The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1901-10-11
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON u, FOURTH QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, OCT. 10.
Text Of the Lesson, Gen. xxxix, 20, To
III, 15-Memory Verses, 21-2:t-Gold-
en- Text, Gen. xxxix, 21-Commen-
tary by the Rev. ID. M. stearns.

en- Text, Gen. xxxix, 21-Commen-
tary by the Rev. ID. NJ. stearns.
copyright, 1901, by American Press Association
20, u. He was there in the prison,
but the Lord was with Joseph" The last
lesson left Joseph a slave in the house
of Potiphar in Egypt, but verse Of
this chapter says, The Lord was with
Joseph, and he was a prosperous man"
He seems by the grace of God to have
risen above all his circumstances, young
though he was and trying though they
were, and to have determined that God
should be glorifed in him QPhil. /, POI.
Potiphar saw that the Lord was with
him and made all that he did to prosper.
This is splendid testimony and might, by
the grace Of God, be true of every be-
iever compare chapter XVI, 2S). Then
notice Potiphar's unbounded confidence
In him. He put all that he had in Joseph's
hand and left il there without a care (see
in verses TO q the expression, 'all that
he had" four times). Let us without hes
itation place all that we are and have in
the hands of our Lord Jesus and leave all
there with the full assurance that He
will see TO il FPS. XXxvii, .; Prov. xvi, -.
| Think Of the widow and the boy who
each gave all 10 Him luke xxi, 4; John
vi, ID. The adversary cannot stand such
righteousness and victory over circum-
stances and he is permitted TO Illuminate
| Joseph yet more, so under base, false
accusation Joseph is east into prison. but
being innocent the Lord is with him and
lightens his affection somewhat by Civ
ing him favor in the sight Of the keeper
Of the prison But ii was hard for him
for time, for il is written that they
hurt his feet with letters, he was laid in
iron, until the time that his word came,
the word Of the Lord tried him Ops. CIV,
Is, 19). We may imagine the adversary
suggesting that now all his visions and
dreams had come TO naught for he would
never get out OF this prison, yet we doubt
not that his mind was staid upon Jeho-
yah. and he had victory by faith.
30. %. Whatsoever they did there he
was the doer Of it," AS in Potiphar's
house so in the prison all things were
placed under him. The keeper Of the pris-
on looked not 10 anything for it was evil
dent that the Lord was with him and
made all that BE- did to prosper. Circum-
stances do not always Indicate prosperity
or otherwise. 1t is the presence and bless
ing Of God that constitute true prosper
/ ity: Daniel was prosperous in the lions
den. and his friends in the fiery furnace;
David was more prosperous than Saul
the king, even though he fed from him,
for God was with him. Every step in
the life Of Joseph and Of David was a
step to a throne and so it is with the be-
lever, for the overcomer is promised
seat with Christ on His throne Rev. iii,
Il. al
xl IL Pharaoh's chief butler and bak-
er suddenly find themselves with Joseph
in the prison, and he serves them while
they continue there for a season. Like
our Lord Jesus, Joseph Is not only num-
bered with transgressors and has things
laid TO his charge that he knew not, but
he is also an illustration Of ministering
unto others rather than being ministered
unto lisa. lii. y: rs. xXxv, II; Math.
Xxx, 81. The offense of these officers
brought them not only Imprisonment, but
the possibility of death If our Lord was
strict to mark iniquity, who could standE
But He is the Lord God, mercful and
gracious, forgiving iniquity, transgres
sion and sin, though He will by no means
clear the guilty who refuse to turn to
Him (EX. XXXiv, u, y.
81. One morning Joseph finds these
two prisoners very unhappy and mani
Testing it so plainly in their faces that he
asked them. Wherefore look ye SO sadly
today We think of our Lords ques
ton to the two who walked TO Emmaus,
What manner Of communications are
these that We have one TO another as We
walk and are sadT luke xiv, IL But
their sadness was due 10 their unbelief
One day the king noticed that Nehemiah
was sad (Neh ii, 1-5) but his sadness
was due to his sorrow because Of the des-
olation of the holy city Jerusalem. The
fellowship OF Christ's sufferings will
bring us much sorrow, but in the midst
OF all we may rejoice in the Lord, as sor-
rowful yet always rejoicing QI Cor. vi,
10.
s. DO not interpretations belong to
God? Tell me them, / pray you" They
were sad because Of their dreams, which
they had each dreamed in the same night
and which they could not understand.
They had not forgotten their dreams aud
retained only sort Of troubled remem-
brance, like Nebuchadnezzar, but, though
they could not tell each one his dream,
they feared lest no one could explain the
dreams. Joseph's saying, "Interpreta-
tions belong to God; tell your dream TO
me-" was equal to saying, 81 am ac-
quainted with God" or Il am here for
God" or "God is with me-" See chapter
XII, 16. and also Dan. ii, Is, 2S. What
blessed thing to be so intimate with God,
to walk with Him in such communion!
Yet that is the privilege Of child of God
III Cor. vi, 1918; John xiv, %; Deut.
Xxxiv, 10).
9-15. They told their dreams TO Joseph,
and he interrupted them, and it came to
pass according TO the Interpretation, the
chief butler was restored TO his butlership
again. and the chief baker was hanged
verses 81, %. The butler told his dream
first, and when the baker saw that the
Interpretation was good he also told his
dream, and Joseph was faithful in his in
depreciation. though it foreboded no good
TO the baker The servant Of God must
declare judgment and mercy with equal
faithfulness. 1t is not for him to with
hold anything for fear OF hurting peo-
pies feelings. See the faithfulness of
Samuel when but a child in declaring the
whole message TO Eli Il Sam. iii. II, 49,.