Day 4: Vayeshev/Genesis 39:1-6

Is it possible to earn the trust of YHVH Elohim? It looks as if some of the patriarchs, our forefathers, did just that in some regard.

Enoch certainly made enough of an impression of the Father that he walked with Elohim and then was taken by the Creator, seemingly not dying the physical death the rest of humanity suffers.

Noach garnished the attention of Elohim as he found His favor so that he became the ark of the Seed of Righteousness so that the population of the world survived through him.

Abraham certainly had YHVH’s attention in his faith and obedience. Abraham not only had favor, but he was a friend to Elohim, talking to the Creator, face to face. Likewise, Isaac and Yacov would hear the Master’s voice confirming the Covenant promises given to their father Abraham. Yacov even encountered YHVH’s presence three times without dying while gaining the promises of hope, life, and the posterity of a nation.

Later, Moshe would be called the most humble man on earth, being the first to hear and utter Y-H-V-H as the memorial name of the Most High.

So, what is trust?

To have confidence and security is to have trust. In that light, does YHVH really trust man—even the patriarchs? From the perspective that YHVH alone is perfect and the only One trustworthy in the universe, the answer would have to be no. Yet, man can gain YHVH’s attention, friendship, gaze, and, even, His Righteousness (through Yeshua).

Each of the forefathers of Israel had a trait that every believer can possess. They had been chosen by YHVH, known by Him, and were men hand-selected to do His will and purpose. YHVH knew each of their beginning, end, and the sum of all their days. Just as with Yacov, whom YHVH loved, and Esau, whom YHVH hated, the Creator knew the sum of all days, ideas, and actions that would cause a predetermination of favor upon Yavoc, contrasted to his brother who despised his own birthright.

Yoseph, upon being sold into the Egyptian household of Potiphar, Pharoah’s captain of the bodyguard, was deemed a successful and blessed man, who could be trusted by Potiphar. The Egyptian captain was not divine, nor could he tell the future. His only measuring tools were his instincts, the fruit bore from Yoseph’s life, and actions and the prosperity of his house under the Hebrew’s care.

Yoseph, in six sentences of Torah, goes from sold captive to the head of all of Potiphar’s household, estate, and material affairs. It should be noted that this relatively short entry in Torah took much more time to live than to read or imagine experiencing. A relevant point to make is that Potiphar did not regard Yoseph alone for the reasoning behind his prosperity; rather, it was that YHVH was with Yoseph and the work of his hands, effecting favor for Yoseph in Potiphar’s eyes and his household.

It would be seen, soon enough, that Potiphar’s tolerance and trust in Yoseph only went so far as he would take his conniving wife’s word over the Hebrew youth’s. To Potiphar, Yoseph was a disappointment and took advantage of the Egyptian.

We should take cues, not from Potiphar, but from Yoseph in this Torah example of a righteousness lifestyle. Our goals in service to our Elohim should be to have His eye and favor in our lives. This is not for the sake of being blessed, although that is quite enjoyable, but to be pleasing to Him and to exalt the Creator.

Yoseph was exemplary in this as he did not garnish Potiphar’s attention in selfish ambition; instead, Yoseph lived in such a way that Potiphar’s accolades and approval were for the Creator of all flesh, not his flesh. In other words, the more carnal Yoseph decreased, the more YHVH increased around him.

Again, this took time, as it does in our own lives. We cannot just wake up and think that all old habits, temptations, and the repercussions of alternate lifestyles are gone so that we are all the sudden righteous beings. It is true that YHVH wipes away all our sin and causes old habits of the flesh to cease. Sometimes, this is an instantly gratifying moment. However, there are many occasions that we are left with the Ruach as our Helper to overcome adversities, habits, and our flesh. It takes time to kick some bad traditions in our lives. It, also, takes time to make long-lasting new ones in which good fruit is consistently produced.

Yoseph took time to allow YHVH to work through him. He allowed trust to be built in developing a relationship with his master. We, too, must take time to allow YHVH to work in us so that He can effectually work through us.

Abraham lived 100 years before bearing the seed of promise. Moshe was eighty before being called to deliver Israel from Egypt. Hopefully, we do not have to wait quite that long to have a proper relationship with the Master. Yet, we must have patience while allowing the Ruach to purify our hearts.

In some seasons, like Yoseph’s time over Potiphar’s estate, YHVH can and will use us to bring glory to Him. Often, though, He uses those times to set us up for the next season of our lives, where we must still lose our flesh so that He is glorified. Our contentment and commitment to serve YHVH in each and every season is what makes the journey our common trait shared with our patriarchal forefathers.

Dwell upon John 3:30-31, “He must increase, but I must decrease. He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth He who comes from heaven is above all.”