The Dolores star., 1918-11-29
RPHoyID UEIFoRN INTERNATIONAL
SUYlXSC1OOL
LESSON
By REV. Z. b. FITZwATER, D. D..
Teacher of English Bible in the Moody
Bible Institute of Chicago.)
Copyright. 1878 Western Newspaper
Union)
LESSON FOR DECEMBER |
THE STORY OF JOSEPH.

LESSON TEXT-Genesis 3I:lS-S.
GOLDEN TEXT-Hatred stirreth up
strifes. but love covereth up all trans
| gressions.-Proverbs 1912.
DEVOTIONAL READING-Psalms 4.
| ADDITIONAL MATERIAI-Genesis 81:
LII.
l. Joseph the weII.BeIoved Son
| (37 Id.
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
tiles which Joseph possessed. This
| favoritism expressed itself in su-
perior position and more respectable
clothes. That Jacob should feel par
tial toward Joseph, perhaps, was un-
avoidable, but that he should manifest
1t was extremely unwise. Serious
trouble will always result from par
TALLY being shown toward children.
Hic brethrcn's intense hatred burst
forth upon him. This feeling was in.
tensified by his pure life and by his
testimony among them because of their
evil deeds. Josiah is type of Christ.
He was living in fellowship with
his father ut Hebron (37 :lD;
Christ was with the Father be-
fore coming into the world (John
1G :2S); Joseph was the beloved son
Genesis 81 :3); Christ was the be-
loved Son of God (Matthew 3:1T Jo-
seph was hated by his brethren Gene
sis 7:D; Christ was hated by his
brethren (John Is :2D; Joseph was
envied by his brethren Genesis 81 :1D;
Christ was delivered up through envy
Mark 15:1O).
II. Joseph's Dreams (3T :5-1D.
1. His brothers sncaves bowling in
obeisance to his.
This was rightly interpreted by them
to mean their humble obedience to
him. This intensified their hatred.
2. The sun, moon and eleven stars
rendering obeisance to him.
This dream is wider In its applica-
ton. The eleven stars are identical
with the eleven sheaves. The sun and
moon, us rightly interpreted by his IA
ther, represented his father and moth
er as rendering obeisance to him.
III. Joseph Sent by His Father on a
Mission Of Mercy to His Brethren wv.
l2-17).
His brethren had gone to Shechem,
about fifty miles distant from Hebron,
where was abundance of pasture for
their fiocks. Jacob became anxious
as to their welfare, and sent Joseph,
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 yaa!iz.d that his
mission was fraught with great dam
gers-the exposure to highway rob-
bers, wild beasts. and the murderous
hatred of his brethren. Notwithstand-
ing this, he rendered willing obedl-
ence. Christ was sent by the Father
on a mission of mercy to his brethren
Il John 4 IA John IL Phil. -, 81.
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-
Tiers will.
". Joseph's Reception by His Breth-
rem wv. 1929.
l. Their murderous plot wv. 1929.
They said "Behold this dreamer
| cometh, let us slay him." This is
what Christ's brethren said about him
Matt. 81: 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, in
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
entreaty against this act they perpe-
trated this heartless cruelty Genesis
42:2I).
3. Their feasting ". 25).
Their heartless cruelty Is manifest
in that they could enjoy the festivities
of meal, perhaps, within the sight
and hearing Of JOseph's cries.
4. Sold him to the Ishmaelites wv.
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 1t up by deceit and ly-
ing. They took his coat of many
colors and dipped it in the blood of a
kid and sent. 1t to his father, allowing
him to draw his own conclusions as
to the matter. Jacob Is now reaping
what he had sown. Many years be-
fore this he had deceived his father
by trickery and pious lying.