Evil does not
make its purpose immediately known - especially to the targets. Why do I say
so? The incident between Joseph and Potiphar’s wife: And as soon as
she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house,
she called to the men of her household and said to them, "See, he has
brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and
I cried out with a loud voice. And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my
voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the
house." Gen 39:13-15(ESV) Isn’t it amazing? Here was a woman so much
after Joseph. And as she spoke
to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be
with her Gen 39:10(ESV). Was it an attempt
to explain how come his garment was in her hands? She could have hidden or
destroyed the garment. That would prevent its use against her if that was her
concern. He never cried out and they were alone. He had obviously never
complained about this sexual harassment to Potiphar. How come she didn’t leave
him alone and look elsewhere? It is because the target was to destroy him from
the beginning. The thief comes
only to steal and kill and destroy Jn 10:10 (ESV). Yes, that was
the hidden motive which manifests finally: a motive hidden in the disguise of
desire for him. And after a time,
his master's wife, looking on Joseph with desire, said to him, Be my lover Gen
39:7(BBE).
Listen: the very mouth that would seduce in
secret was the same one that disgraced in public. Satan who entices you into
sin secretly will humiliate you also publicly. He just won’t tell you so at the
beginning. So beware; and don’t be enticed.
For the lips of a
forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil, but in the end
she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to
death Prov 5:3-5(ESV).
And just before
you think hers was just a female fury over thwarted desire, think about Amnon.
Yes Amnon. How can we ever forget him in such matters? Was he not the one who
said "I love
Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister." 2Sam
13:4(ESV) and enticed her secretly? But when she brought them near him to eat, he took
hold of her and said to her, "Come, lie with me, my sister." 2Sam
13:11(ESV). If what the evil within wanted was mere
pleasure how come it didn’t end there? If we say Potiphar’s wife disgraced
Joseph because she didn’t get what she wanted how come Amnon disgraced her
after getting what he wanted? He called the
young man who served him and said, "Put this woman out of my presence and
bolt the door after her." 2Sam 13:17 (ESV) How quickly she had moved from beloved to
“this woman”! So whether it is coming from a male or female there is danger. A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his
feet. Prov 29:5 (ESV) .
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