October 10, 1948 BIOGRAPHY IN THE BIBLE Gen. 11:31-12:5; 17:1-8
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the significance of the occasion registered in his soul. His servant being in a reverent atti tude, “ God talked with him” and made known more fully the magnitude of his calling. He was to be “a father of many nations” (w . 4-8). It is always so. When men come face to face with God in a reverent spirit, He makes known to them His plan for their lives. Gen. 12:1-8; 13:1-12; 18:1-10; 21:1-3 Memory Verse: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matt. 22:37). The book of Genesis in God’s library contains several thrilling stories of pio neers, who had exciting experiences be cause they obeyed God’s voice. Can you think of the names of some of them? There were Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Jo seph, and many others. Today we are going to think especially of Abraham. God commanded Abraham to leave his country and his relatives and to go into a strange land. He was promised that if he obeyed he would become a great nation and a blessing to all of the world. In the new land, Abraham remembered God and built altars at the places where he stopped. During a famine, Abraham’s faith became weak. He went into the land of Egypt rather than trust God to care for him in the land of Canaan. In Egypt he became very rich. Finally he returned to Canaan and to his faith in God. Lot, a nephew who had come to Canaan with Abraham, had also become wealthy. Their herdsmen quarreled and caused Abraham and Lot to separate. Later, as Abraham sat in his tent door, the Lord appeared unto Him speak ing through three men. After the men had eaten, they told Abraham that Sarah, his wife, would have a son. Be cause of their old age, Sarah laughed at this promise, but God was faithful in sending the son whom they called Isaac. God performed many miracles in the life of this Old Testament hero and pioneer who loved his Lord with all of his soul and with all of his heart and with all of his mind. The story of his faith challenges Christians today to trust and obey their God with whom nothing is impossible. ’ Helps for the Children Stories of Pioneers
Pointers on the Lesson Abraham is the only Old Testament character who is “ called the Friend of God” (Jas. 2:23). To this day he is known among the Arabs as El Khalil (Friend of God). He is one of the most heroic figures of history and God’s chosen instrument for the realization of the divine purposes of redemption. The im portance of this man in the Bible story is suggested by the fact that nearly 14 of the 50 chapters of Genesis are de voted to him. He is rightly called “ the father of the faithful.” His biography is packed full of practical lessons for those who would follow God. God’s Call Incompletely Obeyed (11:31, 32) God first called Abraham at Ur of the Chaldees. A study of Acts 7 :2-4 will make this clear. God appeared to him there- “ before he dwelt in Charran” (v. 2). God called his servant to go to the land of Canaan, but it is clear that he went only as far as Haran, only about half way to the Promised Land. There for some time he remained. Possibly his father was not altogether in favor of the pilgrimage to Canaan. But the place of blessing was there. Too often it is like this with God’s children today. God calls but His call is only partially obeyed. But full divine blessing comes only when God’s people do the thing and get into the place He desires for them. God’s Call Repeated (12:1-5) God did not forsake Abraham because of his incomplete obedience. He called again. The call in 12:1 doubtless came to Abraham in Haran, especially in view of Acts 7 :2-4. God often repeats His calls; He did in the case of Jonah. God manifests His grace by giving man an other chance. Especially is this likely where there has been a partial obedience in connection with the first call as in Abraham’s case. In the second call there was the promise of (1) a land, (2) a seed, (3) a world-wide blessing. The obedience that was given to this repeated call is vividly suggested in verses 4 and 5. God’s Call Enlarged (17:1-8) Some time had elapsed since the calls in Ur and Haran. Thirteen years had gone by since the trouble about Hagar in the previous chapter. Undoubtedly new assurance of the fulfillment of God’s promises was needed now. God manifested Himself by a new name, El Shaddai [Almighty God]. This name was designed to assure Abraham of the abil ity of God to accomplish all that He had promised. The fact that Abraham “fell on His face” (v. 3) indicates that
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Answers to Lively Quiz: (Continued from Page 18)
1. A wind. 2. A tentmaker. 3. A pit. 4. A king of Judah. 5. Hanged. 6. An island. 7. A queen. 8. Isaiah. 9. Luke 10. Glad. 11. Twenty-one. 12. Rachel. 13. A plant. 14. Numbers. 15. Athens. T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
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