The Elbert County tribune., 1918-11-29
IMPROVED UxRoRn mrIsHArloRAl
SUNlMSO[lOOL
LESSON
By REV. p. B. FTTZwATER. d. D..
Teacher OF English Bible in the Moody
Bible Institute OF Chicago.)
Copyright, 1915 Western Newspaper
Union)
LESSON FOR DECEMBER |
THE STORY OF JOSEPH.

LESSON TExT-Genesis 37:1s-2s
GOLDEN TEXT-Hatred stirreth up
strifes. but love covereth up all trans
gressions.-Proverbs 1912.
DEVOTIONAL Neutrality-suspicious. T.
ADDITIONAL MATERIALs-Genesis 81:
LII
!. Joseph the welI-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 a SUI
perior position and more respectable
clothes. That Jacob should feel par
tial toward Joseph, perhaps, was un-
avoldable, but that he should manifest
1t was extremely unwise. Serious
trouble will always result from par
tia,ity being shown toward children.
Hfs brethren'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 n type of Christ.
He was living in fellowship with
his father at Hebron (37 :1D /;
Christ was with the Father be-
fore coming into the world (John
10 :2s); Joseph was the beloved son
Genesis 81 :3); Christ was the be-
loved Son of God (Matthew 3 40; Jo-
seph was hated by his brethren (Gene-
sis 7:4); Christ was hated by his
brethren (John Is: :24) Joseph was
envied by his brethren Genesis 81 I'D I;
Christ was delivered up through envy
(Mark 10 :10).
II. Joseph's Dreams (37 BID.
1. His brothers sheaves 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 obelsance to him.
This dream is wider in It's applica-
tlon. The eleven stars are identical
with the eleven sheaves. The sun and
moon, as 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.
12-17).
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-
terred by the envious hatred of his
brethren. he willingly responded. Here
am." No doubt he yaa.iz.cd 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 mission of mercy to his brethren
| Il John 4 IA John IL; Phil. 2:7, 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. 4htii PiOt Wv" ic-~--t'
They said Behold this dreamer
cometh, let us slay him. This is
what Christ's brethren said about him
(Matt. 81: 38). 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 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
wv %, 24). In spite of his earnest
entreaty against this act they perpe-
trated this heartless cruelty Genesis
AZ :2D.
3. Their feasting ". 25).
Their heartless cruelty is manifest
in that they could enjoy the festivities
Of n meal. perhaps, within the sight
and hearing II Joseph's cries.
4. Sold him to the Ishmaelltes (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 1t up by deceit and ly-
ing. They took his coat of many
colors and dipped 1t 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 reapine
what he had sown. Many years be
fore this he had deceived his father
by trickery and pious lying.