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Joseph’s testimony is to God’s glory (v. 16) . “ A n d J o s e p h a n s w e r e d P h a r a o h , say in g :, I t is n o t in m e ; G o d s h a ll g iv e P h a r a o h a n a n s w e r o f p e a c e .” and that is why God could use him. Years of suffering have not changed the trend of his life. He is unmoved by con ditions, unchanged in his convictions, unyielding in his consécration to the will of God; faithful to the prison keeper, fervent in loyalty to God, fearless in his purpose. He witnesses a good confession before the king. The magicians were as incapable of interpreting the dream as the Modernists are of interpreting God’s Word. The mind of man turns naturally to some source outside of God for information concerning hidden things,— there fore we have soothsayers, magicians, palmists, fortune tellers, mediums, occultists and university supposera, (Dan. 4:5-7). God has His man on hand. He moved on the memory of the butler who told his story. Joseph is summoned from prison, interprets the dream and advises the king what to do, what plan to pursue in the protection of the kingdom, and the sort of man needed to carry out that plan. Joseph is clear and concise in his statement. There is no word of himself. He is God’s man, depending upon God, in God’s will, resting by faith and waiting for God to move. Joseph stands unique amongst God’s great men. Pharaoh was a wise man. He saw in Joseph the man for; the hour. He had insight and foresight (v. 38) “A n d P h a r a o h s a id u n to h is s e r v a n ts , C a n w e fin d s u c h as th is , a m a n in w h o m th e S p ir it o f G o d is ? ” Reliance upon God for all things is a hard lesson to learn, yet God has compelled even kings to acknowledge it. (2 Ki. 6:26; Dan. 4:2, 3; 1 Cor. 15:10; 2 Cor. 3 :5 ). God works in His own way, chooses whom He will, schools them in His ówn mannèr, imparts to them His own gifts. How foolish for men to say, “God cannot do this,” or, “God must do that.” Why insist that men must have Certain qualifications; must have the stamp of “so and so” upon them, or else we cannot use them? God can use uni versity men if they are willing to be used and give Him the glory. God can use uncultured, uncultivated men if He chooses. He has done it, and He is doing it. Why not study the Bible and find out what God’s methods àre and be led by God’s Holy Spirit? Had it been left to men, we would never have had a Joseph nor a Gideon, a David nor a Daniel, the fishermen of Galilee, the early church, nor the evangelization of the then known world. When will we learn that God’s ways are not our ways? (2) JOSEPH’S RECOURSE IN RESCUING HIS BRETH REN, Ch. 42. “And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him” v. 8. This chapter gives us an outline of a great drama in which we have a wonderful study of human passions and human needs. God’s prophecy came true. There were seven years of plenty— seven years of opportunity. There is a time to store the mind with God’s Word. Do it now! There is a time to sow the seed, while the ground is fallow. Do it now! “Make hay while the sun shines,” “What your hands find to do, do with your might. The night cometh.” Thus is was in Egypt. One man. believed it. One man acted upon it and gathered. The need came. No rain fell. The drought came, and drought spelled “dead fields.” The first year, perhaps, did not make much impression. The next year, the situation seemed more serious. The third year there was universal need. Jacob and his sons felt it (Acts 7:11) “ N o w th e r e c a m e a d e a r th o v e r a ll t h e la n d o f E g y p t and C an aan » a n d g r e a t a fflic tio n ; a n d o n r f a th e r s fo u n d no su s te n a n c e .”
even though In prison. While there he told two prisoners what their dreams meant. (Tell these dreams, and give details in the story as you proceed.) Just as Joseph was hated for his goodness, so was Jesus hated. Many hate Jesus today because they do not want to be good. Who are you like, Joseph, or his jealous brothers? (Compare Jesus and Joseph, in their persecutions.) Memory Verse: “They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.” Ps. 109:3 or “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Isa. 53:3.
JANUARY 6, 1924 PHARAOH’S DREAM Genesis, Chapters, 41, 42
Golden Text: “And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Foras much as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art; Thou shalt be over my house, and according to thy word shall all my people be ruled; only in the throne will I be greater than thou.” (Gen. 41:39, 40) Outline: (1) Joseph Remembered and Rewarded, Ch. 41. (2) Joseph’s Recourse in Rescuing his Brethren, Ch. 42.' Introduction: Joseph did his best in prison. He glorified'God. (1 Cor. 10:31) The butler was busy and forgot Joseph. He may have waited for a favorable opportunity, at first, and then his promise faded from his memory. Potiphar’s wife, and the; indifference of the butler. (1) JOSEPH REMEMBERED AND REWARDED, Ch. 41 “Then spake the chief butler * * * I do remember” v. 9. Two more years pass in the prison life— years of testing and schooling. No ray of hope breaks the gloom, yet Jo seph never lost hope. Seemingly, God has forgotten him, but he is in God’s school and God’s school s different from man’s. God has a time for every purpose (Eccl. 3:17) “ I s a id in m in e h e a r t. G od s h a ll ju d jre th e r ig h te o u s a n d th e w ic k e d ; f o r th e r e is a tim e f o r e v e ry p n rp o s e a n d e v e r y w o rk .” All things come to those who wait (Psa. 40:1) “I w a ite d p a tie n tly f o r th e L o r d ; a n d h e in c lin e d u n to m e a n d h e a r d m y c ry .” God had not forgotten Joseph (John 12:26; 1 Sam. 2 :30 ). God uses men to accomplish His purposes. They are His tools (Psa. 75:6, 7) “For promotion cometh not from the east, nor from the west, no rfrom the south. But God is the judge; he putteth down one, and setteth up another.” The butler is but a link in the chain of circumstances, and God uses little incidents in the perfecting of His plans for the fulfillment of His purposes. Here is a sovereign of a mighty nation. Here is a slave in a prison. Here is a strange dream, and God is using these three in the fulfillment of a dream of fifteen years’ standing. Thirteen years have passed since Jo seph, in his father’s house, dreamed his dreams, and now their fulfillment seems farther away than ever. There was the hatred of his brethren, the malice of EXPOSITION T. C. Horton
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