The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-04-25


| brethren" The seven years of famine
had begun, and not only all Egypt, but
all countries. came 10 Joseph to buy
corn (Sli. So 50. Ten Of Joseph's breth-
rem, at once recognized by him, but not
he by them, had come for corn, and
nine had gone home with their sacks
full and their money in their sacks,
with instructions 10 bring their youngest
brother when they came again, Simeon
meantime being detained as hostage.
They had now returned bringing Benja-
min, and the eleven had dined with
Joseph, being seated at table according
to their ages, much to their surprise, for
as yet they knew him not.
=. And he wept aloud, and the
Egyptians and the house Of Pharaoh
heard" Our lesson begins and ends
with weeping. but it is weeping for joy.
Consider the seven weepings of Joseph
in chapters Kilt pa; xiii. 80; KY. 2, IA;
XVII, %: ], l, II.
8. And Joseph said unto his breth-
rem, L am Joseph Doth my father yet
live?" Is it any wonder that they were
troubled and could not answer? How
wildly would come TO mind the events
Of twenty years before as they looked
upon the face of him whose pitiful cries
and tears they would not regard, and
now ne has already been returning them
good for evil while at the same time
leading them to repentance. 1t must be
all true, for Who but Joseph could
know their ages so as TO arrange them
at table?
4. And Joseph said unto his brethren,
Come near to me, l pray you. And they
came near. And he said, ] am Joseph,
your brother, whom We sold in Egypt.
We can imagine them dumb with aston
ishment until he calls them near to him
and repeats the astounding allusion 10
their guilt. 1t is all true, and after so
long a time their sin has found them out
(Num. xxi. 23).
8. Now therefore be not grieved nor
angry with yourselves that ye sold me
hither, for God did send me before you
| to preserve life He maketh the wrath
| of man to praise Him (Ps. lXXVi,, 1O,
and Joseph had grace to see, not the
| hatred of his brethren, but the guiding
| hand of God. 1t is possible for us to see
| God in everything and believe and re-
| joice in Rom. viii. 2S 20.
6. For these two years hath the fam
| inc been in the land, and yet there are
| five years, in the which there shall Meth
| er be caring nor harvest" AS truly as
| there had been seven years of plenty, so
| surely would there be seven years Of
| famine. Joseph simply believed God
ne ndQ no OIDeT means OF knowing.
Abraham believed Cod Let our souls
say. Il believe Cod JAS. ii, %; Acts
XVI. 25)
I. And God sent me before you to pre-
serve you pOsteTity in the earth and to
| save your lives by a great deliverance."
| How suggestive it all is of Jesus hated,
| sold, rejected, slain, yet still alive, a
| great deliverer, the only deliverer, and
| ere long now He will say to the nation
! Of Israel, Il am Jesus, your brother,
/ whom We crucifed." They shall see Him
and mourn bitterly and welcome Him
| Czech. xii, 10; xiii, u. Many individual
| Jews are now seeing and receiving Him
| by faith. but soon will be all Israel.
8. so now ii was not you that sent
| me hither but God" Joseph gives God
| all the glory for making him a father
| to Pharaoh and ruler over all Egypt.
| He has nothing but forgiveness for his
/ brethren and praises for God. Jesus
told Plate that he could have no power
| against Him except it were given him
| by God GOhn xix, ID We may all be-
| lieve that nothing can come to US without
| God.
9. Haste We and go up to my father
| and say unto him. Thus saith thy son
/ Joseph, God hath made me lord of all
| Egypt. Come down unto me; tarry not "
/ He thinks of his poor old father, Won
| dering day by day if Benjamin will ever
| return to him, little dreaming that Ben
| jamin viii come all right and Joseph
/ too. And he longs TO have his father see
and share his glory. See the longing
| of Jesus in John xvii, "a
| 10. And thou shalt dwell in the land
! of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto
me- thou, and thy children. and thy chill
drens children, and thy flocks, and thy
! herds, and all that thou hast" Mark
| the repeated near unto me" of verse
and this verse and think of Israel a
people near unto Jehovah (Ps. cxlvii. 1D,
| and of all who We're once afar off made
nigh by the blood of Jesus CEph. ii, 49,.
See even the hocks and herds included
and think Of all creation enjoying the
| great deliverance (Rom. viii, 2D.
IL. And there will / nOurish thee, for
| yet there are five years of famine, lest
| thou and thy household and all that
| thou hast come to poverty" Assurance
| of continued and abundant supply for
| all. He who spared not His own Son.
but delivered Him up for us ALL how
shall He not with Him also freely give
us all things Rom. wifi. 32)? Consider
the daily rations and the day by day
without fail Of III Kings XIV. 80. and
Ezra vi, 9. and let your heart rejoice.
Y. And behold your eyes see, and
the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that il
lis my mouth that speaketh unto you"
| When the disciples We're troubled as
| Jesus Himself stood in their midst af-
| ter the resurrection, He said, Handle Me
| ana see Indt IL Is L Myself duke XIV,
| $500. Thomas was encouraged to feel
the very wounds of Jesus John Xxx, 20.
And when Jesus shall be asked by the
| Jews about the wounds in His hands
He will say that He received them in
the house of His friends Czech. xiii, o..
| 13. And We shall tell my father of all
my glory in Egypt and of all that We
have seen, and we shall haste and bring
down my father hither" They would
have to say when they told all they
could, Father, we can't tell you the
half of his glory" Il Kings Y, y. And
when they did tell him Jacob couldn't
| believe il till he saw the wagons which
! Joseph had sent to fetch him. THAT
which we have seen and heard declare
we unto YOU is the testimony of the
apostle q John 1, 8; Acts iv, POI.
| A. 10. And he fell upon his brother
| Benjamin's neck and wept. And Ben
jamin wept upon his neck. Moreover.
he kissed all his brethren and wept upon
them, and after that his brethren talked
| with him" What assurance of for
| giveness, What tears of joy on the part
of Joseph and of Benjamin! But did the
others weep? The record does not say.
Tears pent up sometimes come after
ward. Joseph's heart is full as he gives
of his bounty 10 his father and his breth-
rem. What wOndrous grace TO these
brethren and yet how small when COM
pared with the grace Of our Lord Jesus
Christine grace by which we are saved
in which we stand and the full revelation
of which we still wait for (Eph. ii, s.
Rom. V. 2; 1 Pet i, 49,.