patriarchs and prophets-第48节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


attention；　and　in　return　the　latter；　referring　in　a　most　touching　manner　to
his　own　unjust　captivity；　entreated　that　his　case　be　brought　before　the
king。　〃Think　on　me；〃　he　said；　〃when　it　shall　be　well　with　thee；　and　show
kindness；　I　pray　thee；　unto　me；　and　make　mention　of　me　unto　Pharaoh；　and
bring　me　out　of　this　house：　for　indeed　I　was　stolen　away　out　of　the　land　of
the　Hebrews：　and　here　also　have　I　done　nothing　that　they　should　put　me　into
the　dungeon。〃　The　chief　butler　saw　the　dream　fulfilled　in　every　particular；
but　when　restored　to　royal　favor；　he　thought　no　more　of　his　benefactor。　For
two　years　longer　Joseph　remained　a　prisoner。　The　hope　that　had　been　kindled
in　his　heart　gradually　died　out；　and　to　all　other　trials　was　added　the
bitter　sting　of　ingratitude。

But　a　divine　hand　was　about　to　open　the　prison　gates。　The　king　of　Egypt　had
in　one　night　two　dreams；　apparently　pointing　to　the　same　event　and　seeming
to　foreshadow　some　great　calamity。　He　could　not　determine　their
significance；　yet　they　continued　to　trouble　his　mind。　The　magicians　and　wise
men　of　his　realm　could　give　no　interpretation。　The　king's　perplexity　and
distress　increased；　and　terror　spread　throughout　his　palace。　The　general
agitation　recalled　to　the　chief　butler's　mind　the　circumstances　of　his　own
dream；　with　it　came　the　memory　of　Joseph；　and　a　pang　of　remorse　for　his
forgetfulness　and　ingratitude。　He　at　once　informed　the　king　how　his　own
dream　and　that　of　the　chief　baker　had　been　interpreted　by　a　Hebrew　captive；
and　how　the　predictions　had　been　fulfilled。

220


It　was　humiliating　to　Pharaoh　to　turn　away　from　the　magicians　and　wise　men
of　his　kingdom　to　consult　an　alien　and　a　slave；　but　he　was　ready　to　accept
the　lowliest　service　if　his　troubled　mind　might　find　relief。　Joseph　was
immediately　sent　for；　he　put　off　his　prison　attire；　and　shaved　himself；　for
his　hair　had　grown　long　during　the　period　of　his　disgrace　and　confinement。
He　was　then　conducted　to　the　presence　of　the　king。

〃And　Pharaoh　said　unto　Joseph；　I　have　dreamed　a　dream；　and　there　is　none
that　can　interpret　it：　and　I　have　heard　say　of　thee；　that　thou　canst
understand　a　dream　to　interpret　it。　And　Joseph　answered　Pharaoh；　saying；　It
is　not　in　me：　God　shall　give　Pharaoh　an　answer　of　peace。〃　Joseph's　reply　to
the　king　reveals　his　humility　and　his　faith　in　God。　He　modestly　disclaims
the　honor　of　possessing　in　himself　superior　wisdom。　〃It　is　not　in　me。〃　God
alone　can　explain　these　mysteries。

Pharaoh　then　proceeded　to　relate　his　dreams：　〃Behold；　I　stood　upon　the　bank
of　the　river：　and；　behold；　there　came　up　out　of　the　river　seven　kine；
fat…fleshed　and　well…favored；　and　they　fed　in　a　meadow：　and；　behold；　seven
other　kine　came　up　after　them；　poor　and　very　ill…favored　and　lean…fleshed；
such　as　I　never　saw　in　all　the　land　of　Egypt　for　badness：　and　the　lean　and
the　ill…favored　kine　did　eat　up　the　first　seven　fat　kine：　and　when　they　had
eaten　them　up；　it　could　not　be　known　that　they　had　eaten　them；　but　they　were
still　ill…favored；　as　at　the　beginning。　So　I　awoke。　And　I　saw　in　my　dream；
and；　behold；　seven　ears　came　up　in　one　stalk；　full　and　good：　and；　behold；
seven　ears；　withered；　thin；　and　blasted　with　the　east　wind；　sprung　up　after
them：　and　the　thin　ears　devoured　the　seven　good　ears：　and　I　told　this　unto
the　magicians；　but　there　was　none　that　could　declare　it　to　me。〃

〃The　dream　of　Pharaoh　is　one；〃　said　Joseph。　〃God　hath　showed　Pharaoh　what　He
is　about　to　do。〃　There　were　to　be　seven　years　of　great　plenty。　Field　and
garden　would　yield　more　abundantly　than　ever　before。　And　this　period　was　to
be　followed　by　seven　years　of　famine。　〃And　the　plenty　shall　not　be　known　in
the　land　by　reason　of　that　famine　following；　for　it　shall　be　very　grievous。〃
The　repetition　of　the　dream　was　evidence　both　of　the　certainty　and　nearness
of　the　fulfillment。　〃Now　therefore；〃　he　continued；　〃let　Pharaoh　look　out　a
man　discreet　and　wise；　and　set　him　over　the　land　of　Egypt。　Let　Pharaoh　do
this；　and　let　him　appoint　officers　over　the　land；　and　take　up　the　fifth　part
of　the

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　221

land　of　Egypt　in　the　seven　plenteous　years。　And　let　them　gather　all　the　food
of　those　good　years　that　come；　and　lay　up　corn　under　the　hand　of　Pharaoh；
and　let　them　keep　food　in　the　cities。　And　that　food　shall　be　for　store　to
the　land　against　the　seven　years　of　famine。〃

