The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1918-10-03


Genesis 1852.
DEVOTIONAL READING-Hebrew IL:
lilo.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
TEACHERS-Genesis 1l:27-32; Hebrews
1l:S-10
I. Abraham's Call ". y.
The new era inaugurated with Noah
Mt its head ended in colossal failure.
In view of such failure God turned
aside from the nation as such, and call.
ed Abram out from his kindred and
land, and placed him at the head of
new nation which he would train for
himself. This call involved:
1. A call to separation. He was to
leave the place of his fond assocla.
tions for land unknown to him. Obe-
dience to this command meant the sew.
erance of three ties.
(D "His couotry In the widest
range Of his affections. (2) His place
Of birth and kindred. which comes
closer to his heart. (3) His fathers
house, rs the lnmost circle Of all ten.
der emotions" All this must be cast
off before the Lord could get him into
the place of blessing. When kindred
and possessions stand in the way Of
love and service to Christ, one must
renounce them (Matthew 10:3O.
2. A call to heroic tasks. For Abram
to go into a strange land and take pos
session of 1t for God called for the
heroic in him. 1t costs much to live
the life of separation, but 1t is the only
way to have Gods favor. Those who
are children of faithful Abram must
trust God
u. Gods Promise to Abram wv.
2:3).
Gods demand for separation was fol-
lowed by seven-Sold promise-a gra.
cious engagement on the part of God
to communicate certain unmerited fa-
vors and to confer blessings upon him.
/. IL will make of thee great ma
tlon." ". 2.). This in some measure
compensated for the loss of his cOun-
try. He escaped from the defiling In
fluences of his own nation, and became
the head of chosen nation. This was
fulfilled in patural way in the Jewish
nation ano/in Ishmael (Gen. II :20),
also in a spiritual seed embracing both
Jews and Gentiles Galatians 1913.
2. 81 will bless thee" ". 2). This
was fulfilled O Temporarily (Gen
13:14-17 :24-35). He was enriched with
lands and cattle, silver and gold. (2)
Spiritually (Gen. 10 :6; John $3.50. He
was freely justified on the grounds OF
his faith. The righteousness OF Christ
was imputed to him.
3. "And make thy name great" ". 2)
became the head of new house which
would be venerated far and wide. liz
is known as the friend of God (Jame.
2:23).
4. "Thou shalt be blessing" ". p
1t was great thing to be thus honoreC
and blessed by God, but to be the me
dium of blessings to others was greater
still. 1t is more blessed to give than t
receive.
8. 81 will bless them that bless thee
". ~. God so identified himself will
his servant that he regarded treatmen
of Abram as treatment of himself
Christ so completely Identifies hlmsel
with his people that he regards wroni
done to them as done to himself. Sine
performed toward Abram as performe,
toward himself. In all ages since thei
the nations and individuals that hav
used the Jew well have been blessed
G. "And curse him that curseth thee
". 81. The nations that have bee
against the Jews have never pros
pered. While God at different time
used the surrounding nations a
scourges of Israel he in turn punlshe
them for their mistreatment of Israe
Z. "In thee shall all families of tn
earth be blessed" ". 3). This has bee
fulfilled CD In the Jewish nation be
ing made the repository of the Oracle
of God Through them the Bible ha
been given to the world. (2) TIL
bringing into the world of the Redeem
er.
(3) In the future time when tn
Jews shall be Gods missionaries /
carrying the good tidlngs of the Gospt
to the ends of the earth.
III. Abrams Obedience wv. 4-9).
: Abram ut once departed out of hi
: own land. He proved his faith by hi
e works. He did not argue or parle!
r Neither did he demand some guarar
y tee, but stepped out upon Gods make
] word. There were difficulties in hi
way, but faith in God made him brave
: Faith in God gives victory over tn
G world. He worshiped God. To g
e into a heather land and establish tru
Il worship requires courageous faitl