Well, dear church family, we continue with our Bible study in the life of Joseph. We're now on our 17th study. Last time, we thought about Jacob's wonderful reunion with his beloved son, Joseph. On that significant occasion, after being separated for literally decades, that wonderful reunion, we thought about how Joseph's brothers were presented to Pharaoh Now with that changed heart and that changed pilgrim mindset which they had concerning the Promised Land. We thought about the powerful way in which Jacob gave that wonderful witness, did he not? And that spiritual inventory of the Lord's goodness to him over the years of his pilgrimage. And finally we considered how Jacob and the covenant family were all settled in Goshen. in utter dependence upon Joseph for a time. And we learned how this really points to us, how we are only here for a time, and how we utterly depend upon the greater Joseph, the Lord Jesus Christ, the one who saves us, who has saved us, and the one who we depend upon to give us the bread of life, as it were, to sustain us. Well in today's study in verses 13 through 26 of Genesis 47, we firstly see Joseph's nationalizing of Egypt. Nationalizing, not a popular word. Nationalizing of Egypt and Pharaoh's prospering as a result thereof. So we see how Pharaoh is prospered as a result of Joseph and the nationalizing of Egypt. We see in verses 27, secondly, after a very long time of sorrow and temptation and suffering and trials and afflictions for God's people. We see God's people being brought into a great season of joy and happiness and fruitfulness and blessing. There is a reward for the godly, isn't there? I believe that if we continue to walk by faith, there is a reward for the godly. And we see this here, a great blessing. All the sorrow and affliction and temptations and trials fade away. and ushered in as a great season of joy and happiness and blessing and fruitfulness and rest. Well then finally in verses 28 through to the end, we see Jacob's faith shining in its full luster as it were, its full light, right at the dawning of his life as he desires to be buried in the promised land. In full faith of God's promises to him and to Isaac and to Abraham. And so firstly we're told in verses 13 that there was no bread in all the land, for the famine was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason. of the famine. This famine, dear friends, was extraordinary, wasn't it? We sometimes have a picture of a famine from the media or on the radio, you know, a country goes through a season. Think of Ethiopia and such countries and you see people starving, you see when the crops fail and you have these images and it's terrible, isn't it? Well, this famine went on for seven years. Seven years it went on for. It was terrible. There was no bread in the land. The people became desperate, utterly desperate. And this international famine in particular in Egypt and Canaan began to bite in particular in those two places. And remember friends, who brought about this famine? This was God's famine, wasn't it? God brought the famine. God warned the people. The people knew that there'll be seven years aplenty and there'll be seven years of famine. They knew, didn't they? But God brought the famine. And friends, this reminds us, isn't there, if there's any comfort to be had here down below, it's that great doctrine of the sovereignty of God, that he is sovereign, isn't he, in all the storms of life. We're going through a famine, a spiritual famine in this land, but we must take comfort because it was by the means of the famine which God used to bring the whole covenanted family of Israel to Joseph, ultimately to be humbled and then to be converted, and then for them, of course, to be looked after by Joseph. It was by means of famine. God's people, after much temptation and trials and suffering, are now flourishing in a famine, in a pagan land. God's famine brought great blessing. Where actually the years before that of plenty with rich Egypt and the fruitfulness of Canaan actually were very difficult years. But now in the midst of a famine God's people are flourishing. But the same cannot be said with many of the idolatrous Egyptians. Within a very short space of time they lose everything that they've ever laboured for. We think of the wealth of that nation, Egypt. the superpower of the world at that time, their wealth, their land, their cattle, and eventually even their supposed freedom, in a matter of a number of years, gone. Gone. And friends, surely in this do we not see the futility of a life spent in seeking worldly, earthly securities, worldly pleasures, worldly riches, the futility of giving our hearts to that. When in a matter of a year, a few years, everything can be stripped, as it were. Even the wealthiest man in Egypt, the one that had everything, stripped to the bone, as it were. We think of that man in the New Testament that built all those barns. He had a great increase and he said to Saul, Saul, thou hast built up much goods for many years, take thine ease. But the Lord said to him, well, this night my soul will be required of thee. And whose things shall those things be? And we're reminded, aren't we, of the futility of life. Our