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T h e K i n g ’ s B u s i n e s s
May 1932
the father’s distress, should Benjamin not return. The plea is successful, and Joseph makes himself known to his brethren. They are overwhelmed to learn that the one before whom they stand is none other than their brother whom, as a young lad, they en vied and hated and sold for the paltry sum o f about sixteen dollars. W e should mark the three notable move ments by which these brethren of Joseph were brought to repentance and forgive ness. First, there was the action o f God in keeping alive their memories o f past misdeeds. He would not allow them to forget the horrible deed committed when they sold Joseph into bondage because o f their hatred o f him. Second, there was the action o f God directly upon their hearts, bringing them to repentance con cerning their envy of Joseph because of the dreams God had given him. He would remind them that their hatred of Joseph was really hatred o f Himself. And Jhird, there was the action of God in arranging the providences that brought them face to face with the one whom they supposed they had murdered. God brought the fa mine upon them. He saw to it that they must come seeking food from the one they had so vilely treated, and He arranged all the steps which led to the wonderful scene in which Judah revealed how deep and real their repentance was. Thus God deals with the sinner by re minding him o f his sins o f the past, by leading him to repentance concerning his rejection o f Christ in the past, and by bringing him into the presence o f Christ to decide whether he will continue to reject Him or will receive Him for what He claims to be, that is, the Saviour and Lord. Let us not overlook the prophetic teach ing o f this lesson. Joseph is a type of Messiah, and Joseph’s brethren are a type o f the Jews. The Lord Jesus Christ was presented to His brethren as the choice of the Father, but He was met with hatred and was finally cast out to the Gentiles. Since His death, He is to be hidden from them until the long season o f Israel’s dis tress and hardship shall end with their recognition and acknowledgment o f their long lost Brother. Not in humiliation but, like Joseph, He will be revealed to them in power and great glory, and He will be recognized as their Messiah and Saviour. Their once despised but now adored Elder Brother will then rule over them to the glory and the praise o f God. Then shall He sit upon His throne—His own throne— while all kings and princes and potentates bow before Him. Lesson Questions Vs. 18-22. What tests did Joseph apply to learn whether or not the hearts o f his brethren had been changed? H ow would you speak o f Judah’s speech as a piece of literature? as an impassionate appeal? Who, in the New Testament, interceded for another (c f. Philem. 8-20) ? What reasons had Joseph’s brethren to believe that he was cold and stony-hearted? H ow would you prove that Judah’s speech was prompted by a spirit o f self-denial? Had this always been a characteristic o f his? Vs. 23-31. How did Judah unconscious ly reveal Jacob’s belief concerning his lost son, Joseph? How did he show his own change o f heart? Vs. 32-34. Why was it unnecessary for Joseph to remain unknown to his brethren any longer? How is Joseph a type of Christ? How are Joseph’s brethren a type
BLACKBOARD LESSON HOW PLEASANT IT 15 FOR BRETHREN TODWELL TOGETHER IN
for our present study. When famine fell over the whole world, it was of course felt in Canaan, and Jacob found that he had to apply to Egypt for corn. He sent his sons, with the exception o f Benjamin, to Joseph. When they were come into Joseph’s pres ence, he at once knew they were his breth ren, but they failed to recognize him. He knew that unless they were repentant of their' murderous hatred against him, and o f the way they had outraged their fa ther’s heart with the brutal lie about him, there could be no peace between them. He was reconciled to them, but it had to be shown that they also were reconciled to him. For this reason, Joseph refrained from revealing himself to them and be gan a series of tests calculated to discover whether or not his brothers had under gone any change from their former envy and hatred and brutality. When it was finally shown that they had truly repented o f their evil deeds and had come to pos sess a measure of true affection for their father, Joseph made himself known to them, and the family was at once reunited and the father’s heart made to rejoice. This is also the story o f our Lord Jesus Christ and the brethren who hated Him “ without a cause” (John 15:25), who shamefully treated Him until they secured His death upon the cross. And the day will come when they, too, will turn to Him for relief as his brethren