patriarchs and prophets-第47节

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wrong　by　his　partiality　and　indulgence。　This　unwise　preference　had　angered
his　brothers　and　provoked　them　to　the　cruel　deed　that　had　separated　him　from
his　home。　Its　effects　were　manifest　also　in　his　own　character。　Faults　had
been　encouraged　that　were　now　to　be　corrected。　He　was　becoming
self…sufficient　and　exacting。　Accustomed　to　the　tenderness　of　his　father's
care；　he　felt　that　he　was　unprepared　to　cope　with　the　difficulties　before
him；　in　the　bitter；　uncared…for　life　of　a　stranger　and　a　slave。

Then　his　thoughts　turned　to　his　father's　God。　In　his　childhood　he　had　been
taught　to　love　and　fear　Him。　Often　in　his　father's　tent　he　had　listened　to
the　story　of　the　vision　that　Jacob　saw　as　he　fled　from　his　home　an　exile　and
a　fugitive。　He　had　been　told　of　the　Lord's　promises　to　Jacob；　and　how　they
had　been　fulfilledhow；　in　the　hour　of　need；　the　angels　of　God　had　come

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to　instruct；　comfort；　and　protect　him。　And　he　had　learned　of　the　love　of　God
in　providing　for　men　a　Redeemer。　Now　all　these　precious　lessons　came　vividly
before　him。　Joseph　believed　that　the　God　of　his　fathers　would　be　his　God。　He
then　and　there　gave　himself　fully　to　the　Lord；　and　he　prayed　that　the　Keeper
of　Israel　would　be　with　him　in　the　land　of　his　exile。

His　soul　thrilled　with　the　high　resolve　to　prove　himself　true　to　Godunder
all　circumstances　to　act　as　became　a　subject　of　the　King　of　heaven。　He　would
serve　the　Lord　with　undivided　heart；　he　would　meet　the　trials　of　his　lot
with　fortitude　and　perform　every　duty　with　fidelity。　One　day's　experience
had　been　the　turning　point　in　Joseph's　life。　Its　terrible　calamity　had
transformed　him　from　a　petted　child　to　a　man；　thoughtful；　courageous；　and
self…possessed。

Arriving　in　Egypt；　Joseph　was　sold　to　Potiphar；　captain　of　the　king's　guard；
in　whose　service　he　remained　for　ten　years。　He　was　here　exposed　to
temptations　of　no　ordinary　character。　He　was　in　the　midst　of　idolatry。　The
worship　of　false　gods　was　surrounded　by　all　the　pomp　of　royalty；　supported
by　the　wealth　and　culture　of　the　most　highly　civilized　nation　then　in
existence。　Yet　Joseph　preserved　his　simplicity　and　his　fidelity　to　God。　The
sights　and　sounds　of　vice　were　all　about　him；　but　he　was　as　one　who　saw　and
heard　not。　His　thoughts　were　not　permitted　to　linger　upon　forbidden
subjects。　The　desire　to　gain　the　favor　of　the　Egyptians　could　not　cause　him
to　conceal　his　principles。　Had　he　attempted　to　do　this；　he　would　have　been
overcome　by　temptation；　but　he　was　not　ashamed　of　the　religion　of　his
fathers；　and　he　made　no　effort　to　hide　the　fact　that　he　was　a　worshiper　of
Jehovah。

〃And　the　Lord　was　with　Joseph；　and　he　was　a　prosperous　man。　。　。　。　And　his
master　saw　that　the　Lord　was　with　him；　and　that　the　Lord　made　all　that　he
did　to　prosper　in　his　hand。〃　Potiphar's　confidence　in　Joseph　increased
daily；　and　he　finally　promoted　him　to　be　his　steward；　with　full　control　over
all　his　possessions。　〃And　he　left　all　that　he　had　in　Joseph's　hand；　and　he
knew　not　aught　he　had；　save　the　bread　which　he　did　eat。〃

The　marked　prosperity　which　attended　everything　placed　under　Joseph's　care
was　not　the　result　of　a　direct　miracle；　but　his　industry；　care；　and　energy
were　crowned　with　the　divine　blessing。　Joseph　attributed　his　success　to　the
favor　of　God；　and　even　his　idolatrous　master　accepted　this　as　the　secret　of
his　unparalleled

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prosperity。　Without　steadfast；　well…directed　effort；　however；　success　could
never　have　been　attained。　God　was　glorified　by　the　faithfulness　of　His
servant。　It　was　His　purpose　that　in　purity　and　uprightness　the　believer　in
God　should　appear　in　marked　contrast　to　the　worshipers　of　idolsthat　thus
the　light　of　heavenly　grace　might　shine　forth　amid　the　darkness　of
heathenism。

Joseph's　gentleness　and　fidelity　won　the　heart　of　the　chief　captain；　who
came　to　regard　him　as　a　son　rather　than　a　slave。　The　youth　was　brought　in
contact　with　men　of　rank　and　learning；　and　he　acquired　a　knowledge　of
science；　of　languages；　and　of　affairsan　education　needful　to　the　future
prime　minister　of　Egypt。

But　Joseph's　faith　and　integrity　were　to　be　tested　by　fiery　trials。　His
master's　wife　endeavored　to　entice　the　young　man　to　transgress　the　law　of
God。　Heretofore　he　had　remained　untainted　by　the　corruption　teeming　in　that
heathen　land；　but　this　temptation；　so　sudden；　so　strong；　so　seductivehow
should　it　be　met？　Joseph　knew　well　what　would　be　the　consequence　of
resistance。　On　the　one　hand　were　concealment；　favor；　and　rewards；　on　the
other；　disgrace；　imprisonment；　perhaps　death。　His　whole　future　life　depended
upon　the　decision　of　the　moment。　Would　principle　triumph？　Would　Joseph　still
be　true　to　God？　With　inexpressible　anxiety；　angels　looked　upon　the　scene。

