Loading... CAME IN UNTO ME TO MOCK ME - Genesis 39:17
Tuesday, March 31st, 2009Genesis 39:17 And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me:
Potiphar’s wife thought she was in love with Joseph. She pursued Joseph trying to get him to commit adultery with her. However, when Joseph continually refused her advances, the love she thought she had for him turned to hate. Potiphar’s wife turned on Joseph and she decided to hurt Joseph so that he would know how much he hurt her by not sleeping with her. Potiphar’s wife lied to the servants and she lied to her husband and told everyone that Joseph tried to defile her and sleep with her.
Potiphar’s wife did not demonstrate true love. We know that true love is demonstrated when one lays down their life for another. Potiphar’s wife was not demonstrating sacrificial love to either her husband when she tried to sleep with Joseph or to Joseph when she told lies trying to get Joseph into trouble.
Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians that love is kind, love does not think about itself, and love is not easily provoked. Potiphar’s wife did not love Joseph, instead, she had filled her heart with lust and when the lust was not fulfilled, it became evident to all that she never loved Joseph.
It is easy to get yourself into a position like Potiphar’s wife. All you have to do is start thinking about those things that you are not supposed to have and soon the desire for that which you cannot have will become very strong. You will find all sorts of excuses to justify your desires until you take action on your thoughts and seek to obtain that which you cannot have. While you may not seek to commit the act of adultery, all sin violates the perfect will of God and will result in your need for forgiveness. It does not matter how many excuses you have for what you did, your sin causes you to fall short of the glory of God.
Joseph was falsely accused of doing something he refused to do. Joseph’s character was damaged and he ended up in prison. However, what man meant for evil, God meant for good. What Potiphar’s wife meant to hurt Joseph, God used to place Joseph in the right place at the right time.
The lesson we can learn from this passage is the importance of maintaining control over our mind. It is important that we do not allow Satan to fill our mind with lust for the things of this world. Once Satan has a foot hole into our mind, he will use that advantage to cause us to continue to sin in other areas of our life.
We need to diligently add temperance to our lives. By refusing to dwell upon those things that are evil, we will enable ourselves to stand strong against further attacks of the wicked one. God has a wonderful plan for our life, but we must stand firm and not allow the temptations of this world drag us down. One sin will lead to another sin until we reach the point that we do not even really know who we are or what we stand for.
Potiphar’s wife had sinned by lusting after Joseph and by attempting to commit adultery with Joseph. Once she had been hurt by Joseph, what reason did she have to not lie and hurt Joseph? Sin will destroy us and cause us to do terrible things to those who we love. Sin will cause us to take matters into our own hands and seek revenge when we should be seeking forgiveness. Take control over your mind today so that you may be free to serve God.