The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1918-10-03
IMPROVED UNlY0RM INTERNATIONAL
SUNl6YSC[l00L
LESSON
<By REV. +. b. FITZwATER, d. D.,
Teacher OF English Bible in the Moody
Bible Institute of Chicago)
copyright. 1918, Western Newspapor
Union)
LESSON FOR OCTOBER 6
ABRAM LEAVING HOME.

A6HAM LEAVING HOME,
LESSON TEXT-Genesis 12:1-9.
GOLDEN TExT-Be thou a blessings.
| Genesis 1872
LILO. 49,
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
TEACHERS-Genesis 11:27-32 Hebrews
1870
7. Abraham's Call ". u.
The new ern innugurated with Noah
ut 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 q
new nation which he would train for
himself. This call involved:
l. call to separation. He was to
leave the place Of his fand associa-
lions for land unknown 70 him. Obc-
mence to this command meant the sew
erance Of three ties.
G) Ills country In the widest
range of his affections. {2) His place
Of birth and kindred, which comes
closer to his heart. (3) His fathers
mouse, as the inmost circle of all ten
dcr emotions" All this must be cast
OH before the Lord could get him into
the place of blessing. When kindred
ana possessions stand in the way of
love and service to Christ, one must
renounce them (Matthew 10: O:37).
2. A call TO heroic tasks For Abram
TO go into strange land and take nos.
session of 1T for God called for the
heroic in him. 1t costs much to live
the life of separation, but it is the only
way to have Gods favor. Those who
are children of faithful Abram must
trust God.
Il. Gods Promise to Abram wv.
2:3).
Gods demand for separation was fol-
lowed by sevcn-fold promise-a gra-
clous engagement on the part Of God
10 communicate certain unmcrited fa-
vors and to confer blessings upon him.
l. II will make Of thee great ma
tlon.' ". p. This in some measure
compensated for the loss of his coun-
try. He escaped from the defling in
llucnces of his own nation, and became
the mead OF chosen nation. This was
lulnllcd IN natural way in the Jewish
nation ana In Ishmael (Gen. II :2O),
also III spiritual seed embracing both
Jews and Gentilcs Galatians 3:7-S).
z. II will bless thee" ". p. This
was fulfilled G) Temporarily (Gcn.
Is :l4-l7 :24-35). He was enriched with
lands and cattle, silver and gold. (2)
Spiritually (Gen. IS % John 1860. He
was freely justified OH the grounds of
his faith. The righteousness of Christ
was imputed to him.
3. And make thy name great" (y. q.
He renGunced his fathers house, and
became the head of new house which
would be venerated far and wide. He
is known as the friend of God (James
2:23).
q. "Thou shalt be n blessing" (v. p,
lt 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 1t is more blessed to give than to
receive.
5. II will bless them that bless thee"
". -. God SO identified himself with
his servant that he rcgteMed treatment
or Abram rs treatment of himself.
Christ SO completely Identifies himself
with his people that he regards wrong
done to them rs done to himself. Since
he was Gods friend, God regarded acts
performed toward Abram as performed
toward himself. In all ages since then
the nations and individuals that have
used the Jew we'll have been blessed.
q. And curse him that curscth thee"
(V. -. The nations that have been
against the Jews have never prOs.
pered. While God at different times
used the surrounding nations as
scourges of Israel he In turn punished
them for their mistreatmcnt of Israel.
Z "1n thee shall all families of the
earth be blessed (v. 81 This has been
fulfilled Il; In the Jewish nation be-
Ing made the repository of the Oracles
OF God. Through them the Bible has
been given to the world. (2) The
bringing into the world of the Redeem.
cr.
(3) In the future time when the
Jews shall be Gods missionaries in
carrying the good tidings of the Gospel
to the ends of the earth.
III. Abrams Obedience tvv. 4.e>.
Hpiliu At once departed out or his
own land fle proved his faith by his
works. He did not argue or parley.
Neither did he demand some guaran-
tee, but stepped out upon Gods naked
word There were difficulties in his
way, but faith In God made him brave.
Faith in God gives victory over the
world. lie worshlpcd God. TO go
| into q hCo hon land md nctoh ohlich truo
{ worship requires courageous faith.