The　interpretation　was　so　reasonable　and　consistent；　and　the　policy　which　it
recommended　was　so　sound　and　shrewd；　that　its　correctness　could　not　be
doubted。　But　who　was　to　be　entrusted　with　the　execution　of　the　plan？　Upon
the　wisdom　of　this　choice　depended　the　nation's　preservation。　The　king　was
troubled。　For　some　time　the　matter　of　the　appointment　was　under
consideration。　Through　the　chief　butler　the　monarch　had　learned　of　the
wisdom　and　prudence　displayed　by　Joseph　in　the　management　of　the　prison；　it
was　evident　that　he　possessed　administrative　ability　in　a　pre…eminent
degree。　The　cupbearer；　now　filled　with　self…reproach；　endeavored　to　atone
for　his　former　ingratitude；　by　the　warmest　praise　of　his　benefactor；　and
further　inquiry　by　the　king　proved　the　correctness　of　his　report。　In　all　the
realm　Joseph　was　the　only　man　gifted　with　wisdom　to　point　out　the　danger
that　threatened　the　kingdom　and　the　preparation　necessary　to　meet　it；　and
the　king　was　convinced　that　he　was　the　one　best　qualified　to　execute　the
plans　which　he　had　proposed。　It　was　evident　that　a　divine　power　was　with
him；　and　that　there　were　none　among　the　king's　officers　of　state　so　well
qualified　to　conduct　the　affairs　of　the　nation　at　this　crisis。　The　fact　that
he　was　a　Hebrew　and　a　slave　was　of　little　moment　when　weighed　against　his
evident　wisdom　and　sound　judgment。　〃Can　we　find　such　a　one　as　this　is；　a　man
in　whom　the　Spirit　of　God　is？〃　said　the　king　to　his　counselors。

The　appointment　was　decided　upon；　and　to　Joseph　the　astonishing　announcement
was　made；　〃Forasmuch　as　God　hath　showed　thee　all　this；　there　is　none　so
discreet　and　wise　as　thou　art：　thou　shalt　be　over　my　house；　and　according
unto　thy　word　shall　all　my　people　be　ruled：　only　in　the　throne　will　I　be
greater　than　thou。〃　The　king　proceeded　to　invest　Joseph　with　the　insignia　of
his　high　office。　〃And　Pharaoh　took　off　his　ring　from　his　hand；　and　put　it
upon　Joseph's　hand；　and　arrayed　him　in　vestures　of　fine　linen；　and　put　a
gold　chain　about　his　neck；　and　he　made　him　to　ride　in　the　second　chariot
which　he　had；　and　they　cried　before　him；　Bow　the　knee。〃

222


〃He　made　him　lord　of　his　house；　and　ruler　of　all　his　substance：　to　bind　his
princes　at　his　pleasure；　and　teach　his　senators　wisdom。〃　Psalm　105：21；　22。
From　the　dungeon　Joseph　was　exalted　to　be　ruler　over　all　the　land　of　Egypt。
It　was　a　position　of　high　honor；　yet　it　was　beset　with　difficulty　and　peril。
One　cannot　stand　upon　a　lofty　height　without　danger。　As　the　tempest　leaves
unharmed　the　lowly　flower　of　the　valley；　while　it　uproots　the　stately　tree
upon　the　mountaintop；　so　those　who　have　maintained　their　integrity　in　humble
life　may　be　dragged　down　to　the　pit　by　the　temptations　that　assail　worldly
success　and　honor。　But　Joseph's　character　bore　the　test　alike　of　adversity
and　prosperity。　The　same　fidelity　to　God　was　manifest　when　he　stood　in　the
palace　of　the　Pharaohs　as　when　in　a　prisoner's　cell。　He　was　still　a　stranger
in　a　heathen　land；　separated　from　his　kindred；　the　worshipers　of　God；　but　he
fully　believed　that　the　divine　hand　had　directed　his　steps；　and　in　constant
reliance　upon　God　he　faithfully　discharged　the　duties　of　his　position。
Through　Joseph　the　attention　of　the　king　and　great　men　of　Egypt　was　directed
to　the　true　God；　and　though　they　adhered　to　their　idolatry；　they　learned　to
respect　the　principles　revealed　in　the　life　and　character　of　the　worshiper
of　Jehovah。

How　was　Joseph　enabled　to　make　such　a　record　of　firmness　of　character；
uprightness；　and　wisdom？In　his　early　years　he　had　consulted　duty　rather
than　inclination；　and　the　integrity；　the　simple　trust；　the　noble　nature；　of
the　youth　bore　fruit　in　the　deeds　of　the　man。　A　pure　and　simple　life　had
favored　the　vigorous　development　of　both　physical　and　intellectual　powers。
Communion　with　God　through　His　works　and　the　contemplation　of　the　grand
truths　entrusted　to　the　inheritors　of　faith　had　elevated　and　ennobled　his
spiritual　nature；　broadening　and　strengthening　the　mind　as　no　other　study
could　do。　Faithful　attention　to　duty　in　every　station；　from　the　lowliest　to
the　most　exalted；　had　been　training　every　power　for　its　highest　service。　He
who　lives　in　accordance　with　the　Creator's　will　is　securing　to　himself　the
truest　and　noblest　development　of　character。　〃The　fear　of　the　Lord；　that　is
wisdom；　and　to　depart　from　evil　is　understanding。〃　Job　28：28。

There　are　few　who　realize　the　influence　of　the　little　things　of　life　upon
the　development　of　character。　Nothing　with　which　we　have　to　do　is　really
small。　The　varied　circumstances　that　we　meet

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　223

day　by　day　are　designed　to　test　our　faithfulness　and　to　qualify　us　for
greater　trusts。　By　adherence　to　principle　in　the　transactions　of　ordinary