THE K I NG' S BUS I NESS to Pharaoh. He did not present them all, liut only five, whom he selected. Five seems* to have been a number of some peculiar significance , to the Egyptians. See its. use in chapter 41:34; 43:34; 45:22; 47:24 and Is. 19:18. In asking the brethren “ what is your occupation?” Pharaoh took it for granted that they had some occupation. Would it not be a wise provision in our modern life to insure every able-bodied man having some real occupation? Could not our present “ work or fight” rule be modified and applied when the war is over, to save the commonwealth from the return of the drones? In their reply to the king, the breth ren made it plain that they had not come down to be permanent settlers in the land, and become his subjects, but that they had only come to sojourn. So the Christian is exhorted to pass the time of his sojourn here in this world in fear,— that is, in Godly fear. 1 Pet. 1:17. At Joseph’s suggestion, they asked permission to dwell in the land of- Goshen. Though Pharaoh heard their request, he left the matter altogether to Joseph to decide. Though God is the great Judge over all, yet, He has com mitted all judgment to the hands of His well beloved Son. John 5:22 and 27. The wisdom of the king is shown in the remark he made to Joseph, when he told him to make some of his brethren rulers over the king’s cattle, provided they were “ men of activity,” or as the Revised Version renders it, “ able men.” The king would not give any of them a fob just because they were Joseph’s brethren. They must have some quali fications for the work. How many young men nowadays, are hoping to get on in the world by hanging on to some relative’s skirts? But “ every tub must stand on its own bottom.”?!: See in all this Joseph filling tlie role of mediator and Pharaoh dealing with these breth
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ren through Joseph. 1 Tim. 2:5, 6; Heb. 7:25. II. Joseph Presents His Father to Pharaoh, vs. 7-10. Though Pharaoh was the mighty king of Egypt, and Jacob only a country man,— though chief of the clan,— the story of the meeting of the two, shows plainly the dignified bearing of the patriarch. He was not presumptuous, but neither was he fawning. The old shepherd who knew God was a greater personage than the shepherd king who knew not God. Apparently Jacob blessed Pharaoh on entering his presence, and again on leaving it. There was evidently something about the old man’s bearing that moved upon the heart of the great king. In Heb. 7:7 we read that the “ less is blessed of the greater.” It was certainly true in this case. There is a touch of sadness in Jacob’s ■reply to Pharaoh concerning his age. As he looked back over the way, over which he had travelled, how much did he see that he would have avoided, had he to travel the way again. III. Joseph’s Provision for His Kindred, vs. 11 and 12. He fulfilled all the promise that he made to them in the closing verses of our last lesson. Not one good thing, of all he spake, failed of its accomplish ment. The believer, today, may rest confidently on the promises of Him, “Who is able to do exceedingly abund antly above all that we ask or think.” Eph. 3:20. See also John 14:1-3. Joseph is the most striking personal type of Christ in the Scripture. The death and resurrection are the two pivotal points in the life of Christ, and Joseph, mourned as HEART OF dead by his father THE IiESSON Jacob, is raised to be PRACTICAIi the benefactor of his POINTS own, and to provide for them the best place
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