life is but a vapour. It's going to be over very, very quickly. What are we setting our hearts on, friends? Well, we see that all the things in this life will soon be cut down. They will wither as with the flower. It will have its beauty and its glory and the wind will pass over it and it is no more. And then what will be left? Then what prophet has a man of all his labour under the sun, wherewith he has laboured for? We know, do we not, friends, that all these things are vexation and vanity. Only that which is done for Christ, really, in the end, is going to last. We must listen to the words of the psalmist in Psalm 90 verse 12. So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Well let us apply our hearts unto God's wisdom, that heavenly wisdom in his word. Well, in verse 14, we see Pharaoh's prospering as a direct result of Joseph's heavenly wisdom and instruction that he was given. Verse 14 says, and Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan. for the corn which they brought. And Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house. Notice he didn't exploit the people. He didn't take the money and give it to his own family and to do that side of things. He specifically put it into the exchequer or the crown, as it were, to Pharaoh. Remember the Lord's promise to Abraham in Genesis 12, three, and I will bless them that bless thee. and cursed him that curseth thee. That was still in force. Pharaoh was being mightily blessed, wasn't he? Because he was helping God's cause, God's people. He was being blessed. And we know the reverse of that is true. Those who fight against God's will and his causes, like Saul, like Judas Iscariot, they will be cursed, won't they? Well let us pray for kings and for all that are in authority that we may live, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty as we are instructed to pray for in 1 Timothy 2 verse 2. Now just on a quick side note, one really cannot help admire Joseph's dutifulness here. It's a much despised word in our very spoiled culture that we live in. But really one cannot help but just admire Joseph's dutifulness. He had every right, did he not, just to take off a couple of months, have a prolonged holiday as it were, and just to have a reunion. He had been separated for decades from his family. And so he had every right to do that. But what do we see here? Straight back to dutifulness, to work. Because there were souls perishing because of the famine. Now I'm not saying that we all need holidays, we all need leisure times and day-offs, these things, we need this rest, it's helpful, but we must be found dutiful as Christians. So many Christians, and I can put my hands up, there have been times in times gone past where So many things can get us down. We can get so distracted. And we can become a Christian that's almost like a maverick Christian. And we can just, as it were, go into the shadows. I don't want to get into the fight. I might have to lose something in this fight. And we can all be like that. Dear friends, but we must take heart here. There are souls perishing. We're in a spiritual famine nowadays. There are many, many people every day being ushered into eternity because they have not the bread of life. No one is there to speak to them of the bread of life. No one is there to give them the bread of life, to point them to the greater Joseph. There are countless souls around us. and it is upon us to be found dutiful to make every effort. We're not all called to preach, but we are all called to support and to pray and to make every effort. But when the Lord saves us, he saves us for a purpose. Every true believer is commissioned. We're commissioned We are become living sacrifices. We don't belong to ourselves anymore. We belong to Him that has given us and loved us. We are commissioned. Our lives are in His hands. And so we must become serious over the grace, the spiritual grace of dutifulness. When we don't feel like coming to God's house, then duty must kick in. When we don't feel like praying, then faith and duty must kick in. Dutifulness, sometimes we don't feel like doing things, but by faith we must do them. We must be found dutiful and frame our lives around that which is Good. Of course, this duty must be motivated by love. Love must be the motive. It's not fear of condemnation. We're the Lords. We're in Christ's. We will be in glory with Him. But we don't want to go into glory ashamed. We don't want to go into glory grieving. We want to go into glory and, as it were, like Stephen, being welcomed into glory, as it were, our good and faithful servant. serving the Lord, being dutiful in all that we do. It's a motivation by love. The one who gave up everything, the greater Joseph Christ, who came from the glorious courts and mansions of heaven, who spent eternity past in sweet communion, unbroken communion, and bliss and paradise with the Father, and gave it all up. for us, suffered, underwent affliction and the wrath of his own father. And he did it all out of love for us. He gave everything for us. And we're called to do the same, aren't we? We're called to deny ourselves and take up our crosses every day and to be found faithful and dutiful. Soldiers, Christian