The Holt County sentinel., 1913-04-25
INTERNATIONAL
SUNINSC[1OOL
LESSON
LESSON FOR APRIL q
JOSEPH SOLD INTO eovPr.
(By r.. O. SELLERS. Director Of Even
ing Department The Moody Bible In
stitute of Chicago.)

dealing with Joseph, q fact which sug-
gests to 10 his importance In the bic.
tory and the working out Of Gods plan.
This particular lesson occurs about
ten years after Jacobs return to the
land Of Canaan. There arc many
points Of similarity between Joseph
and Christ ~ His name means add.
ings." see lisa. 9:6. z: Luke 1898 and
John $3.50. (2) His birth which re-
moved Rachel's reproach (30:34) even
30 the birth Of Christ has removed
the reproach Of sin. Col. 2: 1915, Rom.
SCI: (3) The love Of his father. see
Matt. 3:17. az His sufierinss ut the
hands OF his brethren. Ps. 1854; John
1925. 60 His deliverance from pris.
on which was shadow OF Christ's res.
direction, Acts 2:22.24. (6) His
marriage to one Of another race, Eph.
1894. ~ His revelation Of himself
to bis brothers. see Zach. 1910. 1871.
Their Envy Aroused.
The cause Of the enmity OF Joseph's
brethren was four.fold. % His tale.
bearing. 37:2: his pure mind could not
brook their Infamous ISLANDERS and he
reported the same to his father. (2)
His fathers Partially as evidenced by
the coat OF many colors ". 3D. Only
the opulent and noble, kings sons,
wore such a garment, and Joseph was
thereby differentiated from his In.
boring brothers. t3) His dreams. w
81. God was revealing himself In q
marked manner to this young man.
which fact aroused their envy ". III,
and ca his very virtues were 70.
buke to his evilmindcd brothers.
Five words will serve to fix this les.
son In our minds: Deprivation. Dis.
grace. Deliverance, Deceit and De-
portation.
]. Deprivation v. 23.-Joseph's coat
was symbolical Of regal power and au.
thority. II was not a mere patch
work. but a long woven garment OF
bright hues. His dreams. too. had
had to do with his exaltation above
his brethren. As q matter of policy.
perhaps. he ought not to have worn
Gods providential dealings, Rom. 8:
20. Joseph's reception was like that
OF Jesus, John 1:11: Matt. 27:2S.
II. Disgrace. w. 2%27.--Stripped OF
the coat. Joseph IL cast into pit.
One wonders II the fact that there was
no water there 10 evidence OF the
malignity Of his nine brothers or OF
their somewhat tempered wrath. 10.
seph had pursued long journey and
was doubtless hungry and thirsty. yet
these men sat outside eating and
drinking while murder lurked In their
hearts w. 20. 25. 26). Joseph starv.
ing, was. however. In better case
than these brethren. One among
them. Reuben, had averted q trag.
edy ". 22), now God intervenes and
sends this way a company OF Ishmael.
ite traders from the land Of indian
(see Judges s: 22.24). Cupidity prompts
both the traders and the brothers az
they made merchandise OF Joseph.
thus avoiding murder (Gen. 4:10).
Valued chespIy.
III. 0ellverance, v. 20.--Like AZ
Christ was sold by one of his chosen
ones, SO Joseph is sold by the very
ones to whom OF right he should
have looked for love and protection.
and how cheaply he was valued. prob
ably little more than SIC. His bitter
cries were of no avail t42:2l), but
this slavery was the road to SOW.
ereignty.
w. Deceit w. 29:35.-These broth.
ers are an illustration of that degen.
Grafton of character which results
from evil courses. It took place with.
In q very brief time. probably not to
the outcome OF their own evil courses.
The intervention Of judah and Reuben
was not entirely above suspicion, and
not one OF them had any esteem OF
the truth. They hated Joseph the
dreamer because OF his superior sa-
gacity. The commission Of one sin
always calls forth others In O vain
endeavor to cover the FIRST. Their
ready willingness to deceive their
aged father, and their scornful words
thy sons coat" reveal the blackness
Of their characters and their abso-
lutte lack Of all filial love.
v. Deportation, v. 36.-Reuben, re-
turning. found an empty pit. whether
h. shared the profit Of Joseph's sale.
we are left to infer. His plan OF
deliverance could not, however. have
succeeded. as God had other and great.
er purposes In store for Joseph. "A
for Jacob, he had deceived his father
Isaac. and 10 compelled to reap as
he had sown. Gal. 6:7. The hated
coat 10 used a. means of their de-
ception.
This Ia an easy lesson to tell. but
care must DO taken that It be not over.
drawn. Too much description will lose
the ethical and spiritual teaching.
Jealousy and it, development will be
enough to emphasize the moral teach.
Ing. BE sure to emphasize Joseph a.
. type Of the Christ. Do not antici.
pate his other and later experiences:
tell your class that the story 10 to be
continued.