THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NESS
873
ABRAM
CHRIST
AMERICA
AN IMM IGRANT
AN D ITS IM M IG RAN TS
FOR BOTH
2 0 0 0 B. C.
2 0 0 0 A. D.
Abram lived just as iar on the other side of the Cross as we live on this side of it. Ahram, by faith, looked forward to thè cross, and we, by the same faith— faith in the promise of God— look back to it.
I. The Home Abram Left. 1. At Ur, of the Chaldees. Though the migration of Abram from Ur is related in the eleventh chapter of Genesis and his call in the twelfth, when we compare the LESSON “ had said” of 12:1 with EXPOSITION Stephen’s j statement in Acts 7:2, 3g-“ be- fore he dwelt in Haran,” it seems plain that his home was at Ur when God first appeared to him. Through the wonderful discoveries - of our archaeologists we now knew that in Abram’s day Ur was an import ant city-kingdom west of the river Euphrates, on the shore of the Persian Gulf, the chief city of the district. The ruins are now called Mugheir, and through the silting up of the Gulf are now about 100 miles inland, and about 700 miles east of Jerusalem. Ur was “ the eastern outpost of Babylonian culture” and a commercial center. It boasted its libraries. Its ships sailed to and fro carrying prec ious cargoes of merchandise. The larg est temple in the world for the worship of Sin, the moon god, was located there. Abram’s father, Terah, was an idol ater, and so was Abram himself. See Joshua 24:2. Jewish legends say Terah was a manufacturer and seller of idols and relate some amusing stories about him, for which we have no space here.
2. At Haran. Haran is about 600 miles north-west from Ur. Terah and Abram probably travelled the same route followed more recently by the British army in its Mesopotamian campaign. Haran is now a small Arab village. It was the seat of the second largest temple of the moon god— Sin. The journey of Terah and his clan from Ur to Haran would occupy several months. When Haran was reached the emigrants would find themselves in almost the same civiliza tion as that which they had left, and would resume settled life under prac tically the same conditions as they had always been accustomed to. H. When Abram Left His Home. 1. By the Command of God. This command was given directly to Abram. Stephen says very plainly “ The God of glory appeared unto our father Abram and said unto him.” Acts. 7: 2, 3. Men may become church mem bers through the persuasions of their fellow-men; but men become Chris tians through the revelation of God. The Work of salvation always begins with God. It was not Abram who sought God, but I God who sought Abram. No regenerate man or woman ever found fault with God for having begun the search after him. If God, through His Holy Spirit, had not begun His work of grace in your heart and mine, we know that we never would
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