Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1907-03-01
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON TX, FIRST QUARTER, iNTERNA-
TloNAL SERIES, MARCH 8.

TCopvright, 1907, by American Press Assoclatloh'l
cannot find in me willingness 70
pass over chapters xvi and XVII WIN
their many important events, written
for us by the Holy Spirit, and one I'm
portant lesson Of chapter XVI Is tnat
God will always do as He has sald'
and not in any roundabout or wrong
way. for He cannot be a partner 10
ANYTHING wrong Concerning the prom
ised son it is finally written, "Ihe
Lord visited Sarah as He had sald'
and the Lord did unto Sarah as lie
had spoken" xxi, u.
Ten years had passed since ADra-
ham entered the land (xvi, 81, and, no
son having been given, the devil mas
trap sor Abraham, into which ne
falls, making lot of family trouble
and seemingly breaking intimate fel-
IOwshlp between Abram and the Lord
for thirteen years. Compare XVI, IL,
and xvii, /. In chapter XVI, I'll, note
the first mention Of the angel OF the
Lord -four times), and In connection
with a poor, wronged Outcast wom-
an. and take comfort from the min
Istry of angels (Heb. l, IA. Flno
greater comfort in the truth that
God lives and sees and cares (xyi, l3,
ia and margin). Note how Important
Is submission not only to the good ana
gentle, but also to the froward XVI, .;
| Pet. II, 49,. Submission is said to be
the highest mission on earth 1t Is In
teresting to notice that OF the seven
men mentioned in Scripture as being
named before their birth lshmael Is
| the first.
After the thirteen years of silence
the Lord revealed Himself to Abram
by q new name, the Almighty God (El
ShaddaD, or the God who Is all sutt1-
cient or enough. This name Is used
more often in the book of Job than In
all the rest of the Bible and can only
be understood and appreciated when
we are brought to the end Of ourselves
and our own resources Dob Kill, ., %;
then If we walk before God uprlghtly,
sincerely (xyii, l., margin), we will see
the all sufficiency of God. Then fol
low in this wonderful chapter the
covenant with Abram confirmed,
Abrams change of name to Abraham
by putting into it the principal letter
of Gods name, Jehovah; the rite of cir
cumcisiOn, suggesting death to the
flesh, and the assurance that the long
promised son would be given the next
year and his name would be Isaac.
Today's lesson chapter begins with
another appearance of the Lord to
Abraham, the sixth, think, If l have
counted correctly, and this time He Is
accompanied by two angels, the three
appearing as men, and they accept
Abraham's hospitality and rest under
the tree while water is brought for
their feet and an abundant meal pro-
vlded by Abraham and Sarah of
which they all partake. Contrast the
unleavened cakes which Sarah quick
ly makes with her three measures of
meal with the leavened bread of the
woman of Matt Kill, 33. If you feel
like saying how gladly you would have
6lOOu ny vi AGApCu pLCPoAC lAO AOON Va
shared 1t with them, think Of John
xii, 1-3, and see the same Lord, and If
that does not help then believe Rev.
Ill, 20.
See the reinsurance Of son for
Sarah, hear her unbelleving laugh and
the Lords patient rebuke and His
searching question, "Is anything too
hard for the Lord? VERSES 8 to 49,
Compare Jer. xxxii, II, 81, and say
before Him If you are believing or un-
believing.
The visitors rose up and looked to-
ward SodOm, and Abraham went with
them to bring them on their way, and
so the four start off, and we can easily
imagine Sarah following them with
her eyes as far as she could see them
and thinking many things In her heart
Soon the two angels are on their way
to Sodom, and the record Of their visit
to Lot and their hurrylng him and his
wife and daughters out of the doomed
city Is found In chapter xix along with
] the story of the destruction of the cities
UCNduoC Va NACAA olAs 4hC dDSSAo AhuUAA'
2 ity to destroy the cities until Lot was
7 safely out suggests that the church
must be taken out Of the earth before
the judgments can come upon 1t. Oul
Lord Jesus lndorses this record also
luke xvii, 2S-30 and tells US that as
1t was so 1t shall be again at His com
ing. Contrast the willingness with
which the visitors accepted Abraham'i
hospitality and Lots difficulty in con
2 strainlng the angels to enter his home
4 Turning back to our lesson and t.
our Lords words, ''Shall l hide from
, Abraham that thing which l dor
, (verse 10 we are reminded of Amo:
Ill, Z, Surely the Lord God viii dC
y. nothing, but He revealeth His secrer
unto his servants the prophets" We
therefore do we'll IL we take heed Il
8 all prophecy and are foolish II we dC
8 not QI Pet /. 10; Luke xiv, 25). ThC
5 Lord Is looking for those with whom
\ He can commune, for He seeks fel
lowshlp with us Oh CErOn. xvi, 9)
The cry of SodOm and Gomorral