The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-01-24
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
JANUARY 2S.
Lesson Text: Goods Covenant = N
Noah,' Genesis tx, S-17 -
Golden Text: Genesis, TX,
l3-Comment

8. "And God spoke unto Noah and to hi1
sons with him. saying" We have passed
over probably 1900 years since the last les
son, during which time the views OF Cam
and Abel had full time to develop and
bear fruit. In the line Of Seth, who took the
place of Abel. his brother. the most notable
of those recorded in chapter v. was Enoch,
the seventh from Adam dude 1D, VINO
walked with God at least 800 years and was
then translated without tasting death. The
descendants of Cain, who turned away from
God. gave their attention to building cities,
inventing musical instruments, working IN
brass and iron and trying to make this
world happy place without God. The re-
suit of Gains way i3 seen in chapter vi. 5,
and the only remedy was the deluge, which
came after long warning, destroying all ex'
cept Noah and those with him in the ark.
8. "And I, behold, establish my cove
nant with you and with your seed after
you." This is the first covenant, so called
in the Scriptures and Is first mentioned in
chapter vi, 18. 1t concerns the whole earth.
Then we have 400 years later the covenant
with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob concerning
the land of Canaan and the people who
should inherit 1t as a center OF blessing to
the whole earth. These two are uncondt'
tional. About 400 years later we have the
conditional covenant at Horeb. Compare
Deut. v, 2, 8, and Gal. ILL.,, II. Then some
400 years after that we have the uncondt-
tional covenant with David concerning the
throne and the kingdom. Happy are all who
can make the last words OF David their own
and rest quietly in the faithfulness OF God
although my house be not 80 with God,
yet He hath made with me an everlasting
in ,n fhfnopd and anr6''
(Il. Sam. xxiii., 81.
10. "And with every living creature that
Is with you, OF the fowl, OF the cattle and OF
every beast OF the earth with you; from all
that go out OF the ark to every beast OF the
earth" The Lord Is good to all, and His
tender mercies are over all His works (Ps.
cxlv.. 81. Even the sparrows Of which i've
are sold for two farthings are cared for. by
Him duke xii, 81. And the whole creation
which still groaneth and travaileth in pain
because OF sin shall yet be delivered from
the bondage OF corruption into the glorious
liberty of the children Of God (Rom. WILL,
81. 22).
IL. "And will establish my covenant
with you. Neither shall oil flesh be cut on
any more by the waters OF flood; neither
shall there any more be food to destroy
the earth" The next publication OF the
earth shall be fire, after which there shall be
a new earth filled with Righteousness to
abide forever II Pet. Ill, 6, 7, 10, 13). The
earth will not be destroyed-that Is, annthi-
lated-but purified from all 'deflement,
loosed Gas the word "dissolved" signifies,
from its bondage Of sin. And as 1t was In
the days of Noah 80 shall 1t be In the days
preceding that publication (Luke xviii, rs,
~.
IL. "And God said, This is the token Of the
covenant which make between Me and you,
and every living creature that Is with you
for perpetual generations. In great mercy
and loving kindness God condescends to give
to man outward and visible signs OF. His faith
fulness. The token to Abraham was circum
cision in the passover 1t was the blood upon
the door to Rahab It was the scarlet cord
to Gideon the fire from the rock; to Ahaz II
was the virgins son (Gen. xviii. II Ex. x1.,
13; Joshua H., 12. 18; Judg. VI. II, n isa.
vii, 14). The last, even Jesus Himself. Is to
us the sign that He will do all that He has
said.
IS. ~ do set Ny bow in the cloud, and 1t
shall be for a token of a covenant between
Me and the earth" This Is the first time
that we r BAD of the rainbow, and 1t Is only
spoken OF In four places, here and In Ezek.
l., 2S Rev. w., 8; K, l. Four In Scripture
is the perfect number concerning the earth
and in each OF these four places the bow
speaks OF q redeemed earth. In the other
three places as we'll as in this 1t Is seen In
connection with Him who IS the only Re-
deemer.
IA. :.An1 it shall come to pass, when I
bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow
shall be seen in the clouds.' The clouds
would be more interesting to US II we re-
membered that He brings them and that
they are the dust of His feet (Nlh. l., 81. He
led Israel by pillar which was cloud by
day and fire by night, and which He also
spread over the whole encampment as CO..
ering Ex. Kill, 81, %; Ps. cv., 39). at the
transformation d cloud oTershadowed Him
when He assembled a cloud received Him
and when He shall come again in His glory
bringing His saints with Him 1t will be In the
clouds OF heaven (Math. xviii, s.; XVI, "a
Acts l., 81. Clouds sometimes teach that,
though His way be not clear to US, yet we
are to trust Him implicitly.
Is. "And I will remember my cover ant
which Is between Ne and you, and every liv.
ing creature of all flesh, and the waters shall
no more become food to destroy all flesh. v
See also what He will remember In Lev.
XVI, AZ, As, and Eek. xvi, GO. Consider
what we are to remember In Deut. VII, IL
Will, 2; Chron. xvi, 12 Eccl. xii, 1
Cor. xi., "a, 25. Take comfort also in what
He will not remember elsa. kill, 25; Heb.
Will, 12; X, I'D. Notice that In the margin
OF lisa. xii. 6, 7, We are called "the Lord 9
remembrances" and observe carefully what
we ore to remind them OF. The R. V. says
we are to take no rest and give Him no rest
till He does this. He does not need to be
reminded, but He condescends to let US do
this, and loves to have us plead His prom
ises.
IS. sand the bow shall be in the cloud,
and I will look upon it, that may renember
the everlasting covenant between God and
overy living creature OF all flesh that is upon
the earth" How many OF us ever think
when we see q rainbow In the clouds that
God is looking specially upon 1t and Is inter
ested in It that the cloud is His, and the
bow is His, and the covenant is His, and
when we are interested in that which inter
ests Him then we have fellowship with Him:
When the clouds come in our lives, may we
by faith see also the bow and rejoice that
however things may seem to go we are In the
bonds OF an everlasting covenant ordered In
all things and sure.
II. "And God said unto Noah, This Is the
token OF the covenant which have estab-
lished between Me and all flesh that is upon
the earth" The word for establish" Is often
translated raise up" confirm per
FORM" accomplish" and Is the very word
used when speaking 20 Moses of Christ. II
will raise them up prophet like unto thee.
All things that God says or does are estab-
lished in Christ When We are in Christ by
simple faith. and just taking Him at His
word. we, too, become established, but Lot
otherwise (II Chron. Xxx. 90; 1sa. vii, o.
Lesson Helper.