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LESSON FOR THE SECOND SABBATH IN MAY

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Tuesday, April 28, 1885

FromThe Review and Herald, Vol. 62, No. 17

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LESSON FOR THE SECOND SABBATH IN MAY.

By C. C. L.

(See Instructor of April 29, 1885.)

THE PROMISES TO ABRAHAM.

A REVIEW.

ABRAHAM’S CALL.

Its nature.—Called to leave his country, his kindred, and the nearer relatives of his father’s house. Acts 7:3; Gen. 12:1.
Its time.—About 1921 B. C. See Gen. 12:1.
Whence?—From Ur of the Chaldees at first (Gen. 11:31; Acts 7:4); afterward from Haran, where he had dwelt until the death of his father. Gen. 11:32; Acts 7:4. Ur was formerly associated by the ancient traditions with Orfah, the Edessa of later ages, situated in the highlands of Mesopotamia, upon the east bank of the Euphrates, in the great bend of that river, east of the north-east angle of the Mediterranean Sea, and distant about one hundred miles therefrom. “But many modern writers have fixed the site of Ur in the south of Chaldea, at Mugheir, not very far above—and probably in the time of Abraham really upon—the head of the Persian Gulf.”—Smith’s Bib. Dic. The reasons for holding to the older opinion are probably as good as those in favor of the new.
Where?—To enter an unknown country which the Lord promised to show him. Acts 7:3.

THE PROMISES WHICH GOD GAVE TO ABRAHAM.

At the time of his call.—To make of him a great nation, and make his name great; to bless him, and to make him a blessing, and in him to bless all the families of the earth. Gen. 12:3. The last part of the promise refers to the blessings of the gospel, which come through our Lord Jesus Christ. See references in the margin.
Connecting link with the next mention of the promise.—After his father’s death, Abraham, taking with him Lot, their families, and all their substance, passed into the land of Canaan, which the Lord revealed to him was the country that he promised to show him. Finding neither pasturage nor food for his household, on account of a famine which prevailed in the country, he journeyed still southward to the rich corn lands of Egypt. Being dismissed from the country for a time by the king of Egypt on account of the deception he practiced concerning Sarah his wife, Abraham returned with Lot to Bethel, fifteen miles north of the site where Jerusalem was afterward built. Here the promise was renewed about four years from the time of its first giving to Abraham.
After his separation from Lot.—At this time the Lord promised to Abraham and to his seed for an everlasting inheritance, all the land in the range of his vision in every direction. Gen. 13:14, 15, 17. He also promised to make his seed as the dust of the earth in number. Gen. 13:16.
Connecting link.—The chiefs of the tribes who inhabited the plain of the Jordan had been subdued by an invasion of northern warriors, and for twelve years had been subject to Chedorlaomer king of Elam. A rebellion brought a second invasion from this long-named king and his confederates; and a great battle was fought in the vale of Siddim (now occupied by the Dead Sea, as the original of Gen. 14:3, according to Dr. Wm. B. Smith, seems to imply), which resulted in the complete triumph of the kings of the North, who returned to their country laden with a great spoil, and taking with them Abraham’s brother’s son and all his goods. Hearing of this, Abraham, hastily arming his trusty servants, pursued the conquerors along the track of the Jordan valley, and, overtaking them in Dan, by a night attack gained a complete victory, releasing the captives and retaking all the spoil. On his return he was visited and blessed by Melchizedek, to whom Abraham gave a tenth part of the spoil. About four years had elapsed since the second giving of the promise, which brings us to the third appearing of the Lord to Abraham. This occurred—
3. After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer.—At this time the burden of the promise was that his seed should be as the stars of heaven for multitude. Gen. 15:5. He also promised that he should inherit the land, and gave him a sign to strengthen his faith. Verse 7 and onward. Abraham’s faith on this occasion was counted to him for righteousness. Verse 6.
Connecting link.—Here follows the story of Hagar and Ishmael, recorded in the sixteenth chapter of Genesis; and fifteen years after Abraham returned from the defeat of Chedorlaomer the Lord appeared to him again.
4. When he was ninety-nine years old.—Upon this occasion the Lord made a covenant with Abraham. On his part, Abraham was to walk before the Lord and be perfect, that is, upright, or sincere. Gen. 17:1, margin. The Lord on his part renewed his promise to multiply him exceedingly (verse 2) and to make him a father of many nations. Verse 6. In remembrance of this, the Lord changed the name of his servant from Abram (high father) to Abraham (father of a multitude). Verse 5. He also renewed again the promise that the land of Canaan should be given to him and to his seed for an everlasting possession (verse 8), and established the rite of circumcision as a token of the covenant which had been made. Verses 11, 12.
Connecting link.—Passing now the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the birth of Isaac, the casting forth of Hagar and Ishmael, and the crowning trial of Abraham’s faith, in which he was called upon to sacrifice his son Isaac, the only earthly hope of the fulfillment of the promises, we come to the fifth occasion upon which the Lord appeared to Abraham.
5. After the crowning trial of his faith.—Here the promise is renewed that Abraham’s seed should be as the stars of heaven and as the sand of the sea shore (Gen. 22:17), and that in his seed all nations of the earth should be blessed. Verse 18. It is also promised that his seed should possess the gate of his enemies. Verse 17.

III. EXTENT AND FULFILLMENT OF THE PROMISE.

1. Its extent.—Paul declares that the promise embraced the world (Rom. 4:13); and this statement is confirmed by the promise of God, so often repeated to Abraham, that his seed should be as the dust of the earth, as the stars, and that in him all nations of the earth should be blessed. This shows that the promise was to have more than a local fulfillment, though the ancients may have understood it in a local sense, as indeed many parts of it were so fulfilled. But that it never has been fulfilled in the sense chiefly intended by Jehovah the Scriptures plainly teach, as will be shown below.
2. The promise not yet fulfilled.—So Stephen expressly declared before the council, as recorded in Acts 7:5; and Paul affirms of all the faithful that they received not the promise. Heb. 11:39.
3. The promises of God are sure.—“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise,” says Peter (2 Pet. 3:9), while Paul says that in Christ all the promises of God are yea, and in him amen. 2 Cor. 1:20. We therefore confidently believe that the promise to Abraham and to his seed will yet be fulfilled.
4. Conditions of its fulfillment.—But not under the present condition of things do we look for its fulfillment. When all the nations of the earth are blessed, they will all be found keeping the commandments of God (Ps. 1:1, 2); the kingdom of God will then have come, when the will of God will be done on earth by its inhabitants as it is now done by the angels in heaven. Matt. 6:10. Not in this life will such a state of things exist, but in the immortal life, when the saints of God, according to his promise, inherit the earth. Matt. 5:5; Ps. 37:11.
How the promises to Abraham will be fulfilled will doubtless be developed more fully in future lessons. C. C. L.