Genesis 39:5—“… the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake …”

And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field (Gen. 39:5).

 

COMMON GRACE ARGUMENT:

Q. “Genesis 39:5 says that the unbelieving Egyptian’s house was ‘blessed’ by the Lord (for Joseph’s sake). Does this ‘blessing’ of his house, however, mean that Potiphar was blessed, and therefore loved by God? That God had a ‘gracious disposition and favourable attitude’ towards him?”

 

(I)

Rev. Rodney Kleyn

[Source: The Reformed Witness Hour: “Joseph’s Diligence in a Strange Place and Position” (Gen. 39:1-6), 27/03/2022] 

In the most difficult circumstances of our lives, God never abandons us; He never leaves one of His own to fend for themselves; He never abandons them to the tyranny of circumstances. No, God is always with us. Jesus’ parting promise—one of the most beautiful promises in the whole of the Word of God—was this: “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20). Just as God was with Joseph, so His promise is to remain with and be the strength of His people in every age and in every difficulty. Joseph was never alone; no, the Lord was with him.

But how did Joseph know this? How did he know the presence of God? Back in chapter 28 when his father, Jacob, is hated by his brother, Esau, and headed out on his own to Haran, God appears to him at Bethel in a dream; you remember the ladder from heaven with angels ascending and descending; and God says in Genesis 28:15,

Behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

Does Joseph have a vision and a promise like this from God? The answer is no. All that Joseph has are his two dreams of his own future exaltation and the story of his father’s dream at Bethel. And all alone at Egypt, believing that God was with him, Joseph experienced the gracious presence of God. That experience came to Joseph in this way: that God prospered him in the house of Potiphar, and that God brought a blessing to the house of Potiphar through him.

In verse 2, we read that he was a prosperous man in the house of his master. Verse 3 tells us that his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand. That’s remarkable. Joseph didn’t even have to say anything; Potiphar saw the hand of God in and through all the life of Joseph. Verse 4 continues by saying that Joseph found grace in Potiphar’s eyes as he served him—that is, Potiphar liked this man; he could see that Joseph was a diligent and responsible worker; he saw a godliness and faith in Joseph. Joseph didn’t complain about his wages; he didn’t try to get all the “gravy” jobs; he wasn’t “two-faced” with his boss; he simply served him. He had Potiphar’s interests and goals as his own. He wasn’t laboring for himself. And the result of this was that Potiphar made Joseph the overseer or steward of all that was in his house; that he didn’t have to concern himself with anything. He only made one choice now, in verse 6: what he would eat. All other decisions were left to Joseph.

And for Joseph’s sake, God blessed the house of Potiphar (v. 5):

[It] came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.

Now we should notice that this verse does not say that God blessed *Potiphar,* but rather that He blessed his *house*—“for Joseph’s sake.” God’s blessing is not in the material things that came to Potiphar; and God’s blessing is not universally distributed to believing and unbelieving homes alike. In fact, Proverbs 3:33 says “the *curse* of the Lord is in the house of the wicked.”

Here, “for Joseph’s sake,” that is, because Joseph was there in Egypt, and for Joseph’s preservation and preparation, God brought His blessing on this home. Joseph was the unique object of God’s grace here. God, as it were, singled him out and, for his sake, made it plain that He was there with him in Potiphar’s house.

And Joseph was prospered by God in a unique way. When He prospered Jacob when he worked for Laban it was wealth. But Joseph is not prospered here with wealth; all the wealth goes to Potiphar. God prospers Joseph with wisdom and great skill in management. When Solomon becomes king, he realizes that he would need wisdom above wealth to govern so great a nation; and that’s the gift that God very obviously has given here to Joseph. And God uses this situation in Potiphar’s house to prepare him for his position later in life as governor in Egypt.

And so God was with him. Yes, Joseph was still a slave; he was still far from home where he desired to be; but he knew the presence of God; and he knew that his present circumstances were part of the purpose of God for him.”

 

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(II)

Prof. Herman C. Hanko

[Source: Common Grace Considered (2019 edition), p. 279]

Why does consequent prosperity in some measure come to those who do keep God’s law outwardly? The answer is, first of all, that God works this way for the sake of His church. That is precisely the reason why God blessed the house of Potiphar for Joseph’s sake (Gen. 39:5). That is why we are commanded to pray for all those in authority over us, and pray, even, that they may observe the law of God; for, Paul writes Timothy, that among the reasons to pray for magistrates is that the church may “lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” (I Tim. 2:1-2).

 

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(III)

Robert C. Harbach (1914-1996)

[Source: Studies in the Book of Genesis, pp. 732-733]

The Lord was with Joseph; he was a prosperous man. The Lord showed him mercy. Then the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake. The blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house and in the field (Deut. 28:3–8). It is not said that the Lord was with the jailer, or with Pharaoh, or with the Egyptian nation, or with Potiphar, or that the Egyptian was blessed. It is not said of Potiphar as is said of Obed-Edom, that both he and his house were blessed (II Sam. 6:11). Rather, with respect to Potiphar, certain in his house were blessed, as in Caesar’s household (Phil. 4:22). God had predestined a people for Himself in the house of Potiphar. Through Abraham’s Seed, all the families of the earth are destined to be blessed. So there were (and could be yet) elect Egyptians (Isa. 19:19–25). The Lord “blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake.” Blessing upon his house means much more than earthly prosperity and providential gifts bestowed on them, but refers to spiritual good, everlasting grace given certain in Potiphar’s household. Regeneration, calling, conversion, and faith were wrought in them for Joseph’s sake. All things, especially such things, are done for the elect’s sake, that they may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus (II Tim. 2:10). So Lot was saved for Abraham’s sake (Gen. 19:29).

But Potiphar and all his wicked heathen house enjoyed the prosperity. (Compare Psalm 73:3). God in His providence gives prosperity, but not blessing (cp. 73:12 with 18–20, 27) to the wicked, in order that certain of His purposes may be fulfilled. God would use this prosperity to bring Joseph into favour with Potiphar as one of the steps taken to bring him to prison and then to the throne. His management of Potiphar’s affairs was training for later rule over Egypt in order that the covenant people might be provided a place in which to become a great nation. God’s providential works are enough proof of His existence, His agency, and direction of all His creatures and all their actions. In His providence He worked in such a way as to produce a certain effect on Potiphar. The lesson He intended for him he understood and learned. He saw that God was with Joseph. This was not only true of Potiphar, but all men see God’s works of creation and providence, so that they are without excuse. God gave prosperity to Potiphar and blessing within his household through the judicious management of Joseph. God did this to show His sovereignty in influencing men, whether His friends or enemies, whether with the use of means or without means, so to preserve His church in a hostile world.

 

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(IV)

More to Come! (DV)