The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1907-03-05
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON X, FIRST QUARTER, lNTERNA-
TloNAL SERIES. MARCH 10. ~.


Memory Verses, 10, 1z--Golden Text.
Matt. V, D. Commentary Prepared
by Rev. ID. NJ. 'stearns.
copyright, 1907. by American Press Association
That we should be asked to omit all
these intervening chapters and spe-
eially chapters xii and xiv seems
too bad indeed, and we simply can't
do 1t and have the mind of God. The
weakness and wickedness of man are
seen in Abraham's SHINING again be-
cause he gave way to thoughts and
fears Xxx, III. The birth of Isaac
when his father Abraham was 100
years old, the casting out of Hagar
and Ishmael, the angels care of Ha-
gar and the new name of God, the
everlasting God (Elolam), are found In
xxi. Chapter xxi gives us the most
wonderful picture In the whole Bible
of the father offering up his only
son, the father carrying the fire and
the knife, and the boy carrying the
wood and asking, Where Is the lamb
for burnt offerlngf' Abraham re-
ceiving Isaac back from the dead In a
figure Heb. XII, 19) on the third day,
and on Mount Moriah, where the foun-
dation of Solomon's temple was after
ward laid; the ram offered in Isaac's
stead, the new name of the place (Je-
hovah Jireh, the Lord will see or pro-
vide). The union of the two previous
separate promises concerning the seed
as the sand and as the stars and many
other wonders Of grace and glory
make us sorry to pass such a chapter.
Chapter xiii tells of the death of
Sarah, the purchase of the cave of
Machpelah and her burial there at
Hebron. In chapter xiv we have
such a fascinating foreshadowing OF
the Holy Spirit telling Of the riches
of the Father who gave all His wealth
to His only Son that He may obtain
bride for that Son. Chapter XIV
tells of the death of Abraham and his
burial by Isaac and Ishmael in the
cave of Machpelah, the birth of Jacob
and Esau and how the latter sold his
birthright for mess of pottage
Our lesson chapter opens with Isaac
sojourning WITH the Philistines in
stead Of at the we'll of Him that liveth
and seeth Gen. xvi, IA, margin; XIV.
III because OF a famine I'm the land.
The Lord blessed him there and con-
firmed the promise to Abraham OF a
blessing TO all nations and gave him
the star end Of the promise. the dust
Of the earth or sand portion being aft
erward given to Jacob (xxvlii. Id.
We find Isaac failing into his fathers
sin Of calling his wife his sister, lest
he should be killed for her sake, and
as in his fathers case, reproved by a
heather king. Yet God bore with His
erring child and cared for him and
blessed him for His own names sake
In spite Of his sin. EFF we believe not,
He abideth faithful He cannot deny
Himself uI Tim. II, 49,. The I'M
changeable faithfulness of God is our
only resting place (Mal. /. .: III, o..
In verse 3 we bear God saying to him,
II will be with thee and will bless
thee" and In verse IL We read, and
/ the Lord blessed him." and the next
two verses tell something OF the ex-
tent Of the blessing. There Is nothing
that can compare with the blessing Of
the Lord which maketh rich and to
which our toll can add nothing prov.
x, %, f.. W. In Isaac's case Il brought
hundredfold. but In Israel the prom
Use was that II they kept the Sablsth
year the ground would give a three
years harvest in the sixth year 1ev.
XIV, 20. 81. The blessing upon the
lads FIVE loaves multiplied them suf.
ficiently TO feed perhaps 10000 people,
and what about the draft Of fishes In
Luke and John XXI after the nights
Of fruitless toilf Is not His blessing
everything? But II will always pro-
woke envy and opposition and even
persecution, as In verses IL and 10.
This we are taught TO expect for His
sake John XIV, 1921: xvi, 80, and II
we receive II In a proper spirit He will
be magnIfied.
Where we are not wanted II Is not
wise to stay. so Isaac, being request.
ed to move on, did so oversees 10 and
10, and be evidently did 80 very meek
ly, without any arguing or talking
back. james and John would have
burned up a town on one occasion IL
they had been permitted. because mel
Their they nor their Master was want
ed In that town duke tx, $3.50.
Isaac began TO reopen his fathers
wells, which the PhiIIstines had stop.
ped and filed with earth after the
death Of Abraham, but as fast as he
reopened them the PhIllstines claimed
them, and he, without strife, yielded
the first two. II Is not our way, ~ a
rule, to take such injustice meekly.
Much trouble has often come from less
proyocation. Isaac meekly reopened
third, and they did not claim that,
80 be said, Now there is room for MS
ALL" But who Of Us would have act.
ed sof We next find him at Beer.
sheba 1.-THE well Of the OATH, and the
Lord appeared to him the second time,
saying, Fear not, for I am with thee
and viii bless thee" (verses "a, 25).
There be built an altar and worshiped,
and his servants dug another well.
4 a.