Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1918-10-18
IMPROVED UNIFORM MTEt NATIONAL
SUNDGS0100L
LESSON
'By REV. /. b. FIrXWATER, y, D.,
Teacher OF English Bible In the Moody
Bible Institute OF ChIcagoJ
Copyright, 1915, Western Newspaper
Tnion)
LESSON FOR OCTOBER 20
ABRAHAM GIVING ISAAC TO GOD.

LESSON TENT Genesis 2?I.n
GOLDEN TENT win give him unto
the Lord all the days Of his life Sam
uel I'll.
DEVOTIONAL READlNG-Luk l4;95-
35
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
TEACHERS Genesis ii,l-6; lS'9 Is; 2l-l-l2,
1. Abraham Tested wv. |, y.
God does not tempt men 10 SIN
(James | :13), but he subjects them 10
rigid tes,s to prove them, In the treat
ment Of Abraham we have n supreme
example. God tested Abraham, not
Lot Sodom tested Lot. 'iod tests
the man who is proof against the tests
Of Sodom. God had promised Ahra'
ham an heir through when blessings
were To come to the world. For many
gears his faith was sorely tried IN wait
Ing for It's fulflmcnt Al length, his
heart rcjoiccd in the realization OF
that hope. In the lad in the pntrI-
archS tent were wrapped Abraham
hopcx Of the future when his seed
should be as the stare for multitude.
His was no ordinary expectation. The
human affections and hopes were, no
doubt. included; but new nation was
TO spring. from him, and Isaac was the
sole link making the connection Then
too. he saw the coming Redecmcr for
"Alsaham saw my day and was glad
(John S:5G). II Is only rs we thus
see all that Isaac meant to his ia
Their md Gods purpose for the future
of the world. that we really can apprc-
ciate the crucial test that came to
Abraham. A test in some sense sim
llnr comes 10 many Christian fathers
and mothers. God is calling for sons
and daughters 10 be offered on the al
tar # his service. The test Is some
thing terrific. MS some who have given
mp sons and daughters for the mission
|, field cnn testify. II Is only rs God IN
known 10 be almighty Genesis 1I:D
shall ability he given 10 give them mp.
n. Abraham Standing the Test wv.
210).
!. On the way wv. g. ~. Abraham
promptly obeycd. There was neither
hcSitancy nor arguing. God had Is.
sued the command At his call Abrn-
ham said Here am T. w. y. lie
could not say "No" TO God. In the
ordinary affairs Of life we call n man
weak who cannot say NO" who has
no will Of his own. hut the man who
could not say NO" 10 God. we count
strong Early in the morning he was
on the way to the place of which God
had told him. An who really believe
4 In God will yield themselves 10 him
without question, reserve, or shrinking.
Anything short of this is not conSccra-
ton We should not stop 10 ask how
or why. II Is enough TO know that God
/ has spoken.
=. abide We here" ". ~ This test
! Ing experience was too sacred for hui
man eyes 10 gaze upon. How like
/ this the words of Jesus In GclhScIp-
nnr. "Tarry yc here" Human Sympa-
thy Is sweet, and is to he priced, hut
we need 10 he alone in times of great
testing. There are times when hui
man sympathy binders US from doing
0ur duty. When Abraham said; I'VE
4 will come down again Ia you.' he
spoke sincerely. for he believed that
God would give him Isaac back from
/ the dead Uleb. ll:19).
=. Isaac bearing the wood upon
which he is 10 be offered tvv G. y.
i This reminds us Of Christ bearing the
cross on The way to CALVARY. Isaac must
/ have been now Il young man, He did
not resist or cry out, hut graciouSly
submitted, showing that he is making
n willing sacrifice.
T. The angel Of the Lord calls (vv.
S12). At the critical moment when
/ Abrahnm'S hand had lifted the glenn
! ing hndc to make real the offering,
/ God intcrfcrcd. God did not want hui
man sacrifice aS n burnt offering, hut
he wanted Abraham 10 give up 10 him
his best the surrender of his win
10 him. God is always pleased with
submissive obedience. "'ro obey is
better than sacrifice" Many times
we are face 10 face with the test Of
giving up our fondcSt hopes and pur-
poses. but when rc have met the test
ms Abraham did we got back our offer
Ing or greater things instead.
~. God viii Provide Himself a
Lamb ivy. -. 40.
Just behind Abraham was ram
4 caught in n thicket by his horns. Him
Abraham offered instead Of his son.
In the words God will provide himself
y lamb (v. s. we have the whole plan
Of redemption outlined. God has pre-
vdcd the costly sacrifice of his Son 10
satisfy himself.