The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1894-02-22
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.

2e;I-13.
Especially Arranged from Peioubct's Notss.l
GOLDEN TExr-By faith Abraham when he
was tried, offered up Isaac Heb Ii: H.
SECTION OF HISTORY includes chaps 2o.c2
TINE Probably about b. c. 1874 Twenty.
six years after our last lesson. The exact
time is uncertain. 1t depends on the ass of
Isaac, who was born b G. 1898 He was ccr-
tainly a young man at this time II he WIS
twenty-five, as Josephus says, then the date at
the present lesson would be 1871.
PLACE-Abraham's home was now s ,er.
sheba instead of Hebron. as in our last lesson.
1t was a town on the southern border Of PaleS.
tine forty-five miles south Of Jerusalem. The
sacrifice was upon Mount Moriah, on that part
which was afterward the site OF the temple OF
Jerusalem, or on Calvary, just north Of the
temple
ABRAHAM, now one hundred and twenty-five
years Old, living at Bcersheba with Sarah. He
had two sons, Ishmael. thirty.nine years old,
but banished from home and Isaac, living at
home.
ISAAC was born at Beersheba B. G. 1905 His
name Isaac, l. e.. laughter, expresses parents
joy at the birth OF a son in their old age.
LESSON NOTES.
The Circumstances.--Let us take a
glance over the intervening years.
First. Very soon after the destruction
of Sodom Abraham left that region.
and went southerly and dwelt in the
vicinity of the Philistines. Here again.
as in Egypt. Abraham's faith showed an
imperfection in its hold on his daily
life After this he dwells at peace
with his Philistine neighbors, passing
gently into quiet. serene old age.
and still strong and vigorous, though
one hundred and twenty-five years old
Second. Isaac was born as the reward
of faith. AS he grew up Abraham
showed weakness in yielding to Sarah's
request, and the boys rough conduct.
and sending away Hagar and his son
Ishmael, now grown to be an active
boy of fourteen to seventeen years. 1t
was bitter trial to Abraham. We
need only notice the instructive Incl
dent of Hagar and Ishmael almost dy-
ing of thirst, while we'll of
water was close at hand, unseen
till the angel showed it TO her.
So often we mourn when con-
ISOLATION is close by us unseen. We
lament bitterly when the water of life
is at our side. We are weak, we are
despairing, we cry in the dark when
God is very near with help. So, Bun
vans Pilgrims in Giant Despair castle
felt themselves utterly lost and hope
less, though the key of promise was all
the time in liopeful's possession. So
the sailors at the mouth of the Anna
zon were perishing of thirst, not
knowing where they were. and that the
, fresh waters of the great river We're on
: every side.
Third. There always comes special
danger in times of long-contnucd
placid existence, moving on in the
even tenor of the way. like seasons
without cloud or storm. Rust and
malaria may injure as really as storms
and hard usage. 4 sudden and strong
trial would o. increase Abr&harn's
faith; (2) give him a consciousness ol
his faith, an assurance to his owr
! soul (3) show his faith to those who
were unbelievers; az call attention tc
it as a bell does to fire; (5) make him
teacher and exemplar of faith to all
+, after ages.
| The Great Test of Faith.-Vs. |, .. l.
"And it came to pass after these
things" The things described in the
previous chapter. 1t must have beer
a number of years after. God die
tempt Abrahurn:" Tempt" i. e., try
or prove as in the revision.
9. "Talie now thy son, thine only
SON." He was the only son by hi
| wife Sarah: he was the only son o
promise; by the expulsion of IIagar
and lshmael he was the ONLY son LEI
to his fathers house. Whom thol
lovest:" For whom he had waite,
long, in whom his hopes had centcred
who was the joy and comfort of his ole
age. His whole heart rested in him
He was the choicest thing on earth t,
him. He would have given up every
thing he possessed rather than hav
! the least harm come upon his belove'
son. "Get thee into the land of Mo
riah:" The mountainous district O
Jerusalem. The height upon whicl
was the threshing floor of Ornan, tn
subsequent temple mount" q Chron
8: u. ''And offer him there for
burnt offering:' Even as the heathe
around him gave their children in sae
rifice as offering their most preciou
things to God.
! Abrahams obedience was prompt
He did not think he was doing wrong
a. He had the direct command G
God. 1t is true as urged by Cano
Motley that no miracle could be to II
an evidence of Divine command if i
required contradiction of our standar
of morality. But at the same time W
might have commands the full reason c
which we cannot understand, as whe
one is commanded by the city anthor
ties to blow up house, because it
necessary to prevent the spread of
fire, even though he did not see tn
necessity. (2) In Abraham's day tn
universal conscience had only appr,
baton to express for such deed 8