The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-08-07
THE SABBATH SCHOOL,
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR AUGUST II.


l. After these things.": The fact that
Immediately after the battle with the kings
there came another vision from God to
Abram leads us to think that he may have
been passing through a testing time, and
ment. He was also disappointed in not
receiving the fulflment of the promise God
had made him regarding his descendants,
for as yet he had no child. I'm vision"
Which supposes Abram awake, and some
visible appearance or sensible token of the
presence of the divine glory. Fear not"
Fear not thy enemies, neither fear lest My
promises shall fail thee. IT am thy
shield" God was Abrams portion, and
He is the portion Of every righteous soul.
"Great reward" There is surely refer
When God is ours we have all that is sufi-
cient for defense and reward; this promise
involves eternal life.
2. II go childless." Seeing I am going
childless; that is, I am going out of the
world in this condition. Abram desired
son, for he knew upon divine authority
that his seed should inherit the land.
Sonship and heirship are. .inseparably con-
nected in the thoughts of God. Steward
of my house." The heir into whose hands
Abrams possessions must descend in con-
sequence of his childless condition. "Is
this Eliezer?" How could the promise be
fulfilled when stranger" is likely to be
his heir?
8. "Given no seed" Though we should
never complain of God yet we may COM
plain to Him, and tell Him all our griev-
ances. "One born in my house." That is,
lone attached to or a dependant of his
house." This is reference to the servant
who, from all appearances, would become
his heir.
4. "Shall not be thine heir" There is
no limit to the power of God, for He who
can quicken the dead can do anything
S. "Look-tell the stars" The stars in
that climate are brighter than in ours.
to shine 30 bright as to cast a shadow.
Brighter than the stars, steadier than their
flames shall be the ful6lment of Gods
promises God points to the stars as a
sign to Abram. $50 shall thy. seed be"
The descendants of Abram included not
only Israelites, but the Arabians, the Mid
ianites, the Ammonites and Moabites were
numerous people, and were for more
than thousand years among the most i'm!
portant in Asia. At least two branches of
his strong stock yet remain--the Jews,
who are found in every part of the earth,
and the Arabs, who still roam, uneon-
ouered over the desert. But the highest
fulflment was in Christ. Gods people
are, by faith, children of Abraham" and
"heirs according to the promise" Gal. 8:
6. "Believed in the Lord" God speaks
-Abram believes, and all is settled and all
is sure. Abram believed the truth of the
promise that was now made him, resting
upon the power and faithfuiness of God
who had made it. See Rom. 4: 1921.
Counted it." There was no act but that
Of the mind and heart, no work of any
kind; hence the doctrine of justification
by faith, without any merit of works; tor
in this case there could be no works Of
\ Abram which would merit the salvation OF
the whole human race. For righteous
ness" Or justification.
7. T am the Lord" The promises OF
God are very broad, very high and very
long. They look far down the future, but
we may remember that there is omnls-
cience in their utterance and omnipotence
in their fulflment.
8. Whereby shall I know?" That is,
"by what sign shall be assured that l
shall inherit this land?' :
9. "Take me an heifer," etc. The ami.
mails prescribed are of the three kinds at.
terward allowed by the law for sacrifice,
and the birds are those repeatedly y men
toned IN tne law as tnoSe W pe piouehs
for offerings.
10. "He took-all these" Abram fol.
lowed. to the very letter the directions God
had given him; so we must obey God fully
before we can have reason to expect Him
to fulfil His promises to US. Divided
them" etc. The manner of ratifying a
covenant was to divide the animals length.
wise, as near as possible in two equal
parts, which were placed opposite to each
other short distance apart; the covenant
ing parties would then meet in the centre
and take the customary oath.
IL. Game down." Having made ready
the sacrifices he waited for the ire OF God
to consume them, which was the usual
token of acceptance. While he waited
ravsnous birds of prey which feed upon
dead bodies "came down" to consume the
sacrifice. How often do intruding cares,
! like unclean birds, seize upon that time
and those affections which have been given
10 ~ S0o; "was going down." About the
time of the evening sacrifice. "a deep
Sleep" Not common sleep Through wea'
riness or carelessness, but such sleep as
God caused to fall upon Adam. Great
darkness" Which God designed to be ex'
pressive of the afliction and misery into
which his posterity should be brought dur.
ing tner ponuaSe ~ c6yP' 90 SA ~
verse particularly states.
l3. "Shall afflict them" From the
time God called Abram at Haran it was
430 wears before Abrams descendants
came into possession of their own land
but the children of Israel were actually IN
Egypt only half that time, or 2l5 years
ID. "That nation" The Egyptian ma
tion. "Will Judge" God brought plaques
and destruction upon the Egyptians
"Come out" Israel was redeemed from
bondage and came out of Egypt with great
wealth. This promise was literally full
filed, but there was long time of waiting
Is. "In peace" This verse strongly i'm
plies the Immortality of the soul.
l6. "An,orites." This was the general
name for the Canaanitish tribes. "Iniquity
not yet full" From these words we
learn that there is certain pitch of ini
uuity to which nations may arrive before
they are destroyed, and beyond which God
will not permit them to pass; MI. ..
II. "a smoking furnace" This signi.
fed the affection Of the children of Israel
in Egypt. There were there in the fur
mace Of affliction. Burning lamp" The
symbol of the divine presence. Faith ma?
he strong, but light comes while we stand
before the Lord, by the holy altar Of burnt
offering.
4 mutual agreement between two CONTRACT
ing parties, each of which is bound to fql'
fill certain engagements to the other. 10
HOLY Scripture It is used mostly to denote
certain defined relations between God and
man. River Of Egypt" Probably tn
River Nile.
HFo.bfnern rII-Treated