The Red Cloud chief., 1913-05-15
INTERNATIONAL.
SUNDGYSCdO0L
LESSON
ICBy q. o. SELLERS. Director Of Even,
Ing Department. The Moody Bible In.
stitute Of Chicago)
LESSON FOR MAY 18
JOSEPH MEETS HIS BRETHREN.

LESSON TEXT-Gen. 42.3-17.
GOLDEN soever a mar
soweth, that shall he also reap" Gal
81.
Joseph was thirty years Of age wher
he reached his position of supreme au
thority, but we ought not to allow our
selves to forget those thirteen years
OF humiliation. during which he was
betrayed, sold into slavery and neg
lected by those whom he befriended
Yet those were days Of fidelity in his
service. Of victory over fierce tempta
ton. OF enduring unjust Imprisonment
"a long period Of patient waiting but
valuable period in that now at thirty
years OF age he comes to this position
Of power fully equipped with that
knowledge Of men. control OF himself
and faith in God as to be properly fit.
ted for the burden of responsibility
thrust upon him.
Did Not Forget.
!. Tho Brothers Need, w. SO. The
famine was not confined to Egypt, but
reached over to Canaan, where Jacob
and his sons lived. The desperate.
ness Of the famine is indicated by ia.
cob's command to buy, that we may
live, and not die" But Jacob Is too
old to travel, hence the brothers un.
dertake the Journey. Twenty-Five
years have passed since that expert.
ence when Joseph's brethren cast him
into the pit. They have been years
filled with wonderful experiences for
Joseph. Now their attitude is changed;
instead Of being his tormentors they
are suppliants at his feet. During
these seven years Of garnering Joseph
had set up his own family and two
sons were born. the names Of whom
were significant.
The possession of child Of his own
would naturally quicken his inquiries
as to his fathers household, for he
assumed that in the order Of events
his father must be dead.
u. A Brothers Memory, w. III. 10.
seph at once recognized his brothers,
but treated them brusquely, demand.
ing from whence they came and the
purpose that brought them hither
". y. Again wv. 8, 81 the text re.
minds US that Joseph remembered
Only God can forgive and forget. But
Joseph is an inspiration to us that
though we may not be able to forget
we can forgive. The question might
be raised. "Why then did Joseph dis.
simulate?" The answer is threefold:
Q) Joseph desired to ascertain the
characters Of his brothers. Did they
remember? Yes. for they replied that
they were twelve brethren" Ten
were before him. one at home and
"one is not" That their characters
were not entirely changed is evi.
denced by their words. I'VE are true
men" ". 1D, which OF course was not
the truth. (2) Joseph desired to know
OF his father and of their home life.
The accusation that the brothers are
spies called forth the statement that
the father, Jacob, is still alive. The
third reason for this treatment Gevel.
oped out Of these first two. viz, 10.
seph desired to reach his father and
Benjamin, whom he had never seen.
We do not commend Joseph's method
as being Of the highest ethical value,
for his standard was not the standard
OF the man who knows Christ. Joseph
is q type; there is only one perfect
man. Jesus Christ. and Joseph points
toward that promised Saviour.
Guilty conselenees.
Joseph knew his brothers told the
truth about their not being spies, but
he also knew that they lied when they
asserted themselves to be true men
and that one brother Is not" Here
Is the lesson Of mistaken estimates of |
ones self and that mans true value |
ls known and appreciated. Little did |
they realize, however. that their false
hood was being read as 1t was uttered
and that the man before whom they
were standing was this same brother.
Joseph affected not to believe any of
their story and demanded proof wv.
10. 16) Of their assertions. After three
days In Jail he appeared to relent and
ordered that only one OF their number
should remain as hostage. The result
of all Is shown in v. 21. After invol.
~sAsessNJ AOoV"6 oiuCOu buuL w III LuS |
Egyptian prison their minds travelled
back to that time twenty years before
md they remembered Joseph's an.
suish and distress when they would
,ot hear, therefore is this distress
come upon u.s." Their guilty con-
are aroused.
Jacobs cry. "All things are against
me-" v. 36. was a mistake. Joseph
vas alive and exalted that he might
ave the life of Jacob and his chill
lren. Simeon was alive and drawing
lis brothers back to Egypt. Benjamin
would come back safely.
Emphasize the fact that we cannot
orget our wrong acts and that Joseph
vas not troubled by any such mem.
'ries. Also emphasize the return of
'ood for evil, Rom. 1920. 81. Josephs
'rethren were sowing the fruit of the
eeds OF envy and malice they had
%txvv |