The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1901-08-16
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON VII, THIRD QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, AUG. 10.
TeAt of the Lesson. Gen. xviii, 1888.
Memory Verses, 23-25-GOlden Text.
Dos. v, iG-Comnentary Prepared
by the Rev. I'D. NJ. Stearns.

ACopyflgnt, lVJl, Dy American fress Assoclation-I
1919. "And the Lord said, Shall hide
from Abraham that thing which l doy'
We must suppose that the lessol COM
mittee did the best they knew how in Sc
lecting the portions which they have as
signed to us for study, but how they
could be led to omit such portion as
chapter xvii is something OF a mystery.
We trust that all teachers will think it
worth while 10 look at the portions pass
ed over. Last weeks lesson showed US
! Abram made sure, as we supposed. by
the Lords message that all would be as
God had said, yet in chapter xvi we read
that he turned from God to listen to an
earthly suggestion, which brought much
trouble into his household and led TO an
/ interval of Il years in his life OF which
we know nothing. Compare xvi, 16, and
xvii, /; Jer. xvii. D. In chapter xvii the
Lord appears To him under a new name,
the Almighty God (El-ShaddaD, the
Mighty God who is all sufficient, con-
frming and stating more fully the cove
nant and giving him the token which sig
niied death 10 the flesh (Col. ii, IL; Civ
ing him also a new name by putting the
principal letter of His own name Jeho-
: yah (Jhvh) in the midst of his old name
Abram. We cannot know the all sufi-
riency of God till we are willing to have
done with self and walk before Him.
Sarai's name is also changed. and Abra-
ham is assured that the time has come
and within year Sarah shall bear to
him the promised son. The visit Of the
Lord and the two other heavenly ones TO
Abraham in the heat of the day, their
acceptance Of Abraham's hospitality and
the message to Abraham confirmed to
Sarah lead us TO the beginning of today's
lesson. Let the Lords question TO Sarah
in verse II, first clause, along with Jer.
xxi, II. and John xiv, 13. II, lead us TO
expect great things from God.
20 2l The Lord is a righteous judge
and speaks Of Himself here as carefully
inquiring into matters. He shall not
Judge after the sight of His eyes neither
reprove after the hearing of His ears,
but with righteousness shall He judge
Qsa. xi, 3, ~. Everything on earth cries
to Him, and He hears and will in due
time see to it. Note carefully Gen. iv, 10;
Elk. iii, I: Hab. ii, IL; Jas. V, 4; also ere
atoms groans in Rom. viii, % God
hears it all.
% Abraham stood yet before. the
Lord" The other two visitors went to-
ward Sodom. and their visit 10 Lot and
his rescue by them are recorded in the
next chapter, references TO which we find
from the Lord Himself in Luke xvii, 2S
81. Abraham standing before God makes
us think of Elijah and Elisha and also Of
Gabriel II Kings xvii, /; III Kings iii, ii;
Luke /, 19). To appropriate and live in
the power of Ps. xvi, s. is a very proper
and helpful thing to do, remembering
that the Lord seeth not as man seeth, for
man looketh on the outward. appearance,
but the Lord looketh upon the heart Il
Sam. xvi, u. He says, "Lo, | am with
you Away"
23-26. shall not the Judge Of all the
earth do right?" In the rest Of our les
son we see Abraham as the intercessor.
as we afterward see Moses. Samuel, Dan
iel and others, all typical Of Him who
ever liveth TO make intercession for us
(Rom. viii. 81; Heb. vii, 30. We read
that Abraham drew near, and 1t is our
privilege TO draw near with a true heart,
in full assurance OF faith, and TO come
boldly unto the throne OF grace, that we
may obtain mercy and find grace TO help
in time of need 1Ieb. X, %; iv, 10. We
may come not only for ourselves, but for
others. We may forget ourselves and
live chiefly for others, and the more we
renounce self and live for others the more
we shall be like Him who never pleased
Himself nor sought His own will nor His
own glory Rom. XIV, 81 John vi, 80; viii,
50). BY His precious blood He has made
us nigh who once were far off and has
given us access to God at all times (Eph.
Ii, 13: ROM Y. %, with such blessed as
surances for our encouragement as John
xiv. Is. Il; XIV, Z, 10; Mark Xi, "a; John
v, II. -.
21-32. Fearing that there may not be
80 righteous in Sodom. Abraham contn-
ues to plead that the Lord will spare the
city for the sake Of ~. 40, 80. 20, 10,
and the Lord said that He would spare
the city if ten righteous people were
found in it. Six times Abraham pleads.
Some wonder how it might have been if
he had still kept on, but it would appear
that Lot was the only righteous man in
the city, and we would not have known
that he was righteous but for III Pet. ii,
Z, g. 1t would seem that his wife and
two daughters were delivered for his
sake and that he was delivered for Abra
hams sake Cchapter xix, u. 90. That
the righteous by their intercession can
bring blessing TO others is evident from
the record OF the centurion, the woman of
Tyre and Sidan, the four friends (Math.
viii, 10; tx, .; XIV, 2S). That there may
be such a state of affairs that even the
prayers of the righteous cannot avail we
learn from Jer. XIV, l; Eek. xiv, II, 20,
where we see that such men as Moses,
Samuel. Noah, Daniel or job could not
bring deliverance. Abraham did not
plead on the ground of any goodness in
himself, for he spoke % himself as but
dust and ashes Verse %, but only on the
ground of the great need and the right
eousness Of God. We may learn a good
lesson in pleading from jeremiah, who
said, go Lord, though our iniquties testi-
fy against us, do Thou it for Thy names
sake" CJer xiv, y. In Jesus name is
our great strength.
33. "And the Lord went His way as
soon as He had left communing with
Abraham. and Abraham returned unto
his place." How near heaven Is brought
to earth in these interviews of God with
Abraham and others! And it is the priv
ilege of every believer to walk with God
In constant communion Gen. V, "a; vi, 81;
Mic. vi, s.. 1t is TO be feared that the
|, ma iortv of the righteous are like Lot In