Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1913-03-01

L
GOLDEN TEXT-''He is faithful that
promised."-Heb- 1923
Until within recent years it was fire.
quently asserted that Abrams battle,
as recorded in Gen II, had not one
whit of proof" yet the archaeologists
have not only reconciled the apparent
discrepancies but have proven beyond
a question the accuracy of the rec
ord Abrams victory over the four
confederate kings is story rich with
typical suggestions.
l. "After These Things" W. II.
Gods word ". ID came to Abram not
only as a counsel but for assurance
as well. So, too, our assurance is MS
word, / John 5:13. In the midst o.
the uncertainty and the strife, for we
must remember Abram never pos
sessed the land, God appeared to him
in vision and said. Fear not" See
lisa. 41:10. There in the midst OF
foes Gas. 2:23) God promised to be
to Abram a shield and an exceeding
great reward. A shield for there is
to the Christian life a militant side,
Eph 6:13, IA, I Tim 6:12- A re
ward" which was far more rich than
any given by man. See 1921, Prov
1922.
Abram Was Human.
But Abram was, after all, human,
and we read in verse his question
about descendants, he being as yet
childless. Even SO. however, Abram
was willing to count the child Of his
steward as fulfilling the promise OF
God. Not so with God for the prom
fse (12:3) was to include Sarah also
God very clearly makes this plain In
verse 4, the heir was to be Abrams
indeed and not the child of another.
But not only is Abram to have an
heir but the land in which he was so
journing as a pilgrim was to be his
and his seed to be as the stars for
multitude.
"And he believed" The great test
| to this faith came later. Heb. 11:19,
| but here in this first distinct scrip
| tural history of faith we find set forth
those principles that have governed
| through all time. ID The acceptance
of the word of God, e. G., to have our
trust built upon or supported by the
word of Jehovah, see lisa. 1921; ca
to act upon that faith so that our
! course in life manifests the belief of
| the heart.
Gods covenant, 12:14, is confirmed
In seven ways, 1, Posterity. (a) nat
/ ural, 'tearth," OBJ spiritual, heaven
(c) also through Ishmael, Gen. 17:18-
| 20: 2 Blessing, both temporal and
spiritual; 3, great name; 4, Be a bless
ing, Gal. 3:13, IA; 5, 'T will bless
them that bless thee" 6, "and curse
them that curse thee; z. the families
of the earth blessed through Abram,
e. e., through Christ, Gal. 3:16.
"And he believed in the Lord" ".
g.. Abram built upon tho naked word
OF God, he simply looked at that and
that alone, Rom. 4:20, r. v. All God
asks of US is for US to take him at his
word. So it is that as we take his
word about Jesus, he reckons that
faith to us as righteousness; no mat
ter how unrighteous we may have
been, see Rom. 4:3-6; GAL 1867. The
one think that God demands Is that
we believe him and his word.
II. "Whereby Shall I Know" w.
S-1S. The weakness of human faith in
dicated by Abrams question " 81 is
answered by God giving to him direc
lions for the preparation of sacrt
fee. Abram did not really doubt
Gods word " 81, but he did desire q
confirming sign. Many today are
looking for assuring signs from God
1
Asking for signs is not always safe
Luke 1890, but as in Abrams case
God does give us a pledge sign OF
our inheritance 2 Cor. I: 22. Eph. IA
God gave Abram, after he had explic
lily followed his directions, a sym
bolic vision of himself. Someone has
suggested that the vile birds of prey
". I'D are symbolic of Satan, anc
Abram, driving them away, a Symbol
of one victory over evil, Jas AT
God is always nearer to man and bes'
reveals himself when we are in the
midst of sacrifice. God tells Abran
of those days of servitude on the par
of his descendants while they are tc
be in Egypt, OF Gods Judgment to BIZ
! brought upon that land and of theil
ultimate deliverance.
Symbols of God.
Every detail of these prediction:
: and promises was fulfilled. In verse
Is there is presented the grea
thought of the need of preparation II
youth for the future days of "gooC
old age"-also in this verse a sUgges
ton of the life beyond the grave.
The smoking furnace and the fam
ing torch were symbols of God him
! self. Four centuries of opportunit.
were to be allowed the powerful Amo
rites who now possessed the land be
fore the land came into bona-fide pos
:. session in accordance with the prom
i Use, for Gods Judgment was condition
ed upon the measure of their iniCuftl