THE KING’S BUSINESS
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to him fo r righteousness” (v. 6 ) , since on ly th e righteous c an inherit justification is in cluded in th e p rom ise a n d im p u ted fo r th e tak ing (R om . 4 :1 - 5 ) . W e b ecom e b e n e ficiaries, n o t b y ag reem en t, b u t b y accep tance. M ultitudes a re teach ing “G o d ’s prom ises a re alw ay s c o n d i tion ed on m a n ’s ob ed ien c e ,” a s one, an d m o st of o u r lesson c om m en ta to rs w rite. N o th ing is m o re co n tra ry to th e co v en an t o f grace, to th e G o s pel, th a n this (R om . 4 :4 , 5 ; 5 :1 ; Eph. 2 :8 , 9 ; Gal. 3 :2 -4 ). III. Ishmael and the Covenant. Ishm ael w as a b lu n d e r. Sarai, like Eve, led h e r h u sb an d in to error. A b ram ’s im patience (p ro b a b ly ) led to a w eaken ing o f faith. Ishm ael w as b o rn a fte r th e flesh, n o t a fte r th e counsel of G od . A s th e Ishm ael c h a p te r lies b e tw e en th e co v en an t an d Isaac chap ters, so th e law b e tw een th e prom ise a n d Christ. Ish m ael is th e legal Israel, which w en t ab o u t to establish its own righ teou s ness, as A b ram to establish his own heir (see Gal. 4 ) . If C h rist delays w e m ust “w ait” fo r H im (1 Thess. 1 :10 ). T h e L o rd b o th reb u k ed an d en cou raged A b ram w h en H e said, “ I am G o d A lm igh ty ,” announcing H im self ab le an d ab o u t to give a son to S arai; an d called A b ram A b ra ham , “F a th e r o f a P eo p le ,” b e fo re th e first son was bo rn . IV. The Furnace and the Covenant. This sym bolized E gyp tian b o n d ag e ; all Israel’s trib u la tio n s. o f hum b le pilgrims, w ere e n te rta in ed b y A b ram unw itting th e ir n a tu re a n d dignity. H e w as richly rep a id b y th e prom ise of a son th ro u g h Sarai, an d b y a con fiden tial in te r view w ith th e L o rd . L est w e m iss en terta in in g angels, le t us b e ‘ g iven
tion. ■ (T h is d o cum en t is o f g re a te r im p o rt to us a n d to th e w hole w o rld th an any will, con tract, constitution, o r tre a ty ev e r d raw n . It has been , is, an d shall rem ain, th e m ou ld o f his to ry .) 3. The confirmation of the Cov enant. Solem n co n tra c ts w e re co n firm ed b y sacrifice, th e p artie s passed b e tw e en th e pieces a n d called th e god s to w itness th e ir oaths. T o assure believers o f “ th e imm u tab ility o f H is counsel” G o d “ confirm ed it b y a n o a th (H eb . 6 :1 7 ) an d th e c erem ony o f our verses (9-1 7) ind ic a te such an oath. Such is th e significance of th e b lo o d of Jesu s (M a tt. 2 6 :2 8 ) . T h e oaths o f G od , o ften re fe rred to in S crip ture, a re historic realities; it is m a d ness to cu t aw ay ou r an ch o r (H eb . 6 :1 9 ) w ith a “ spiritualizing” p e n knife (Je r. 36 : 22 , 23-). 4. The conditions of the Cove nant. Tw o classes o f d iv ine co v e n an ts a re in Scripture. ( 1) con tract, ( 2 ) prom ise. T h e A d am ic an d Mosaic co v en an ts w ere con tra c ts co n d itio n ed on obedience, cov e n an ts o f works. T h e Noachic, A b rah am ic , D avidic, an d Messianic renew al (M a tt. 2 6 :2 8 ) w ere u n co n d itio n ed prom ise, p u re g race (R om . 4 :1 3 -1 6 , etc., e tc .). H ence only one p a rty passed b e tw e en th e pieces th e “ Burning L am p ” (E xod. 3 :2 -4 ; 13 :21 , 2 2 ; R ev. 2 1 :2 3 , A. R. V .). T h e L o rd prom ised, A b ra h am “Believed (H e b . em p h a sis) in th e L o rd ; a n d H e co u n ted it
Lesson X. March 9—The Destruction of Sodom. Gen. 19:1-3; 12-29 I. Abraham Intercedes for Sodom. Gen. 18:1-23.
1. Abram’s guests. “T h e J u d g e o f all th e e a rth ” (v . 2 5 ) , an d two angels on th e ir w ay to m in ister to a n h e ir o f salv ation (H e b . 1 :1 4 ; 2 Pet. 2 :7 ) , all disguised in th e garb
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