Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-03
Sunday School Lesson

it had previously done for Joseph. 1t
put iron into their souls. so that they
endured. 1t brought them back to
God, who heard their cry and was
preparing one of their number in the
home of Pharaoh to lead them into
freedom. 1t called for a period of
struggle for them to be made ready
to leave the life of ease and take the
pathway of faith in God to their place
Of destiny as a nation.
The hatred Of the overseers did not
bury their faith or destroy their
power. In the bitter struggles they
found themselves commencing to de-
pend more and more upon the God Of
their fathers. They found hopes be-
ing born within them and a desire for
a new day. Egypt was fitting them
for their future. God was moving in
a mysterious way His wonders to per-
form by helping them to endure the
trials, tribulations and tests of the
days of bondage. The more severe
their taskmasters became the greater
they grew in numbers and influence.
No power can defeat the cause Of
right by prosecutions. The early
church was developed and American
colonies populated with people by
strong prosecutions. The attacks
upon the Jews in Russia and other
parts of Europe have turned many to
Palestine, as the Zion of safety, Sc
curity and spiritual blessing in our
own time. Jehovah has never de.
serted His people.
When Jefferson penned the immor-
tai Declaration of Independence, its
adoption was due to the fact that the
King who then ruled over Great Brit
ain had determined to adopt a policy
IN, raf0rnnoa RI nnlnniaC
similar to that adopted by the Egyp-
tian Pharaoh. When he sought to
take from the colonies the rights
which British subjects had won from
their rulers the colonies decided to
throw off the tyrannical bondage Of
taxation without representation. The
dark days at Valley Forge preceded
Kings Mountain. Saratoga and York
town. During the sufferings, sorrows
and struggles that marked the Revo-
lutionary War God was fitting our
country for the part 1t was destined
to play, exactly as He developed the
Israelites in Egypt.
During their stay in Egypt the de-
scendants of Jacob had become the
leading agriculturists in "the land of
Goshen" which was the most fertile
section of that country. THAT they
understood the arts of fishing and
gardening is also clear. plumbers.
l1.5) They also lived in houses and
cities, even in royal cities. EXODUS,
1880 From I Chronicles. 4.l4.21,23,
we learn that there was at least in
the family of Judah craftsmen (house-
builders or carpenters). weavers and
potterS who were regularly employed
in the Kings work. This is borne out
also In the fact that while in the
desert there were men and women
who were skilled in all the finest arts
Of civilization. workers in brass and
iron, in silver and gold, and finest
manufactures, weaving tapestry and
embroidery, all kinds Of fine needle
work, and even dyeing, all of which
was used in the rearing and the deco
ration of the tabernacles." The dis
cipline of the taskmasterS had made
them the masters of all the arts OF
civilization, which they would need in
building up a new nation.
1t is no wonder that their successes
angered Pharaoh and his advisers.
who saw their plans for suppressing
the nation and preventing their In
crease, all coming to naught. The
wisdom Of the world leaves God out
Of their calculation, but Jehovah
never forgets his people. He is today
the hope Of the oppressed in every
land and nation. Israel developed
their faith, was prepared to quit the
rule of Egypt and become through
the blessings of bondage the strong
vigorous pioneers Of a nation. through
whom God would reveal Himself to
all mankind as the fountain Of free
dom and the source of all spiritual
and material blessings.
At p,.~. 90 ~