THE KING’S BUSINESS
137
The Heart of the Lesson By T. C. HORTON
LESSON XL March 16, 1913. Golden Text— Hosea 6 :6 .
G o d ’s te sts d iffer from S a ta n ’s tem p tation s. G o d tests in o rd e r to streng then , th e d ev il in o rd e r to overth row . T h e dev il uses a sieve to sift out, G o d uses a fan to cast ou t th e w o rst an d save th e best. A b ra h am is to b e h e a d o f a g re a t n a tio n an d it is well th a t th e h e a d b e w ell b a lan c ed a n d th e h e a rt ferv en tly fixed in its tru st in G od . It is n o t ev e ry soul th a t is h o n o re d o f G o d w ith a sup rem e test. T ho se a re chosen ch ild ren w ho a re called to pass th ro u g h th e crushing crises o f life. L o t w as tem p te d o f his own lust— th e seductive influences o f th e w o rld cau g h t him a n d c a rried him a ro u n d until th e v o rte x sw allow ed him. A b ra h am h as b e e n te ste d a n d has b e e n found to lo v e G o d m o re th a n Sodom . Now h e is te ste d a n d found to love G o d m o re th a n his own life, fo r no one can d o u b t b u t th a t it w ould h a v e b e e n easier for A b ra h am to h av e y ie ld e d u p his own life th an to ta k e th a t o f his son. P e te r p rom ised well, b u t failed. A b ra h am p e rfo rm ed th e sw eet ta sk of su rren d e rin g all to G o d a n d w ith such sacrifice G o d is w ell p leased . W h a t p ictu res a re h e re o f th e a to n em en t! T h e fa th e rh o o d is p o r tra y e d in th e h e a rt o f A b rah am . “G o d so lo v ed th e w o rld th a t H e
g av e H is on ly b e g o tte n Son .” Isaac, th e son, o b e d ie n t to th e fa th e r’s will, a subm issive sacrifice, p ro v in g th a t th e sacrifice o f C a lv a ry w as a s m uch th e design o f th e Son as o f th e F a th er. A b ra h am co u n ted u p o n G o d to raise Isaac from th e d e a d a n d H e d id a n d A b ra h am received him as one from th e d e ad . G o d sp a re d Isaac, b u t H e cou ld n o t sp a re H is ow n a n d o n ly b e lo v ed . T h e re w as no o n e to ta k e th e p la c e o f th e b lessed L am b o f G od . P ictu re th e fa th e r a n d son a s th ey d e sc en d ed th e m oun tain . W ith w h a t d ifferen t tho u g h ts d o th e y re tu rn to th e se rv an ts! W h a t a new w o rld ! W h a t new th o u g h ts o f G o d ! " J e h o v a h J ire h .” T h e L o rd will p rov id e, n o t on ly fo r th e b o d y , b u t fo r th e soul. H e p ro v id e s fo r th e soul a sacrifice, a S on o f G od . H e p ro v id e s fo r th e soul a serv an t, th e H o ly Spirit. H e p ro v id e s fo r th e soul an e te rn a l hom e in th e heavens. “My G o d shall supp ly all y o u r n e e d .” It p ay s to go th e full leng th in o b ed ien c e to G o d ’s comm and , no m a tte r w h a t th e te st m ay be. Bring all th e tith es in to th e sto rehou se an d see if G o d d o e s n o t o p en th e w in dow s o f h e av en a n d p o u r you ou t a blessing b ig g e r th a n y o u r cap acity to receive.
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