promises with respect to a land, a seed, and a blessing had been given. Had God forgotten? Certainly He had not. To prove it, God grants to His servant a vision in which He shows Himself the answer to all his need (v. 1).' “ I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward.” In other words, God would be Abraham’s pro tection against all his foes and after every victory, He would be his re ward. Verses two and three indicate that Abraham had almost lost hope in seeing the promises of God fulfilled. As yet the promised seed had not arrived. Seeing I go childless suggests the disappointment that was lurking deep in his heart. It looked to him as if his steward, Eliezer, would have to be his heir instead of a son out of his own loins; But in verses four and five God confirmed His previous promise. He had not forgotten to be faithful and gracious. He would yet have a son and a multitudinous prog eny. Verse six shows Abraham’s prompt response to God’s revelation. He be lieved God. With what result? God reckoned or counted him righteous. His faith was the hand that reached out and received the righteousness that God had provided. This same principle operates in the New Testa ment (See Romans 4). By faith the sinner may receive the Saviour who provides for him a perfect righteous ness that will enable him to stand perfect in God’s presence. This is a great verse. Do not pass over it lightly. Further Encouragem ent to Abraham 17:5-8 Abraham was ninety-nine years old now. Still the promises were not ful filled. Many years had elapsed since the covenant of chapter 15 had been made. So now God appears to His servant again to emphasize the prom ised blessing of a seed and a land. Furthermore, God changes his name to harmonize with that fact. Instead of high father his name came to mean father of a multitude. The covenant was made everlasting (v. 8). The climax of the revelation came in the promise of Isaac (w . 17, 18). Abraham laughed but it was the laugh of faith (cf. Rom. 4:20). It seemed almost too good to be true. Yet it was true and God’s servant rejoiced in that fact.
tire earth. As Noah sacrificed to God upon an altar, God also promised him that “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” God had a definite plan for the seasons, and He promised their constant and steady return while the earth re-. mains. If things just happened in the world and in nature as some people teach, there could be no regular sea sons; we could never feel secure or confident. Those of us who believe and know that our God is holding the world in His hands and that He has promised to carefully control it- always, feel safe and secure knowing that He never fails. God’s promises never fail. Just as His promises con cerning nature never fail, so His promises concerning salvation, the providing for the needs of His chil dren, etc., never, never fail. A o ril 15, 1951 GOD'S COVENANT WITH HIS PEOPLE The life of Abraham begins the third probation of the race. He is the only man called the friend of God which indicates that God looked upon him with special consideration. His particular importance is that he be came the father of God’s chosen peo ple, Israel, and by extension the father of all those who by faith receive God’s righteousness. The history of Abra ham’s life gathers about seven super natural manifestations of God to him, each relating to some important occa sion in his life. There is, first, his call to separation in connection with which he is promised a land, a seed, and a blessing (11:31-12:5). Second, in 12:7-9, God appeared to him for the purpose of encouragement. In the third instance, God appeared to His friend to reassure him of the prom ised blessing. (13:14-17). In this week’s lesson the experi ences of Abraham gather about the fourth and fifth of these manifesta tions. Encouragem ent A fte r L ot’s Failure 15:1-6 The strain involved in the rescue of Lot as revealed in the preceding chapter may have tended to get Abra ham’s mind off the promises of God. Mixed up in the carnal affairs neces sary to the restoration of his nephew, quite likely Abraham felt the need of new assurance from God that the divine plan would yet be worked out. Some time had now elapsed since the M A R C H , 195 1 Gen. 15 :1-6 ; 17:5-8, 18, 19 Pointers on the Lesson
taking over? Grave peril faces America today. We are surrounded by the relentless forces of a system that holds half of the world in cruel servitude — a system whose opposition to religion has become a religion in itself. Tragically enough, the same ideas that motivate the inhuman march of Com munism have taken root on our own soil: the idea that man is essentially an animal — that morality is a myth, and sin the illusion of a neurotic mind; the idea that man’s greatest need is for material things — that his terrible longing for security can be met by free medical care or old-age pensions! You’ll find such theories cropping up in all sorts of unlikely places —perhaps even in your Sunday School literature. In such insidious fashion do those who have forsaken the faith of our fathers wreak havoc in the hearts of our children. In this day of apostasy, the ALL-BIBLE GRADED SERIES of Sunday School Lessons stands staunchly for the in spiration o f the Bible, and stresses personal acceptance of Christ as Lord and Saviour. T o give your children faith in God and assurance o f eternal life through faith in Christ, use ALL- BIBLE lessons. Lay a firm foundation with the ALL-BIBLE GRADED SERIES p e t tti& t FREE BOOK
Send me the large, attractive free * P““ | book, "How Firm a Foundation" I J giving complete information on the All-Bible Graded Series.
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Helps For the Children Abraham , a Generous Man Gen. 13
M em ory V e rse : “ A s ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likew ise” (L u k e 6 :3 1 ).
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