The Jackson herald., 1907-02-14
sS "a. Z; SieSe SS,S
GODS COVENANT
WITH ABRAHAM
Sunday School Lesson for Feb. "a, 1907
Specially prepared for this paper.


Memory verses. and G.
GOLDEN TENT.-"IIc believed In God
and he counted 1t to him for righteous
ness."-Gcu. 1856.
TlME-Thrcc to six years after our
last lesson.
PLACE-Ncar Hebron, amidst tho
oaks of Mamrc.
sCRIPTURAL REFERENC CEs-Light
On the covenants: Gal @:9-29, Rom
f:2S. 49, Psa. lO3:l7, is; lisa. 59H; Ezak.
GG:26-3l. The eight promises given TO-
Abraham: First promise. Gen. l2I-1-
second promise. 1871; third promise l5l4"
II: fourth promise. 15:l, ., e, N; hiti"
promise. l7:l-lO. ~; sixth promise, lN:lS.
10; seventh promise. 2ll2; eighth prom
Isc. % .l6-lS
Comment and Suggestive Thought
The Covenant Promise.-V. b. The
Promise In Detail Cd lie should
be the father of a great nation. (2)
God would make him a blessing to
Rll the world. CD The land or
Canaan should be his land and that
of his seed forever. (D His descend
ants should be in number as the sand
pf the seashorc and as the stars of
heaven. 90 God be his shield and re-
ward. co lie should have a son who
would inherit the promises.
The condition was faith that led to
prompt and entire obedience. But
this was very difficult achievement.
Years went by and no son was given
him He was almost alone In heath
TN land full of all iniquity, The
land promised him was occupied by
strong and warikc tribes.
In such circumstances, in all cir
aumstances of difficulty, in all right
guus living in a wicked world. men
need aids to faith. need sustaining
grace shown in visible ways. and God
gave these to Abraham and he gives
them to us.
First.-The Symbol of the Stars. 3.
And he brought him forth abroad"
Out of his tent. so that he could sec
the stars. showing that this vision
was no dream. but IA real message
from God. Look now toward heaven,
and tell the stars, If thou be able to
number them" In the promise to
Noah the rainbow was made "A sign,
appearing occasionally, but at the
very time when fears for the fulfill
ment of the promise would naturally
nrise. To Abraham God gives "A
brighter sign. SO that wherever he
went the night would speak with
thousands of harmonious voices, tosti-
flying to the faithfulncss of God
Gods promise was written on the
sky, as every Christian should see
written on the mighty heavens:
They that be wise shall shine as
the brightness of the armament; and
they that turn many to righteousness
ms the stars forever and ever
|. These bright worlds were Gre
atcd and are held in their places by
divine power. So great is the God
who would defend Abraham, so able
and willing To keep his promises.
.. The stars never failed Each
night they appeared in their places.
and moved unvaryingly in their
courses. Gods fathfulnCss In nature
was the assurance of his faithfulncss
to his word given to Abraham.
3. The stars in that climate are
brighter than ours. Prof. Hall says
that he has known Venus to shine so
bright as to cast a shadow. Bright
er than the stars, steadier than their
lAtAill'S oldll Dt lllt lullllllltIl Vi
Gods promises.
4. There are infinitely more stars
in heaven than Abraham could see
Gods promises are ever better in their
fulfillment than it is possible for us
to conceive.
Second.-The Symbol of the Dust
and Sand. In Gen. 1916 God says that
Abraham's seed should be as the
dust of the earth" for number; and in
Gen. 22:l7, las the sand which is
upon the seashore" So wherever
Abraham looked, at earth or at sky,
by day or by night. he would see sym
bols of Gods promise on every side.
Third.-The Symbol of Circum-
cision. In Gen. 17:l0.14 we find an.
other sign of the covenant, the rite
of circumcision, which has ever been
the rite of the Jews. as baptism since
then has been the sign of the Chris
tian's covenant witk God.
Fourth-The Symbol of the Chang
ed Name. In Gen. 17:5 we have
the symbol of a change of his name
from Abram CcXalted fatherl to Abra-
ham Gather of multitude).
Fifth.-The Symbol of the Blood
Covenant. In the latter part of the
lesson for to-day.
God Himself is the Rest Reward
The best reward does not consist in
Gods gifts, but in himself. The child
who has his father has infinitely
more than any gift his father can give
him. He who has God has all thingc.
The love of God is the best reward of
love. The favor of God is better than
the favor of all other things in the
universe. Communion with God is
the best communion of the Spirit.
Instead of the child he wanted, God
was his friend. and would bring to
IL L.. L.