Wholesome Words for Spiritual Guidance

Joseph’s confidence in his God was so evident and his message so clear that Pharaoh had no hesitation in putting him in charge of the whole project, thus giving him a place of honour and authority in Egypt that was second only to his own. Joseph was further honoured with the special name of Zaphnath Paaneah, which (according to scholars) means, Revealer of Secrets" in Hebrew, Bread of Life" in Egyptian, and ‘Saviour of the World" in Coptic. Never has the world seen such a rapid and radical rehabilitation for any prisoner! Truly, ‘this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes".

Taken together, these names not only reflect Joseph’s own experiences, but also contain a pressing lesson for every child of God today The bitterest of wrongs must first be forgotten if we are ever to produce the sweet fruit of the Spirit in our lives, and in our dealings with others.

How well this was seen in Joseph’s own dealings with his ten brothers when the famine in Caanan forced them down to Egypt to buy corn, and thus brought them face to face with the man they had so cruelly wronged over twenty years before. Joseph could easily have imprisoned them all at first sight, but he had a kindly heart within, while outwardly treating them "roughly", as he plied them with a string of penetrating questions about their background and motives. By using an interpreter, too, he had ample time to watch their reactions as the pressure mounted. When at last he heard them say among themselves, "we are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear", Joseph was moved to tears and had to withdraw and weep alone. Actually, they were the ones who should have been weeping.

The results so far were good, but were they enough? During his years in Egypt, Joseph must often have wondered how these same man had been treating Benjamin, his younger brother, who had remained at home with his father. So Joseph demanded that they bring Benjamin with them next time they came to Egypt for corn. Very much against his will, Jacob their aged father let Benjamin go, thus giving Joseph the joy of seeing his precious brother again, though he dare not as yet disclose his own identity. Providing a sumptuous feast for the visitors, Joseph watched carefully to see if there were any envious glances in the direction of Benjamin who had been given five times as much food as the others.

The devious method that Joseph later used to incriminate Benjamin must be judged in the light of its gracious intent and happy results. Soon after the eleven brothers had set out for home, they were brought back and asked to account for the presence of Joseph’s missing cup in Benjamin’s sack. This was really a master plan to see if the older brothers would part with Benjamin as gladly as they had parted with Joseph himself years before. So Joseph demanded that Benjamin should be held behind as a prisoner, leaving the others free to return to Caanan. At this point Judah intervened and excelled himself in a speech of highly-charged emotion. He recalled the shattering effect of joseph’s disappearance on their father and how much Benjamin had meant to him as the youngest member of the family and the only surviving child of Rachel. Consequently, the added loss of Benjamin would likely send the old man to his grave. "How shall I go up to my father and the child not be with us?" he cried, in great distress of soul, for he felt personally responsible for Benjamin’s welfare. As a last resort, therefore, Judah offered to sacrifice his own liberty and even become a slave in order to secure Benjamin’s freedom.

In the face of all this how could Joseph hold out any longer? He ordered all the courtiers out, interpreters included, and then in the language of Caanan, he made himself known to his brethren. The scenes of joy and brotherly love that followed must have been such as Jacob’s family had never known before.

The Holy Scriptures are a complete record of what is "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2Tim.3:16). To know and to do the will of God is what He requires of us. We must therefore read His Word daily, meditatively, consecutively, prayerfully, and according to the four leading words in the Book of Deuteronomy; "hear", "remember", "keep", and "do".

A partial obedience, like that of Saul’s, can only be rejected, as Samuel said to him, "Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams" (I Sam.15:22).

The most worthy example of obedience is that of God’s dear Son. Though others have done exceedingly well, and their records are given as examples for us, yet He has exceeded them all, and it is He who is set before us as the one perfect example. We read the very remarkable statement; "Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience" (Heb.5:8). His entire life on earth was one of complete subjection to His Father, and He could say without contradiction, "I do always those things that please Him" (John 8:29); and again, "My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me" (John 4:34).

All who are "born again" are the "children of God", and what could be better then, than that they too, "learn obedience" throughout the varied experiences of life? We shall not reach the same standard as our Master, for in this also "He must have the pre-eminence" (Col.1:18), yet we may so live as to rightly merit the term "obedient children", and truly give pleasure to the heart of our Father in Heaven. He who "learned obedience" in the days of His flesh has become "the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him" (Heb.5:9), and when the Father’s voice was heard on the Mount, there were added the words, "Hear Him". He who perfectly obeyed, commands our obedience, for He is our Lord; but it is the obedience of love, "He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me" (John 14:21).

It is so important to learn to obey, that God begins with the child, giving it the only commandment with promise, that it may be well with the child and its days lengthened. The father is also told to bring up his child "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Eph.6:1-4). If the child does not learn to obey the parents when it is young, how will it obey God in later life? Younger believers are exhorted to submit themselves unto the elder, obeying them that are the guides of the Assembly (l Pet.5:5; Heb.13:17). Indeed, all are enjoined to be subject one to another, and this subjection is likewise to be shown to governments and rulers and all who have authority over us (Rom.13:1-7; I Pet.2:13-17).

In contrast, let us seek His grace, that it may be truthfully said of us, "Your obedience is come abroad unto all men".

Sin came into the world through Adam (Rom.5:18,19), and death, both physical and spiritual, in the sense of eternal separation from God, is the result of sin (Gen.2:17; Ezek.18:4; Rom.6:23). All have sinned (Rom.3:23; 5:12), with the exception of the Lord Jesus Christ. He "knew no sin" (2Cor.5:21), "did no sin" (I Pet.2:22) and there is no sin in Him ((John 3:5).

