The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1901-08-30

lssssn 10 the international Sc ross
for septcnbes 4. iOOi-Isase
the Peace maker.
THE LESSON TENT.

i3 And the man waxed great and went
forward and grew until he became very
great
a. For he had possession OF nocks. and
possession OF herds. and great store OF
servants; and the Phillstlnes envied him
Is. For an the wells which his fathers
servants had digged In the days OF Abra-
ham his father. the Philistlnos had stopped
them, and hlled them with earth.
l6. And Abimelech said unto Isaac. co
from US. for thou art much mightier than
H. And Isaac departed thence and pitched
his tent In the valley OF Gerar. aud dwell
there.
u. And Isaac dgged again the wells OF
water. which they had digged IN the days
OF Abraham his father: for the Philis,ines
had stopped them after the death Of Abra-
ham; and he called their names after the
names by which his father had called them,
~. And lsaac's servants digged In the
valley. and found there a well Of springlng
water
20. And the herdmen OF Gerar did strive
with lsaacs herdmen. saying. The water
Is ours. and he called the name of the well
Essex; because they strove with him.
2. And they dlgged another we'll. and
ttroye FOR that also. and he called the name
OF It Sitnah
.. And he removed from thence, and
cigged another well: and for that they
strove not; and he called the name OF II
kehoboth; and he said. For row the LORD
hath made room for us. and We shall Le
fruitful In the land.
sheba.
q. And the Lord appeared unto him tn.
same night. and said. l am thu God OF
Abraham thy father: fear not for | am
with thee, and VIII bless thee. and multiply
thy seed for my servant Abrahams sake
% And he bulldcd an altar there. and
called upon the name Of the Lord. and
pitched his tent there; and there Isaac's
servants digged we'll
GOLDEN TENT.-Blcssed are the
peace makers, for they shall he called
the children Of God.-Mntt. 80.
NOTES AND COMMENTS
Death of Sarah.-The account OF
Sarah's death finds its interest for us
in the connected story of Abraham's
purchase of the cave Of Machpelah
The procedure was characterstically
oriental. The owner would have felt
aggrieved had Abra ham taken him al
his word when he Offered him the cave
as gift. This burial place was the
only ground Abraham himself ever
owned in Canaan.
lsaac's Marriage. -Eliezer l5:o) /,
generally supposed to be the servant
referred to in this account. but that is
not certain. as his name : not men.
toned here. The servant in any case
was Abraham's steward and OF course
greatly trusted. Abraham believed
that Isaac should marry one more in
sympathy with the spiritual worship
he practiced than any Canaanitisb
woman would be-
Abra hams Burial.-The marriage
with keturah occurred probably after
Sarah's death. The mention of il and
OF the descendants of Ishmael IL fos
the purpose of tracing the relation.
ship between the Hebrews and their
neighbors. Ishmaers attendance al
Abraham's burial indicates greater
harmony between Ishmael and Isaac
than might be expected. Perhaps
Abraham had restored friendly rela.
tions after Sarah's death.
The Covenant with Isaac.-The Di.
vine manifestations came to the patri
archs generally at the crises Of Their
lives. This revelation 20 Isaac came
when famine threatened him. His sin.
full deceit regarding Rebekah was sim.
liar to Abraham's. They steadfastly
cherished hope for their descendants,
but sometimes failed to keep their
trust in Gods protection OF them.
selves.
isaac the Peacema ker-There is nc
mention Of Abraham's tilling the
ground. and probably he had done very
little OF II, IL at all. Isaac's succe $ ful
venture is noteworthy on that ac-
count. as well as for its increase OF
his possessions 10 the point where the
Phlistines became envious Of him.
The conditions Of life in Pale tine
make wells very important. Abra ham
had been dligent in opening them, but
the Philistines. apparently not wish.
Ing TO make il easy for him TO live
among them. had filled them after his
departure. These wells Isaac now dug
again. The wells over which the Phil.
istincs strove with Isaac were az va.
rious points in southern Judah. Beer.
rhcba being no doubt the mosteaster.
ly place mentioned i'm this section. The
Philistines' treatment Of Isaac was I'm.
Just in so far as they took advantage
Of his labor, but their claim to the
land was probably fair. In any case.
Isaac could not well resist them. since
their force was much greater than his,
Isaac, however, was moved probably
not only by thoughts Of benefit 20
himself. but also by gratitude for the
Kindness he had received from the
Philistine king. The revelation Of God
70 Isaac after the trouble over the
wells was sanction Of his conduct.
and new assurance that he had in
herited the promises made {, Ahrn
ham. In this conflict between tie
servants OF Isaac and the Philistines
and his gracious yielding Matt. 5. -,
we begin TO see the working out OF
the prophecy in Gen. l5:13-ls. The
wickedness of the heather nations
was not yet full. The time to possess
the promised land by force was not
yet ripe. Isaac. though knowing that
the land was his by promise, yielded,
willing to abide Gods time and Gods