Heroes of Israel Part 2

He reached the district in Southern Canaan that was called "the South."

What wealth did he have? What would he need for his cattle? Notice how this caused him to journey from place to place.

12 (--5). On the western plains of America there have been disputes between the cattle men over the rights of grazing. The big men have driven the little men away. Tell the story of this old dispute in Canaan. What plan of settlement did Abraham suggest? How did Lot behave in the matter? What good result came to Abraham?

13 (--5). Look up the word "magnanimous." Could it be applied to Abraham?

Have you ever known an act that was magnanimous?

14 (--6). Kings in old times used to make war on their neighbors just for the purpose of stealing their goods. This is the story of one of those plundering expeditions that was made against the country near the Dead Sea. Who had chosen that country for his residence? What was the result of the invasion? How did Abraham hear of it? How many young men did he have in his service? What does this show of the size of his camp? What did Abraham do?

15 (--6). What did Abraham do with the spoil that he captured? Was this magnanimous?

16 (--6). Compare Abraham's conduct with that of the United States in Cuba.

17 (--6). Abraham gave back the property that he had rescued: what should we do with property that we find?

18 (--7). Men of old loved to think of G.o.d appearing to them and talking to them. It is a beautiful picture of the silent message that comes to our hearts. What does Abraham learn is to happen to the wicked city of Sodom?

19 (--7). Is Abraham magnanimous in pleading for Sodom? What do the Lord's replies to Abraham's prayers teach us?

20 (--7). What happened to Sodom? Was Abraham's prayer answered?

WRITTEN REVIEW

Think over and write out the three ways in which Abraham was _magnanimous_. If you watch carefully the conduct of the best people you know you will be sure to see somebody do a magnanimous act before the next lesson. When you see it write it down in your notebook as your review work.

III. ABRAHAM AND ISAAC

THE STORY

=--8. Abraham's Devotion= (Gen. 21:2, 3; 22:1-19)

A. THE SACRIFICE OF THE FIRSTBORN

And Sarah bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which G.o.d had spoken unto him. And Abraham called the name of his son Isaac.

And the child grew. And it came to pa.s.s, that G.o.d did prove Abraham and said unto him, "Abraham."

And he said, "Here am I."

And he said, "Take now thy son, thine only son, whom thou lovest, even Isaac, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of."

And Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his a.s.s, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went into the place of which G.o.d had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

And Abraham said unto his young men, "Abide ye here with the a.s.s, and I and the lad will go yonder; and we will worship, and come again to you."

And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took in his hand the fire and the knife; and they went both of them together.

And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, "My father."

And he said, "Here am I, my son."

And he said, "Behold, the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"

And Abraham said, "G.o.d will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son."

So they went both of them together. And they came to the place which G.o.d had told him of; and Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

B. THE DIVINE INTERFERENCE

And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, "Abraham."

And he said, "Here am I."

And he said, "Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him: for now I know that thou fearest G.o.d, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me."

And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, "In the mount of the Lord it shall be provided."

And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said, "By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea sh.o.r.e; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice."

So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beer-sheba.

=--9. The Selection of Isaac's Wife= (Gen. 24)

A. THE COMMISSION OF THE SERVANT

And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. And Abraham said unto his servant, the elder of his house, that ruled over all that he had, "Swear by the Lord, the G.o.d of heaven and the G.o.d of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: but thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac."

And the servant said unto him, "Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?"

And Abraham said unto him, "Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again. The Lord, the G.o.d of heaven, that took me from my father's house, and from the land of my nativity, and that spake unto me and that sware unto me, saying, 'Unto thy seed will I give this land,'

he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife for my son from thence. And if the woman be not willing to follow thee, thou shalt be clear from this my oath; only thou shalt not bring my son thither again."

And the servant sware to Abraham his master concerning this matter.

B. THE MEETING WITH REBEKAH

And the servant took ten camels, of the camels of his master, and departed; having all goodly things of his master's in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. And he made the camels to kneel down without the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time that women go out to draw water.

And he said, "O Lord, the G.o.d of my master Abraham, send me, I pray thee, good speed this day, and show kindness unto my master Abraham.

Behold, I stand by the fountain of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water: and let it come to pa.s.s, that the damsel to whom I shall say, 'Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink;' and she shall say, 'Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also': let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast showed kindness unto my master."

And it came to pa.s.s, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder. And the damsel was very fair to look upon; and she went down to the fountain, and filled her pitcher, and came up.