Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-07-20
international gessolt.
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON ", THIRD QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, JULY %.

Text of the Lesson, Gen. XII. 10
Memory Verses, 1-3-Golden Fext'
Gen. xii, %Commentary Prepared
by the Rev. d. NJ. Stearns.
[Copyright, 1901. by American Press Association.l
In chapter < we have 20 descendants
of Noah among whom the earth was dl
vidcd, and Deut. xxXii, 8, says that God
set the bounds Of the people with refer
ence to the number of the children Of Is
rael, although such people were not then
in existence except before God. FROM
before the world was made both the
church and Israel were real to God. and
He clearly saw the end when through
them He would rule the world in right
eousness lisa. XVI, 8, 10Y. Chapter II
tells of mans degcneracy and union
against God to make them name. This
is the beginning of the story Of Babylon,
the end of which is found in Rev. xvii
and xviii, and the great feature of which
is self gloriication. Let us make us a
name." Here We have the beginning Of
languages because of this rebellion. Then
follow the ten generations from Shem to
Abram inclusive. In chapter we had
the ten generations from Adam to Noah
inclusive. these 20 generations being on
the line of the righteous and leading on
to Christ. Man apart from God ever de-
generates. Sin turned Adam and Eve from
Eden, sin brought the deluge and de-
stroyed all except those in the ark, sin
brought the confusion Of tongues, and
now after 1000 years sin again prevails,
| and from the idol worshipers beyond the
river the Lord takes Abram that He may
bless him and make him blessing to all
people on earth (Joshua xiv, 2, b.
1-3. will bless thee and make thy
name great, and thou shalt be blessing,
and in thee shall all families Of the earth
be blessed. These are some of the words
of the Lord to Abram while yet in Ur of
the Chaldees by which He would draw
him from country and kindred and per
form through him all His pleasure by
separating him unto Himself and placing
him in a land which He would in due
time give him as an Inheritance. Ste.
phen said In his discourse that the God
Of glory appeared to Abram. and it is evl'
dent from another record that something
more than the earthly Inheritance was
set before him, for he looked for city
which hath foundations whose builder
| and maker is God lActs vii. 2: Heb. xi
10Y. Notice in these opening verses of
our lesson the fourfold 81 will" Of the
Lord-"I will shew," 81 will make" and
the double II will bless" The promises
and assurances are all from God. Abram
hears, believes, obeys. he died in faith.
| ho- hn
gave him none inheritance in it. yet He
promised that He would Heb. xi. IL:
Acts vii. 81.
4, 5. "Abram was seventy and five
years old when he departed out Of Ha.
ran." In chapter xi. 81, 81. we read that
his father, Terah. who served other gods
(Joshua xiv, q, accompanied him SO far
as Haran. Abram tarried there until
! his father died, and then, taking with
him Lot, his brothers son. they came into
Canaan. Did Terah hinder Abram!
Might he have gone on into Canaan if he
had been willing? These are not as i'm.
portant questions as such personal ones
as the following: Am by lack Of faith
or by an unwillingness to be separate
from this present evil world. hindering
any dear one whose heart is longing for
closer walk with God? Am Terah.
saying that Haran is far enough?
6. I. And the Lord appeared unto
Abram and said. Unto thy seed will |
give this land. and there builded he an
altar unto the Lord who appeared unto
him." We do not read Of any appear
ance Of the Lord to Abram at Haran,
for the first verse Of our lesson refers to
the Lords appearance and message in
Mesopotamis tActs vii. 2, 81. but now.
Abram having obeyed fully, the Lord
appears to him a second time and con-
firms His promise. Until we obey fully
up to the light We have we cannot expect
further light or revelation. This is
Abrams first altar in the land. By sac
ri6ce he worships God in His appointed
way. At this place Jacob afterward
bought piece of ground. There Joshua
gathered Israel for his farewell address.
| There he buried the body of Joseph, and
there Jesus talked with the woman at the
well (Gen. xxxiii, Joshua xiv, John iv).
The land was already occupied by the
Canaanites, and Abram must be content
with his tent and altar and to be pill
grim and a stranger until Gods time
should come to give him the land.
s. There he builded an altar unto the
Lord and called upon the name Of the
Lord" This is his second altar in the
land. and it Is between Bethel and Hal.
The margin says the Al Of Joshua vii. z.
Bethel suggests Gen. xviii. 19. and the
story Of Gods gracious loving kindness
to Jacob. But the principal truth and
practical lesson are associated with the
altar and the sacrifice. Happy is the
man who, whatever be bis home or
dwelling place or surroundings, If it be a
hut or a palace, in some heather wilder.
ness or in some great city, never fails to
have his altar unto the Lord! Redemp.
tion by the blood Of Christ and constant
communion with Him-these are the two
greatest things that any mortal can have.
and they are possible to all who have
ever heard Of Christ and of His redemp
ton. He is calling all who have heard
His voice to separate themselves from
this present world and live wholly for
! Him.
9. "And Abram journeyed. going on
still toward the south" 1t is good to be
always going on in the way Of the Lord.
We read of David that he went on and
grew great tmargir going and growing).
and the Lord God Of hosts was with him
I'll Sam. Y, 10Y. An enlarging and a
winding about is not out of place. il it be
! "still unw0rd still inward still inward