The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1901-10-03
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
tess0n In the International Series fer
October Q, 1OO1-Joseph Sold
Into Egypt.
Prepared by H. c. Lenington.l
THE LESSON TENT.

q And II came to pass. when Joseph was
come unto his Brethren, that they stript
Joseph out Of his coat, his coat OF many col
! ors that was on him:
~. And they took him, and>cast him into
Q pit; and the pit was empty. there was
no water In 1t.
Is. And they sat down to eat bread; and
they lifted up their eyes and looked, and,
behold. company Of Ishmaelites came
from Gilead with their camels bearing
spicery and balm and myrrh, going to
carry II down to Egypt.
Is. And Judah said unto his brethren.
What profit is It II we slay our brother, and
| conceal his blood?
q. Come, and let us sell him to the Ish-
maelitcs. and let not our hand be upon him;
for he is our brother and our flesh. And
his brethren were content.
Is. Then there passed by Midianites mer-
chantmen; and theySdrew and lifted up Jo-
seph out Of the pi:, and sold Joseph to the
lshmaelites for 20 pieces of silver; and
they brought Joseph into Egypt.
y. And Reuben returned unto the pit;
and. behold. Joseph was not In the pit;
and he rent his clothes.
81. And he returned unto his brethren.
and said. The child is not; and l. whittier
shall l go?
3D. And they took Joseph's coat. and
killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the
coat in the BLOOD
81. And they sent the coat of many colors.
and they brought 1t to their father; and
said, This have We found; know now
whether 1t be thy sons coat or no.
50. And he knew 1t, and said, It is my
sons coat; an evil beast hath devoured
him: Joseph Is without doubt rent In
pieces.
GOLDEN TExT.-The patrinrchs,
moved with envy. sold Joseph into
EEypty but God was with him.-Acts
To.
/ NOTES AND COMMENTS.
Thus far in our study of the Old
Testament we have covered three great
epochs in the history of the world:
Q) First, we had the story of creation
and of the fall of man. (2) Second,
came the increasing wickedness of
mankind, followed by their almost to-
tai annihi.iation in the food, and q
fresh beginning for the race in the
family of Noah. (3) Third, we came
to the time of Abraham, which old
patriarch heard the voice Of God and
tried to follow its leadings. His faith
fulness (and his faith) brought the
specific covenant of God for the chosen
people of which he was to be the IA
ther. We see further the establish
ment and partial fulfillment of the
covenant in the large family of Jacob,
whose name was changed to Israel,
thus giving his descendants the name
Of Israelites. !;
To come down to the present lesson,
we properly cover in its study the en-
tire thirty,seventh cSapter of Genesis,
Of which the following is q brief an
alysis:
Jealousy Of Joseph's Brothers....ys. -
ySftsRs SfosSsr. rSn,pI,. T%o Rrsa%j tn xiii ~
Ana Reported 70 His Father as =
soid to Pctiphar. in E9yp:..:.......vsrse 5
Jealousy of Joseph's Brothers.
Joseph's brothers were jealous be-
cause their father "loved Joseph more,
than all his children" Joseph was the
child Of Jacobs old age, and this fact
explains the great love of his father
for him. The love was shown in many
ways probably, but most conspicuous
ly by the gift Of the coat Of many col.
0rs. -
Joseph's Two Dreams.-What added
to the hatred of the brothers was Jo-
seph's childish imprudence in imme-
diately detailing to them any fancied
or real preferment. This is.wel illus
trated in the case of his two dreams,
dreams which had q real and vital sig
nifcance for him, but which he would
have better kept to himself for his own
| inspiration. Both dreams foretold
time when, in q position Of authority,
he should command the reverence and
respect, not only of his brothers, but
of his father and mother also. Jacob
rebuked him, but father-like remem-
bsrsd them. nourishing the hope that
this best-bsloved son should indeed
mako q marked success in life.
The Conspiracy to Kill Him.-The
Jealousy Of Joseph's brothers was
dssper than Jacob ever imagined, else
Jacob would never have sent him with
. message 70 them off in the distant
pastures whittier the flock had been
! i'd. Here they had him in their power,
'sthis dreamer" who boosted of making
them some time bow down before him.
Httls did they dream that they by
their hatred were working out the
fulAllment Of those very dreams. 1t
ID the universal history that even
Asn's base passions can be made to
Cork V the. glory Of God.
1subeH SGkM Him.-Reuben was the
Oldest brother, hence responsible TO
tas father for the deeds Of the others
ind the safety OF the youngest son.
Moreover, his age and experience had
Hkven him . more kindly disposition,
But his pie TO save Joseph by hiding
Him N . pit failed. for during tenn.
porary absence the other brothers sold
HIM to . caravan Of Ishmaelites.
Reported to His Father a. Dead
The chief cruelty was not to the boy
thus sold into slavery, but to the aged
father who had loved him. This is an
other lesson to be gotten from this
story: the results of human passions
are seldom those which are intended.