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fresh manifestation of God had a double purpose, viz. to establish Sarah’s faith in- the promise that she should bear a son in her old age and to announce the judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah—Keil and Delitzsch. Shall I hide from Abraham. With the thought of this verse, cf. Amos 3: 6, 7, “shall evil befall a city, and the Lord hath not done it? Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” Here Jehovah purposes to revoal His intention to Abraham on account of his position, as one who was in covenant relation, and the recipient of the promise (v. 18).— Cam bridge Bible. How beautiful is the suggestion made by the Divine soliloquy! Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do? God’s friends are permitted to know His secrets be cause they are His friends. Abraham is regarded by God as having a right to know what was about to be done (Ps. 25:4; Amos 3 :7 ). In this section we have an illustration of fellowship with God and some of its essential features. Fellowship is the crowning purpose of Hod’s revelation (1 John 1 :3 ). There is nothing higher than this, for man’s life finds its complete realization in union and communion with God. Notice the following elements:— 1. Sacred Intimacy.-^The picture of God as the guest of Abraham is a symbol of that spiritual relationship which is brought very clearly and beautifully before us in the New Testament. Wihat an unspeakable privilege it is to have God as our Guest, and for us to be His guests (John 14:23; Rev. 3 :20 ). 2. Genuine Humility.— Abraham’s attitude on this oc casion is noteworthy. He quickly realized Who had come, and although he had all the privileges of fellowship, he never forgot his own true place and position. While we have ‘access,’ it is ‘access into the Holiest’ (Heb. 10:19). There is no incompatibility, but the most beautiful fitness in the freedom, freeness, and fulness of Divine grace, com bined with the attitude of reverential awe in those who are partakers of grace. ‘Holy and reverend is His Name’ (Ps. 111:9). 3. Special Revelation.— Fellowship with God is always associated with the knowledge of His will. Servants do not know their master’s purposes, but friends and intimates do. Our Lord taught this plainly to His disciples (John 15:15). There is no position like that of fellowship with God for knowing fully our Master’s will. (Cf.. John 13:25, R. V.) 4. Unique Association.— The man who is in fellowship with God does not merely know the Divine will, but be comes associated with God in the carrying out of that will. God deliberately and definitely associated Abraham with the realization of His purposes (vs. 17-19), and this has ever been the case. The friends of God become His fellow-work ers, and are used to carry out the wide-reaching purposes of His will to mankind. In view of all these glorious priv ileges and solemn responsibilities of fellowship with God, ‘what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy con versation and godliness?’—W. H. Griffith Thomas. A Chosen Leader and a Chosen Land. Gen. 12:1-7. Memory Verse.— “There builded he an altar unto the Lord.” Gen. 12:7. Approach.— This morning I have a little basket, and I am going to give each one a chance to choose one apple, and when Sunday school is over you may eat the apple. Now you have all chosen a pretty red apple, but James. He is the last one and there is just one ELEMEXTARY apple left, and it is not a bright red one, „ ' , , „ like the ones you have chosen, but do you know it is a much better eating ap ple than the red ones you have chosen. James had to take what was left, but he got the best apple. You see we can learn a lesson from this choosing, for God does not choose people by their looks, or the fine clothes they wear, or because they live in a certain part of the world, but He chooses all who will love Him and serve Him. Prayer.
Lesson Story.—'How many of you boys and girls like to play games where you choose a leader or captain? - Did you know that a long, long time ago, God chose a leader for His people, and a land for them to live in? Well, that is just what He did, and if you will listen, I will tell you about it. You know God knows all things, and He watches us every day. He had watched a man by the name of Abra ham, and He saw that he was a man whom He knew would be a good leader for his people, but if he was to lead His (God’s) people into the land God had chosen for them, he would have to leave his own land and his people. Now what do you think Abraham did when God chose him? Yes, he obeyed and took his wife and nephew and their goods and started for the land God had chosen, the land of Canaan. It was a long hard journey, part of it through a wilderness, but Abraham knew God would take care of him, because he was doing what God had asked him to do. When God chose Abraham as a leader He told him thfit He would bless him and make his name great, and that he (Abraham) would be a blessing ttf all the world. When God makes a promise we are always sure it will come true, as all these promises came true. God wonderfully blest Abraham, and made his name great. He is called the friend of God, and the father of all who believe and love God. Abraham is a blessing to all the world for the Lord Jesus came down through the line of Abraham, and all the world is blest because of Jesus. Now when Abraham got to the new land he did something that we ought always to remember. It is our memory verse. “ There builded he an altar unto the Lord.” .Now we see why God chose Abraham as a leader, for He knew Abraham would always give God first place in his life; the first thing he does in the new home, in the land God had chosen was to build an altar, a place where he could worship God. That is why we want you, when you move away to another place to hunt up a Sunday School and church where they love Jesus, and go every Sunday. That is a splendid lesson we can learn from Abraham. It showed to the people in the new land that Abraham had chosen God, and was trusting in Him. A great many people to-day move into a new country, and do not go to church or Sunday school, and in a little while they forget all about God and His goodness to them. Let us always show our colors and be found in God’s house, worshipping Him. Prayer. Wr A BOON COMPANION . ON THE BATTLE FIELD A missionary in South America, writing to renew his subscription to The King’s Business, says: “Not only do I gratefully acknowledge the helpful in spiration of each King’s Business, but must also credit its messages with a large part of the victory I have been priv ileged to see.” Going on to give details of the departure from the faith of nearly all of the missionaries of the organization with which he is affiliated, this dear brother says further: “Until there is an open statement and a frank acknowl edgment of past errors I shall be on my guard, neverthe less I thank the Lord for His grace shown and for the in spiration of the K. B. I used to think that at least on the mission field straight Christianity was taught,— but have found even here ‘compromisers’ also, well hidden behind supposedly trustworthy ‘reports,’ against which the voice of a ‘new one’ is like that of a worm against a steam roller. Now I understand the ‘fire test’ for the straw and stubble of reputation, whether personal, or under the disguise of the reputation of the mission field. Will send change of address as soon as I know where the Lord will lead ine so as not to lose any numbers of the magazine, as it has been a boon companion on the battle line.” .¿Mi. a »
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