, who had two wives and a concubine, making four wives and thirteen children. To mark Joseph as the leader of the family, his father gave him a special coat, called the coat of many colors. This caused resentment among Joseph's twelve brothers, and it was made worse when Joseph told them of two dreams he had, in which his brothers bowed down to him.

When Joseph's brothers took the flocks out to find pasture land, his father sent him to check on them. When they saw him coming, they hatched a plan to kill him. Reuben, the oldest son, spoke up and saved Joseph's life. Reuben should have been the leader, but he had committed adultery with one of his father's concubines and was removed from the scene.

Joseph faced a terrible situation when his brothers sold him as a slave to a caravan of Midianites. When they arrived in Egypt, they sold him to Potiphar, the head of the army. His brothers returned home and lied to their father, telling him that an animal had killed Joseph and presented a bloody coat as proof. Despite all of this, Joseph was blessed by God. In Genesis 39:2, it says that the Lord was with him and he was a prosperous man. In verse 3, it says that the Lord blessed him and his master's family because of Joseph. In verse 21, it says that the Lord showed him mercy and gave him favor in the prison.

Joseph was preserved by the fear of the Lord when he was tempted by Potiphar's wife. In Genesis 39:7, it says that she asked him to lie with her, but he refused, saying that it would be a great wickedness and sin against God. He was preserved by the fear of the Lord and was blessed by God in spite of his difficult situation.

Joseph was faced with a powerful temptation. His master's wife, who was wealthy, powerful, influential, and attractive, attempted to seduce him day by day. No greater temptation could a young man have than this. The Book of Proverbs speaks to this situation, saying, "For the lips of a strange woman drop as a honeycomb, her mouth is smoother than oil; but her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death, her steps take hold on hell." (Proverbs 5:3-5). It goes on to say, "Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids. For whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul." (Proverbs 6:25-26). The Proverbs also describe a woman with the attire of a harlot, saying, "I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves." (Proverbs 7:16-18). This is about as powerful a temptation as a young man could ever face.

Father's Day is an important day to remember the power of temptation and the importance of being true to your wife. The Bible warns us against this kind of behavior and Joseph is a model of moral manhood. Joseph was tempted by Potiphar's wife and he was able to resist because of the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is more than just a technical term; it is a continual awareness that we are in the presence of a holy, just, and almighty God. Every thought, word, and action is open before Him and being judged. It is a reverential trust that protects us from sinning against ourselves, our spouse, and God.

Joseph was a man who understood the importance of the fear of the Lord. He defined it and since then it has been all he ever heard until he met Del Fazenfelt. Del gave him a definition of reverential trust. It is like understanding the blessings of fire and water. They are essential for life, but can be dangerous if out of control. In the same way, a sexual relationship is essential for reproduction, but can be dangerous if out of control. Proverbs 16:6 states that by the fear of the Lord, men depart from evil. Chapter 8:13 states that the fear of the Lord is to hate evil. Proverbs 14:27 states that it is a fountain of life and will spare your life. Chapter 15:16 states that it is the source of contentment.

In the culture we live in, sexual permissiveness has been normalized. On college and high school campuses, virgins are mocked and ridiculed. The Bible gives us insight on this, as it is still a binding commandment of the Lord. In Genesis 39:17, Joseph is tempted by Potiphar's wife, but is preserved by the fear of the Lord. In adversity, he learned Godly wisdom and was thrown into jail as an innocent man. He was sold as a slave at 17 and sent to prison at 18.

Joseph was a man of faith and Godly wisdom. He was sold into slavery and his feet were chained in iron. Despite his suffering, God was with him and showed him mercy. He was put in prison for 12 long years, but the Lord was with him and gave him favor. He rose to the top, no matter where he was, because he practiced the fear of the Lord and learned Godly wisdom. In Psalm 105:17, Joseph's name is even mentioned. It says he was laid in iron, and the marginal reference says his soul entered into the iron. As he suffered in prison, God was building him strong and preparing him to be a leader of the great nation of Israel. When Pharaoh heard of Joseph's wisdom, he said there was none so discreet and wise as him. Adversity does not mean God is forsaking us. He is using it to build iron in our souls.

You may feel pressured, squeezed, and like you don't know how to get through something. Joseph was in a dirty, filthy Egyptian dungeon for 12 years, going in as an 18-year-old boy and coming out as a 30-year-old man. The Pharaoh, because of his wisdom and activity, said Joseph was the wisest man in Egypt. God had done something big in his life and his soul. Some of you may be waiting for a Christian mate and think you'll never find anyone, or be unhappy with your job and think you'll never get out of the dead-end job. Remember Joseph, who was in the dungeon for 12 long years. God did not forsake him and was working in him all the way through. In temptation, Joseph had the fear of the Lord, and in adversity, he developed Godly wisdom. In leadership, he was led of the Holy Spirit. Even the Pagan king and the Pagan Egyptians could see that this man had God's spirit and power in his life. The Pharaoh brought him right out of the prison, told him to shave, put on clean clothes, and come up to the Palace. He said Joseph was going to be second to him in authority over the whole land of Egypt.

In Canaan, Jacob told his sons to go to Egypt to buy food, and they did. Ultimately, they went through all the bureaucratic channels and were ushered into the presence of the man who was in charge of the distribution and preparation of food for the whole nation. What a position! If people are starving, the man who is in charge of food supply is the most powerful man in the whole country. When they came into his presence, the Bible says he recognized them, but they had no idea who he was. Twelve years of maturity, heartbreak, and adversity had passed, and he now had the garb and appearance of an Egyptian.

The Shepherds came into the room and he knew who they were, but they didn't know who he was. The memories flooded his brain. He remembered how they had haunted and taunted him when his father gave him the coat of many colors. He remembered crying and begging them not to put him in the pit and sell him to the Midianites, but they laughed and sold him anyway. He remembered being in prison for all those years, the vile, filthy environment, and the horrible food they gave him. He remembered the taunts of the wicked men as they mocked him for being a Jew and a Hebrew, and these guys had caused it all.

What a great time for some revenge, right? He had the authority to do anything; he could have had all eleven of them beheaded, but he was led by the Spirit. Spirit-filled people want reconciliation, not revenge. This family had been torn apart and was still torn apart, but he ultimately told them who he was. He threw himself on their necks and kissed them. He went to all eleven of them and said, "I want to forgive you. You treated me wrong, but you're my flesh and my blood. I forgive you. Welcome to Egypt. I'm going to take care of my family from now on. Go on up and get your dad and my little brother Benjamin and bring them down here and we're going to have a wonderful time in the Lord."

Revenge or forgiveness? If you are being led by the Spirit, you are the healer in your family. You are not the one who causes the dysfunction. You are the one that the Holy Spirit will use to reconcile that family and bring it back together, as he did. In Genesis 50:20-21, it says, "What you did to me, you did it for evil, but God used it for good to the saving of our whole family."

What a wonderful, sweet scene it would have been to see that reunion! No matter how dysfunctional your family is, the Holy Spirit of God can heal it. Today it takes wisdom, the fear of the Lord, and the Holy Spirit working in people's lives for us to come together in prayer. Will you bow your head with me?