turned to Joseph, while as yet they know Him not. When they reveal their true repentance, He will be revealed to them, and the purposes of God’s heart concerning them will be ful filled. T o miss the prophetic element in this story is to miss much of the message God would have us take from it. The address of Judah on behalf,of Ben jamin and his father is one o f the finest pieces o f literature to be found in any lan guage. It has been variously described. One writer calls it “one o f the master pieces of Hebrew composition.” Another points to it as “ one o f the finest specimens of natural eloquence in the world.” Still another says it contains “ deferential hu mility without servility, artless simplicity without sophistry, inimitable pathos with out softness, and heroic self-sacrifice with out heroics.” The address seems to divide naturally into three parts, each bearing a definite plea on behalf of the aged father who waits for the return o f his youngest son, Benjamin. I. J udah ’ s S elf -D enial (18-22). Judah’s self-denial is to be seen in his great apprehension lest his father have sorrow upon sorrow. As far as Judah knew, Benjamin was to blame because the circum stances seemed to prove beyond doubt that he (Benjamin) had stolen the silver cup which was discovered in his sack (Gen. 44:1-13). Judah might well have said, “Well, he is the thief, let him take care of the consequences himself.” This would have been his thought years before, but now his thought seems to go far beyond any consideration o f Benjamin, and it dwells upon his hoary-headed father back in the old home, bereaved o f one son by the treachery o f his other sons, and now in his old age about to receive another crushing blow, if Benjamin fails to re turn. As Judah thus thinks o f his father, his heart is melted and his lips pour out this impassioned appeal. He speaks o f the sorrow of his father and the apprehension he feels in his own heart because of the threatened action o f Joseph. He reminds this ruler o f Egypt that on their former
AND ALL YE ARE BRETHREN*&& visit he has told Joseph why they could not bring Benjamin with them. The fa ther had one son whom he loved, and who was taken from him in early youth. Judah does not know, o f course, that he is talk ing to that son. But as he talks, Joseph can feel that the man who once did not hesitate to bring sorrow and bitter distress to the father’s heart is now so changed that even the thought o f his father’s hav ing any sorrow fills him with dismay. Thus, in his apprehension for his father, Judah completely denies himself. II. J udah ’ s S elf -F orgetfulness (23-31) Judah’s self-forgetfulness is seen in his direct appeal on behalf o f his father. He recalls Joseph’s order that Benjamin should be with them when they should come again to Egypt, and tells how they re peated this order to Jacob and, with great difficulty, persuaded Jacob to send the lad with them. In this part o f his address, Judah unconsciously reveals just what Ja cob thought concerning Joseph’s disap pearance years before. To the father’s mind, the story, told by the brethren when they brought back the coat of many colors torn and bloodstained, was true. He mourned for his son as for one who was destroyed by wild beasts. And now, when a demand was made for Benjamin to go to Egypt, he could not bring himself to part with him, even for a little season, lest some accident should befall him and he meet a bloody end such as, he thinks, has over taken his brother. Judah quotes his fa ther’s words in his attempt to move the seemingly cold and stony-hearted Egyp tian : “And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.” With the moving pathos o f these words, he presses home the plea that, should he return to his father without the lad, deep and poignant sorrow will be the portion o f the aged man. In all this, we can see how changed was Judah’s heart since that time when, filled with envy and hatred because o f Joseph’s dreams, he was ready, along with the rest, to slay Joseph in order to remove him from the scene. III. J udah ’ s S elf -S urrender (32-34). Judah’s self-surrender is revealed when, moved by affection for his father, he con cludes his appeal with one o f the finest ex hibitions of self-renunciation to be found anywhere. In this is seen the full and un disguised love o f his heart for his father. “ Let me,” he says in effect, “be a bondman in the stead o f this my younger brother; let me be your slave in his place; let him return to his home and father, while you retain me as your captive and servant. Only let my father be spared and protected from this threatened loss, and you may do with me as you will.” He seems to imply that he would rather die than look upon
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