soldiers are dutiful, aren't they? We're called to endure hardness as Christian soldiers. Joseph knew this. He suffered more than most. Decades, decades of suffering. He didn't self-pity. There's pride and self-pity. He got on with it. and he realised that souls were perishing and he was found dutiful. Dutiful to love those who think that they're an abomination. Many people think that we're an abomination because of our pilgrimage, because of our way of life, because we walk by faith and because we trust in God's word and not men's. And we are to hold on to this, I know it's a bit of a side note here, and forgive me for the going on, but I think this is so important. Dutifulness is a much understated grace in our culture. We must not fall into that trap as Christians. We must be found dutiful, like Joseph. We could all fail the Lord, But let this example of Joseph stir us up really to pray for dutifuls, Christian dutifuls motivated by love. Now friends, the money of the people had gone. The famine compelled them to give it all up for corn that they may live and not die. Within the space of a year, Joseph literally had all the money. All the money had failed. Pharaoh owned it all. It all went into the coffers, as it were, Egyptian coffers, the crown. Even, like I said, the wealthiest Egyptian could not even buy what only God could give. And that was rain. They couldn't do that, could they? Only God could give rain. Even the wealthiest Egyptian was stripped of all. And friends, doesn't this remind us how we utterly need to depend upon our maker and our saviour for all. He's the one that gives us our rain and our sunshine. He is the father of lights. Well, in verse 15, we're told that the money failed. We're told that all the people came to Joseph and said, give us bread, for why should we die in thy presence? For the money faileth. Because their money failed, Joseph suggested in verse 16 and 17 that they give their cattle in exchange for corn. And they do this, and Joseph feeds them all and their cattle, and their cattle have now been nationalised as well. So their cattle as well have been nationalised. They belong to the crown and they would not die now. In verse 18 through 21 we're told that another year ends and then the famine continues to persist. And again, the people of Egypt and Canaan are in great need again. They have no more money, to exchange for corn, they have no more cattle to exchange for corn so that they may eat bread and not die. And so they offer for Joseph to buy them as servants and their lands to become willing bondservants and to buy their lands. You see, it's pointless. It's pointless if they die and they lose, their cattle die, their lands are going to be repatriated anyway to Pharaoh. And so this is a desperate situation. And so Joseph buys them and their lands. They're gathered into cities. This, I believe, was a very wise move by Joseph. Only the corrupt pagan clergy and priests keep the land, protected by law, verse 22. Now that says a lot, doesn't it? If the corrupt clergy, the pagan are protected by law, well how much more so should we be supporting God's true ministers? Those who, is their livelihood as it were, those who are found faithful, how much more so should we have a heart for helping God's true ministers? And so in effect the whole of Egypt has been nationalised. Pharaohs owns everything. The land, the cattle, the people, the servants. They become, the people become servants. They in effect become tenant farmers. They become these tenant farmers where everything is provided for them. The seed is provided for them to sow, the food for their cattle, the food for their corn, for bread, and all in exchange for 20% of their increase. So a 20% tax, basically. So they can still sow their lands, they can still use their cattle, but they were to give 20% of the increase, as it were, 20%. And we see this in verses 23 and 24. Now friends, it must be said that some modern commentators and scholars criticize Joseph at this point, accusing him of being greedy and selfish and cruel and unjust. But such, again, is just baseless, baseless accusations, completely without understanding of the historical context in which they lived in, the times in which they lived in. The ancient world had no comprehension of the welfare system. They didn't have any welfare system back then. If you were able-bodied and you didn't work you simply did not eat. We live in such a spoilt society nowadays where so many people just take for granted, well I should just get these things. But back then if you were able-bodied and you didn't work, you didn't eat. And friends, this spiritually is true, spiritually speaking, in the Lord's service. I can put my hands up and say I've been guilty of this. Often our prayers can sometimes go unanswered because we're hiding something in the middle of our tent. We're not serving the Lord. We're not being fed with the bread of life because our faith is not moving us to serve the Lord. I'm not just talking about in church, I'm talking about in our prayer life, in our family life, in our private devotional life. to be fully spent, be spent for the Lord. So this is true spiritually speaking, is it not? And I fear this is the case