The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1901-07-26
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON w, THIRD QUARTER, INTER
NATIONAL SERIES, JULY 20.
Text Of the Lesson, Gen. XII, I'D.
Memory Verses, 1-3-Golden Text,
Gen. xii, 2-Commentary Prepared
by the Rev. ID. NJ. Stearns.


copyright, 1901, by American Press Association
In chapter we have 20 descendants
of Noah among whom the earth was di-
vided, and Deut. xxi, 5, 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, 10. Chapter Xi
tells of mans degeneracy and union
against God TO make them a 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 glorihcation. Let us make us
name" Here we have the beginning of
languages because of this rebellion. Then
follow the ten generations from Shem 10
| Abram inclusive. In chapter we had
the ten generations from Adam 10 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 1900 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, -.
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 10 Abram while yet in Ur of
I 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 appea red TO Abram, and it is evil
| dent from another record that something
more than the earthly inheritance was
set before him, for he looked for a city
which hath foundations whose builder
! and maker is God acts vii, 2; Heb. Xi,
! 10). Notice in these opening verses of
| our lesson the fourfold 81 will' Of the
Lord will shew," Il will make" and
the double Il will bless" The promises
and assurances are all from God. Abram
hears, believes, obeys. He died in faith.
not having received the promise, for God
gave him none inheritance in it, yet He
promised that He would (Heb. XII, 10;
Acts vii, -,
4, :. "Abram was seventy and five
years old when he departed out of Ha-
ran" In chapter xi, 81. 80, we read that
his father. Terah, who served other gods
(Josnua xiv, y. 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 inn
portant questions as such personal ones
as the following: Am | 10y lack Of faith
or by an unwillingness to be separate
from this present evil world, hindering
any dear one whose heart is longing fol-
a closer walk with God? Am | Terah
saying that Haran is far enough?
&, Z. 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 &c
the Lords appearance and message IL
Mesopotamia acts vii, 2, 3, but now
Abram having obeyed fully, the Lord
appears 10 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 Il
Abrams first altar in the land. BY sac
rifce he worships God in His appointed
way. At this place Jacob afterwarC
| h =, V,,,1 h,p loci tre
gathered Israel for his farewell address
There he buried the body Of Joseph, anC
there Jesus talked with the woman at tn,
well Gen. xxxiii, Joshua xiv, John ivy
The land was already occupied by thu
Canaanites, and Abram must be conten
with his tent and altar and TO be a pill
t grim and a stranger until Gods TIM
{ should come to give him the land.
8. There he builded an altar unto tn
: Lord and called upon the name Of tn
Lord" This is his second altar in tn
land, and il is between Bethel and Hal
The margin says the All Of Joshua vii,
Bethel suggests Gen. xviii, 10 and tn
story of Gods gracious loving kindnes
to Jacob. But the principal truth an
{ practical lesson are associated with tn
l altar and the sacrifice Happy is tn
: man who, whatever be his home o
+ dwelling place or surroundings, if it be
; hut or q palace, in some heather wilder
. ness or in some great city, never fails t
have his altar unto the Lord! Redemr
y ton by the blood of Christ and constan
d communion with Him-these are the tw
: greatest things that any mortal can have
and they are possible to all who hav
: ever heard Of Christ and of His redemI
, ton. He is calling all who have hear
His voice to separate themselves froi
this present world and live wholly fo
Z Him.
e o. "And Abram journeyed, going o
d still toward the SOUTH" 1t is good to b
o always going on in the way Of the Lore
n We read Of David that he went on an
q grew great (margin, going and growing
and the Lord God Of hosts was with hiI
QI Sam. V, 10Y. An charging and
. winding about is not out of place, If it /
L "stll upward, still upward, still upwar,
by the midst" (Ezek. XII, y. Peter woul
call it growing in grace and in the know
edge Of our Lord and Saviour jest
J. Christ QI Pet. iii, 1S). But while on tn
q present earth we are in an enemy's coui
n try, for even our Lord said that the dev
II Il, Il IL. -.