Oct. 2
COMFORT EN ROUTE HOME
"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" Gen. 50:24
Joseph had been an incarnate providence to his brethren. All our
Josephs die, and a thousand comforts die with them. Egypt was never
the same to Israel after Joseph was dead, nor can the world again be
to some of us what it was when our beloved ones were alive.
But see how the pain of that sad death was alleviated! They had a
promise that the living God would visit them. A visit from Jehovah!
What a favor! What a consolation! What a Heaven below! O Lord, visit
us this day; though indeed we are not worthy that thou shouldest come
under our roof.
But more was promised: the Lord would bring them out. They would
find in Egypt a cold welcome when Joseph was dead; nay, it would
become to them a house of bondage. But it was not to be so for ever;
they would come out of it by a divine deliverance, and march to the
land of promise. We shall not weep here for ever. We shall be called
home to the glory-land to join our dear ones. Wherefore, "comfort one
another with these words."