New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-10-18
IMPROVED UNIFbAM INTERNATIONAL
SUNDMSQl00L
LESSON :
(By REV. =. B. FITZWATER, d. D.,
Teacher OF English Bible in the Moody
Bible Institute of C~hicago.)
Copyright. 1918. Western Newspaper
UniOn.)
LESSON FOR OCTOBER 20
ABRAHAM GIVING ISAAC TO GOD,

ABRAHAM GIVING ISAAC TO GOD.
LESSON TEXT-Genesis 22:l-1l.
GOLDEN TEXT will give him unto
the Lord all the days Of his life.-I Sam
uel Ill.
DEVOTIONAL READlNG-Luke 14:2s-
Is.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
4. Abraham. Tested wv. I. p.
God does not tempt men to sin
(James 1 :13). but he subjects them to
rigid tests to prove them. In the treat
ment Of Abraham we have a supreme
example. God tested Abraham. not
Lot. Sodom tested Lot. God tests
the man who is proof against the tests
Of SOdOm. God had promised Abra-
ham an heir through whom blessings
were to come to the world. For many
years his faith was sorely tried In wait
ing for its fulfllment. At length. his
heart rejoiced in the realization Of
that hope. In the lad in the patri-
arch's tent were wrapped Abraham's
hopes Of the future when his seed
should be as the stars for multitude.
His was no ordinary expectation. The
human affections and hopes were. no
doubt, included ; but a new nation vas
to spring from him. and Isaac vas the
sole link making the connection. Then.
too. he saw the coming Redeemer. for
abraham saw my day and was glad"
(John $500. It Is only as we thus
see all that Isaac meant to his IA
Their and Gods purpose for the future
Of the world, that we really can appre-
ciate the crucial test that came to
Abraham. A test in some sense sim
liar comes to many Christian fathers
and mothers. God Is calling for sons
and daughters to be offered on the al
tar of his service. The test Is some
thing terrific. as some who have given
up sons and daughters for the mission
field can testify. 1t is only rs God Ia
known to be almighty Genesis 17:1)
shall ability be given to give them mp.
u. Abraham Standing the Test wv.
2-1O).
/. On the way wv. 8. ~. Abraham
promptly obeyed. There was neither
h~esitancy nor arguing. God had Is
sued the command. At his call Abra-
ham said: "Here am l" ". ~. he
could not say mo" to God. In the
ordinary affairs Of life we call a man
weak who cannot say "No." who has
no will Of his own but the man who
could not say mo" to God, we count
strong. Early In the morning he was
on the way to the place Of which God
had told him. All who really believe
In God will yield themselves to him
without question, reserve, or shrinking.
Anything short of this is not consecra.
ton. We should not stop to ask how
or why. 1t is enough to know that God
has spoken.
2. "Abide We here" ". 81. This test.
ing experience was too sacred for hu-
man eyes to gaze upon. How like
this the words Of Jesus In Gethsem-
ane: "Tarry We here" Human sympa.
thy is sweet, and Is to be priced, but
we need to be alone in times Of great
testing. There are times when hui
man sympathy binders us from doing
our duty. When Abraham said: 1--WE
will come down again to yOu." he
spoke sincerely, for he believed that
God would give him Isaac back from
the dead (Heb. II :19).
3. Isaac bearing the wood upon
which he is to be offered wv. 6. y.
This reminds us Of Christ bearing the
cross on the way to Calvary. Isaac must
have been now a young mar. He did
not resist or cry out, but graciously
submitted, showing that he is making
a willing sacrifice.
4. The angel of the Lord calls wv.
8-12). At the critical moment when
Abraham's hand had lifted the gleam-
Ing blade to make real the offering.
God interfered. God did not want hui
man sacrifice as a burnt offering, but
ne wanted Abraham to give up to him
his best, the surrender of his will
to him. God is always pleased with
submissive obedience. ITO obey Is
better than sacrifice" Many times
we are face to face with the test Of
giving up our fondest hopes and pur-
poses, but when we have met the test
as Abraham did. we get back our offer
ing or greater things instead. ,
~. God viii Provide Himself q
Lamb wv. Is, 14).
Just behind Abraham was a ram
caught in a thicket by his horns. Him
Abraham offered instead Of his son.
In the words God will provide himself
a lamb ". 81 we have the whole plan