The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1913-02-28

prOHisfu. lien. lO:25.
Until within recent years 1t was fire..
luently asserted that Abrams battle.
is recorded In Gen. IA, had not one
Whit OF proof" yet the archaeOlogists
nave not only feconciled the apparent
discrepancies but have proven. beyond
question the accuracy OF the rec
ord. Abrams victory over the four
confederate kings is story rich with
| typical suggestions.
l. eater These Things" Wv. II.
Gods word ". ~ came TO Abram not
only as counsel but for assurance
Is well So. too. our assurance Is his
word. / John 5:13. In the midst OF
the uncertainty and the strife, for we
must remember Abram never pos
'essed the land, God appeared to him
vision and said. Fear not" See
sa. 4l:10. There in the midst OF
oes (Jas. 2:23) God promised to be
O Abram a shield and an exceeding
;reat reward. A shield" for there is
| o the Christian life a militant side.
! Eph. 6:i3. II, I Tim. 6:12. A re
| yard' which was far more rich than
my given by man. See 1871. Prov.
| ,0:22.
Abram Was Human.
| Put Abram was, after all. human.
md we read In verse his question
about descendants. he being as yet
,hiidless. Even so. however. Abram
vas willing to count the child OF his
steward AZ fulfilling the promise OF
God. Not 90 with Sod for the prom.
lee 0o: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. 1919.
but here in this first distinct scrip
tural history of faith we find set forth
those principles that have governed
| through all time. OD The acceptance
OF the word OF God. e. e., to have our
trust built upon or supported by the
| word OF Jehovah. see lisa. 1921: GU
to act upon that faith so that our
course I'm life manifests the belief OF
the heart.
Gods covenant. 1914. Is confirmed
seven ways. |. Posterity. ta) nat
Iral. earth" Oh spiritual. heaven
(c) also through Ishmael, Gen. 1918.
20: 9, Blessing, both temporal and
spiritual: 3. great name; 4 BE bless
Ing. Gal. 3:13. IA; 5. II 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" "
81. Abram built upon the naked word
of God. he simply looked at that and
that alone. Rom. 1920. Il. V. All God
asks OF us Ia for us to take him at his
word So Il is that as we take his
word about Jesus. he reckons tina
faith to us az righteousness: no mat.
ter how unrighteous We may have
been. see Rom. 1876: Gal. 1867. The
one think that God demands Is that
we believe him and his word.
II. WHEREBY Shall | Know" w.
S-1S. The weakness Of human faith in
Dictated by Abrams question (v 81 Is
answered by God giving to him direc'
tons for the preparation of sacri.
fee. Abram did not really doubt
Gods word ". g., but he did desire @
confirming sign. Many today are
looking for assuring signs from God
when his bare word should be enough,
Asking for signs is not always safe
Luke 1880, but as in Abrams case
God does give us a pledge sign OF
our inheritance. 2 Cor. 1:22. Eph | ~.
God gave Abram. after he had eyplic
itly followed his directions. a sym
bolic vision OF himself. Someone has
suggested that the vile birds of prev
~ IL are symbolic OF Satan, and
Abram driving them away a symbol
OF one victory over evil, Jas. At
God is always nearer to man and best
reveals himself when we are in the
midst OF sacrifice God tells Abram
OF those Gays OF SeTVltuue OH the pdit
Of his descendants while they are to
be In Egypt. OF Gods Judgment to be
brought upon that land and Of their
ultimate deliverance.
Symbols OF God.
Every detail OF these predictions
and promises was fulfilled. In verse
rs there is presented the great
thought OF the need Of preparation In
youth for the future days OF good
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 opportunity
were to be allowed the powerful Amo.
rites who now possessed the land be.
fore the land came into bona.nde pos
session In accordance with the prom.
Use, for Gods judgment was condition.
ed upon the measure OF their iniduity
being full" Tn the midst OF this hor
ror OF darkness came Gods final as.