THE “SURE WORD OF PROPHECY.”
By G.
THE word of prophecy is sure because it is the word of One who knows the future just as well as He knows the past or the present. Prophecy is inspired by the Spirit of Christ, and He says, “We speak that we do know.” Many have been the efforts of men and devils to annul the word of prophecy, but they have always failed. A notable instance was the effort of Joseph’s brethren to obliterate his dreams which indicated that they were to be subservient to him. They even contemplated his death, but modified this suggestion by selling him into Egyptian servitude, which they thought would serve the same purpose. For more than twenty years they supposed that Joseph’s prophetic dreams were frustrated, but at last the time came for the Spirit of prophecy to be vindicated. And so must it ever be; men may lightly esteem, may ignore, may neglect, may rail against and bitterly oppose the reproofs and instruction coming through this medium, but the day will surely come when the purpose of Him who thus speaks to men will be fulfilled, and His foreknowledge will be established beyond dispute. Such a time came to Joseph’s brethren, and it came in a way to greatly humiliate them by laying bare the wickedness of their hearts and the heinousness of their purpose. The stress of famine drove them to Egypt to buy food, and the providence of God had placed at the disposal of Joseph all the purchasable food of the country. And the king had vested Joseph with so much power and dignity of position that even the Egyptians had to bow the knee to him. Therefore persons of ordinary mien, coming as strangers from a foreign country, could not approach him in any other attitude than that of the most humble recognition of his authority. When yet a boy, his dream had been that he and his brethren were binding sheaves in the field; that his sheaf arose and stood upright, and their sheaves also stood round about and made obeisance to his sheaf. Now, as they came into his presence, they “bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.” This, however, was not all of their humiliation. Joseph recognized them, altho they did not recognize him, and he wished to learn in some way whether there had been any change in their characters, and whether he could depend upon their word. So he charged them with being spies, and put them in prison. Of course they supposed that they would be put to death, and besides their protestations of innocence to Joseph through an interpreter, they talked freely in their own language to one another, all of which conversation Joseph understood. After three days he released all but Simeon, and sent them home with a supply of corn. He also told them that they must not come again unless they brought their younger brother, of whom they had told him. Simeon, the most guilty in their sin toward Joseph, was kept as a hostage until Benjamin should come. In course of time the large family of Jacob in Canaan had again nearly exhausted their supply of food, and Jacob requested his sons to go again to Egypt. However, he strenuously objected to Benjamin’s going with them. He said, “Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin.” (Even Jacob himself, who at first laid stress upon Joseph’s dreams as of prophetic import, afterward regarded them as fruitless, supposing Joseph to be dead.) Judah reminded his father of what they had told him when they came back from their former journey. He said, “The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.” As his sons positively refused to go without Benjamin, Jacob reluctantly yielded, and they went down to Egypt a second time. According to the oriental custom of deference to rulers, Jacob sent a present of such things as grew sparingly even in time of drought,—“a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds.” Judah became surety for Benjamin’s return, and Jacob gave them this parting blessing: “God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin.” Arriving in Egypt, and Joseph having seen that Benjamin was with them, he directed his steward to take them to his house and prepare dinner for them and him. Before dinner time, they got ready their present for Joseph, and when he came they brought it to him, and again “bowed themselves to him to the earth.” Then Joseph asked them about their father, if he was well and yet alive. They answered that he was in good health, and, the third time, “they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance.” Looking upon Benjamin, Joseph asked, “Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me?” Being assured that it was, he said, “God be gracious unto thee, my son.” Joseph “did yearn upon his brother; and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.” After dinner Joseph commanded his steward to fill the men’s sacks, and put his silver cup in the mouth of Benjamin’s sack, and send them home. As soon as the morning was light, they started on their journey, but had just reached the outskirts of the city when they were overtaken by Joseph’s steward, who charged them with stealing his master’s cup. Of course they pleaded innocence, and cited their former honest dealings with the steward. So confident were they, that they declared, “With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord’s bondmen.” So the steward said, “Let it be according unto your words;” and the search of the sacks was begun. Beginning with the eldest, every sack was searched down to that of the youngest, when lo! the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack! Here was the saddest condition which they could have imagined—even all that Jacob had feared, when he said, “Me have ye bereft of my children.” Here were all of his sons, except the one supposed to be dead, by their own agreement given over to bondage. “And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph’s house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.” Four times now had they made obeisance in fulfilment of his dream. Judah made humble acknowledgment in behalf of the company, and confessed that they were all servants of the Egyptian ruler. But Joseph said, “God forbid that I should do so; but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.” This did not relieve the feelings of the brothers. Perhaps all of them would have preferred slavery to going home without Benjamin. It was so with Judah at least, who was the spokesman. He made a most touching appeal in behalf of his father, and reminded Joseph that it was his own demand that compelled his father to send down the son in whom his very life was “bound up.” To appreciate this appeal one must read it as given in the record, Gen. 44:18–34. This appeal was enough for Joseph. He could bear no more. He saw that his brothers had greatly changed in spirit since they had sold him into Egypt, and he longed to embrace them. So he sent away all of his servants, leaving none but himself and his brethren in the house. Then with an overflowing heart and many tears, he told his brethren that he was Joseph their brother. After giving them assurances that he would not in any way retaliate upon them for the evil they had thought to do him, they7had a long familiar talk together. Then he sent them home well laden with food, and a message to his father to come and dwell with him in the land of Egypt, for there were yet to be five years of famine. When Jacob arrived in Egypt, then was fulfilled Joseph’s other dream, that the sun, moon, and eleven stars made obeisance to him. Did not the Spirit of prophecy foresee all this detail?—It surely did, and Joseph so understood it. He said to his brethren, “God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.” Inasmuch as so much of the prophetic word points to our own day, men of to-day should praise God that we have this “sure word,” “whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts.” 2 Peter 1:19. G.