God is holy and therefore He must punish sin. But God is love (John 4:8), and He sent His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into the world to save sinners (l Tim.1:15; Luke 19:10). He is the eternal and only begotten Son of God. He was born of a virgin, and bore the guilt and penalty of our sin on the Cross, so that whoever repents and accepts Him as Lord and Saviour is saved from the penalty (I John 1:7) and power of sin (Rom.6:6-14), and will ultimately be saved from the presence of sin (1 Thess.4:16,17).

We have inherited our sin, that is, our sinful nature, from Adam, and as a result we commit sins. The Lord, who came "in the likeness of sinful flesh" paid the penalty for our sin, as well as for the sins we commit (Rom.8:3; I John 1:7-9; I Pet.2:24; 3:18; Heb.9:26; Rom.4:25).

All the sorrow, violence, terror, wars, famine, disease and all that produces pain, are results of sin entering the world. Nations suffer because of sin. In Proverbs 14:34 we read "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people". Sin affects families and individuals, "for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Gal.6:7).

Our sins can affect our families, other believers and those who are lost. David was a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), and yet the Word of God records his adultery with Bathsheba and his murder of her husband, Uriah, by arranging for him to be placed in the thick of the battle. David repented and was forgiven, but his sin affected his family and other people (2Sam.12:10-14). He was told "...the sword shall never, depart from thine house" (2Sam.12:10). Bathsheba’s baby died and David’s family was plagued by death and intrigue. David’s son, Absalom, seized the kingdom and attempted to kill his father. As a consequence of David’s sin God’s name was dishonoured and His enemies blasphemed Him (2Sam.12:14).

Sometimes God chastens a believer. This is not always because of sin, but it might be to cause the believer to live more closely to Him and to be more dependent on Him. However, God may also chasten believers to cause them to confess and forsake their sin and turn back to God (Ps. 119:67). We read that "whom the Lord Ioveth He chasteneth.. no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them which are exercised thereby" (Heb.12:6-11).

When the reaping time comes, and we find ourselves in glory, that child for whom we prayed will be found there! That frail aged person whom we met incidentally on the road, to whom we spoke, will be in Heaven. That sufferer of a serious illness whom we visited every day for a long time, and who gave little or no heed to what we had to say, will be found in glory, having at last laid to heart what we spoke so many times to him. Though we had no information about it, God blessed our word. Oh, the multitude of instances we shall find at last, when our work, labour or service has, contrary to natural expectation, been blessed!

I was once standing here about sixty-two years ago, preaching the Word of Life, and after I had finished I was discouraged because my words seemed to me so cold, so dull, so lifeless. Not till three months after did I hear that through that very address abundant blessing had been brought to nineteen different persons.

And precisely thus shall we find it in our labour and service in the end. Often and often it appears to us that the many opportunities made use of have been lost. Yet it will be seen that all was owned of God, all put down in His book of remembrance. Our labour, after all, was not in vain, and the reaping time has come.

But let us carefully see to it that when the reaping time comes there will be something to reap because we have been labouring. If there be no labour, if there be a careless, thoughtless walk, without prayer and crying to God mightily, then let us not be surprised if, when the harvest time comes, there is no reaping as far as we are concerned.

But as assuredly as there has been the crying mightily to God, as there has been the sowing, as there has been the laying of ourselves out before God, most assuredly we shall reap.

"For thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that". We are ignorant of what God is about to do, because He does not tell us if at this particular time He will own our labour and service, or not. Therefore, our business is at all times to seek to lay ourselves out for God, for, as I have stated before, we have but one life, and this life is a brief life.

"Or whether they both shall be alike good". God may bless, not merely at one time, but both times. In the morning the work may be commenced, in the evening the Holy Spirit may deepen it, and God may bring double blessing out of our poor feeble service.

We gladly acknowledge too, the support and fellowship of so many of the Lord’s people as they help us in prayer and in other practical ways. All of this is truly appreciated, for without it we could not continue, and we extend our warm thanks to each one. We are grateful too, to those who notify us of changes in address details and numbers of copies required.

As we face the New Year, we realise that the tragic events of recent months have spread fear and insecurity among men in a way that we have not seen before. The Lord has warned us too, that evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. There is no doubt that the world is moving on in increasing lawlessness and rebellion against God, to a solemn day of reckoning.

But He has left us here as His ambassadors, citizens of that "better country", entrusted with a message of pardon and peace to all who are willing to receive it.

Soon the Lord will come again as He has promised, and while we wait for Him, it is our desire that the hearts of all our readers may be kept with His peace, as Isaiah wrote, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee. Trust ye in the Lord forever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength"

Alas, ill-ordered lies the dreary room,
The household stuff lies heaped amid the gloom,
The table empty stands, the couch undressed,
Ah! What a welcome for the Eternal Guest.

Yet welcome, and tonight this doleful scene
Is e’en itself my cause to hail Thee in,
This dark confusion e’en at once demands
Thine own bright Presence, Lord, and ordering hands.

I seek no more to alter things, or mend,
Before the coming of so great a Friend,
All were at best unseemly and ‘twere ill,
Beyond all else to keep Thee waiting still.

Come, not to find, but make this troubled heart
A dwelling worthy of Thee as Thou art,
To chase the gloom, the terror, and the sin,
Come! Lord Jesus, all Thyself, do now come in.

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