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T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
13:14. Abram by the Egyptian episode may have well felt he had forfeited the promise, if it had rested on his faithfulness, bu t instead it rested upon th e faithfulness of God.— Jam es M. Gray. The prospect afforded (ver. 14). Lot h ad “ lifted up his eyes’’ (ver. 10), and w ith rem ark ab le force and significant emphasis God says to Abraham , “L ift up now th in e eyes.” How different the action is in each case! A braham ’s pros pect was not only w ider, b u t infinitely more glorious, be-1 cause of th e Word of God behind it.— Griffith Thomas. Vs. 15 and 16. The prom ise given (vs. 15, 16). Let us ponder these wonderful promises. They are to be in te r preted literally and spiritually. They are already having th e ir prim ary fulfilment in th e Church of Christ as Abra ham ’s sp iritual seed (Gal. 3: 7-9, 16), b u t th e re will surely be a literal fulfillment in th e fu tu re to th e Jew ish nation (Rom. 11:26-29).g-G riffith Thomas. V. 17. The possession enjoined (V. 17). Abraham is to “walk up and down,” and, as it were, appropriate and claim fo r him self in detail th a t which God gives (cf. Josh. 1 :3 ). The promises of God are to be appropriated by faith , and it is thu s the purpose of God becomes realized in individual ex perience.— Griffith Thomas. 14:1. It is no t long since th a t destructive higher criti cism sought to do away w ith th e historicity of th e events n arrate d in th is chapter, b u t archeologists, in th e ir excava tions, have brought to ligh t hieroglyphic w ritings which clearly establish th e ir historical basis.— Evans. Melchizedek is mentioned th ree times in th e Scriptures: in history (Genesis 1 4 ); in prophecy (Psalm 110 ); in fu l filment (Hebrews 5-7). There is g reat need today of th e study of th e types of Scripture. Read th e rebuke of th e w riter to th e Hebrews (5 :10 -14 ).—W illiam Evans. i p a » ELEMENTARY K ate H. Haus A fter Noah died, God found a good man living in the city of Ur. (Show m ap). God told him to leave his coun try, and go to th e country th a t God would guide him to. Abraham did as God said, tak ing all his fam ily ahd be longings, his nephew Lot and his family, and sta rted away. God led him to Canaan. (Show map) There God promised him all th a t land, for his children. He prom ised to bless him and make a g reat nation of his Children, and punish any who were unkind to them. (These children are the Jews.) Near Bethel (show m ap ), Abraham bu ilt an a lta r and worshipped God. Abraham was 75 years old and had no children, bu t he believed God. A fter awhile, a fam ine came to the land, and his people began to starve. There was no fam ine in Egypt (show map) so Abraham decided to go th ere w ith all he had, and Lot w ent along. Sarah, his wife was beautiful, so he told h er he would call h er “ sis ter,” for if he said “wife,” th e king m ight kill him , and take her for his wife. Sure enough, they brought S arah to th e king, and he decided to m arry her. But before he could, God brought a g reat plague upon th e king and his house, so he found out th a t Sarah was Abraham ’s wife, and not his sister. She was sent back to Abraham , and they were sen t back to th e ir own country, Lot going w ith them. Abraham went to Bethel (show m ap ), bu ilt an altar, and got rig h t w ith God once more. (W h at had been wrong w ith him ?) Then Lot’s servants began fighting w ith Abraham ’s; Lot was told to look over th e land and choose where he wanted to live, and go there, and Abraham
would go in the opposite direction, so th ere would be no more fighting. Lot chose Sodom, (show map) and Abraham stayed in Canaan. I t was not long before he heard th a t some kings had come to Sodom and carried away Lot and all he had, as prisoners. When he heard th a t, he took his servants who could fight, and w ent afte r those kings, conquered them, and brought back Lot and all th a t had been taken away. On coming back, Melchizedek, a king and p riest of God, m et him, blessed him, and fed him. The King of Sodom wanted to pay Abraham for bringing back th e prisoners, bu t Abraham would take nothing from him. Sodom was a very wicked place, and Lot had had no business to go there, bu t it was a rich country and th a t was why Lot chose it. He got into trouble later, as we will find out.
Abraham obeyed God, so God continued to bless him, and bless all who were good to him. God always blesses those who love and obey Him, and believe w hat He says, as Abraham did. Memory Verse: “ I will make of thee a g rea t nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name g rea t; and thou sh alt be a blessing.” Gen. 12:2.
“CAUGHT UP” Jesus, faith fu l to H is word. Shall w ith a shout descend; All heaven’s host th e ir glorious Lord Shall pompously attend : Christ shall come w ith dreadful noise. L ightnings sw ift and thunders loud; W ith the g reat A rchangel’s voice, And w ith the trum p of God. F irs t the dead in Christ shall rise, Thfen we th a t yet remain Shall be caught up to th e skies, And see our Lord again: We shall meet Him in the air, All ra p t up to heaven shall be; Find, and love, and praise him there, To all eternity. Who can tell th e happiness This glorious hope affords? Happy while on earth we b reathe; M ightier bliss ordained to know; Trampling down sin, hell, and death, To th e th ird heaven we go. Joy u n u tte r’d we possess In these reviving words:
— C. Wesley.
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