Read Genesis 39

“…How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? (Genesis 39:9)

Joseph, the son of Jacob, was truly a man of character and unwavering integrity.

At the young age of 17 years old he was dealt a hand from the deck of life that few could recover from. Having been human-trafficked by his own brothers out of their jealousy of him (see Genesis 37:28), he ends up becoming a slave in the nation of Egypt. To make matters worse, Joseph’s father supposed him to be dead through the lie he was fed by Joseph’s brothers (see Genesis 37:32-33). Can you imagine being in Joseph’s shoes?

Truly, Joseph was as good as dead in human terms. He was taken from being the likely heir of Jacob’s inheritance to now owning nothing to his name. He went from draping the coat of many colors on his back in his father’s house to wrapping a slave’s robe around his body in the house of an Egyptian foreigner.

Yet, even in the midst of all these things, we never see Joseph falter in his integrity before God. He had a special eye on his Maker and in this he always found purpose to stand honorably in the work set before him.

We see this particularly put to the test in Genesis 39. Joseph’s integrity had been noticed by his master, Potiphar, and in the process of time Joseph became the head administrator of his master’s house. There wasn’t anything Potiphar distrusted in Joseph’s character — even leaving his wife alone at home with him.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t Joseph, but Potiphar's wife that needed to be carefully watched, for she was the crafty harlot that Solomon speaks of in Proverbs 7; and she had cast longing eyes upon Joseph. Day after day she implored him to let go of his integrity and enjoy the delicacies of sinful passion.

But what was Joseph’s response?

“There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has [Potiphar] kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”(Genesis 39:9)

Notice what Joseph does not say: “How can I do this great wickedness and sin against Potiphar?” Joseph cared about his master Potiphar, yes, but his main conviction was how he could do such a depraved thing against God! — his ultimate Master.

Because of this, for the second time in Joseph’s life, his own robe had been ripped off his back unjustly. First, his brothers tore off his robe of many colors to sell him to Egypt. Now here, Potiphar’s wife tore off his robe from Potiphar to tempt him into lustful depravity.

And twice was Joseph’s robe used as a lie against him. His first robe lied about his death and his second robe lied about his integrity, as Potiphar’s wife kept it to accuse Joseph of assault.

Is this what Joseph deserves for walking in his integrity? Any normal man might be tempted to partake of the fruit of sin when life seems so hell-bent against him. But not Joseph. We never see him victimize himself; we never see him use life’s circumstances to justify sin; and we never see him give up on living in his integrity before the Lord, whether that’s in his own house, someone else’s, a prison or the throne.

And isn’t this what made Joseph the right man of God for the throne of Egypt in order to preserve God’s people? It certainly was! Joseph’s faithfulness and his integrity in the muck and the grime is what made him fit for the crown and the throne! Twice his robe was unjustly torn off his body, but those two robes needed to be cast off in order for him to be able to put on “the garments of fine linen,” which Pharaoh placed upon him (see Genesis 41:42).

Likewise, the robes of this world must be ripped off our backs in order for us to be clothed in the pure white robes of our King. Our crown of righteousness in the Kingdom to come is tested by our integrity in the sludge of this life.

Do we live to enter the joy of our Lord in future Glory or do we live to enter the fading passions of the present?

For what did Jesus say?

“Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” (Matthew 25:23)

Imagine if Joseph had faltered and justified sinning with Potiphar’s wife. He would have been unfit for the Master’s use and not lifted up to rule Egypt. Integrity is proven by endurance and resoluteness. We must endure! Endure in your integrity before God. Keep yourself pure before God and from the filth of the world. In due time He will lift you up!

“And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world…” (1 Corinthians 4:12–13)

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” (James 4:10)

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