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THE K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
my hands and my feet.” (Luke 24 :39 ). The testimony of His love was in the evidence of His sacrifice for them. So now the h eart of Joseph yearns for th e loving affection of his b reth ren from whom he has been so long separ ated. The hand th a t is stretched out w ith au tho rity over Egypt is now ex tended in friendship to them. (3) REASONING ON GOD’S PROVI DENCE, vs, 6-8. “ It was not ye th a t sent me hither, bu t God.” Joseph was an in terp reter of dreams, but he was also an in terp reter of Provi dence!} He saw the hand of God in all the affairs of life. He saw th a t behind and beyond all the actions of his b reth ren lay th e g reat purpose of God for his life. The b reth ren had sinned woefully, and he had suffered wrong fully but God was working wonder fully through it all. (Rom. 8 :28 ). " A n d w e k n o w t h a t a ll th in g s w o r k to - g e th e r for* g o o d t o . th e m t h a t _lo v e G od, to th e m w h o a r e c a lle d a c c o rd in g to H is p u rp o s e .” Here is a wonderful and much needed lesson. It is blessed to see th e purpose of God in His providences. See it while passing through them. See how makes pain and parting, disease and disaster, poverty and persecution to m inister, through H is grace, for bless ing. The way may seem strange and hard, bu t when we look back from the throne, th e pit and th e prison will all be illum ined w ith the radiance of th e glory of God. (2 Tim, 2 :1 2 ). “ I f w e s u ffe r w e s h a ll a ls o r e ig n w ith h im ; i f w e d e n y h im , h e a ls o w ill d e n y u s .” v Joseph, in God’s hands, becomes a great deliverer. F rom Joseph’s dream to Joseph’s revelation of himself to his breth ren , how many strange steps! Yet in it all, God was working out good for Joseph's people afid. for th e heathen lands. (4) JOSEPH R E S C U I N G HIS FATHER, vs. 9-13,“ H aste ye, go up to my fath e r.” Joseph does not stop until he has per fected plans for his fa th e r’s coming to
Twenty years have m atured t*hem all. Some of them are old men. Joseph’s voice is full of tenderness and his eyes are filled w ith tears of gladness. So Jesus must have appeared to Saul of Tarsus, when on th e Damascus road, He made Himself known to him (Acts 9 :5 ). “A n d h e s a id , W h o a r t th o u L o rd ? A n d th e L o rd s a id , I a m J e s u s w h o m th o u p e r - and the tender voice of Christ breaks th e h eart of th e evangel of erro r and brings him down,- contrite at the feet of his Lord. So, also, will it be w ith th e Jews in the la tte r days, for the conversion of Saul of Tarsus is a prophecy of Isra el’s conversion. . They sold th e ir Lord for th irty pieces of silver, th ink ing to rid themselves forever of Him. B u t they will one day see Him on th e throne, and will acknowledge Him as th e ir King, and He will become th eir benefactor. (Zech. 12:10; 13:6, 9). “A n d I w ill p o u r u p o n th e h o u s e o f D a v id , a n d u p o n th e in h a b ita n ts o f J e r u s a le m , th e s p ir it o f g r a c e a n d o f s u p p li- c tio n s ; a n d th e y s h a ll lo o k u p o n m e w h o m th e y h a v e p ie rc e d , a n d th e y s h a ll m o u rn a s o n e m o u r n e th f o r h is o n ly s o n , a n d s h a ll b e in b itte r n e s s f o r h im a s o n e t h a t is in b itte r n e s s f o r h is f ir s t b o rn . A n d o n e s h a ll s a y u n to h im , W h a t a r e th /ese w o u n d s in th in e h a n d s ? T h e n s h a ll h e a n s w e r , T h o s e w ith w h ic h I w a s w o u n d e d in th e h o u s e o f m y fr ie n d s . T h e y s h a ll c a ll u p o n m y n a m e , a n d I w ill h e a r th e m ; I w ill s a y , I t is m y p e o p le ; a n d th e y s h a ll, T h e L o rd is m y G od.” (2) JOSEPH REASSURING HIS BRETHREN, vg, 4,' 5. “Come n ear to me, I pray you.” Joseph had already cleared th e room so th a t he was alone w ith his brethren. He did not want strangers to know the sad story of his life, nor of the wrong comm itted against him. He is quick to notice the bowed heads. “Be not grieved” he says. His h ea rt is full of compassion. He has no desire to upbraid or condemn them. He has fully forgiven them. Already th eir conscience had convicted them and they are in th e bonds of distress; now he seeks to alleviate their m ental anguish. So it was w ith Jesus, afte r the resu r rection. When His disciples stood, in awe of His p resence,'H e said, “Behold
FOR GOD (See Inside Back Cover)
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