The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-02-15
Ifagar.
Sarah.
Abraham.
Keturah.

PIG Shuah.
Abraham had three wives and eight children.
Rev. DIR. Lasker, late rabbi of Boston, once
said What a gallery of illustrious names is
the Bible? What brilliant array of great
characters. both men and women, whose names
are TO last, when recent moBarchs and king
doms shall be forgotten. But, like the highest
summit of a mountain range, Abraham, at the
dawn Of history, towers above the rest of men.
And, il the life of any great man is lesson to
the multitude, revelation of the divine with
in us, an inspiration to virtue, Abraham is more
to US. He is pattern of humanity. the ideal
of human greatness. He is the soul, the rep
resentative spirit of the Jewish race. IN him
the Hebrew nation ever saw its own character
typifed. Born in the lap OF heathenism, reared
in the midst Of idOlatry, the plain Chaldesn
shepherd rose above priests and sages 10 become
a guiding star to a benighted world when he
obeyed the Divine call Go, leave thy paternal
soil to scatter the seeds Of Gods truth, and be-
blessing to all the families of the EARTH u"
ABRAHAM ABOUT TO SACRIFICE ISAAC ON Mt.
MeRIAH.
Helpful Literature.
/. Isaac and His Sons. J. W. Thompson
Monthly Religious Magazine, 8: Sal; 8: 40
g Oblatien of Isaac Fignratve of Christ's
Death. Theological Repository. 6: 90.
g. Isaac OIL Mt. Morish Type of Christ
L. T. Titus. Evangeiic Review. 10: 447.
A. Old Testament Characters Isaac Williams
s. The Doctrine of Sacrifice Deduced from
the Scriptures. f. d. Maurice.
Helps to the Understanding of this Lesson.
The incident we study is styled Abraham's
trial OF faith. The facts warrant the strong
word trial." and the sequel elicits our won
der admiration, and praise. When Abram
was 20 years DID, God promised him the land
of Canaan an inheritance, though as yet he
had no heir. t15:7.l Then at Haran, when
Abram was rs years old (12: d., God promised
to make OF him a great Nation (12: 81 and to
render him blessing to all families of earth
az: 81, and to give to his seed the land of
Canaan. t12:7) After Abrsm and Lot sepa-
rated. Abram being 81 years old, God appeared
to him and promised that his seed should be
countless as the dust 13:16.) 1t would seem
Abrams faith began to WAIVER some, for, in
1872, we find him quite cast down. God visits
and comforts him with the assurance his off
spring would resemble the very stars for num-
Der. Us: 81 Then, after all this strain on
Abrams faith. after 80 years have passed since
the promise OF his numerous progeny made to
Abram at Ur, when Abram is 100 years old,
Isaac is born of Sarah. (21:5) Now there
seems light. Now there is prospect of the
promise of God as to Abrams countless descend
ants being realized. Tbirty-three years pass.
and, behold, God appears and tells Abraham to
take his son to certain mountain, and, STAY
sacrifice. q 20
No wonder is expressed. No questions are
asked. No theories are advanced. No modif-
cations as to time place, or method are sug-
gested. God ordered, and Abraham's business
was to obey. Feeling seemingly played
part in the matter. Abraham understood that
his first duty was to obey God. 1t is probable
of course, that Abraham had his theories, but
we cannot discover them. We know he did
not act by mere mechanical rractcalness. but
rather by faith. SO ST. Paul said "By faith
Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac"
(Heb., l:17.) He had some sort or degree of
faith. He may have believed that God, who
enabled Isaac to be born miracu lously. could
give another son in similar way to himself
and Sarah, for the mother was still alive. Or
he may have believed that God would restore
his son Isaac to him from the dead.
Words and Phrases.
/. "These things" ". II mean the birth of
Isaac, the dismissal of Hagar and Ishmael, the
treaty between Abraham and Abimelech, ETC.
2. Tempt When it is said God did tempt
Abraham" ". II, we are not to understand
that God set out on purpose to lead the patri-
arch into the sin of murder. The Revised
Version is more correct. For tempt" it has
"prove."
3. Lamb. (V.7.) Compare st. John, /: %.
A. Altar. ". 81 Simply of rude stones.
5. Bound. (V.9.) Involuntarily human
form would react when burning. We are not
to understand any reluctance on the part of
Isaac. We recall how Christ was nailed (bound)
TO the cross.