The Winslow mail., 1924-01-04
IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
Sl11GldaySchool q
' Lesson '
By REV. P. B. FTTZWATER, D. D.,
Teacher of English Bible in the Moody
Bible Institute of Chicago.)
(0, 1923. Western Newspaper Union.)
LESSON FOR JANUARY 6
THE CHOSEN LEADER AND THE
CHOSEN LAND

CHOSEN LAND
LESSON TEXT-Gen. 12:1-7; 18:17-19.
GOLDEN TEXT-"In thee shall all
the families of the earth be blessed
Gen. 1878.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
IC-Abraham, the Pioneer.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Abraham and the Migration to
Canaan.
Following Adams sin and the con-
sequent ruin thereof God gave
promise of a Redeemer (Gen. 3:1).
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.
I. Abraham, the Chosen Leader
(Gen. 1918; CT. 1917, 18).
1. His Ancestors Josh. 2, 14.
Abraham's people were idolaters.
Very likely as a young man he him
self worshiped idols. Tradition fur
nishes us with some interesting stories
touching his struggle against idolatry.
He knew how hopelessly disastrous
idolatry was to the morals Of the peo-
pie and, therefore, would be able to
lead them back to God.
2. His Call (Gen. 12:1; CT. Acts
TO, 81. God came to him in Ur of the
Chaldees and said unto him, U Get
thee out of thy country" Abraham
had lived long enough to have formed
strong attachments to his country.
(2) 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 idolaters, he must
leave them. Abraham was to become
pilgrim, to be without home. Even
in Canaan, the only land he ever
owned was burial place. (3). Unto
the land that I will show thee" He
was not told what or where the land
was. HE went out not knowing
whittier he went" (Heb. II 8). 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).
g. What God Promised Him (Gen.
1872, 81. ID The Father of a Great
Posterity ". p. This has been liter
ally fulfilled SO far as the lineal de-
scendants Of Abraham are concerned,
his posterity is great, but his spiritual
cond ic almost rTmhorlocc Wo ara oil
children of Abraham by faith. (2). To
Have a Great Name ". p. No name
in all history equals that of Abraham
In it's honorable influence His Is the
name of honor among Jews, Moham-
medans and Christians. (3). A Bless
ing to Others (vv. 2, -. 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 DloSS lIlon anu curse IuOS0
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
f. His Obedience (Gen. 12 2:4-6).
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 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
they 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 no
other country to Gods great purpose
of establishing a pure religion and
sending it to all the world. To this end
a single nation was selected, trained
and placed in the center of the world
so that when the time came to pub
lish 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.