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228 THE CONVENTION TEACHER [Left page, Left column] name greater than it could be by any human process. By deserting his country he lost his name there, but God gave him a name of honor and wide extent. and thou shalt be a blessing-Whoever came into the right relationship with Abram personally were blessed because of that relationship. All who came into right relationship with Israel. the nation that proceeded out of Abraham's loins, were blessed for the same reason. "But very specially, all who have come into right relationship with Jesus Christ, the spiritual seed of Abram, have been blessed." (3) And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. He promises to appear against Abram's enemies. There were those that mistreated and cursed even Abram himself; but, while their causeless curses could not hurt Abram, God's righteous curse would certainly overtake and ruin them. This is a good reason why we should bless them that curse us, because it is enough that God will curse them. and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed-This was the promise that crowned all the rest, for it points to the Messiah. Every family of the earth has been blessed by Israel, at least in a twofold way: All real knowledge of the true and living God that any nation ever had, has come originally through Abram and his people. The supreme blessing that has come to the nations of the earth is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, who was indeed the Son of Abram, the Son of David, the Son of Mary. (4) So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. Abram's departure from his country was in compliance with the call of God. We do not hear of any complaints or questions, but only of his act of obedience. He did as he was bidden, not conferring with flesh and blood. His obedience was speedy and without delay, submissive and without dispute, for he went out, not knowing whither he went, but knowing Whom he followed and under whose direction he went. He was seventy-five years of age when he departed from Haran, an age when it would seem that one should have rest and retirement, but if God would have him start afresh in his old age, he would submit. Obedience must be absolute. When he left Haran, he [Left Page, Right Column] left nothing behind him, purposing never to return, a purpose which he maintained. The further Abram went from home and kindred, the nearer he came to God; not that home and kindred are hindrances to God's nearness, except when we cling to them instead of Him. (5) And Abraham took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came. Observe the company and cargo Abram took with him. Sarai, his wife, would be sure to go with him. Lot also, his kinsman, was influenced by his uncle's good example. They took all their effects with them. Their helpers and servants, also considered a part of their substance, went with them, too, to the land of Canaan and to worship the true God. into the land of Canaan they came-The happy arrival of Abram's company is here mentioned. They were not discouraged by the difficulties they met on the way, nor prevented by the temptation and delights they encountered but pressed forward. III. GOD RENEWS COVENANT WITH ABRAM. (VV. 1-8) (1) And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. When the incident recorded in these verses took place, Abram was twenty-four years older. The Lord appeared unto him and made Himself known: I am the Almighty God-He chose to reveal Himself by this name rather than by His name Jehovah. It bespeaks the almighty power of God, as conqueror. benefactor. all sufficient. walk before me, and be thou perfect-That is, upright and sincere, for herein the covenant of grace is well ordered, that sincerity is our gospel perfection. (2) And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. God told Abram that He would make a binding covenant for each to accept, and when accepted He would multiply him and his posterity increasingly. He would grant and carry into effect the provisions of His covenant. Abram's seed now comes forward as the prominent beneficiary of the covenant. The blessings of the seed is a higher and greater one than that of the land, which was promised on former occasions. God is ever giving us greater [[end page]] [[start page]] THE CONVENTION TEACHER 229 things, and that which is natural leads to that which is spiritual. (3) And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, Abram fell on his face while God talked with him, either as one overcome by the brightness of divine glory and unable to bear the sight of it, or as one ashamed of himself, and blushing to think of the honors done to one so unworthy. He looks upon himself with humility and upon God with reverence, and, in token of both, falls on his face, putting himself into a posture of adoration. (4) As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. The covenant of grace is a covenant of God's own making; this He glories in. It is promised to Abram that he should be father of many nations. That is, that his seed after the flesh should be very numerous, both in Isaac, Ishmael, and in the sons of Keturah, All believers in every age should be looked upon as Abram's spiritual seed, and that he should be called not only the friend of God, but the father of the faithful. (5)Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. In token of this his name was changed from Abram, a high father, to Abraham, the father of a multitude. Thus was Abraham dignifies by Him who is indeed the Fountain of honor, and his faith encouraged and confirmed, for, being childless, perhaps even his own name was sometimes an occasion of grief. But now that God had given him a name which signified so much, that name was his joy. (6) And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. From Abraham descended the chief of the twelve tribes of the Hebrews, and after their separation, the kinds of Judah, as well as the kings of Israel. Passing from the literal to the spiritual fulfillment, we find the heavenly Messiah, the King of kings, descending from the same stock, and all true Christians, his seed by faith, kings and priests unto God. (7) And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee. The continuance of the covenant is confirmed. It is established, not to be altered or revoked; it is fixed, it is ratified, it is made as firm as the divine power and truth can make it. It is a covenant, not with Abraham only, (then it should die with him) but with his seed after him, not only his seed after the flesh, but his spiritual seed. (8) And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of the Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. Another token of Jehovah's esteem for Abraham is in the fact that Canaan should be an everlasting possession. This is to be looked upon as a type of heaven's possession, of heaven's unhappiness, that everlasting rest that remains for the people of God. As the land of the Canaan was secured to the seed of Abraham according to the flesh, so heaven is secured to all his spiritual seed for a possession truly everlasting. QUESTIONS ON THE LESSON 1. What gave Abraham such faith? 2. What value have pioneers been to their day? 3. What lesson do the bible characters teach? 4. Why do we have Bible stories? 5. How does the Bible inspire us? Lights on the Lesson BY REV. BERNARD O. BYRD Light No. 1. In the "Lights" of the foregoing lesson we see the Bible depicted as a great library rather than one book. Perhaps some of the most interesting prose contained in this library are biographical in nature. This library gives us the only biographies of some of the early settlers of the earth. Many of these biographies are very limited, yet they tell us the most important things about the pioneers. These Biblical biographies do not refrain from giving us the whole truth about men. While telling of a man's good qualities, these writings also tell of the bad incidents. We see Abraham leaving his relatives to follow God to an appointed place, but also we see Abraham as he lies about his own wife. We see David killing a giant to save his people, yet we see that same David killing a man to get to his wife. Because of the biography of George Washington
