The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-05-02
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
MAY 6.
Lesson Text: "Joseph's Last Days."
Genesis l., 1926 - Golden
Text: Prov. w., IS
Commentary.

Il. "And Joseph returned into Egypt. he
and his brerhren and all that went up with
him to bury his father. after he had buried
his father" For seventeen years did Jacob
enjoy Joseph's presence and care in Egypt
(chapter Xvii, 2s) and died at the age OF
147. having first blessed all his sons and
charged them to bury him beside Leah the
cave Of Machpelah. where Abraham and
Sarah, Isaac and Rebekab, had already been
laid. When Jacob was dying he, with con-
fidence In the promises of God, blessed the
sons of Joseph. and assured Joseph that God
would bring them all out of Egypt CHeb.
d.. 81 Gen. xviii. Ply.
Is. "And when Joseph's brethren saw that
their father was dead they said, Joseph will
peradventure hate us and will certainly re-
quite US oil the evil which we did unto him."
That looks like very mean estimate Of their
brother, who had so freely and fully forgiven
them and had 80 abundantly cared for them
for so many years. One cannot read chap
ter XIV, lis, without seeing that 1t was pure
unbelief and actually made Joseph liar.
But it Is Just the way that many Christians
treat the Lord. They cannot believe that
He has nothing against them and that He
will never mention their sins, and so they
make Him liar Il John ", 10Y.
16. "And they sent q messenger unto
Joseph, saying, Thy father did command be-
fore he died, saying" messengers only
responsibility Is to receive and deliver his
message correctly and promptly. Haggai
was the Lords messenger with the Lords
message alag. l., 13), and the message ac-
complished the work. 1t Is pleasure 10 be
the Lords messenger and is the highest
honor q mortal can here enjoy. But this
messenger was In poor employ and on very
poor errand.
H. $50 shall ye say unto Joseph. Forgive,
I pray thee now, the trespass Of thy hreth-
rem and their sin." This was no new sin
they were asking forgiveness for, but the old
wrong of thirty-seven years before which had
been fully forgiven for over seventeen
gears. We have no record that Jacob ever
told his sons thus to appeal to Joseph. If he
did, he was as bad as they. Yet there are
Christians who, being assured OF forgive
ness (Eph. l., Z; T John H., 12), are all the
time asking forgiveness for t6e same old
sins. No wonder Joseph wept It Is enough
to make Jesus weep to be so unbel1eUngly
regarded.
is. "And his brethren also went and fell
down before his face. and thoy said, Behold,
we be thy servants" 1t was In fear they
came, begging for that which had long ago
been given them. This Is not the kind OF
servant Jesus expects to find In those who
have been made nigh by His precious blood
ness, but serving because forgiven, Is the
right way. Serve the Lord with gladness.
49, Sand Joseph said unto them. Fear not,
for am in the place of God?" 1t was against
God they had sinned, and from Him first
they should have sought forgiveness. David
recognized this when he said, against Thee,
Thee only. have I sinned and done this evil
In Thy sight Cps. H., ~. We must seek for
giveness from God, for all sin Is against Him
Il Cor. viii, 12). and then from those against
whom we have offended.
20. "But as for you, ye thought evilagainst
me, but God meant 1t unto good to bring 1t
to pass, as 1t Is this day, to save much peo,-
pie alive" In almost the very same words
had he spoken to them OF this matter seven
teen years before. He reminds US Of Jesus,
who Is the same Yesterday, to-day and for
ever (Heb. kill, 81. OF Jehovah, who says,
"I am the Lord, change not" (Mal. ill.,, g..
21. "Now therefore fear ye not. will
nourish you and your little ones. And He
comforted them and spoke kindly unto
them" This Is at least the fourth "fear not"
in this story (xliii., %: XVII. /, 19). The
first in the Bible is in Gen. xr.. 1, and the
last is Rev. l., II, or H.. 1U. but how many
heart comforting ones there ara throughout
the book I find constant comfort and
strength in such as I Sam. xii. % lisa. XII. ID,
comfort others with the comfort wherewlth
we ourselves are comforted of God Q[ Cor.
l.. ~; therefore pass them on.
%. "And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and
his fathers house, and Joseph lived an hun
dred and ten years" He was thirty when he
first stood before Pharoah (xli., 46), so that
he had eighty years Of prosperity and honor
in Egypt. He would be about flfty-six when
his father died therefore he lived 10 make
good his word TO his brethren for at least
23. "And Joseph saw Ephraim's children
Of the third generation. The children also
of Machir. the son of Manasseh. were brought
up upon Joseph's knees AfterJobs afi'c-
tion he saw his sons sons, even four genera
tions (Job Kill, 16). It Is one OF the bless
ings Of the righteous to seq children's chill
dren and peace Herewith Cps. cxxviii., 81.
"a. "And Joseph said unto his brethren, I
die, and God will surely visit you and bring
you out of this land unto the land which He
sware to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. u
This was confidence In God. BY faith
Joseph, when he died, made mention OF the
departing of the children OF Israel and gave
commandment concerning his bones (Heb.
IL, 22).
25. "And Joseph took an oath of the chill.
dren Of Israel, saying, God will surely visit
you, and ye shall carry up my bones from
hence" So when Moses led Israel out ol
Egypt he took the houses Of Joseph, ant
when their wanderings oil had ceased they
were buried in Shechem (Ex. Kill, 19
Joshua XIV, S2). Joseph might have de
sired such funeral az he gave his father
and had his body at once buried In the lnnt
of promise. but he was SD sure OF thslr goine
up In due time that he was content to wait
and let his body remain among th,n as q
token oftheir coming deliverance.
26. $50 Joseph died, being an hundred and
ten years old, and they embalmed him, and
he was put in a coffin in Egypt" Gathered
unto his people (xlix., 33), his body still
awaits the resurrection of the just vt the
coming OF Christ q Cor Wv, %; l Thess
w.. 16). These all died III fuith, mo-
having received the promises. These
all having obtained a good report tnr6a gh
faith received not the promise, God having
provided some better thing for us, that thsy
without US should not be made perfect Heb.
xi., 13, SO, 40). That unbUried body was G
constant sermon to the believing remnan,
such as Amram and Jochebed, parents OF
Moses, nor to be discouraged by trinls, but to
wait for the deliverance, walsh Wa3 sure to
come.-Lesson Helper.
Rain Making Not q Big Success.
Secretary Morton has received large
- ,.,;o3 oil orkC ~ q