patriarchs and prophets-第53节

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sinful　nature；　might　despair　at　our　own　mistakes　and　failures。　But　seeing
where　others　struggled　through　discouragements　like　our　own；　where　they　fell
under　temptations　as　we　have　done；　and　yet　took　heart　again　and　conquered
through　the　grace　of　God；　we　are　encouraged　in　our　striving　after
righteousness。　As　they；　though　sometimes　beaten　back；　recovered　their
ground；　and　were　blessed　of　God；　so　we　too　may　be　overcomers　in　the　strength
of　Jesus。　On　the　other　hand；　the　record　of　their　lives　may　serve　as　a
warning　to　us。　It　shows　that　God　will　by　no　means　clear　the　guilty。　He　sees
sin　in　His　most　favored　ones；　and　He　deals　with　it　in　them　even　more
strictly　than　in　those　who　have　less　light　and　responsibility。

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After　the　burial　of　Jacob　fear　again　filled　the　hearts　of　Joseph's　brothers。
Notwithstanding　his　kindness　toward　them；　conscious　guilt　made　them
distrustful　and　suspicious。　It　might　be　that　he　had　but　delayed　his　revenge；
out　of　regard　to　their　father；　and　that　he　would　now　visit　upon　them　the
long…deferred　punishment　for　their　crime。　They　dared　not　appear　before　him
in　person；　but　sent　a　message：　〃Thy　father　did　command　before　he　died；
saying；　So　shall　ye　say　unto　Joseph；　Forgive；　I　pray　thee　now；　the　trespass
of　thy　brethren；　and　their　sin；　for　they　did　unto　thee　evil：　and　now；　we
pray　thee；　forgive　the　trespass　of　the　servants　of　the　God　of　thy　father。〃
This　message　affected　Joseph　to　tears；　and；　encouraged　by　this；　his　brothers
came　and　fell　down　before　him；　with　the　words；　〃Behold；　we　be　thy　servants。〃
Joseph's　love　for　his　brothers　was　deep　and　unselfish；　and　he　was　pained　at
the　thought　that　they　could　regard　him　as　cherishing　a　spirit　of　revenge
toward　them。　〃Fear　not；〃　he　said；　〃for　am　I　in　the　place　of　God？　But　as　for
you；　ye　thought　evil　against　me；　but　God　meant　it　unto　good；　to　bring　to
pass；　as　it　is　this　day；　to　save　much　people　alive。　Now　therefore　fear　ye
not：　I　will　nourish　you；　and　your　little　ones。〃

The　life　of　Joseph　illustrates　the　life　of　Christ。　It　was　envy　that　moved
the　brothers　of　Joseph　to　sell　him　as　a　slave；　they　hoped　to　prevent　him
from　becoming　greater　than　themselves。　And　when　he　was　carried　to　Egypt；
they　flattered　themselves　that　they　were　to　be　no　more　troubled　with　his
dreams；　that　they　had　removed　all　possibility　of　their　fulfillment。　But
their　own　course　was　overruled　by　God　to　bring　about　the　very　event　that
they　designed　to　hinder。　So　the　Jewish　priests　and　elders　were　jealous　of
Christ；　fearing　that　He　would　attract　the　attention　of　the　people　from　them。
They　put　Him　to　death；　to　prevent　Him　from　becoming　king；　but　they　were　thus
bringing　about　this　very　result。

Joseph；　through　his　bondage　in　Egypt；　became　a　savior　to　his　father's
family；　yet　this　fact　did　not　lessen　the　guilt　of　his　brothers。　So　the
crucifixion　of　Christ　by　His　enemies　made　Him　the　Redeemer　of　mankind；　the
Saviour　of　the　fallen　race；　and　Ruler　over　the　whole　world；　but　the　crime　of
His　murderers　was　just　as　heinous　as　though　God's　providential　hand　had　not
controlled　events　for　His　own　glory　and　the　good　of　man。

As　Joseph　was　sold　to　the　heathen　by　his　own　brothers；　so

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Christ　was　sold　to　His　bitterest　enemies　by　one　of　His　disciples。　Joseph　was
falsely　accused　and　thrust　into　prison　because　of　his　virtue；　so　Christ　was
despised　and　rejected　because　His　righteous；　self…denying　life　was　a　rebuke
to　sin；　and　though　guilty　of　no　wrong；　He　was　condemned　upon　the　testimony
of　false　witnesses。　And　Joseph's　patience　and　meekness　under　injustice　and
oppression；　his　ready　forgiveness　and　noble　benevolence　toward　his　unnatural
brothers；　represent　the　Saviour's　uncomplaining　endurance　of　the　malice　and
abuse　of　wicked　men；　and　His　forgiveness；　not　only　of　His　murderers；　but　of
all　who　have　come　to　Him　confessing　their　sins　and　seeking　pardon。

Joseph　outlived　his　father　fifty…four　years。　He　lived　to　see　〃Ephraim's
children　of　the　third　generation：　the　children　also　of　Machir　the　son　of
Manasseh　were　brought　up　upon　Joseph's　knees。〃　He　witnessed　the　increase　and
prosperity　of　his　people；　and　through　all　the　years　his　faith　in　God's
restoration　of　Israel　to　the　Land　of　Promise　was　unshaken。