for many Christians, why their prayers go, and I put my hands up, I've been there before, our prayers can go unanswered because we're not serving the Lord, we're commissioned, aren't we? To become a servant at this time gave the people security. It gave them food security. It gave them stability. It gave them safety. Just to have food back then was a great blessing and a privilege. The people of that day were incredibly thankful to Joseph just for food. He saved their lives. They would have died without Him. They said in verse 25, Thou hast saved our lives. Far from being a cruel dictator, from being an exploiter, far from that, He saved their lives. Let us find grace in thy sight, O my Lord, and we will be fairer servants. They willingly want more. They want more of this. Whatever we think of this system, they wanted more of it. Because they saw Joseph as a kind and just, just man. A man after God's own heart, as it were. Someone who's not exploiting us, not using and abusing us. Someone, yes, you know, from our perspective, our culture will see, oh, that's mean and that's cruel. But actually, it's actually very just and very fair. And the people were blessed because of it. Joseph did not exploit them, nor did he mistreat their position. He did not pocket the money and give it to his family or to himself, nor the cattle, nor the land. He gave it all to the king, to Pharaoh. He had the right balance. We must have a right perspective and balance between the king and the people, as it were. Without Joseph, they would have died. and their cattle would have been, like I said, repatriated to the crown. So the picture we see here is not one of a cruel African slave trader which was wicked. It was wicked. Rather we see here a picture of an incredibly gracious Christian, as it were, a believer, a gracious, kind, just a lord of the manor who has saved his people, has opened up his storehouses and has saved the people of his town as it were. And he continues to give good things to the people and to support the people. And the people trust him and love him. He is like the international hero here. He's the saviour with a small s. All he requires is 20% from the tenant farmers. He gives them everything. Food for their cattle, food for them. And he requires 20%, which by our standards nowadays is incredibly fair. 20%, if you think about it, by our standards is incredibly fair. We're taxed on literally everything nowadays, aren't we? National income, you're taxed. When you die, you're taxed. If you've got a few pennies left, the government wants to take a bit of that as well. You're taxed on your fuel. You're taxed on your food. You know what? Soon, you know what you're going to be taxed on? You're going to be taxed on your air. To have clean air in the West Country, if you live in a rich... I don't know, I was joking about that, but I won't put a pause there. We're going to be taxed to the hilt. But friends, Joseph, 20% tax, oh, to be under his government, I would rather be under his government any day of the week, wouldn't you? 20% tax, dear friends, was bliss. And this, all in a famine. Imagine in the times of prosperity, when things got better. Like I said, whatever we think of this system, for those of that day it brought food security, safety and stability. Now friends, one cannot help read this narrative without thinking upon the parable of the wicked tenant farmers in the Gospels. We saw with the tenant farmers in the Gospels, did we, do we not, that they were given this wonderful vineyard and this land and they were given accommodation and even a tower for protection and all these things that were given them. And they were given them by the Lord, by their master and king and he lived in a far off place and then the Lord sent, didn't he? Sent for the tax, as it were. Sent for his portion. as it were, and they rejected the servants, didn't they? And it repeats, doesn't it? They kept on. They then killed the servants, and then he sent his son. If they will not listen, I'll send my only son. They sent the son, and they killed the son as well, didn't they? And of course, that was a picture of the Jews, what they did to the saviour. But more deeply, it is a picture of us, if we're honest with ourselves, how we can treat the Lord. God gives us everything. He's the one that gives us, He's the Father of lights. He has given us our lives, our souls. He has given us loved ones. He gives us food. He gives us our water. He gives us every good thing that we have from Him, every loving thing that we have, every blessing of this life, it's from Him. Do we give back to God the glory due to His name? Do we love Him? Do we pray to Him? Do we confess our need to Him? This is what the people did to Joseph. It's a picture, isn't it? Do we do this, dear friends? Do we love Him? The Lord God has given us everything. We live off Him. He sustains our every breath. He is the father of lights. Do we love Him as we ought to love Him? Have we sought first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness? Are we thankful? Like I said, do we confess our shortcomings and our absolute need for Him? The people heard the warning, seven years of plenty, seven years of famine. They didn't