The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-02-28

Lesson N.-First Quarter, For
March z, 1919.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Heb. X, 23-commsntary Prepared by
Rev. .. M. Stearns.
We cannot think of emitting the first
verse Of this chapter, with it's first
''fear not and ''word of the Lord" and
"shield" and reward" truly a most
wonderful verse. This is another WIS.,
it of the Lord to Abram, for in verse 2
wo see Abram talking to Him. After
the great victory over the four kings
no doubt the devil suggested to
Abram that they would regather their
forces and make trouble for him;
hence the Lords "Fear not; I am thy
shield"
The devil would not be slow to tell
him how foolish he had been in turn.
ing his back upon the goods Of Sodom,
therefore the Lords II am thy exceed
ing great reward" 1t is our privilege
to find our all in God and to remem
Der Ps. lxxxiv, IL. Abram seems to
waver concerning the promised seed
and to think that Eliezer might be his
heir, but the Lord ~reassured him that
his own child would be his heir and,
directing him to look up at the stars.
said, $50 shall thy seed be" (verse 81.
Then we have for the first time two
other words, believed" and right
eousness" verse g., and this verse Is
repeated three times in the New Tes-
lament (Rom iv, 8; Gal. iii, Q; Jas. ii,
28). The righteousness necessary to
enable us to stand before God has
been provided by Him in Christ, and
nothing short of that perfect righteous
ness win answer. 1t becomes ours
when we say amen to God and hearh-
~ accept that which He has provided,
but many prefer their own way, as
Cain did, like those described in Rom.
Z, 3, 4. .
This verse 6 in our lesson is literal
ly, ADRIAN amened jehovah and
this should be our attitude to God al
ways-perfect accord with Him. See
the comment in Rom. iv, 1-12, and
note carefully that the only way is by
faith without any works of ours.
The works come afterward as an
evidence of our faith, but both in sal
walton and in service the Lord does
all, for lit is God who worketh," and
the principle holds at all times and in
all things. Except the Lord build the
house, they labor in vain that build
it, FPS. cxxviL ~.
In answer to Abrams question,
Lord God, whereby shall I known
(verse 81, which sounds like anything
but faith after he had been so plainly
told, he is directed to a representation
Of all sacrifice (verse 81. All true sac
rifce from Gen. iii, Fl, onward points
to the great sacrifice OF the Son of God
on Golgotha, and it is because of that
God does all things for us. Sin must
be dealt with, and God dealt with sir
: on the cross, and, not having spared
His own Son, He now gives us in Hin
all things freely Rom. viii, 32).
From the statement In verse II con
corning Abram keeping the birds away
from the sacrifice we are led to think
Of Matt. xiii, 4-19, where the fowls
represent the wicked one. He hates
the sacrifice of Christ and will do his
utmost to keep us from trusting in Il
or benefting by it. We must persist
emily resist him that he may fee from
us JAS. iv, .. How can we know
our sins forgiven or that we shall in
hertt the kingdom and the glory2 Lei
your heart reply because "the Son Of
God loved me and gave Himself fol
me'' (Gal.- ii, 20, and I put all my
trust In His great sacrifice for my sins
and heartily receive Him as my Saw
Jour. ...
Abram was told that his descendant
would be afflicted In a strange land fol
400 years and then delivered oversees
ID, ~. See the literal fulfllment Of
this in Elk. xii, 40, Al, and compare an
other literal fulfllment OF a prediction
in Kings xiii, 2; II Kings xiii, 1917.
Abrams posterity had to wait til
the iniquity OF the Amorites became
full (verse 18), and the reason why
the Lord Jesus does not return to sci
up His kingdom of peace and right
eousness on this earth is because The
world Is not yet bad enough. IniquttJ
must come to a head in the person Of
the antichrist, The smoking furnace
and the burning lamp of verse IL sug
gest the presence of the Lord witt
them in their Affections. I'm all theil
affection He was afflicted, and ths
angel Of His presence saved them"
Chapter xvi tells of Sarai's sugges
tion, which was not Of God, but K
which Abram listened, and conse
quently had no new revelation from
God for thirteen years. Compare xvi
I6, and xvii, /. Yet here we have the
first angel story In the Bible, the name
| Of the first man who was mentioned
by name before he was born, the beau
tiful and comforting words, "Thor
God seest me-" and the name given tt
the well, "the we'll OF Him that ltyetL
and seeth me"
The sin Of man always seem II
make more manifest the grace of God
In chapter xvii. ]. we ind God re
vealtng Himself to Abram rs El-shad
dai, the Almighty God, the Might
God, who Is all SUFFICIENT and the ex
hortation to walk before God and b.
sincere. In xvii, 5, Abrams name II
changed to Abraham, Jehovah putting
the principal letter Of Els own name
In Abrams name. Sarat's name Il
also changed to Sarah, and Isaac Il
mentioned By name before his brit