When　he　saw　that　his　end　was　near；　he　summoned　his　kinsmen　about　him。
Honored　as　he　had　been　in　the　land　of　the　Pharaohs；　Egypt　was　to　him　but　the
place　of　his　exile；　his　last　act　was　to　signify　that　his　lot　was　cast　with
Israel。　His　last　words　were；　〃God　will　surely　visit　you；　and　bring　you　out
of　this　land　unto　the　land　which　He　sware　to　Abraham；　to　Isaac；　and　to
Jacob。〃　And　he　took　a　solemn　oath　of　the　children　of　Israel　that　they　would
carry　up　his　bones　with　them　to　the　land　of　Canaan。　〃So　Joseph　died；　being
an　hundred　and　ten　years　old：　and　they　embalmed　him；　and　he　was　put　in　a
coffin　in　Egypt。〃　And　through　the　centuries　of　toil　which　followed；　the
coffin；　a　reminder　of　the　dying　words　of　Joseph；　testified　to　Israel　that
they　were　only　sojourners　in　Egypt；　and　bade　them　keep　their　hopes　fixed
upon　the　Land　of　Promise；　for　the　time　of　deliverance　would　surely　come。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　22

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Moses


The　people　of　Egypt；　in　order　to　supply　themselves　with　food　during　the
famine；　had　sold　to　the　crown　their　cattle　and　lands；　and　had　finally　bound
themselves　to　perpetual　serfdom。　Joseph　wisely　provided　for　their　release；
he　permitted　them　to　become　royal　tenants；　holding　their　lands　of　the　king；
and　paying　an　annual　tribute　of　one　fifth　of　the　products　of　their　labor。

But　the　children　of　Jacob　were　not　under　the　necessity　of　making　such
conditions。　On　account　of　the　service　that　Joseph　had　rendered　the　Egyptian
nation；　they　were　not　only　granted　a　part　of　the　country　as　a　home；　but　were
exempted　from　taxation；　and　liberally　supplied　with　food　during　the
continuance　of　the　famine。　The　king　publicly　acknowledged　that　it　was
through　the　merciful　interposition　of　the　God　of　Joseph　that　Egypt　enjoyed
plenty　while　other　nations　were　perishing　from　famine。　He　saw；　too；　that
Joseph's　management　had　greatly　enriched　the　kingdom；　and　his　gratitude
surrounded　the　family　of　Jacob　with　royal　favor。

But　as　time　rolled　on；　the　great　man　to　whom　Egypt　owed　so　much；　and　the
generation　blessed　by　his　labors；　passed　to　the　grave。　And　〃there　arose　up　a
new　king　over　Egypt；　which　knew　not　Joseph。〃　Not　that　he　was　ignorant　of
Joseph's　services　to　the　nation；　but　he　wished　to　make　no　recognition　of
them；　and；　so　far　as　possible；　to　bury　them　in　oblivion。　〃And　he　said　unto
his　people；　Behold；　the　people　of　the　children　of　Israel　are　more　and
mightier　than　we：　come　on；　let　us　deal　wisely　with　them；　lest　they　multiply；
and　it　come　to　pass；　that；　when　there　falleth　out　any　war；　they　join　also
unto　our　enemies；　and　fight　against　us；　and　so　get　them　up　out　of　the　land。〃

The　Israelites　had　already　become　very　numerous；　they　〃were　fruitful；　and
increased　abundantly；　and　multiplied；　and　waxed

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exceeding　mighty；　and　the　land　was　filled　with　them。〃　Under　Joseph's
fostering　care；　and　the　favor　of　the　king　who　was　then　ruling；　they　had
spread　rapidly　over　the　land。　But　they　had　kept　themselves　a　distinct　race；
having　nothing　in　common　with　the　Egyptians　in　customs　or　religion；　and
their　increasing　numbers　now　excited　the　fears　of　the　king　and　his　people；
lest　in　case　of　war　they　should　join　themselves　with　the　enemies　of　Egypt。
Yet　policy　forbade　their　banishment　from　the　country。　Many　of　them　were　able
and　understanding　workmen；　and　they　added　greatly　to　the　wealth　of　the
nation；　the　king　needed　such　laborers　for　the　erection　of　his　magnificent
palaces　and　temples。　Accordingly　he　ranked　them　with　the　Egyptians　who　had
sold　themselves　with　their　possessions　to　the　kingdom。　Soon　taskmasters　were
set　over　them；　and　their　slavery　became　complete。　〃And　the　Egyptians　made
the　children　of　Israel　to　serve　with　rigor：　and　they　made　their　lives　bitter
with　hard　bondage；　in　mortar；　and　in　brick；　and　in　all　manner　of　service　in
the　field：　all　their　service；　wherein　they　made　them　serve；　was　with　rigor。〃
〃But　the　more　they　afflicted　them；　the　more　they　multiplied　and　grew。〃

The　king　and　his　counselors　had　hoped　to　subdue　the　Israelites　with　hard
labor；　and　thus　decrease　their　numbers　and　crush　out　their　independent
spirit。　Failing　to　accomplish　their　purpose；　they　proceeded　to　more　cruel
measures。　Orders　were　issued　to　the　women　whose　employment　gave　them
opportunity　for　executing　the　command；　to　destroy　the　Hebrew　male　children
at　their　birth。　Satan　was　the　mover　in　this　matter。　He　knew　that　a　deliverer
was　to　be　raised　up　among　the　Israelites；　and　by　leading　the　king　to　destroy
their　children　he　hoped　to　defeat　the　divine　purpose。　But　the　women　feared
God；　and　dared　not　execute　the　cruel　mandate。　The　Lord　approved　their
course；　and　prospered　them。　The　king；　angry　at　the　failure　of　his　design；
made　the　command　more　urgent　and　extensive。　The　whole　nation　was　called　upon
to　hunt　out　and　slaughter　his　helpless　victims。　〃And　Pharaoh　c