Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/144

 “Of myself  I can  do  nothing: I can  only  interpret  dreams  by  the  inspiration of  God.”  Thus  he  was  humble,  and  gave  the  glory  to  God. “Not to  us,  O Lord,  not  to  us,  but  to  Thy  name  give  glory“  (Ps.  113,  9).

The reward  of  virtue.  Joseph  had  suffered  for  a long  time,  but his troubles  came  to  an  end  at  last,  his  patience  and  trust  in  God  were richly rewarded,  and  he  was  fully  compensated  for  all  his  past  sufferings. Once his  brothers  tore  his  clothes  from  his  back:  now  he  is  clad in a robe  of  silk. Once he  was  degraded  to  a state  of  slavery:  now he is  raised  to  the  highest  dignity. Once he  was  loaded  with  chains  in prison: now  he  is distinguished  by  a chain  of  gold  round his neck. Once he was  dragged  off  to prison  like  the  worst of criminals:  now  he is  led  through  the streets in  the  king’s chariot, and  all  men bow before  him. “Behold, thus shall  the man be  blessed  that feareth the  Lord” (Ps. 127,  4).



The Wisdom  of Divine  Providence  is clearly  to  be  seen  in this  story  of  Joseph’s abasement and  exaltation. What were Almighty God’s  intentions about  Joseph ? He had  signified  by the  dreams  which Joseph had  dreamt  as  a boy,  that  he  would one day  be  a great  lord,  and  that  his  brethren  would  bow  down  before him. Man did  everything  possible  to  hinder  this  exaltation. His brothers sold him  as  a slave  on  account  of  those  very  dreams. The merchants took him  far  away;  Putiphar  had  him  cast  into  prison  like  a criminal; the chief  butler,  who  was  deeply  indebted  to  him,  forgot  all  about  him. Humanly speaking,  there  was  no  prospect  of  either  his  freedom  or  his honour being  restored  to  him; much  less  of  his  becoming  a great  Lord. But God  made  everything  which  was  apparently  a misfortune  and humiliation conduce  step  by  step  to  his  future  exaltation. By being sold, he  was  taken  to  the  very  land  where  he  was  to  be  exalted. By