The Jamesburg record., 1901-08-17
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
for August Is, 10OI-Abrnham's
Intercession.
THE LESSON TEXT.
(GapesfS Ia.1e22l

Genesis 1S:16-33)
1s And the men rose up from thence. ana
looked toward Sodom; and Abraham went
with them to bring them on the way.
r. And the Lord said, Shall hide from
ADraham that thing which do;
IL. Seeing that Abraham shall surely be-
come great and mighty nation, and all
the nations Of the earth shall be blessed in
him?
10. For 1 know him, that he will COM
mand his children and his household after
him, and they shall keep the way Of the
Lord, to do Justice and judgment; that the
Lord may bring upon Abraham that which
he hath spoken of him.
%. And the Lord said, Because the cry
OF Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and be-
cause their sin is very grievous;
a will go down now. and see whether
they nave done altogether according to the
cry Of 1t. which is come unto me; and IL
not, will know.
z And the men turned their faces from
thence, and went toward Sodom; but Abra-
nam stood yet before the Lord.
70. And Abraham drew near and said
wit thou also destroy the righteous with
the wicked?
"a. Peradventure there be 50 righteous
within the city; wilt thou also destroy and
not spare the place for the 50 righteous that
are therein?
8 That be far fro<n thee to do after this
manner, to slay the righteous with the wick
ed; and that the righteous should be as the
wicked, that be far from Thee; shall not
the Judge OF all the earth do right?
%. And the Lord said. If 1 find in Sodom
90 righteous within the city, then l will
spare all the place for their sakes.
u. And Abraham answered and said
Behold now, have taken upon me to speak
unto the Lord, which am but dust and
ashes;
q. Peradventure there shall lack five Of
wilt 6aG ~
city for lack Of five? And He said, If find
there forty and five, will not destroy IT,
~ And he spake unto Him yet again, and
said, Peradventure there shall be 10 found
there And He said, / will not do it for
forty's sake.
30. And he said unto Him, Oh let not the
Lord be angry, and will speak; Peradven-
ture there shall 30 be found there. And
said. will not do it, If find 30 there.
IL And he said. Behold now, l have taken
upon me to speak unto the Lord: Perad-
venture there shall be 20 found there And
He said, l will not destroy it for twenty's
sake.
%. And he said. Oh let not the Lord be
angry, and will speak yet but this once;
Peradventure ten shall be found there.
And He said, will not destroy it for tens
sake.
g. And the Lord went His way, as soon
as He had left communing with Abraham;
ano Apraham returned unto his place.
vent prayer of a righteous man
availeth much.-Jas SHE
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
The scripture to be read includes
the story of the destruction of Sodom
and Lots escape (Gen. 1s:1-1s: 30).
Entertaining Angels.-The visit of
the angels is marked because it in
cluded an appearance of Jehovah Him
self. Abraham did not recognize Him
at first, but his eyes were opened be-
fore the departure of his visitors.
What Abraham did as a welcome to
the angels he would no doubt have
done for any other travellers. 1t was
the custom of the time and the coun-
try, and still Is the custom of the land,
to welcome visitors as though they
were comforting a favor rather than
receiving one.
The Intercession for Sodom.-Abra-
ham, in accompanying his guests as
they departed, was still following the
custom of the time. The revelation of
Gods intention concerning Sodom was
a token of the honor in which Abra-
ham was held by the Lord. The depar-
ture of the angels left Abraham alone
in the presence of Jehovah. 1t had not
been said distinctly that the city was
to be destroyed, but Abraham knew
enough about the place to be sure that
destruction would result. The inter
cession was not only for Lots sake,
however, but was made out of pity for
all the people. The righteous, in Abra-
hams sense, were not so much reli-
gious men as men who made an honest
attempt to do right. Such an attempt
includes some sense, though not al
ways an intelligent one, of the inter
est of God in the effort. The fearless
ness of Abraham's appeal to the JUS
tice of God (V. 25) is remarkable. The
argument does not hold in practical
life, because the righteous suffer with
the wicked; but we are taught that the
righteous are the means of delaying
and tightening Gods judgments Us.
1:9; Matt. 5:13; 24:22). United with
boldness in Abraham's petition is a
marked humility. This characteristics
appears in his speaking of himself as
dust and ashes, and in his deprecatory
word in verses 80, 81, 80. The story
illustrates the value of prayer to the
man who offers it. God was as ready
at first to spare Sodom for ten as for
80 righteous men. '
The Rescue of Lot.-Lot was right
eous man. but too tolerant of evil.
And just here is where so many
Christians manifest fatal weakness.
They know the good but are dominat-
ed by the evil. Sad tragedy was this
in the life of Lot. A tragedy which
had its beginning when Lot, on sep
arating from Abraham and his right
eous influence, pitched his ten TO-
wards Sodom. 1t was not long ere
he was in the city itself. Step by
stan ha hacaua q draliax anidS+