do it. They didn't build up seven years, did they? They weren't living by faith. That's us. We cannot, we're all like this. We fall way short of the mark, but Christ did. Christ made that provision. He made that completeness, didn't he? At the cross, as it were. He's bought our freedom. Do we love him for it? You know, the Egyptians, like I said, heard of that warning. They made no provision, dear friends, but the Lord Jesus did. So Joseph became their saviour with a small S. Are we trusting in the greater Joseph for all? Do we give him our time, our hearts, our minds? Do we love him with all our hearts? That's with all your desire, with all your affection, with all your mind. That is your understanding, your imagination. Does he have your imagination, your thought life? Like I said, we're all guilty of this. We can all fall. But do we seek Him with these things? Our hearts, our desires, our affections, our minds, our imaginations, our strength, of our bodies, the health He gives us. He gives us health for a reason. That's to use for Him, to love Him, to seek Him. Are we doing it, friends? Do we love Him? Are we these living sacrifices, as it were? Well, dear friends, may the Word speak to us this evening. And I trust that we here, because of God's grace, do love the Lord in this way. We're living off His bounty. We love Him, we depend upon Him. Well, dearly beloved of the Lord, we see next a great time of joy and happiness and fruitfulness for God's people who, against all the odds now, are flourishing amidst a famine. The devil's wicked designs for God's people have once again been thwarted. God's people are now more than conquerors through the greater Joseph. In verse 27 we're told that Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen, that's in Egypt, and they had possessions therein, and grew and multiplied exceedingly. It's ironic, isn't it? Before in the bountiful land of Canaan, the fertile land Everything wrong was happening for them. But now, a prolonged famine, the storms of life, everything seems to be going right for them. We just marvel at the Lord and his wisdom in this, don't we? If God's people can prosper in an international famine, dear friends, so can we. So can we in our society. No matter how wicked this world of Egypt will grow, God's people and God's kingdom, friends, will continue to grow and multiply exceedingly. And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 70 go down into Egypt and 400 years later, 4 million come out. 4 million out of 70 come out. And yes, They multiplied exceedingly in Egypt. Yes, and even as slaves in Egypt, fulfilling all God's covenantal promises. And yes, God can make us fruitful here at Sovereign Grace. He can. Yes, the law can multiply us in a humanistic, feministic, pagan, materialistic, and even a tyrannical culture. He can, can't he? Do we believe in it? Iran is the is the fastest growing Christian church in the world. And it's one of the most persecuted places for Christians. And yet they're multiplying exceedingly. They're growing, aren't they? We heard of our brother, Mr. Donaldson, speaking about Sri Lanka recently. They've undergone so much harshness. The no fuel and abject poverty and just everything that would be against them, but everything's going for them because they're multiplying. There's a spiritual blessing being put upon them. Well, later on in Egypt, there arose a new king, says Exodus 1, 7, which knew not Joseph. And you know what that new king, that new pharaoh did? He persecuted them, didn't he? And he enslaved them. And you know what happened? You got it. They multiplied exceedingly. They multiplied exceedingly. They grew, didn't they? So let us take heart, dear brethren, that the Lord God is bigger than our circumstances, far bigger, far bigger than our circumstances. Let us be found dutiful, faithful, utterly depending upon the greater Joseph Christ. Let us cry unto him. Finally, dearly beloved, in verses 28 through to the end, we see Jacob's faith shining It's shining in its full brightness as it were. As a full moon in a dark sky. in his old age, in the dawning of his life. 17 years earlier, he thought he was on his deathbed when entering into Egypt, when we're being reunited with Joseph. Yet he's still, he's still alive. Before that, he was on his deathbed. He's like, I just wanna see Joseph and then I'm gonna die, basically. Yet God, our God, the God of Israel, the living God, can give present strength. and seeming weakness, can't he? Present strength and seeming weakness. In verse 29, we're told that the time drew nigh, that Israel must die. See, the Holy Spirit puts the emphasis upon the must there. He must die. Not 17 years earlier. He's 147 years old now. His time has come. Our times are in our hands. You know, we can eat the best food in the world, can't we? You could have the fitness and health, all these things to a degree are necessary, but our times are in God's hands. He must die. Now before Israel dies, notice again, it's talking about Israel, Israel, Israel now, not Jacob. It's talking about Israel because Israel is so full of faith here. He has power with God and with man. The man that was a prince and prevailed over the angel. Remember that, the