Joseph's　answer　reveals　the　power　of　religious　principle。　He　would　not
betray　the　confidence　of　his　master　on　earth；　and；　whatever　the
consequences；　he　would　be　true　to　his　Master　in　heaven。　Under　the　inspecting
eye　of　God　and　holy　angels　many　take　liberties　of　which　they　would　not　be
guilty　in　the　presence　of　their　fellow　men；　but　Joseph's　first　thought　was
of　God。　〃How　can　I　do　this　great　wickedness；　and　sin　against　God？〃　he　said。

If　we　were　to　cherish　an　habitual　impression　that　God　sees　and　hears　all
that　we　do　and　say　and　keeps　a　faithful　record　of　our　words　and　actions；　and
that　we　must　meet　it　all；　we　would　fear　to　sin。　Let　the　young　ever　remember
that　wherever　they　are；　and　whatever　they　do；　they　are　in　the　presence　of
God。　No　part　of　our　conduct　escapes　observation。　We　cannot　hide　our　ways
from　the　Most　High。　Human　laws；　though　sometimes　severe；　are　often
transgressed　without　detection；　and　hence　with　impunity。　But　not　so　with　the
law　of　God。　The　deepest　midnight　is　no　cover　for　the　guilty　one。　He　may
think　himself　alone；　but　to

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every　deed　there　is　an　unseen　witness。　The　very　motives　of　his　heart　are
open　to　divine　inspection。　Every　act；　every　word；　every　thought；　is　as
distinctly　marked　as　though　there　were　only　one　person　in　the　whole　world；
and　the　attention　of　heaven　were　centered　upon　him。

Joseph　suffered　for　his　integrity；　for　his　tempter　revenged　herself　by
accusing　him　of　a　foul　crime；　and　causing　him　to　be　thrust　into　prison。　Had
Potiphar　believed　his　wife's　charge　against　Joseph；　the　young　Hebrew　would
have　lost　his　life；　but　the　modesty　and　uprightness　that　had　uniformly
characterized　his　conduct　were　proof　of　his　innocence；　and　yet；　to　save　the
reputation　of　his　master's　house；　he　was　abandoned　to　disgrace　and　bondage。

At　the　first　Joseph　was　treated　with　great　severity　by　his　jailers。　The
psalmist　says；　〃His　feet　they　hurt　with　fetters；　he　was　laid　in　chains　of
iron：　until　the　time　that　his　word　came　to　pass；　the　word　of　the　Lord　tried
him。〃　Psalm　105：18；　19；　R。V。　But　Joseph's　real　character　shines　out；　even　in
the　darkness　of　the　dungeon。　He　held　fast　his　faith　and　patience；　his　years
of　faithful　service　had　been　most　cruelly　repaid；　yet　this　did　not　render
him　morose　or　distrustful。　He　had　the　peace　that　comes　from　conscious
innocence；　and　he　trusted　his　case　with　God。　He　did　not　brood　upon　his　own
wrongs；　but　forgot　his　sorrow　in　trying　to　lighten　the　sorrows　of　others。　He
found　a　work　to　do；　even　in　the　prison。　God　was　preparing　him　in　the　school
of　affliction　for　greater　usefulness；　and　he　did　not　refuse　the　needful
discipline。　In　the　prison；　witnessing　the　results　of　oppression　and　tyranny
and　the　effects　of　crime；　he　learned　lessons　of　justice；　sympathy；　and
mercy；　that　prepared　him　to　exercise　power　with　wisdom　and　compassion。

Joseph　gradually　gained　the　confidence　of　the　keeper　of　the　prison；　and　was
finally　entrusted　with　the　charge　of　all　the　prisoners。　It　was　the　part　he
acted　in　the　prisonthe　integrity　of　his　daily　life　and　his　sympathy　for
those　who　were　in　trouble　and　distressthat　opened　the　way　for　his　future
prosperity　and　honor。　Every　ray　of　light　that　we　shed　upon　others　is
reflected　upon　ourselves。　Every　kind　and　sympathizing　word　spoken　to　the
sorrowful；　every　act　to　relieve　the　oppressed；　and　every　gift　to　the　needy；
if　prompted　by　a　right　motive；　will　result　in　blessings　to　the　giver。

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The　chief　baker　and　chief　butler　of　the　king　had　been　cast　into　prison　for
some　offense；　and　they　came　under　Joseph's　charge。　One　morning；　observing
that　they　appeared　very　sad；　he　kindly　inquired　the　cause　and　was　told　that
each　had　had　a　remarkable　dream；　of　which　they　were　anxious　to　learn　the
significance。　〃Do　not　interpretations　belong　to　God？〃　said　Joseph；　〃tell　me
them；　I　pray　you。〃　As　each　related　his　dream；　Joseph　made　known　its　import：
In　three　days　the　butler　was　to　be　reinstated　in　his　position；　and　give　the
cup　into　Pharaoh's　hand　as　before；　but　the　chief　baker　would　be　put　to　death
by　the　king's　command。　In　both　cases　the　event　occurred　as　foretold。

The　king's　cupbearer　had　professed　the　deepest　gratitude　to　Joseph；　both　for
the　cheering　interpretation　of　his　dream　and　for　many　acts　of　kind
attention；　and　in　return　the　latter；　referring　in　a　most　touching　manner　to
his　own　unjust　cap