The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1918-10-05
IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
LESSON
(By REV. p. B. FTTzwATER, d. D.,
Teacher of English Bible in the Moody
Bible Institute of Chicago.)
Copyright, 1918. Western Newspaper
Union.)
LESSON FOR OCTOBER 6
ARRAM LEAVING HOME

GeneSt9 LIZ.
| DEVOTIONAL READ1NGEHebrewn IL:
lilo.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
TEACHERs-Genesls n:27-s2: Hebrews
1:s-1o.
I. Abraham's Call ". ~.
The new era in%augurated with Noah
at its head ended in a colossal failure.
In view of such failure God turned
aside from the nation rs such, and call
ed Abram put from his kindred and
land, and placed him at the head Of a
new nation which he would train for
himself. This call involved:
/. A call to separation. He vas to
leave the place of his fond associa-
tons for a land unknown to him. ODE
dience to this command meant the sew
erance Of three ties.
~ Ills country in the widest
range of his affections. (2) His place
Of birth and kindred, which comes
closer to his heart. t3) His fathers
house, as the Utmost circle of all ten
der emotions" All this must be cast
off before the Lord could get him into
thO PiaSO vi piCoSlnB. NDcu hluuIeu
and possessions stand in the way of
love and service to Christ, one must
%renounce them (Matthew 10 $50.
2. A call to heroic tasks. For Abram
to go into q strange land and take pos
session of it for God called for the
heroic in him. 1t costs much to hive
the life of separation, bat it is the only
way to have Gods favor. Those who
are children Of faithful Abram must
trust God.
II. Gods Promise to Abram wv.
2:3).
Gods demand for separation was fol.
lowed by a seven-fold promise-a graz
cious engagement on the part of God
to communicate certain unmerited ia
vors and to confer blessings upon him.
1. II will make OF thee a great ma
tion." ". 2.). This in some measure
compensated for the loss of his coun-
try. He escaped from the defling in
1uences of his own nation, and became
the head of a chosen nation. This was
fulfilled in a natural way in the Jewish
nation and in Ishmael (Gen. II :20),
also in O spiritual seed embracing both
Jews and Gentiles Galatians 8 1919.
2. II will bless thee" ". p. This
was fulfilled ~ Temporarily (Gen.
ID :14-17 :24-35). He was enriched with
lands and cattle, silver and gold. (2)
Spiritually (Gen. Is e; John $3.50. He
was freely justified on the grounds of
his faith. The righteousness of Christ
was imputed to him.
8. sand make thy name great" ". p.
He renowned his fathers house, and
became the head of a new house which
would be venerated far and wide. he
is known as the friend of God (James
2:23).
4. "Thou shalt be a blessing" ". p,
1t was a great thing to be thus honored
and blessed by God. but to be the me
dunn Of blessings to others was greater
still. It is more blessed to give than to
receive.
8. II will bless them that bless thee
". 81. God so identified himself witt
his servant that he regarded treatment
of Abram as treatment Of himself
Christ so completely Identifies himself
with his people that he regards wronl
done to them as done to himself. Sine,
he was Gods friend, God regarded act!
performed toward Abram as performed
toward himself. In all ages since thei
the nations and individuals that hav,
used the Jew well have been blessed
6. sand curse him hat curseth thee
". 81. The nations that have beel
against the Jews have never pros
, pered. While God at different time
used the surrounding nations a
scourges of Israel, he in turn Furnishes
them for their mistreatment of IsraeI
> Z. "In thee shall all families of tn
earth be blessed" ". 81. This has bee
fulfilled (1) 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 4
carrying the good tidings of the Gospe
t to the ends of the earth.
r III. Abrams Obedience wv. 4-9).
: Abram at once departed out of hi
W land. He proved his faith by hi
works. He did not argue or parley
: Neither did he demand some guarar
tee, but stepped out upon Gods make
word. There were difficulties In hi
way, but faith In God made him brave
t Faith in God gives victory over tn
!. world. He w~orshiped God. To G
into a heather land and establish tru
worship requires a courageous faitl