190
T h e K i n g ’ s B u s i n e s s
April 1932
Jacob “ loved Joseph more than all his children.” This was unnatural, for it was usually the first-born who was held in highest regard by the father. Joseph was “the son o f his old age.” It reminds us -of the fact that God’s method is -first “ that which is natural, and afterward that which is spiritual.” Joseph, as history indicates, was God’s choice. II. H ated by H is B rethren (4, 5, 8, 11). Joseph’s brothers’ hatred arose from their jealousy. It was not that they them selves cared for their father, or for his preference. This is revealed in their sub sequent treatment o f their father at the time o f the supposed death of Joseph. Their hatred was a sort o f “dog in the manger” thing. When Joseph told them of his dream, twice over it is said that “they hated him yet the more.” Finally, envy was aroused—an envy which would soon carry them on in their hatred until they were ready to murder its object. The brothers hated Joseph for another reason; namely, because o f the moral sep aration between them. Joseph’s goodness, faithfulness, and truthfulness were mani fested at a time when these things were looked upon as weaknesses rather than as signs o f strength. By nature, we hate the g ood ; hence, the world hates Christ and all that belongs to Him. The world is ready to persecute the Christian, not because of any thing in the Christian himself, but be cause it appears to the world that the Christian is the favorite o f Christ. Not accepting Christ, the world turns against all who do accept Him (cf. John IS :17-20). The brothers hated him because of his dreams. A t a time when messages from God were frequently delivered in dreams, Joseph’s brethren recognized that, in granting such revelations to their brother, God was preferring Joseph above them selves, and that He intended to make him the leader o f the family. Being naturally opposed to subjection or submission, and being governed by a spirit o f independence and rebellion, they hated the one who was chosen by God to be a ruler over them. Here again is a picture o f the world’s treatment o f Christ, the Chosen of God. III. C hosen by the L ord (6, 7, 9, 10). God’s choice is revealed by the dreams granted to the young man. These dreams were prophecies, indicating what should be in the future, and they were recognized as such both by Joseph’s father and by his brethren. God was revealing to them, as He was to Joseph, His choice o f the lad as the one who should be the head and the saviour o f the family in days to come. While it is nowhere said that Joseph is a type o f Christ, we can scarcely fail to see the story o f Christ in the history of Joseph. Twice as much is recorded in Scripture concerning Joseph as concern ing Abraham, not because he is greater in his person, but because his history is greater in that it foreshadowed the his tory o f Christ. Moreover, in Joseph’s his tory, there is a revelation o f man’s inherent hatred o f and enmity against God. The reason for the hatred is found in the sov ereign choice o f the Father. In some mea sure, the choice of the Father is acceptable to man; Jacob had other sons, and Joseph might well have been the favorite without arousing the enmity o f his brethren. But Joseph is presented as though he were the
BLACKBOARD LESSON
Lesson Questions Vs. 1-3. How do you account for the splendid character o f Joseph, when reared with such unscrupulous half-brothers? Why was Joseph a favorite with his fa ther? Vs. .4-11. What are some o f the things that caused Joseph’s brethren to hate him? What did Joseph’s dreams indicate regard ing God’s choice o f -Joseph in preference to his brethren? O f what were Joseph’s dreams prophetic? Did Jacob and his sons r-sent or welcome the thought of Joseph’s superiority over them? Show how this is the attitude o f the natural man. In what ways was Joseph a type o f Christ? Golden Text Illustration Dr. Sargeant states that, at a slave mar ket in one of the Southern States at which he was present, a smart, active colored boy was put up for sale. A kind master, who pitied his condition, and who did not wish him to have a cruel owner, went up to him and said, “If I buy you, will you be honest?” The boy, with a look that baffled de scription, replied, “I will be honest whether you buy me or not.” He had learned the meaning o f Ephesians 4:28 and Romans 12:17. A Boy’s Dream Genesis 37:5-11 Memory Verse : “ The Lord is my helper” (Heb. 13:6). Approach : Years passed. Isaac died and