Cleveland County herald., 1918-11-28
IMPROVED UNlFoRM INTERNATIONAL SUlylEIS0l()OL
 LESSON tBy REV. P. B. FITZWATER, D. D., Teacher of English Bible in the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago) Copyright, 1918, Western Newspaper
 Union.)
LESSON FOR DECEMBER 1
THE STORY OF JOSEPH.

LESSON TExT-Genesis 37:1S-2S.
 GOLDEN TEXT-Hatred stirreth up strifes, but love covereth up all trans gressions.-Proverbs 10:12.
 DEVOTIONAL READING-Psalms 4.
 ADDITIONAL MATERIAL-Genesis 37: 1-17.
 l. Joseph the WeII-BeIoved Son (37 :1-4).
 Joseph was Jacobs favorite son. This was due partly to the fact that he was the son of the wife of his first love and the son of his old age, but mainly because of the superior quail ities which Joseph possessed. This fayoritism expressed itself in su- perior position and more respectable clothes. That Jacob should feel par tlal toward Joseph, perhaps, was un- avoidable, but that he should manifest it was extremely unwise. Serious trouble will always result from par tiality being shown toward children, His brethren's intense hatred burst forth upon him. This feeling was in- ,tensifed by his pure life and by his testimGfly among them because of their evil deeds. Josiah is a type of Christ. He was living in fellowship with his father at Hebron (37 :14 ]; Christ was with the Father be- fore coming into the world (John 6:2S); Joseph was the beloved soa Genesis 37:3); Christ was the be- loved Son of God (Matthew 3:1D Jo- seph was hated by his brethren Gene
 sis 37:4); Christ was hated by his brethren (John 15 :24); Joseph was envied by his brethren Genesis 37 ID i; Christ was delivered up through envy (Mark 15 :10).
 II. Joseph's Dreams (37 :5-11).
 1. His brothers sheaves lowing in obeisance to his.
 This was rightly interpreted by them to mean their humble obedience to him. This intensified their hatred.
 ?. The sun, moon and eleven stars rendering obeisance to him.
 This dream is wider in it's applica- tion. The eleven stars are identical with the eleven sheaves. The sun and moon, as rightly interpreted by his fa- ther represented his father and moth- CT as rendering obeisance to him.
 III. Joseph Sent by His Father on a Mission of Mercy to His Brethren (vv. 12-17).
 His brethren had gone to Shechem, about fifty miles distant from Hebron, where was abundance of pasture for their flocks. Jacob became anxious as to their welfare, and sent Joseph, a young man now seventeen years old, to find out their condition. Unde- tered by the envious hatred of his brethren, he willingly responded, "Here I am." No doubt he realized that his mission was fraught with great dan gers-the exposure to highway rob bers, wild beasts, and the murderous hatred of his brethren. Notwithstand- ing this, he rendered willing obedi- ence. Christ was sent by the Father On a mission of mercy to his brethren q John IA; John l II Pail. 2:7, 8. Though he knew that the envious hatred of his brethren would result in his suffering and death on the cross, he went forth delighting to do his Fa- ther's will.
 w. Joseph's Reception by His Breth- ren (vv. 1S-2S).
 1. Their murderous plot (vv. 1922.
 They said "Behold this dreamer cometh, let us slay him." This is what Christ's brethren said about him (Matt. 21: 3S). They thought they would prevent these dreams coming true by destroying the dreamer. Reu- ben dissuaded them from this act by proposing to cast him into a pit, ln- tending afterward to rescue him and restore him to his father.
 2. They strip him of his coat of many colors and cast him into the pit (vv. 23, 24). In spite of his earnest entreaty against this act they perpe- trated this heartless cruelty Genesis AZ :2I.
 8. Their fcasting (v. 25).
 Their heartless cruelty is manifest in that they could enjoy the festivities of a meal, perhaps, within the sight and hearing of Joseph's cries.
 4. Sold him to the Ishmaelites (vv. 25-2S).
 Judah proposed that they sell him, as no gain could accrue from let ting him die in the pit. One Judas, later, sold the Lord for money. Hav- ing done this infamous deed, they sought to cover it up by deceit and ly- ing. They took his coat of many colors and dipped it in the blood Of a kid and sent it to his father, allowing him te draw his own conclusions as to the matter. Jacob is now reapine what he had sown. Many years be-