The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-04-25
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
APRIL %.
Lesson Text: t:Joseph Forgiving His
Brethren" Gen. XIV, Lib
Golden Text: Luke xviii,
documentary.

1. ssThere stood 70 man with him while
Joseph made himself known to his brethren"
The seven years Of famine had begun. and
not only all Egypt but all countries, came to
Joseph to buy corn xii, Sc. 57). Ten OF
Josephs brethren, Mt 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 in
structions to bring their youngest brother
when they came again, Simeon meantime De-
ing detained as hostage. They had now re-
had dined with Joseph, being seated at table
according to their ages, much to their sur
prise, for as yet they knew him not.
2. "And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians
and the house of Pharoah heard" Our les
son begins and ends with weeping but It i5
weeping for Joy. Consider the seven Weep
ings of Joseph in chapters xiii, "a kill, 80;
XIV, q. IA; XVII. %; l.. 1. II:
8. "And Joseph said unto his brethren,
am Joseph. Doth my father yet liver Is It
any wonder that they were troubled and
could not answer? How vlvldly would come
to mind the events of twenty years before as
they looked upon the face Of him whose pitt-
full cries and tears they would not regard,
and now he has already been returning them
good for evil while at the same time leading
them to repentance. It 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, pray you. And they come
near. And he said, 1 am Joseph, your
brother, whom ye sold into Egypt" Wecan
imagine them dumb with astoEishment until
he calls them near to him and repeats the
astounding statement with the additional al
lusion to their guilt. It is all true, and after
so long time their sin has found them out
Num. xxxii., 23).
S. s'Now therefore be not grieved nor angry
with yourselves that ye sold me hither, for
God did send me before you to preserve
Hfe." He rnaketh the wrath Of man to praise
Him Ps. lxxvi., 10), and Joseph had grace
to see, not the hatred Of his brethren, but
the guiding hand OF God. It is possible for
US to see God in everything and believe and
rejoice in Rom. will. %, 29.
6, "For these two years hath the famine
been In the land, and yet there are five years,
In the which. there. shall neither 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-he had no other means OF
showing. "Ablaham believed God" Let
our souls say 81 believe God" GAS. H., %;
Acts xvii. 25).
T. "And God sent me before you to pre-
serveyou a posterlty in the earth and to save
YOUR lives BY great deliverance." How
suggestive 1t all is OF Jesus hated, sold. ne
iected, slain, yet still alive, great deltverer,
the only deliverer, and ere long now He Will
say TO the nation of Israel, II am Jesus, your
brother, whom ye crucifed." They shall see
Him and mourn bitterly and welcome Him
Czech. xii, 10; xiii, y. Many Individual
Jews are now seeing and receiving Him by
faith, but soon It will be all Israel
$50 now it was not you that sent me
hither, but God" Joseph gives God oil
the glory for making him 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 1t were
given him by God (John XIX, II. We may
all believe that nothing can come to US With
out God.
9. ''Haste ye and 60 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, wondering day by day II
BENJAMIN will ever return to him, little
dreaming that Benjamin will come all right
and Joseph too. And he longs to have hts
father see and share his glory. Sect long.
Ing Of Jesus in John xvii, "a.
10. Sand thou shalt dwell In the Land OF
Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me,
thou, and thy children, and thy ch1idren's
children, and thy focks, and thy herds. and
all that thou hast" Marx the repeated
.snear unto me" OF verse and this verse nd
think OF Israel people near unto Jeh ,vah
Ps. cxlylii., 14), and OF all who were once
afar of made nigh by the blood OF Jesus
Eph. H.. 13). See even the locks and herds
included and think OF all creation enjoying
the great deliverance Rom. viii, 2D..
II. "And there will I 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 andao9n- @
dant 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. viii, 1922 Consider the
daily rations and the day by day without
fail of II Kings XIV, 80, and Ezra w., 8, and
let your heart rejoice.
Il. "And behold your eyes see, and the
eyes Of my brother Benjamin, that L Is my
mouth that speaketh unto you" When the
disciples were troubled as Jesus Himself
stood In their midst after the resurrection,
duke XIV, 36-S9). Thomas was eneour.
aged to feel the very wounds OF Jesus (John
x, 27). And when Jesus shall be asked by
the Jews about the wounds in His hands He
will saw that He received them In the house
of His friends Czech. xiii, g..
13. Sand ye shall tell my father of all my
glory in Egypt and of all that ye have sesn,
and re 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" q Kings &. y.
And when they did tell him Jacob couldn't
believe it 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 apostles q John
l., 8; Acts iv., 2O).
Il. Is. "And he fell upon his brother Ben
jamin's neck and wept. And Benjamin wept
upon his neck. Moreover, he kissed oil his
brethren and wept upon them. and after that
his brethren talked with him." What as
surance OF forgiveness 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 to his father and his brethren.
What wondrous grace to these brethren,
and yet how small when compared with the
grace OF our Lord Jesus Christ-the grace
by which we are saved. in which we stand
and the full revelation of which we still wait
for (Eph. H., 8; Rom. ", 2; Pet. l., lS).-
Lesson Helper.