The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-06-08
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INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
MENTS FOR JUNE 18.

Subject: Heroes Of Faith, Hebrews
11:1-40-Commit Verses "a, %
Golden Text, Hebrews It'll
Commentary on Days Lesson.
TIME.--Uncertain. PLACE-Un.
certain.
EAPOSITION.--I. What is Faith.
LIB. Faith looks at the Word Of
COO, SAB what He promises and
rests assured that it will all come to-
pass Just as He says. 1t puts it to-
the test by acting as If it were 80.
1t asks no questions, but believes
what God says will come to pass and
obeys what God commands. To be-
/ leve God is to rely upon or have UNI
hesltating assurance of the truth Of
Gods testimony even though it is un-
supported by other evidence, and to
rely upon and have unfaltering as
surance of the fulfillment of His
promises even though everything
seems against such fulfillment Icf. i
John $50, r. "; John 5:24, r.
"; Acts 27:22-25; Rom. 4:S, 1921:
Heb. 11:13l. 1t was in. faith that
the elders, the heroes of the past.
obtained Q good report Believing
God they went ahead and did as He
said. Faith in the certainty of Gods
Word lay at the foundation of all
their achievements. 1t is by faith
that we understand how the worlds
were made, j. e., by the mere word
of God
III. Four Heroes of Faith, 1922.
Abraham stands out as the first and
pre-eminent hero of faith in the Old
Testament Goal. 3;7-9). 1t was by
simple faith in God and His word
that he left his country and kindred
and went out, not knowing wither he
went ". 8; CT. Gen. 12:1-4). BY
simple faith in God and His Word he
saw his seed as the stars in the heavens
ana sand on the seashore innumer-
able (Gen. 1876; Heb. 11:12), and
it was counted to him for righteous
ness tGen. 1879. By simple faith
In the certainty of Gods Word, when
ne was commanded to offer up Isaac
for a burnt offering he did SO.
Whether he was to actually slay him
ne did not know (Gen. 22.7, 81. but
he stood ready to do even that (Gen.
22:10), accounting that God was
able, If necessary, to raise him nm.
even from the dead. Abraham's
faith stopped at no sacrifice. True
faith never does. 1t was only when
his faith was tried that his faith
shone forth Il Pet 1:7). 1t was.
through the trying of his faith that
Abraham's name came down for adj
mlration throughout the ages. The
sacrifice that God called upon Abra-
nam to make, God Himself made
Gen. 22:2, 16; CT. John 3:16} So
Abraham became a type of the Faith
er and Isaac a type of Christ. There
mad never been a case Of resurrec-
lion before Abraham's time. vet
Abraham accounted that God was
aDie to do it, though he had never
heard OF such thing. Isaac's return
home with his father was like res
direction from the dead. Abraham
knew that Isaac would return with
MIN (Gen. 22:5). Isaac walked in
the steps of his fathers faith. He
made prophecies of rich blessing on
both his sons (Gen, 27:29, SO. 40:
1872, - though he had no ground
for expectation Of the fulfllment of
the prophecy except the bare Word
OF God. Jacob followed in the steBss,
OF the faith of his father and grand
father. AS he died he prophesied
great things concerning the future,
OF Ephraim and Manasseh (Gen. as:
6-22). Joseph in turn followed in
the footsteps of his father, grand
father and great grandfather. He
would not allow his bones to be bur-
led in Egypt, nor even to be taken
over into the promised land at the.
time of his death. He had Gods
Word for it that the whole people
were to return and gave command
ment concerning his bones, that they
should be kept until the people re-
turned (Gen. 50:24, 25). His en-
comned bones were a constant index
niger pointing the children of Israel
to the promised land.
III. How Moses Walked by Faith.
1920. A mighty king issued a strict
commandment, but the father and
mother of Moses knew a mightier
King than he and believed the might
Ter Kings promises and were not
afraid OF the mighty kings command
ment. Faith knows no fear. How
can q man who believes in God fear
man? FPS. 27:1-S; Heb. 1876; Ps.
b6:4; 1856; Is. 8:12, IS; 41:10,
10, IA; 51:7, IL; Dan. 3:16-1S; 6:
~; Matt 1929. 1t was great
honor to be called the son of the
AA@A0A~J AA6A 0OA QduSuICT, DuL II
was greater honor to be called the
child of God. Moses refused the for
mer for the sake of the latter. The
path he chose was one of suffering
affection (cf. 2 Tim. 3:11, 12).
We are called to be soldiers and must
expect to be glad to endure hardness
q Tim. 2:3). But 1t is better to
suffer afiiction with the people of
God than to enjoy the pleasures of
sin for a season. 1.-THE sorrows of
the Christian are sweeter than the
Joys Of the world" Sin has its pleas
ures, but they are but for season.
(cf. Job 20:5; Ps. 73:12-20; Luke
12:19~ 20; 1925; James SIS; Rev.
1870. Moses bore the same kind of
reproach that Christ did, reproach
because of loyalty to God and the
right. The Old Testament Scriptures
prophesy of the reproaches the Christ
Cor Messiah) shall bear Cps. 69:7,
20; / Pet. lid. All who follow
Christ must suffer reproach (ch. 1S:
13). Even the reproach Of Christ is
greater riches than all the wealth of
Egypt.