The Elbert County tribune., 1913-02-28


confederate kings is a story rich with
typical suggestions.
I. "After These Things" w. II.
Gods word ". ~ came to Abram not
only as a counsel but for assurance
as 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
sessed the land, God appeared to him
in a vision and said, Fear not" See
lisa. 41:10. There in the midst of
foes (Jas. 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 ire
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
Use 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 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. "a The acceptance
of the word of God. e. g., to have our
trust built upon or supported by the
word of Jehovah, see lisa. 30:21; (2)
to act upon that faith so that our
course In life manifests the belief of
the heart
Gods covenant. 1874. is confirmed
In seven ways. 1. Posterity, (a) nat
(c) also through Ishmael, Gen. 17:1S-
90: 2. Blessing, both temporal and
spiritual; g. great name; 4. Be bless
ing, Gal. 3:13, IA: 8. II will bless
them that bless thee;" 6, "and curse
them that curse thee; Z, the families
of the earth blessed through Abram,
e. g., 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. 4:20, R. V. All God
oolya <&F i, f.v 60 tal hi ut hi
word. So 1t 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 ! Know" Wv.
S-1S. The weakness of human faith in
dicated by Abrams question " 81 is
tions for the preparation of a sacri-
flee. Abram did not really doubt
Gods word ". 81, 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 pledge sign of
our Inheritance, 2 Cor. 1922. Eph. 1:14.
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
". III are symbolic of Satan, and
Abram, driving them away. 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 days of servitude on the part
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
is 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-fide pos
session in accordance with the prom
Ise, for Gods judgment was condition
ed upon the measure of their iniquity
being full" In the midst of this hor-
ror of darkness CAME Gods final as
surance to Abram in the symbolic
flaming torch" which passed be-
tween the pieces of the slain animals
typical of the two parties to the con.