was buried by Jacob and Esau. Then Ja cob lived in the land of Canaan, the land which God had promised to Abraham, his grandfather, and to Isaac, his father. And colors. The other sons were angry with Joseph because he had things which they had not. Joseph was younger than they, and yet he had so many things. One day Joseph had a dream, and he told this dream to his brothers. He dreamed that they were binding sheaves in the field, and his sheaf stood up straight and the sheaves of his brothers bowed be fore it. Then the brothers were angry and said, “ Shall this young brother o f ours rule over us?” And Joseph dreamed again. He dreamed that the sun and the moon and eleven stars bowed before him. When he told his dream, his father said, “ Shall your mother and I and your brothers all bow before, you?” Then the brothers were angrier than ever, but the father knew that it was so. Jacob knew that God had a great work for Joseph to do. Joseph was just a young man then, and a dreamer, but God was go ing to make a worker o f him, too, and He was going to help him to make dreams real. Joseph had lots to learn before God could make him great, but God was going to be with him. he and his family flourished and multi plied. L e s s o n S t o r y : N o w J a c o b h a d twelve sons, and his favorite son was Jo seph. He loved Joseph so dearly that he gave things to him which he didn’t give to the other sons. One gift was a coat o f many
TAKE THOUGHT
FOR. THINGS HONEST
O R D E R LY NOBLE
OMN IPOTENT RIGHTEOUS
THROUGH CHRIST I A M A Tb L E i .
TODO ________________ ALL THESE THINGS
only son. He is the only one named in the generations o f the family, the only one without whom there could be no continu ance o f the family (c f. v. 2). Thus Christ is presented as the center o f all God’s counsels (Col. 1:18), and as such He be comes the link o f continuance. Without Him, there could be no subsequent gener ations. This truth man rejects. God’s will is sovereign, and He would make the son of His choice to be the ruler of all, the possessor o f the birthright, as the ownership o f the coat o f many colors implied. This sovereign action is hated by the natural man who feels that he himself is the one who should decide who shall be his ruler and governor. The natural man does not resent the idea that Christ is to be sovereign, but he does resent the thought that Christ is absolute sovereign. Take away the sovereign will o f God as ex pressed in the exaltation o f Christ, and every one would accept Christ. This is re vealed in the present-day growth o f fellow ship between Jews and professing Chris tians. Such fellowship is only possible when the sovereign will o f God concern ing Christ is denied. And in this, too, there is a revelation of the settled condi tion o f the natural man ; he hates the light (c f. John 3:21). Light and truth were on Joseph’s side, but his brethren hated him because the light and the truth indicated the sovereign will and choice o f God. Like Joseph, Christ is rejected because in Him was the complete fulfillment o f the sovereign will of God. In rejecting Him, men reveal their character to be hate ful, their conduct to be evil, and their con dition to be settled in the belief of a lie. Thus modernism itself proclaims its hatred of God, not because He is evil, but because He will be sovereign. One result o f the hatred o f Joseph’s brethren is seen in their later history. First, there was the separation o f Joseph from them, in order that he might do them good; and then, there was his separation to God, in order that he might be able to do them good. The Christian must be sep arated from the world and unto God, if he would do good to the world. Another- result of the hatred o f Joseph’s brethren is seen in the suffering o f the one who was hated. Moral fitness for exalta tion is produced by discipline. One must be humbled before he Can be exalted. Jo seph was humbled by his brethren, but “ Christ humbled himself” (Phil. 2:5-11). A third result is seen in the security o f the purpose o f God. Joseph was taken out of his brothers’ hands and was guarded for the fulfillment o f the will of God. While separated from them, he was exalted to the highest place o f dignity and power. Later, he used that high place for the fulfillment o f the will o f God in the preservation and blessing o f those who had persecuted him. Typically, this is the history of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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