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The fulness of the narrative is worthy of consideration. Far more is told us of Joseph than of any of the patriarchs preceding him. There is a fourfold value and importance in the record of Joseph’s life: (1 ) It gives the explanation of the development of the Hebrews. COMMENTS How was it that they who came orig- FROM THE inally from the valley of the Eu- COMMENTABIES phrates were found at length as a V. V. Morgan colony in Egypt? How came it to pass that they, a nomadic people, lived in possession and enjoyment of the richest province of Egypt for generations? The story of Joseph gives the answer to these questions. (2 ) It is a remarkable proof of the quiet operation of Divine Providence, over-ruling evil and leading at length to the complete victory of truth and righteousness. (3 ) It affords a splendid example of personal character. Joseph’s life is one of the very finest recorded in Scripture. (4 ) It provides a striking series of typical illustrations of Christ. There are few more re markable points of contact and coincidences with the life of our Lord than those found in the story of Joseph.—W. H. Griffith Thomas. 37:11. Everything recorded here of Joseph’s brethren — their anger, malice, conspiracy, cruelty, callousness, de ceit— sprang originally from envy. So it is always. (Cf. Rom. 1:29; 1 Tim. 6:4; Gal. 5:21.) But the grace of God is also seen in this chapter in the way in which sin is defeated and the Divine purposes accomplished. Sin may hinder God’s plans, but it cannot ultimately defeat His purposes. Sin is never necessary, though it may be used and over-ruled by God.—W. H. Griffith Thomas. Verse 19. Emphasis is laid on the fact that Joseph was a dreamer. It may have been God’s method in those days, in which there was no Bible, to make His will known through the medium of dreams (cf. Job. 33:14, 15). Today, how ever, the Word of God is that to which we must refer to know the will of God (Isaiah 8:19, 20; Jeremiah 23:28 ). God’s ideal for Joseph’s life was revealed in a dream; God’s ideal for our lives is revealed in the Bible.—William Evans. Chap. 39:23—The outstanding feature of Joseph’s life was faithful loyalty to God under all circumstances. He carried his convictions with him and lived them out. The well-known phrase, ‘When in Rome do as Rome does,’ has brought definite trouble upon those who have followed its guidance. Joseph never compromised his position, and as a consequence he never lost spiritual power or weakened his witness for God. Someone has said that true inde pendence is to act in the crowd as one thinks in solitude.— W. H. Griffith Thomas. Chap. 40:23— The prison was a place where Joseph was fitted for his life-work. Men of the world would have de scribed this as ‘hard luck’; but to Joseph it was part of the providence of God. God always sends His servants to school in order to fit them for future work, pnd it is neces sary that they should have ‘a thorough education.’ Train ing, whether physical or moral, must necessarily be at tended with hardship; and those whom God uses most have to be trained in the hardest schools.—W. H. Griffith Thomas. In a certain coal-mining neighborhood, where almost everything was covered with coal-dust, there was a beau tiful white flower perfectly free from dust. When some one who was strange to the place remarked that the owner must take very great care of the flower to prevent it from being covered with coal-dust, another who was standing by threw over the flower some dust which at once fell off, leaving the whiteness and beauty as exquisite as ever. The
explanation was that the flower had on it what might be called an enamel which enabled it to receive the dust and throw it off without feeling anything of the effects. So it was with Joseph. His character was covered with the enamel of Divine grace, and all these sorrows and troubles came upon him and left him untouched except for the in creased strength and power that came to him from God.— W. H. Griffith Thomas. Points of Similarity Between Joseph and Christ. (1) Beloved of his father (37:3, cf. Matthew 3 :17 ). (2 ) Hated by his brethren (37:4-11, cf. John 7:1-7 and Mark 15:10 ). (3 ) Interpreter of the will of God (37: 5-11, cf. John 1:18 and Matthew 11:25-27). (4) Sent to minister to his brethren (37:13, cf. Matthew 20:28 and John 1 :11 ). Plan to kill Joseph (37:19, 20, cf. Matthew 2 1 :38 ), (6 ) Sold (37:28, cf. Matthew 26:14, 15). (7) Innocently condemned, imprisoned with two malefactors (chap. 40, cf. Luke 23). (8) Exalted by the hand of God. (chap. 41, cf. Act. 2:32-36)1?—William Evans. JANUARY 6, 1924. Jfe ELEMENTARY Kate H. Hans coat of many .colors, made out of one piece of cloth. This made the older brothers jealous. Then God gave Joseph strange dreams, which he told his brothers, and they were still more jealous. One dream was, that all were binding sheaves in the field, when Joseph’s sheaf stood up and his brothers’ sheaves bowed to it. Another was, that the sun, and moon, and eleven stars bowed to him. Joseph did not know what these dreams meant, but his father and brothers rather thought that they meant that some time, when Joseph grew up, they would have to bow to him. The brothers grew more angry at him, and decided to get rid of him. So one day, when they were quite a long way from home caring for their sheep, Joseph came to find them. They were going to kill him, when his oldest bro ther begged them not. They then tore off his coat, and dropped him into a deep well, that was dry, intending to let him die there. As they were eating a meal, there came some travelers from a far off land, going down to Egypt. So while Reuben, the oldest brother, was gone they sold Joseph to one of the Egyptians, for twenty pieces of silver. (Speak here of Judas.) They tore Joseph’s coat, dipped it in blood, rolled it in the dirt, till it looked as if it had been torn by a wild beast. They took the coat to Jacob, saying they had found it; that Joseph must have been killed by a wild beast. Ja cob believed it, thought him dead, and was very sorrowful. Joseph had a hard time in Egypt as a slave. A wicked womaif tried to make him do wrong; when he would not, she lied about him to her husband, and had Joseph thrown in jail. He behaved so well, that the jailor ,gave him charge of all the prisoners. He loved and trusted God, Jacob had twelve sons. Among them was Joseph, who had one brother younger than himself, while ten were older. These older brothers were not so good as Joseph, and did not •love their father nor try to please their father as did Joseph. Joseph was more like Jesus in charac ter than any other boy of his day, always obedient and loving. This made his fa ther love him more than the others, and as a reward, he was given a very beautiful
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