“And the patriarchs moved with envy sold Joseph into Egypt; but God was with him.” Acts 7:9; Genesis 37:28.

Jacob’s sons were shepherds, “obliged to move from place to place to secure pasturage for their flocks, and frequently they were absent from home for months together. Soon after Joseph had his dreams” they went to the place which their father had bought at Shechem. Some time passed, bringing no tidings from them, and the father began to fear their safety, on account of their former cruelty toward the Shechmites. He therefore sent Joseph to find them, and bring him word as to their welfare. Had Jacob known the real feeling of his sons toward Joseph, he would not have trusted him alone with them; but this they had carefully concealed.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 210

“And he said to him, Go I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks, and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.” Genesis 37:14

“With a joyful heart, Joseph parted from his father, neither the aged man nor the youth dreaming of what would happen before they should meet again. When, after his long and solitary journey, Joseph arrived at Shechem, his brothers and their flocks were not to be found. Upon inquiring for them, he was directed to Dothan. He had already traveled more than fifty miles, and now an additional distance of fifteen lay before him, but he hastened on, forgetting his weariness in the thought of relieving the anxiety of his father, and meeting the brothers, whom, despite their unkindness, he still loved.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 210 (Genesis 37:15–17)

“And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near to them, they conspired against him to slay hijm”… “And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. “Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit… and we shall see what will become of his dreams.”. . . “And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren. . . they took him and cast him into a pit . . . they sat down to eat bread.” Genesis 37:18–20, 23–25

“His brothers saw him approaching; but no thought of the long journey he had made to meet them, of his weariness and hunger, of his claims upon their hospitality and brotherly love, softened the bitterness of their hatred. The sight of the coat, the token of their father’s love, filled them with frenzy. . . Envy and revenge, long secretly cherished, now controlled them.” “Let us slay him.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 210

“Joseph came one, unsuspicious of danger, and glad that the object of his long search was accomplished, but instead of the expected greeting, he was terrified by the angry and revengeful glances which he met. He was seized and his coat stripped from him. Taunts and threats revealed a deadly purpose. His entreaties were unheeded. He was wholly in the power of those maddened men. Rudely dragging him to a deep pit, they thrust him in, and having made sure that there was no possibility of his escape they left him there to perish from hunger, while they sat down to eat bread.

“Soon a company of travelers was seen approaching. It was a caravan of Ishmaelites from beyond Jordan, on their way to Egypt with spices and other merchandise. Judah now proposed to sell their brother to these heathen traders instead of leaving him to die. . . . to this proposition all agreed, and Joseph was quickly drawn out of the pit.

“As he saw the merchants the dreadful truth flashed upon him. To become a slave was a fate more to be feared than death. In an agony of terror he appealed to one another of his brothers, but in vain. . . they delivered him into the hands of the heathen traders. The caravan moved on, and was soon lost to view.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 211

ON THE WAY TO EGYPT

“As the caravan journeyed southward toward the borders of Canaan, the boy could discern in the distance the hills among which lay his father’s tents. Bitterly he wept at the thought of that loving father in his loneliness and affliction. Again the scene of Dothan came up before him. He saw his angry brothers and felt their fierce glances bent upon him. The stinging, insulting words that had met his agonized entreaties were ringing in his ears. With trembling heart he looked forward to the future. What a change of situation—from the tenderly cherished son to the despised and helpless slave! Alone and friendless, what would be his lot in the strange land to which he was going? For a time Joseph gave himself up to uncontrolled grief and terror.

“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 and exile and a fugitive. He had been told of the Lord’s promises to Jacob, and how they had been fulfilled—how in the hour of need, the angels of God had come 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.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 213–214

“In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:6

“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 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 favour 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 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 aught he had, save the bread which he did eat.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 214; Genesis 39:1 –6

“But Joseph’s faith and integrity were to be tested by fiery trials. His master’s wife endeavoured to entice the young man to transgress the law of God. Heretofore he had remained untainted by the corruption teeming in that heathen land. . . 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 every deed there is an unseen witness.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 217

Joseph’s wife was an Egyptian princess. Because of this Joseph’s sons would become Egyptian priests if they choose to stay with the Egyptians. They would have wealth and honour because their father was next to the King. Joseph would rather have his sons counted among the people of God than to have all the honours of the court of Egypt. He knew God’s promises were worth more than all the glory and wealth of Egypt.

“Joseph outlived his father fifty-four years.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 240

After fifty-four years, “God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob, And he said, Here am I. . . And He said, I am God, the God of thy father; fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation” . . . “I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will surely bring thee up again; and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.” Genesis 46:2–4

THE LAST DAYS OF JACOB

“And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly.” And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years.” “And the time drew nigh that Israel must die; and he called his son Joseph. And said unto him, if now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt.” “But I will lie with my fathers, and bury me in their burying place. And said, I will do as thou hast said.” “And he said, swear unto me, And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed’s head.” Genesis 47:27–31 (for further study, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 234:1; 237:3)

“In his first greeting to Joseph, Jacob had spoken as if, with joyful ending to his long anxiety and sorrow, he was ready to die.” And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive. Genesis 46:30. But the seventeen years were yet to be granted him in the peaceful retirement of Goshen. The years were in happy contrast to those that had preceded them. He saw in his sons evidence of true repentance; he saw his family surrounded by all the conditions needful for the development of a great nation; and his faith grasped the sure promise of their future establishment in Canaan. He himself was surrounded with every token of love and favour that the prime minister of Egypt could bestow; and happy in the society of his long-lost son, he passed down gently and peacefully to the grave.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 233

“These all died in the faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” Hebrews 11:13

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” Psalm 116:15

JOSEPH’S LAST WORDS

And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die; and 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 Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.” “So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.” Genesis 50:24–26

“When he saw that his end was near; he summoned his kinsmen about him. Honoured as he had been in the land of the Pharaohs, Egypt was to him but a place of his exile; his last act was to signify that his lot was cast with Israel. . . 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, that 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.

IN THE WORLD BUT NOT OF THE WORLD

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

“I have manifested Thy name unto the men which Thou gavest me out of the world; Thine they were, and Thou gavest them me; and they have kept Thy word.” John 17:6

“I pray for them; I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast given me; for they are Thine” . . . “I have given them Thy word; and the world hath hateth them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” John 17:9, 14, 30

“I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but thou shouldest keep them from the evil. . . “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. . . “Sanctify them through Thy truth, Thy word is truth.” John 17:15–17; 18:36; 14:1–3

Brethren, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” 1 John 2:15–16

“And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” 1 John 2:17

“Put off your old nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:22–24

“Dear beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.” 1 Peter 2:11

“Be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless.” 2 Peter 3:14

“Into the city of God there will enter nothing that defiles. All who are dwellers there will have become pure in heart. . . not merely pure in the sense in which the world understands purity, free from that which is sensual, pure from lust, but true in the hidden purpose and motives of the soul, free from pride and self-seeking, humble, unselfish, childlike.” –Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 24

I beg of you, my brother, to search your heart diligently and inquire “what road am I traveling, and where will it end.” AMEN

Your brother in Christ,

Golden Hingabantu