THE KI NG' S BUS I NESS The study of Joseph was to reveal to us God’s providential provision. We find Joseph meeting all the need of his brethren. “ My God shall supply all your need according ■to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19.) Joseph Forgives His Brothers. Gen. 45: 1-15. (Read Ch. 42-47.) Memory Verse. “ If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly father will forgive you.” Matt. 6:14. Approach. How many of you boys and girls ever saw an aeroplane? How many would like to take a little trip in one? So would I. Now in our minds let us take a trip and sail BEGINNERS over the land where AND Joseph’s father and broth- PKMAR1' ers live, and see what they are doing. If we were going in a sure enough aeroplane, we would not go on Sunday, would we? No, we would go some Saturday. The seven years of big crops with plenty of food are over, and the seven years of famine have begun, and the fields are drying up, and the people look very sad, and the little children are crying for bread, just like some of the little children over in the war country today. As we come near the old home of Jos eph, we see his father Jacob, and his hair and long beard are white. He has heard that down in Egypt there is plenty to eat, so he is sending the ten sons down there to buy some corn. These are the same brothers that so cruelly sold their brother Joseph some years before. See, they are just start ing, each one riding a donkey. Now we must sail back and see what happens when they get to Egypt. It will take them a number of days to go on the donkeys. Lesson Story. Children, do you think these men would feel very happy as they ride along? No indeed, they are thinking sadly of a brother whom they sold to some men going down to Egypt.
1086 people. Joseph in his relations to his brothers reveals God and His relation to us. Joseph’s forgiveness of his brethren was as genuine a forgiveness as I believe we can find in the Bible. From this story then who are really forgiven? 1. Those whose condition we pity. (Ps. 103:13; Gen. 42:24). 2. Those whom we are willing to help. (Luke 11:30- 35; Gen. 42:25.) 3. Those to whom we impute no guilt. (Is. 1:18; Gen. 45:5). 4. Those whose insults we can forget. (Is. 43:25; 44:22; Luke 23:34; Gen. 45:8.) Forgiveness in its truest sense must include forgetting. 5. Those whose injuries to us we are will ing to let God turn to blessings for us. Paul and Silas, with the jailer illus trates this. Acts 16:25-34; Gen. 45: 4-8. Are there those whom we ought to forgive? Do we think we have for given them? Will our forgiveness pass and endure this five-fold test? We find no word of complaint on Joseph’s part against his brothers’ cruelty in selling him as a slave. God in His own time makes it a real blessing. The story of his sale into slavery and his exaltation to power and becoming the savior of his brethren and father recalls to us the story of one who though being in the form of God thought it not a thing to be grasped at, but was willing to take upon Himself the form of a slave and become obedient even unto death. Wherefore God hath highly exalted Him and has given Him a name that is above every name. Joseph was put down into the pit as good as dead, sold into slavery, lost his reputation, tbrust into jail, and yet was so honored and prospered by God that he became the second man in power and authority in one of the strongest nations of the day. In truth he was the first man in the kingdom because he was in power, wisdom and authority behind Pharaoh himself. 45:9. What a type of Christ we find him to be if we meditate upon the story and allow God’s .Holy Spirit to illuminate it to us.
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