Two Josephs, two flights.
One fled temptation; the other, a threat of murder.
Both decisions were prudent.
One was a last-ditch effort; the other, simple obedience.
The examples of these men can guide us in our spiritual journey.
Old Testament Joseph
Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. 7And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.” 8But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. 9He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” 10And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her. 11But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, 12she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house. – Genesis 39:6b-12 (ESV)
His brothers wanted to get rid of Joseph, but God had other plans for the young man. Sold into slavery, he became the property of an Egyptian official named Potiphar. Yet the Lord so blessed Joseph with wisdom and favor that he gained status within the estate. Soon, he oversaw the affairs of the entire household.
His looks, intelligence, and character proved too appealing for Potiphar’s wife. She couldn’t control him, but she could tempt him.
So she tried.
Several times.
But Joseph never listened to her.
The first time, he explained his mindset. He wanted to fulfill his responsibilities toward his master and he didn’t want to sin against God. For Joseph, adultery was off-limits.
But the woman persisted, so Joseph avoided being near her.
But one day they ran into each other. This was her chance.
Joseph must’ve felt he was out of options. He’d tried reasoning and distancing, and neither had succeeded.
So he took flight.
Joseph didn’t board a plane, although he might have if one were available!
He ran out of the house to defuse the situation, but that didn’t last. The rest of the chapter tells us that the woman accused Joseph of attempted rape, and, in a fit of rage, Potiphar sent him to prison.
In an attempt to honor God, Joseph suffered for a crime he didn’t commit.
Was it wise for Joseph to flee the scene? I would say it was, even though it failed in the short-term.
Joseph had tried other alternatives, but nothing worked. He’d disobeyed her wishes, and she retaliated.
But he’d obeyed the will of God to the best of his understanding. Joseph’s knowledge of God wasn’t perfect, but he was loyal to what he knew.
Fleeing temptation was Joseph’s way of honoring the Lord. And it’s a good lesson for us, too. A new year has started, and at some point, we’ll face the allure of sin. Flight isn’t our only option, but when other options fail, we may have no choice but to board the plane and take off.
If that’s what it takes to honor God, then let’s do it.
New Testament Joseph
Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the Child and His mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the Child, to destroy Him.” 14And he rose and took the Child and His mother by night and departed to Egypt 15and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.” – Matthew 2:13-15 (ESV)
Alarmed by reports of the birth of the king of the Jews, King Herod planned a bloodbath. He’d kill every boy two years old and younger. By doing so, Herod supposed he’d secure his reign.
The palace made preparations, but soldiers weren’t the only ones in on the plot.
Heaven watched.
And responded.
That night, God sent an angel to warn Joseph to leave right away. He hadn’t a minute to spare!
He hadn’t a moment to decide, either. This was a matter of life and death and there was no time to lose. Get going or Jesus dies.
Joseph had no choice; to obey, he had to flee. Flight was his only option.
Herod had no jurisdiction in Egypt; there, Joseph and his family would be safe. And there he remained he heard of the king’s death. Only then did he consider going back to Judea. And in that return, as vs. 15 highlights, Joseph participated in the fulfillment of prophecy.
Whether we realize it or not, our acts of obedience align with Scripture. When our hearts delight to obey God, He performs His Word in and through us.
Both Josephs fled. They did so because their desire to honor God motivated them. The details of their flights differed. The first Joseph ran out of the house as a last ditch effort to get away from a temptress. The second Joseph fled a government that was seeking to kill the Christ child. An angel commanded the latter to escape to Egypt. The former received no divine instructions.
But because they sought to honor God, the Lord honored them. Their faith and actions testified to the condition of their hearts. They loved God and wanted to please Him.
Whether it’s a process or an immediate judgment, the disposition of our souls ought to be similar. We must always aim to glorify our Lord and Savior.
Even in flight!
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