Evening star., 1926-05-01

| Gen, lX.l3.
We need TO study the whole lesson
and learn how the flood was caused by
the widespread wickedness of men, be-
fore we consider Gods covenant with
Noah The ancient Hebrews saw the
hand of God in the affairs of men. The
terrible catastrophe came upon care
less world, slumbering in their false
security, blind to the signs Of their
| approaching fate. just as we were
when we were called upon to witness
| the tragedy of the World War.
We will miss the message of this
weeks lesson If we spend our time
studying the flood and the ark. We
| need at this very moment to under
stand how secret and social sins
! threaten by its power to destroy mod
! ern civilization. In fact the ''interlac-
| ing, communicating power Of evil' is
seeking to undermine the moral
! foundations of society by its iniquity
| and lawlessness. We could easily ascer-
tain how the Scriptural account of the
! food is corroborated by the traditions
| Of all nations. The testimony Of emf
nent biologists would confirm that the
| whole earth" which refers to the
| then inhabited portions Of the
| world was visited with a food. The
| size OF the ark is no longer a question
! Of perplexity since the success mod
ern men have had in navigating the
! seas in still larger vessels. The reli-
| gious message with its warning to
| modern civilization is the one we
must face.
| Christianity is being tested today in
| solving the problems of modern perils
| The message of the flood to- this gen
GRAFTON is one warning us that sin is
| not only sapping the social life, but it
| is communicating the whole system Of
! life. The iniquity, indifference and
! immortality of men demand that "the
entire social arterial system through
| which the social life blood runs must
! be redeemed" This lesson sounds a
note of hope and encouragement that
| inspires ones faith. when we recall
! Gods covenant with Noah, the man
of faith, who stood out alone in that
| dark hour. He had d vision of the
! approaching destruction. He proved
| his faith when he planned to escape
| the perils of his day in a way that
| demonstrated his fitness to lead the
| remnant that survived the destructive
| powers Of the flood.
Gods Covenant.
| Our hope in this hour is found in
| the promises of God. whose covenants
| and agreements with men He has
never failed TO keep. We are heirs to
| all his past covenants. In Christ we
have the fulfillment of Gods covenant
with Adam that the seed of the wom-
an should bruise the serpent's head.
| When our Lords patience ceased with
men, and He summoned them to pre-
pare for the Judgment through the
preaching OF Noah, they showed
spirit of Indifference like that which
characteriZes the present age. They
no doubt laughed at Noah, while he
was building the ark, and considered
| it great joke when he shut himself up
with his family and the beasts seven
| days preceding the flood. The man
who obeyed God was chosen to be the
| leader of a new epoch in human af
| fairs when God made his covenant
with Noah after the flood. His prom
| Use is full of blessings for us. as it was
| for the ancient man Of faith.
| Gods covenants are marked by
grace, strength, and are without any
limit as to time. He re-established
the covenant that He had made with
Adam without any consideration be-
| ing asked from man. The unmerited
favor Of the Lord has characterized
all His covenants. This is seen in
l
vah to build up men after sin has
| wrought it's destructive power. His
| tory proves it. Recall when Israel
entered Palestine, when the GothS
pourned down on Rome, when Char
lemagne established a new empire,
when Europe entered on the Crusades,
when Cromwell gave Puritanism a
permanent place in English politics,
when William the Silent rescued Eol-
land from cruelties worse than the
engulfing floods, when the Huguenots,
! tossed on a sea OF persecution.
escaped on broken planks to distant
lands, when France in the throes of
revolution, broke with an uncomfortable
past, when the colonies of America.
denied their rights, took the first step
| to secure them-these are only a few
| of the innumerable cases in which
| the hand of God nodded history
with the power that makes for right.
| eousness."
Its Provisions.
| Noah needed the encouragement
| that God gave him, when in obedience
to the divine command he left the ark
and offered up worship to Jehovah,
who had saved him and his family.
| About him were the marks Of a ruined
world. 1t called for courage in view
| of his experiences to start anew in
that desolated world. One Of the first
provisions Of the covenant assured
| Noah that the world would never
again be destroyed with water. Within
the provisions Of this promise was
included every living creature that
had been with him in the ark, the
beasts of the field and the fowl of the
air and the cattle. The inclusion Of
these living creatures was for the
benefit of Noah and his family. Men
| are just commencing to realize how
| much Of their present prosperity is
due to the presence Of these beasts Of
the field, fowls Of the air and the cat
tie of the plains. "The Lord is good
to all, and his tender mercies are over
all His works."
No mention is made of salvation in
this covenant because 1t is included in
the one made with Adam, and to Noah
before he entered the ark. God as
sured Noah that he could look ahead
| without fear, knowing that he would
| be cared for in all his wants and be
protected. The forces of nature would
not destroy him, the beasts of the
| field would not devour him, Winters
cold would not be continuous, and that
| Summers heat would not last
| throughout the whole year. The earth
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