The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1907-02-19

GEN. Nv, documentary Prepared
by Rev. ID. III. stearns.
copyright 1907, by American Press Association
As God, the faithful Creator Il Pet.
w. 49,, saw His friend Ahram return
ing from his victory over the four
kings and saw the temptation that
Satan was planning for him through
the king of Sodom He forestalled the
adversary by sending Melchizedek,
His servant. king of Salem and priest
of the most high God to bless Abram
and to meet him with bread and wine,
so that when the king of Sodom offer
ed Abram the goods he had captured
he was able to say; No; thank you,
Having the blessing of Him who
possesses heaven and earth, | prefer
to receive no favors from you. How
the church has fallen from this high
standard, for it would be rare thing
any one who would send some earthly
possessions her way to help her carry
on what she calls the Lords work!
She is evidently not intimate with the
possessor of heaven and earth.
1t seems probable that the great ad-
versary was making 1t lively for
Abram after his victory over the four
kings and over the offer of Sodom's
king and was saying to him something
like this: Those kings viii gather their
forces and come upon you and take
you and yours off the earth, and what a
fool you were to refuse those goods
You captured. So Abram doubtless
had some fears and also some thoughts
of the reward he might have had.
Then the word of the Lord came unto
him In a vision, saying: Fear not,
Abram. I am thy shield and thy ex-
ceeding great reward" Thus the Lord
delivered Ills friend from his fears
and comforted him by the revelation
Of Himself. Lay to heart this first
precious Fear not and look up and
eat all the others you can find. and
may the Lord God be to you person
ally a sun and shield FPS. lxxxiv. III.
and may you be satisfied with Himself
as your reward.
The years are passing with Abram.
and the heir has not been given. and
he inquiries of the Lord about 1t and
Is brought forth and told to look to-
ward heaven and number the stars II
he can fverse 81. and he is assured
Hn& In IS EnnI LA THE u
higher look than that OF Kill. II. even a
| look 10 the Lord Himself, and In the
direction of His dwelling places
In reply to bis question. Whereby
shall know" ne Is referred TO the
sacrifices, which all point 10 the one
great Sacrifice. by whom alone all
| things are made sure. for IAN the
promises Of God I'm Him are yea and
In Him amen" III Cor. /. 20. He who
spared not His own Son win with Him
also freely give US all things Rom
Wifi. g.. and II Is our privilege To
keep the birds fthe evil one. Matt Kill
4. 191 away from the promises by oui
steadfa<tly believing them.
The 400 years bondage Of Abrams
nosterlty and then their deliverance ara
here plainly foreto|d and also prefig
ured by the smoking furnace and th,
burning lamp verses 12-17l. The III
cral fnlhIlment is seen In Ex. xii
) 31-4f. cveu 10 their coming ont witt
great suLStanc"
The reason why ADram couh not a
once possess the land f. give In vers'
10. and we see In tue sane words TIN
: reason why Tie Lord does not nov
, at once take the kingdom. Not till tn
church IL completed and taken ava,
shall the mystery of iniquity he full,
developed III Thcss. II. 7~9l. In verse
, 1921 we see That the land which Go.
r CAV" TO Abram by unconditional cove
. nant will reach from the river o
Egypt to the Euphratps a very mucI
. larger portion than that which W
, now know an Palestine
This Ii IN soine respects The most RI
markabIe chapter We have yrl taken u
zjnrc tb= creation and rr~f"r- ton o
chapters anil 2 There are ~ man
words used In II for thr Gr+t tins
surh an the word Of God. vision. fea
d, not. shield, reward, tclcvrl. r}gh
eou<uoss. etc. and. inasmHh M tn
first use Of wurj in til" rIa~a to ~
1 light upon its significance. ono ca
\ readily @ep ty taking Mp tho*" word
2 what n f3ch FIR study au1 nY"tIjtatlo
,. In here opened mp. We lavr asread
. suggested the fear nota." Int whit
9 abort the words believe and ''rEgh
eousnesa p SEQ how the Holy apIr
, has Himself repeated verse q In Tor
I Nv. 0: Gal. Ill. u: Jas. II. n. and In II
u context In each place ENLARGED upo
, them and made plain that Gni'e onl
!. way of righteousness IN By faith
Jesus Christ apart from any works I
ours Rom. III. 81: Eph II. y. q: IT
III. HI. Up 10 chapter xiv VIZ have ba
but two names u our great rreatI
" and ReIeemcr~vIz, God CElohIn, m
Lord tTehov8ill. or combinations I
. thosn-~tlte first revealing 10 us God 1
tho Creator. aud the secohd IA nan
=" uacI perhaps Inn times In sortrtur
J. revealing 10 us God ag Our Eotleem
l. bringing IN us righteousness by sa
d rifIcp