Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-09

years elapsed between the events OF laSs
lesson and those now to be studied, the his
tory Of which period Is very briefly
sketched. After the test Of faith the COW
enant was renewed with Abraham. Shortly
after Sarah died and she was buried in the
cave of Machpelah. in ground purchased
from Heth. the trusted servant Of Abra-
ham was sent to Mesopotamia to secure a
wife for Isaac. and Rebekah, daughter Of
Bethuel. Isaac's cousin, was brought back.
Abraham married Keturah. q Canaanitish
woman. Isaacs two sons. Jacob and Esau,
were born. The latter sold his birthright
for mess Of pottage. Isaac removed to
Gerar. where he was at the time Of our
lesson. This is the whole of the Scripture
story. No mention is made of tie outside
world. except as neighboring tribes touch
the chosen people. The sacred penman
narrowed his view to those who were in the
covenant, designing to show how the plan
OF God unfolded.'
PROSPERITY oversees 12-1D.-Under
the old dispensation little is said concern
ing the life beyond the grave. 1t was for
Jesus to make that known Gil Tim, i:1O).
Before his time men were trained to regard
the interests of the present life. Earthly
good was the chief reward of the righteous,
a very prominent element in the promise
made to Abraham Gen. xiii:1D. So it
came to pass that great riches were re-
His favor. This opinion would find easy
acceptance by a pastoral people. who live
very close to nature. whose success de-
ponds largely upon the weather and the
soil and those conditions that are supposed
to be under the direct control of God. Spec
ulations by which wealth is now accumu-
lated were not then extensively practiced.
Hence, we learn that Isaac, with God
blessing, greatly prospered in the land Of
Gerar. He reaped abundant harvests and
great f1ocks and herds. and was a dealer
in grain and in stock.
EXPULSION oversees 14-16.-A pros
porous good man is an unwelcome neighbor
to an unfortunate wicked man. The con-
trast in worldly estate reflects upon the
latter to the Disagreement Of all his quail
ties. And so the Philistines envied Isaac.
That envy was increased by the considers
ton that he was a stranger among them,
a foreigner who was with them by their
courtesy Eccl. iv:0. They may have re-
membered that Isaacs farther sojourned in
their midst and that in like manner he was
prospered Gen. xxi:22). They attempted,
moreover, the same method tried with Abb
raham Gen. xxi:25) to prevent Isaac from
increasing his possessions Wells Of water
which he had received as a fathers gift
were stopped up. This was most grievous
offense and annoyance. Without water
isfied with inHicting this injury Abimelech,
the king of the country, came openly to
Isaac and directed him to leave the land.
This formal act of expulsion was based
REMOVAL Verse 1O.-What shall
man do whose rights are invaded, whose
property is taken from him? Ordinarily he
should stand to defend what he has and
course by which one secures and merits
the favor of others and develops those
qualities which are needed in world of
conflicting interests. This course is also die
tated by due regard for the general well
fare. Evil doors must be overcome and re-
buked lest they should be emboldened to
continue their depredations But Isaac, af
ter his wells had been stopped, removed to
another place upon the order of Abimelech.
What motives prompted him? Did he act
wisely? Had he refused to go conflict
would have ensued, in which he might have
been successful. But that might have been
a doubtful advantage. Other strifes might
have followed, and league of the native
tribes might have formed against him. Be-
did not then actually belong to him except
In promise, and while the day of permanent
settlement would come In the providence OF
God, it was hardly the thing at that time
to go to war. He preferred peace and sac
rificed much to gain it.
RECOVERY oversees 1919. Isaac did
not leave the country altogether. He SIM
ply removed from the place in which. by
envy of the Philistines. He assumed that
the land of Gerar could support all. The
new place selected was valley where
Abraham had sojourned, which must,
therefore,, nave DceH IdIulldT W HlIl \1eH,
xx:D. He recovered the old pastures and
pitched his tent where his father had been.
There he found that the wells dug by his
father had been closed, showing a deep
tines to prevent the return of the He
brews. They were unwilling that these
highly favored children of the covenant
should be in their neighborhood occupying
but Isaac came to the old spot as If it were
his home, with feelings of contentment and
the purpose to do, so may have Influenced
his former removal. He caused the old
wells to be reopened and gave to them the
old names, and he sunk new wall in the
valley. Probably he settled down with
much comfort, believing he had lost nothing
by the change.
DISTURBANCE oversees 2O-2D. There
are three modes of securing peace. The
two parties may come together and con-
slider the matters in difference and adjust
them to mutual satisfaction. If both are rea-
sonable and honorable this method is ever
to be preferred as securing the most last
ing results (Matt., xviii:15). 1t sometimes
occurs that one is disposed to take advan-
tage of the other, so that no kind interview
is possible. In that case the other may
fight, and by his persistence and strength
compel the offender to grant what Is right
and just and thereafter to feel a measure
of respect, or there may be a quiet submis-
sion to the demands and thus an avoidance
Of difficulty. This last peace Is generally
short-lived. as one demand is followed by
another. So 1t proved with Isaac. That
we'll recently dug in the valley caused a
new disturbance. The herdmen of the
Philistines claimed it, and he yielded and
digged another well, and that also was
claimed and surrendered. Isaac was pay
ing dearly for his peace. and he gave
names to the two wells to express his feel
ing The first he called Eek contention,
and the other Stinah, hatred.
REHOBOTH oversees 22-23).-1saac did
not abandon his policy of non-resistance,
peacemaking by surrender. Whatever his
motive he determined by change of resi-
dence to be out of the way Of those who
would contend with him, to find place
where they would allow him to remain un-
molested. He acted upon the theory that
the world is large enough for all, and that
he needed only to seek in order to find what
others did not want. The policy was easy.
IL not always applicable. In his next abid-
ing place he digged a well and the Philis-
fines did not strive for 1t. To II, therefore,,
he gave the Hebrew name 'Rehob0th," sig
nifyin9 room, and acknowledged the good
ness Of God, who had at last directed MIN
to a spot where he would be undisturbed.
1--WE shall be fruitful he said, confident
that by the peaceful pursuits Of industry he
should be prosperous. This last place was
ali the more desirable because 1t was not
far from Beer-Sheba, the old home to which
he had easy access and where he might re-
fresh himself with memories Of other days.
PROMISE oversees A-25)-Under all