Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1924-01-03
LESSON FOR JANUARY 6
The CHOSEN LEADER AND THE
CHOSEN LAND

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LESSON TExT-Gen. 12:i-7; ls.l7-1s.
GOLDEN Textile thee shall all
The families of the earth be blessed
Gen. 1913.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
tC-Abraham, the Picne er.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Abraham and the Migration to
canaan.
Following Adams sin and the con-
segment ruin thereof God gave a
promise of a Redeemer (Gen. 3:15).
In providing this redemption God used
leader and made him to be the head
Of the nation through whom the Re-
deemer was to come and chose a land
in which that nation was to live. That
leader was Abraham and the land was
Palestine.
l. Abraham. tho Chosen Leader
t0en. 12:1-3; CT SIT. 49,.
1. His Ancestors Gosh. "a 2, Ia.
Abraham's people were idolaters.
Ya2 likely as young man he him.
rat worshiped idols Tradition fur
nie.es US with some interesting stories
to1ching his struggle against idolatry.
He Knew how hopelessly disastrous
fd0aatry was to the norAK OF the peo-'
pig and, therefore. ~ould be able to
lead them back to God. tsa
2. His Cali (Gen. u u; CT. Acts
~. 81. God came to him In ur OF the
QDaldees and said unto him, Il, "Get
tiee out Of thy country" Abraham
HAD lived long enough to have formed
STRONG attachments to his country.
~ Get thee out from thy kindred"
Abraham was not only to leave behind
him his native land but his relatives
as well, even his fathers house. Since
his kindred were idoIaters, he must
leave them. Abraham was to become
a pilgrim, to be without home. Even
In Canaan, the only land he ever
OWned was burial place. (3). Into
the land that / Will show thee" He
was not told what or where the land
was. He went out not knowing
whittier he went" (Heb. II 49, While
he dwelt in tents during his earthly
sojourn, yet che looked for city which
hath foundations whose builder and
maker is God" (Heb. 8:10).
3. What God Promised Him (Gen.
1872, 81. ~ The Father of a Great
Posterity ". y This has been liter
ally fulfilled. SO far as the lineal de-
scendants of Abraham are concerned,
his posterity is great, but his spiritual
seed is almost numberless We are all
children of Abraham by faith. (2). To
Have Great Name ". p. No name
in all history equals that of Abraham
In its honorable influence. His is the
name of honor among Jews, Moham-
medans and Christians. 90. A Bless
Ing to Others wv. 2, 81. He was not
only to become great and share Gods
blessings. but to be blessing to others.
This is the prevailing law of the
spiritual life-being blessed TO be
blessing. He was not to go out pri-
marily for what he could get but for
what he could do. Those who respond
TO- this law of the spiritual life be-
come the very touchstone Of God. so
precious to Him that He will bless
those who bless them and curse those
who curse them. God makes common
cause with His people. To maltreat
Gods children is to lift the hand
against God. No one who goes against
Him can prosper.
4. His Obedience (Gen. 12:4-6).
Abraham fully obeyed God. At His
call he departed, went out, not know
ing whittier he went.
II. Palestine, the Chosen Land.
Although Abraham was a pilgrim and
was permitted to sojourn In the land,
the land itself was given to his seed.
Israel, Gods chosen and most favored
nation, the nation to whom He came
nearest and gave most, in order that
xhey might pass on His goodness to the
other nations Of the world, was given
the most strategic position in the
earth. Palestine was adapted as ms
ether country to Gods great purpose
Il establishing pure religion and
sending it to all the world To this end
a single nation was selected, trained
md placed In the center of the world
SO that when the time came to pub
fish the true religion all lands could be
reached" Full peace and blessing can
only come to the world when Israel,
the priestly nation, shall come back to
her own land.