Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-04-12


There was something about this
prisoner that was different, how
ever, and the keeper of the prisoner
soon discovered it. No doubt he
knew of his former life in Potiphar's
house and shared in the belief in
his innocence. And it was not long
before this prisoner was the prin-
cipal officer in the prison. The
Lord, who was always with Joseph,
had given him favor in the sight of
his keeper.
The Premier
| Through a chain of circumstances
that is the way that we say it
| this dreamer, who still believed in
| his dreams, and who also kept in
! formed in the politics of the king
dom, was brought before the Pharaoh
! to interpret some strange dreams
| that he had had and which none of
| his wise men could unfold. 1t was
not until after he had been in that
! Egyptian prison for more than two
/ years, however. He was now thirty
years old and had been a prisoner
| either to his brothers or to Pitophar
| or in the Egyptian guardhouse for
! twelve or thirteen years. This was
a bitter experience for the young
man, but it was a very necessary
one; for he was selfish and self-cen-
| tered, and self had to be claim before
| he could be what he afterWard be-
came. All of his natral good traits
| were tainted with this one bad fault,
and that had to be crucified to make
way for the crown. He had been
| looking upon himself as the one to
| be served; he now learns that to be
! served he must serve.
The sagacity, the keen insight into
! the situation, the wise suggestion for
relief, the humility of this young
man appealed to Pharaoh. Joseph
had said that God was showing him
what would come to pass. Pharaoh,
one of the Hyksos dynasty and rot
an Egyptian, a shepherd king, who
had some knowledge Of the one God
if not partial believer in Him, was
wise enough to know that the man
to put in charge of these things dur
ing these critical years was one in
whom the spirit of God is, and as
Joseph had demonstrated that as his
chief characteristic, he at once ele-
waited him to the position of prime
minister. All things were working
IOSCIA4SL Luz SOOd 10 LIllS IIldH VINO
loved God, who was called according
to his purpose.
The PrOVider
AS premier, Joseph was a success.
ing the years of plenty he laid up
The Lord made him to prosper. Dur
ing the years Of plenty he laid up
enough to take care of Egypt and
the surrounding peoples during the
Np re Of 70 80,
were the conquerin gand the ruling
dynasty, but they had never entire
ly subdued the Egyptions. Through
Joseph'se administration, the phar-
aoh's gained possession, not only of
all the lands of the Egyptians, but
also of their persons. 1t was not
until they surrendered themselves
wholly to him that he could be to
them the ruler he desired to be. This
is true with God. He wants to do
for us far more than we will let
Him. 1t requires a Whole-hearted
surrender of all Him to enable
Him be to you the God that He
wants to be. Will you let Him man.
age your affairs absolutely, with
out interference on your part at
all? Will you let Him provide for
= N% I'll AAICSS EOd lCCQs L lid y = HIS
desire; He has the ability; will you
stand in His way or step out of
his way and let Him do for you
what He wills?
1t was during the first year of
the famine that old Jacob, now
a hundred and twenty-nine years
old, showed more pep and push
than any of his sons. 1t was at
his suggestion that they went down
to Egypt to buy corn, for the news
had come that it was to- be had
there only.
The PreSerVer
The details of the story of their
trip to Egypt, of their detention, of
their generous treatment by the
premier, of their leaving Simeon
there as a pledge that the young
est brother would be brought when
they returned, of their remorse and
repentance after 20 years of SHINING,
of old Jacobs breaking heart over
the long-lost Joseph and now over
Simeon and Benjamin, who he was
sure would be lost to him; of Ju-
dah's pledge, Of their return to
Egypt with Benjamin; of Joseph's
concealed tears over the sight of
him; of the stolen cup found in
Benjamin's sack; of their tacit adj
mittance of his guilt; of their grief;
of their surprise, ait the way that
they were seated at the premier's
table; of their fear where Joseph's
identity was revealed; of the great
news story that broke in the palace
about the premier's brethren; of
Pharaoh's generous Offer-this story
is too we'll known and too we'll told
in hA IN h. tod
Read it again for yourself.
Old Jacob was well-nigh over
come with joy when he heard it. 1t
was too good to be believed at first
1t was hard to leave the land which
had been promised him, and from
which he had been an exile so long,
with so much hope; but the chance
and to which had been brought back
| to see Jacob was too strong pull.
Then in the night God appeared to
! him and said: 81 am God, the God
of thy father; fear not to go down
into Egypt, for l will make of thee
| a great nation. I will go down
with thee into Egypt, and I will also
surely bring thee up again, and
Joseph shall put his hand upon thy
I eyes,
Notice the little word there" in
this promise. 1t is most important.
| God had promised to Abraham and
! to Isaac and to Jacob a land and
a seed. The fourth generation had
come and all the male descendants
could be put under one tent. An
infinitesimal Part of the land was
all that they possessed, To in
crease the seed in Canaan would
! arouse the antagonism of the
Canaanites and to encroach upon
the land would stir them to fight.
Either growing possessions or grow
ing numbers would tend to defeat
the performance of the promise.
Joseph sensed this, and in his talk
with his repentent brothers said,
God sent me before you to pre-
serve you-so it was not you-but
God" Gen. 45:7. 81
How well that worked! In Goshen
the richest part of EgYpt. Senarated