Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-10-19
international gsssnll.
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON ", FOURTH QUARTER, INTER.
NATIONAL SERIES, OCT. 81.


Rom. xii, 21-Commentary Prepared
by the Rev. d. n. Stearns.
[Copyrieht, 1901, by American Press Association
1-3. "There stood no man with him
while Joseph made himself known unto
his brethren" The story as told in the
intervening chapters between the last les
son and this one is most fascinating in its
detail of Joseph's dealings with his breth-
rem, but especially in its foreshadowing
of coming events in connection with the
return of Christ and His revelation to
His brethren. The first visit Of Joseph's
ten brethren to buy corn, Benjamin being
carefully kept at home lest evil might be-
fall him, Joseph's recognition of bis
brethren, his trying them by calling them
spies and putting them in ward three
days, their remembrance Of their sin and
conversation concerning it in the pres
ence of Joseph, whom they supposed did
not understand their language, as he had
spoken to them through an interpreter;
his holding Simeon as hostage till they
should bring their younger brother, his
sending the others back with corn and
each mans money secretly put in his
sack and Jacobs pitiful cry when told
that the ruler of Egypt would not see
them again unless Benjamin was with
them-this is all told in chapter xiii.
Their second visit, taking Benjamin and
double money (the returned money and
money to buy more corn) and a present
for the man, Joseph's reception Of them
and feast for them in his own house, with
his special interest in and favor to Ben
jamin, are told in chapter xiii. Joseph's
plan, seemingly, to retain Benjamin and
the earnest and eloquent plea of judah,
who had become surety for Benjamin,
are the topics Of chapter Xiv. Now fol-
lows in our lesson Joseph's revelation of
himself to them.
4, 5. "And Joseph said unto his breth-
rem, Come nearer to me ! pray you"
Nothing in his heart but love and pity
and forgiveness for them as he yearns
over them. He would take them to his
heart and bless them, bidding them not
to be grieved nor angry with themselves
because of their past misconduct, assur-
ing them that God had orerruled it all
for the good of many. His words, while
comforting, were truly heart searching,
for we cannot know the comfort of for
givencss in its fullness till we have seen
and felt something Of the enormity of our
sin. To his first words, II am Joseph"
he now adds, II am Joseph, your brother,
whom ye sold into Egypt" There could
be no mistaking this. He was the very
same Joseph whom they had envied and
hated and sold as a slave to the indian.
ties as they said, 1--WE shall see what
will become of his dreams"
6, Z. "God sent me before you to pre-
serve you a posterity in the earth and to
save your lives by great deliverance." :"
We can hardly suppose that the hand OF
God was as plain to Joseph in all the
events Of the past years, in his slavery
and Imprisonment. as it was to him now
looking back upon it from the glory to
which he had been brought. We cannot
see how all things are working together
for our good as children of God. and we
do not always consider that they work
together according to His purpose to con.
form us to the image of His Son (Rom.
viii, %, 29), but as truly as Joseph could
look back and see, not his cruel brethren,
but God working out His purposes. so we
shall find that no real evil has ever be-
fallen us and that all enemies and all ad-
verse circumstances have been really for
US, for our good, under the controlling
hand of God.
8. $50 now it was not you that sent me
hither, but God, and He hath made me a
father to Pharaoh" Note the threefold
"God sent me" (verses 5, Z. 81. We think
Of our Lord Jesus, who, when suffering
30 much from His enemies, saw not them,
but His Father. and said, THE cup
which My Father hath given Me, shall /
not drink it?" John xviii, H. When
Sinner cursed David and threw stones
at him. David saw not Sinner. but God,
and just left him to God to manage I'll
Sam. xvi, 5-13). 1t is blessed indeed to
see God and not people or circumstances
and believe that not dog can move its
tongue against US without Gods permis-
sion (Ex. ii, .. See also lisa. xii, IL, 13;
liv, II.
Gil. THUS saith thy son Joseph, God
hath made me lord of all Egypt. Come
down unto me; tarry not" This was the
message to his dear old father urging
him to come quickly with all his chill
dren and children's children and aocks
and herds that Joseph might nourish and
care for them. See the verses following
the portion assigned for our lesson and
note the interest Pharaoh took in bring
ing Jacob and all that he had down to
Egypt, sending wagons for the wives and
little ones and urging them to regard not
their stuff, because the good Of all the
land of Egypt was theirs. Our Lord
Jesus said in His prayer to His Father,
when speaking of His disciples, THE
glory which thou gavest Me have given
them" John xvii. 22). and it is written
in l Cor. iii, 21-23. that all things are
ours, but many heirs of God and joint
heirs with Christ are so occupied with
their stuff and the care Of it that they
neither see nor enjoy their riches in
Christ.
II, 13. "Tell my father Of all my glory
in Egypt and of all that ye have SEEN"
They probably found 1t difficult to believe
their eyes, for it must have seemed too
good and too wonderful to be true. When
they arrived home and told their father,
he believed them not until he saw the
wagons which Joseph had sent. Then
his spirit revived, and he said: 1T is
enough. Joseph, my son. is yet alive. |
will 60 and see him before die" (v,rses
26-28). AS believers bearing testimony
to Christ. His sufferings and His glory
and our inheritance in Him, many will
not believe unless they see some wagons,
something in our lives to prove the truth
Of our words. We are to love and prove
our love not by words only. but by the
good works which He will work in US.
IA, Is. The weeping and kissing and
the communion afterward make US think
Of the welcome which the prodigal son
received and the feast that followed