The Effect Of Early Training

by QUARTUS | Category: For Young Believers | Apr 1952

It is no chance that side by side in chapters 38. and 39. of Genesis we have part of the life stories of Judah and Joseph, the two most outstanding sons of Jacob. Judah was a born leader and a prince among his brethren. Joseph was no less a leader, for he became the governor of the land of Egypt; a world figure of that day when all countries came to buy corn from his hand. The moral blemishes in the life of Judah, as contained in Genesis 38., will never be removed, written as they are in the enduring record of the Holy Scriptures. Here is the beginning of the narrative

"Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua; and he took her, and went in unto her."

"Judah went down"; one downward step led to another. At length God came in in judgement and slew two of his sons. "Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him." And of Onan, the next son, it is said, "And the thing which he did was evil in the sight of the LORD: and He slew him also." What a black sequel to the fact, that "Judah went down from his brethren"

Many have followed this course, and have left their brethren and gone down to the Adullamite and the Canaanite, and have found their companions in men and women of the world, and the story of their lives has been little better than Judah's sordid tale. Let us be careful about going down from our brethren!

In contrast to Judah going down from his brethren of his own will, Joseph is spoken of as "him that was separate from his brethren" (Genesis 49.26; Deuteronomy 33.16). Why was he separate from his brethren? The reason was because of the evil doings of his brethren (Genesis 37.2). Thy hated him for his words and they hated him for his dreams of coming greatness. At length they sold him to the Ishmaelites and he was in turn sold to Potiphar in Egypt. A noble slave indeed! Here also he was faced with a new peril. Being comely and well favoured and a prosperous young man in his master's employment, his master's wife cast her lustful eyes upon him. She solicited him day by day, and at last grasped his garment and he fled from her, leaving his garment in her hand. It was condemning evidence against him, and for wrong which he never committed he was cast into prison and languished there for some years.

Early training, under his godly father Jacob, had moulded his character. His inmost thoughts were expressed in his words

"How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" Many

another youth would have gone as an ox to the slaughter, but not so Joseph. Though in a foreign land amongst strangers, sin against God, which may he committed anywhere, was something to he abhorred. Paul's words to Timothy may well be quoted here

"But flee youthful lusts, and follow after righteousness, faith, love,

peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart"

(2 Timothy 2.22).

It is not "fight youthful lusts", but flee them. Do as Joseph did, flee from the presence of evil. Delay is dangerous. Resist the devil,

but flee youthful lusts.

QUARTUS | Apr 1952
For Young Believers