Lord allowed him to win. And we see Israel here full of faith in the dawning of his years. There are few great acts of faith that yet need to be fulfilled by Israel. And one of which I'll just finish with in closing, the other will be in our next study. And so in verses 29 to the end we see this great act of faith by Israel, by Jacob. says in verse 29 through 31, and a 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. Verse 30, but I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt. and bury me in their burying place.' And he said, I will do as thou hast said." That's Joseph. And verse 31, and he said, swear unto me. And he swear unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed's head. Well, we see here Israel requesting from his son, Joseph, to swear by an oath here. And the way in which they did it in those days, in particular, was to put their hand under their thigh. And what that represented was you're putting your hand under their authority, basically. When you read that in the scriptures, that's what it means. They put their hand under their thigh. It means whatever you're swearing now, And if I swear to it, I swear by your authority, basically. That's what he was saying, that this is a dying father's request and that it's under his authority now to do. And notice here, friends, where Israel's heart and mind is in his dawning years. Notice where his heart, he does not request a state funeral full of pomp and ceremony. He could have had that, but he, By faith, he wanted to be buried in the land of promise. He believed that the Lord would keep all his promises to him. He looked for a city, didn't he? The city of God, as it were. He looked for that heavenly Canaan. He wanted to be in that heavenly Canaan. He was so full of faith here at the end of his days. His heart and his mind was on Christ, wasn't it? He was walking by faith here. He wanted to be with the Lord here. He was living by faith as heart and mind was set upon that covenantal promise upon eternity. He believed that the Lord would keep all of his promises. The Hebrews 11 again 13 and 14 comes to mind. These all died in 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 earth. Verse 14, for they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And we know what that country was. It was a heavenly country wherein dwelleth righteousness. That's where they wanted to be. And notice, dear friends, who assured Israel, Jacob, and guaranteed Jacob, Israel of his burial. It was Joseph, wasn't it? It was Joseph. And dear friends, this is not the same with us. It is Christ. It is Christ himself who assures the believer. The greater Joseph is the one who assures us of our home in heaven with him. He speaks to our heart, doesn't he? He assures us through his word and we believe him. He is the one that has suffered and is now exalted. He is the one that's now upon the throne. He is the one that's undergone all these things out of love for us. Do we believe in it? If we do believe in it, we're going to die a death that's going to be peaceful. We're going to be at peace in death. We have nothing to fear in death. What a wonderful thing, isn't it? The assurance that Jacob has here. It's a picture of how we are assured in Christ, aren't we? And like Joseph and Israel, nothing can give us greater peace on our deathbed than the assurances Christ gives to us. And this is what Jacob had on his deathbed. He bowed his head, almost in a full release as it were, ready to die as it were, because he knew, he knew that by faith God was answering his prayers. Joseph said, well, I'm too busy. I could have said, I'm too busy now. That's a big thing to take your bones and to bury them in that parcel of land in Canaan which you've bought. That's a big thing. I've got lots of things. But no, this is important now. He knew that this was his dying father's wish, along with another one we'll think of next time. And friends, this is the same assurance that Christ gives us, doesn't he, the greater Joseph. He speaks to our heart. Like we mentioned in our prayer meeting tonight, he calls those, his sheep, and we hear him. When God speaks to us through the scriptures, through the words of the Lord Jesus, through the prophetic ministry, through the word, and we hear it, we believe in it. We hear his voice and we obey him. And we're his, aren't we? Same picture here, isn't it? But friends, we will have that rest that we've longed for. We will have that rest and that peace that we've longed for for so long. Don't you long to be in glory? This world keeps on getting worse and sinister, but you just long to be with the Lord in glory. You long that you can come this evening. And we just want to be with Him in glory. But friends, but now we must fight. We must fight the fight of faith. We must love and we must go to war, like that hymn, isn't it? We must fight and love and that's what we must do. We must fight the good fight of faith. We must love and we must engage in the spiritual warfare. And for all this we need more grace, don't we? We need to cry unto the greater Joseph. And so let us sing in that respect this evening in hymn 801, he giveth more grace, when the burdens grow greater. Hymn 801 to God's praise.