The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-04-11
SABBATH SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOK
APRIL Is.
Lesson Text: "Josepb Sold Tntoe
Egypt" Gen. xxxvif., 1886
Golden Text: Gen.l.,
2O-Commentary.

%. "And it came to pass when Joseph was
come unto his brethren that they stripped
Joseph out of his coat" Being sent BY his
father he went forth cheerfully to see il It
was well with his brethren. but when they
saw him coming they determined to kill him
oversees 13, IA, 18-2O). How suggestive OF the
Jews hatred of Jesus. their brother who
came seeking their welfare .(NIath. xxi, 3d.
xvii, y! They stripped Him to mock Him,
and when cruciled parted His garments
among them (Math. xvii, %, $50. ..'.
"a. "And they took him and cast him into
a pit, and the pit was empty; there was no
water in it." Compare Zech. tx, II, and
contrast the miry pit in which Jeremiah was
put (Jer xxxviU., s.. The sinners deliver
from horrible pit and miry clay and having
his feet placed on rock (Ps. xl., q.
rs. "And they sat down to eat bread"
When the decree had gone forth to kill all
Jews, 1t Is written that the king and Haman
sat down to drink (Esth. ILL.,, 15). When they
cruciaed Jesus 1t is said that ''Sltting down,
they watched Him there (Math. xvii, 36).
The question of Jeremiah concerning the
sorrows Of Jerusalem, SIS 1t nothing to you,
como home to all who are Indifferent to the
sufferings of Jesus.
26. "Ard Judah said unto his brethren,
What profit Is 1t II We slay our brother and
conceal his blood?' This same Judah long
afterward became surety tor Joseph's broth
er Benjamin (Gen. 1liii,, 9 Xiv, so, 33). It
was from him that the Messiah, the great
deliverer, came in the fullness of time q
Chron. ", 2; Heb. viii, ~. They might
conceal Joseph's blood from his father, but
like Abel's 1t would cry to God (Gen- tv.,
10.) '..-..-. .- go.
27. "Come and let US sell him to the Ish-
maelites, and let not our hand be upon him
| for he Is our brother and our flesh And his
| brethren were content" Thus Judah saved
| his brother from death and his brethren
| from actual bloodshed. See how one can in
| fuence number! One with God can chase
thousand Deut. xxxt., S0).
%. "And they drew and lifted up Joseph
out ,of the pit and sold Joseph to the Ish-
brought Joseph into Egypt Thirty pieces
| Of silver was afterward in Israel the value
| OF slave (Ex XXI, 32). This was the price
at which they valued Zechariah. the proph-
ct. and for this amount Judas sold his saw
iour Czech. xi., 12 Matb. XVI, 15). Some
people to-day seem to sell Jesus for the
| veriest triies-that Is, they do not care what
becomes of Him or His cares, II only they
can be gratiaed.
2s. "And Reuben returned unto to the pit,
and, behold Joseph was not In the pit, and
he rent his clothes" It was Reuben who
first persuaded the other brother not to kill
Joseph, but to cast him into pit, thinking
that he might, unobserved, get him out and
restore him to his father oversees 81, 22).
Reuben was the oldest OF all the brothers, he
and judah being both SONS Of Leah Gen.
xxlx., 80, 35). He had heart to save his
brother, but not the power to deliver him
from those who hated him. He was eW-
IDENTIFY absent when Joseph was sold.
go "And he returned to his brethren and
said, The child is not, and 1, whittier shall 1
go?" The same phrase is used concerning
the absent In chapter xiii, IS, SO, and Jer.
xxi, Is. What contrast In that glorious
name OF Jehovah, II am" (Ex. ILL.,, 1A!
Whether in the body or out of the body, II We
are only identified with Christ we can never
be said not to be, for he Is our life, and be-
cause He lives we live (John xvi, 19). The
anguish OF Joseph's soul as he besought bis
brothers not to sell him is spoken OF In
chapter Kill, 81.
81. "And they took Joseph's coat, and
killed kid OF tie goats, and dipped the cost
| In the blood" Since the day that Adam
sinned It has been sorrow and suffering and
death all along the line, and will be till He
shall come again who. when he first came,
bore our grlefs and carried our SORROWS, and
In His own body bore our sins on the tree
Elsa. ill.,, 4; Peter H., 24). While the blood
OF kid stained Joseph's coat, 1t was Jesuss
own blood that soiled His garments, even the
blood from that poor, scourged back and
thorn crowned head. But the day comes
when the enemies blood shall stain His rat
ment lisa. Ill.,, s, y. So
SO. SAnd they sent the coat OF many col
ors, and they brought It to their father and
said, This have we found; know now
whether 1t be thy sons coat or no." Jacob
was truly their father after the flesh, but
they were making 1t very plain that they, IKE
their descendants long afterwari, had
another father, even he who is the father OF
all liars and nurderers John Will, ~.
SO. And ho knew it and said, Il Is my
sons coat an evil beast hath devoured him !;
Joseph is without doubt rent in. pieces"
There was no chemical analysis to prove that
the blood on that coat was not human there
was no son honest enough to tell the facts
in the case, and so Jacob must be allowed to
think that his much loved son was actually
slain, and for twenty years he believed the
same (rliv.. 2S). What an evil beast Is envy
and hatred, true children oi the roaring lion
Q Pet. ", -!
"a. And Jacob rent his clothes, and put
sa:kclotn upoa his loins and mourned Tor
MS son many days" Whatever we SOW we
reap. Jacob had sown the wind and was
reaping the whirlwlnd (Gal. vi, 7 Hos. viii. :,
n. He had cruelty deceived his father and
lied to himself (Chapter xvii, 24), and now
he was reaping terrible harvest: Tnfs
principle OF retrlbutlon Is seen continually
and enough ofit to make all but the most
hardened believe that God means what He
| says.
35. "And all his sons and all bis daugh-
tiers rose up to comfort him. but he refused
to be comiorted. and he said, For I will 60
down into the grave unto my son mourning '
thus his father wept for him." How many
daughters Jacob had we are not told one,
Dlnab, is mentioned by name (xxxlv., y. we
can understand how they might sincerely
try to comfort their father, but how these ly-
ing sons could comfort him Is somewhat OF
mystery. He Is surely to be pitied, for
he had not the light which we have upon the
future. He looked into the grave We look
up and know that ''to die is gain" ito de-
part and be with Christ Is far better" (Phil
l., 81, 29).
Sc. "And the Mldianites sold him into
Egypt, unto Potiphar, an officer Of Pharoah's 8
and captain of the guard The curtain falls
; upon the sorrowing father and the deceitful
sons. and we are given one glimpse Of the
poor boy 80 cruelty torn away from his home.
He is now slave in Egypt In the house Of
the chief of the executioners (see margtn).
But whether slave In Potiphar's house or a
prisoner falsely accused he : Is always pros
porous, for .'the Lord was with him" CHAP
ter xxx, 2, 8, 81, 23) and there was bless
ing everywhere. He was one OF the blessed
men Of Ps. t., 1-3.--Lesson Eelper.