THE KING’S BUSINESS
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server of his own people. As it pays to be true, so it pays to be kind. The dreams were of God. The king’s birthday (40:20) brought the festivities, from which they were excluded, to mind, and gave shape to their dreams. God used them to bring the fulfillment of Joseph’s dreams, for they all came true, the butler was restored, the baker hanged, the “sheaves” (his brethren), the “sun and moon” (his par ents) all did obeisance to Joseph. Joseph told his sad story to the baker and begged him to use his influence for his liberty. “When the chief baker saw that the in terpretation was good.” Had it been bad, he would have wished a different inter preter, .but it would not have changed re sults. The King’s birthday is coming. Have you a dream? Let Jehovah’s proph ets interpret it. Do not seek a “peace and safety” (1 Thess. 5:3) interpreter, he can not alter facts nor truth. Shall you stand at the King’s right hand ? or will you be hanged” (Gen. 40:22)? shrines that they might speak to them. Theif magicians (like the Chaldeans, Dan. 2:2; 4:7; 5:7) professed to interpret the, mean ing of the gods. Man’s superstitions shadow realities. His gods are idols, but there is a living God, He' has spoken, and there were true prophets, and a Holy Spirit to inter pret (2 Cor. 2:10-12). All reliable com munications are now through the written Word, if there are any other they must be in perfect harmony with it (Gal. 1:8, 9; Isa. 8:20). 3. Manners. (1) Egyptians of rank were scrupulous as to cleanliness, shaved their heads, faces, bodies. No one could stand before the king unless ceremonially clean (Gen. 41:14). Without holiness no man shall see the Lord (Heb. 12:14; Ps. 24:34). (2) Records of sudden elevation of ob scure persons to high places are not un common.
3. The Two Dreamers. “The butler of the king of Egypt, and his baker” (Gen. 40:1). These were nobles. Near to the king. Yet princes over the commissary. What their offense was we do not know. Such places next to earthly majesty are treacherous. It is not far from the king’s banquet to the cell, or gallows. Only the ministers of the King of kings wear hon ors that “shall not pass away.” Joseph served Him and had honor in all sta tions and commissions. 4. The Two Dreams. You have the stories. Joseph felt a sympathy with his fellows, as we all should, especially when we see them with sad or troubled faces. Our fortunes may be closer wrapped up with theirs than we think. A young man gave to a blind beggar daily as he passed on the way to his work, and the beggar left him $10,000 in the bank. Joseph’s kindness that day promoted him from pris on to palace, from purveyor to convicts to purveyor to all Egypt; and made him pre 1. The N ile: The source of Egypt’s life and wealth. From interior' Africa it seeks the sea, Changes a desert to an oasis; its spring flood lays a rich loam on the delta; “high Nile” means wealth, “low” perhaps famine. Ancient famines are recorded; one seven years long, about 1700 'B . C., near Joseph’s period. An obituary in a tomb tells that the occupant stored and distrib uted grain at the time and claims favor from the gods for the act. There is a river to change the desert of this world into a paradise, physical and spiritual (Ezek. 47:1-12; Isa. 35:6, 7; Rev. 22:1, 2 ); at its flood we flourish, at its ebb we languish (Hag. 1:7-11; Mai. 3:10; John 7:37-39). 2. Superstitions. Egyptians made much of dreams; thought them communications of the gods; slept sometimes at sacred
LESSON VI. — May 11. — J o s e p h M a d e R u l e r o E E g y p t . —Gen. 41:1-45. G olden T ext : God giveth grace to the humble. —1 Pet. 5:5. I. L ight from the M onuments .
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