The Tupelo journal., 1907-02-08
ABRAM CALLED
TO BE BLESSING
Sunday School Lesson for Feb 10, 1901
Specially Prepared for This Paper.

LESSON TExT.-Gen. l2:1-s. Memory
GoLDEN TEXT WIN bless thee
shalt be a biessing."-Gen. 1872.
TIME;nAbraham5 NV was sn born mnrs apou y, z oag
Bihles), 1896. Is not far from right. So
Hommel. He was probably contempor-
airy. will Hammurabi; whose date Is put
PLACE.-Abraham originated. in Ur
of the Chaldees, the ruins OF which.
called Mugheir. are now being ~excavated;
1t is near the Euphrates, 10 miles from
'n scRIPTURsE OUTLINE OF ABRA-
HAMS LIFE AND cHARAcTERml:
Has a. Ansssi HYs B Ssssi's !, es emo n: assS
Gen, ls:s: ~. 4 His p9 Cnllsren: Gen.
49, AIS. 8. Jo~urneyings:' Gen. 1l;s1:
Neh. s:7; Gen. 12:1-s; Josh. A:3; lisa: BIB;
Gen. 1910; D:1. T.. Names OF Places;
with Abram. 8. Religion Of HIS Ances-
1873. o; 14:ls-ao; Heb: 7;;1-lo; Gen, IS; 2i-l4:
ana promises: Gen. i2:i-a; ia:14-i7; i5:i-is;
Gen. ,s sis:' as:12; ss;5; Neh. 81. 8. Pss:
Jas Jas 2: S ! ! st chro oa 2G:7: isa. = lis.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
luc ICdl, CSSCnlldl, ChuuiAhS PiN6
ress of the world is moral. spiritual,
religious. This is progress worth re-
cording in the Book of God. In this
progress Abraham stands out as a
lighthouse landmark, lighted by God.
and shining down all the ages. He Is
the third Of the representatives of
eras in the history: Adam-Noah-
Abraham.
His first name was Abram, "exalt-
ed father" and changed later in a
vision from God to Abraham, father
of a multitude" The derivation of the
name is unknown. Professor Sayce
says that the name Abram (Abu-ramu,
"the exalted father") is found on
early Baby1onian contract tablets.
v. 1. Now the Lord had said"
Omit had" Am. r. The Lord said,
first at Ur (Gen. 11:31), and now
again in Haran, where he was at the
beginning Of this chapter. Terah, Alb
raham's father, led the first migration
from Ur to Haran, nearly 600 miles
northwest up the E~uphrates, on the
road toward Palestine.
Get thee out of thy country, and
from thy kindred" Why must he get
away from these influences? Because
only in a new country, free from the
restraints of cid customs and DC
friends, could the family and religion
of Abraham best develop. Unto a
land that l will show thee" Here
was another test of his faith. And
the difficulty was greatly enhanced
by the fact that he did not know
where he was going.
v. Q. "I will make Of thee a great
nation" Great and good motives are
involved in this promise. Personally
1t would compensate for the loss OF
his own country. This promise was
fulfilled in the Hebrew race, which
has had a greater religious influence
than any other, and which still exists;
but more completely in the spiritual
sons of Abraham, the whole Christian
church (Gal. 1920. So Christ says
of Abraham, HE rejoiced to see my
day; and he saw 1T, and was glad"
John $3.50. And l will bless thee"
No earthly good a be SO great as
the blessing of God.
"And make thy name great"
Known, honored, loved through all the
centuries, and by multitudes of peo-
pie. To one who is really worthy OF
It, 1t is a great blessing to be the
hero, the example, the ideal of many
people.
And thou shalt be a blessing" A
blessing in myself, and a source OF
blessing to others. 1t Is more blessed
to give than to receive.
v. 3. And l will bless them that
bless thee" Abraham's cause was
to be so identified with Gods cause
that whosoever favored Abraham fav'
bred God and his kingdom. So far as
we are the true children Of God this
is true also of us.
"And curse him that curseth thee"
This is the other side Of the same
promise. Abraham IL character,
works, and representative position as
the founder of the church was so
identified with God that whosoever
hated and opposed him hated and OPP
posed God. THE good man is not
alone. Touch him, and you touch
God"
I'm thee shall all families of the
earth be blessed" AS they have
been, by the race he founded, by n
spiritual training of that race. by h
religious influences and the word OK
God given through his descendants,
and most of all by Jesus Christ, the
Messiah, who was Of Abraham's seed.
We, too, have great and precious
promises, in Jesus Christ, OF better
things and a better country than Alb
raham had. Great lives are trained
by great promises.
v. 4. $50 Abram departed" with
all that he had (V. 81, land into the
land of Canaan they came"
Canaan-"Lowlands," was original
" the low land on the Mediterranean
coast, but afterwards included the
whole of Palestine to the Jordan.
Practical Points.
Each one of US is called to go on a
pilgrimage, like Abraham's, from sin
and a worldly life to "a city which
hath foundations whose builder and
maker is God;" "a better country.
that is a heavenly" (Heb. 11:10. 16).
We know not at first just where we
are going when God calls us from the
world to enter into his service. 1t is
always to the land which he will show
us. Life and duty and work will UNI