955
HE KING'S BUSINESS
When they got Into the land that God had promised to give him, Abram found it already inhabited by great and warlike nations-not by one na– tion, but by a number of nations. What could he do, a solitary man, in that land? Not only was his faith tested by finding the land preoccupied by other strong and hostile nations, but he had not been there a great while before a great famine came upon him. No doubt a great conflict was going on In his breast, and he said to himself: "What does this mean? Here I am, thirteen hundred miles away from my own land, and surrounded by a warlike people. And not only that, but a fa– mine has come, and I must get out of this country." Now, I don't believe that God sent Abram down to Egypt. I think that He was only testing him, that he might in his darkness and in his trouble be drawn nearer to God. I believe that many a time trouble and sorrow are permitted to come to us that we may see the face of God, and be shut up to trust in Him alone. But Abram went down into Egypt, and there he got into trouble by denying his wife. That Is the blackest spot on Abram's character. But when we get into Egypt we will always be getting into trouble. Abram became rich; but we don't hear of any altar-in fact, we hear of no altar at Haran, and we hear of no altar in Egypt. When he came up with Lot out of Egypt, they had great possessions, and they increased in wealth, and their herds had multiplied, until there was a strife among their herdsmen. Now it is that Abram's character shines out again. Instead of standing up for his rights, to choose the best of the land, he surrenders them, and says to the nephew: "Take your choice. If you go to the right hand, I will take the left; or if
:15-18. Because Abraham did not ii in the supreme test of offering up s son, because he had enacted rough his suffering and obedience, In pe the sacrifice of Christ, therefore hen that sacrifice should be accom– llshed, a stream of blessing should ow through all the world from the tonement and the Messianic reign. ael restored and converted shall yet ke the place of world supremacy and ead the nations in the worship and the ork of God. The following Is taken from a ser– on by D. L. Moody: Abraham was called to give up his dred and his native count1·y, and to go out, not knowing MMENT whither he went. While men were . L. Moody busy b u i 1 d i n g up Babylon, God called Is man out of that nation of the Chal– eans. He lived down near the mouth f the Euphrates, perhaps three hun– red miles south of Babylon, when he as called to go into a land that he erhaps had never heard of before, and possess that land. It was several years before this that od first told him to leave Ur of the haldees. Then he came to Haran, hlch is about half-way between the lley of the Euphrates and the valley f the Jordan. God had called him into e land of the Canaanite, and he came alf-way, and stayed there-we do not ow just how long, but probably about Te years. God had plans He wanted to work t through Abram, and He could not ork them out as long as he was there Haran. Affliction came, and then we d that he Jett Haran, and started r the Promised Land.
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