JOB & JOSEPH, Part 1c

Faithful in Trials

From last week:  We can choose, just like Adam, to do right or wrong and with each choice comes the consequences; those being either good or bad. So then,

“God’s control over human free will is not in the forcing of willpower as much as it is in the allowance of limited human determination.”      —John Christy

As I sat and thought about this and Job; this blameless and upright man of faith; I couldn’t help but think about Joseph. 

Joseph was a man who, regardless of his circumstances, chose to trust in the Lord. And in briefly looking at his story I think we can get a better understanding of the sufferings that Job endured.

Joseph was hated by his brothers because, as Genesis 37:3 points out he was loved by his father “more then any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age” and his dreams had depicted his brothers bowing down to him (Genesis 37:5-11).

So in their hatred for their brother, Joseph’s brothers plot to kill him but then decide to sell him into slavery for 20 shekels of silver (which happens to be the average price for male slaves back in that time [Genesis 37:28]).

Now that he’s in Egypt he comes to live in the house of Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, and was “put in charge of his household and of all that he owned.” (Genesis 39:1-6)

While there, Potiphar’s wife takes notice of him and Joseph is then exposed to sexual temptation, yet makes the choice to flee. He chooses with his own free will God’s ways as Genesis 39:8-12 points out. Joseph says “My master has withheld nothing good from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”

As he flees from her, his cloak is left behind in her hand and, in her pride and embarrassment of being rejected, she makes false accusations against him and he is thrown into prison (Genesis 39:13-20).

Can you imagine what must be going on in this young man’s head? His own family has betrayed and abandoned him and now he’s imprisoned for doing what is right. Sounds much like Job, “a blameless and upright man who feared God and shunned evil,” now suffering through many undeserved trials. 

So why then are faithful men like Job and Joseph suffering? 

Stay tuned for next week…and Part 1d.

[Past episodes: Part 1a; Part 1b]