The Harp of God Part 8

Where did Cain get his wife? -- 92.

To whom does Jehovah show his favor? -- 92.

What effect does Satan's influence have on the people? -- 92.

What kind of man was Noah? and whom did he serve? -- 93.

Why did Jehovah direct Noah to build the ark? -- 93.

How many persons escaped destruction at the time of the flood? and who were they? -- 93.

How was the earth peopled after the flood? -- 93.

What man is mentioned in the Scriptures as the friend of G.o.d? and what was the name of his wife? -- 94.

What was the age of Abraham when G.o.d spoke to him? and what did Jehovah say? -- 94.

What was Abraham's native land? and to what land did he go in obedience to G.o.d's command? -- 94.

At what places did Abraham stop in Canaan that are specially mentioned in the Bible? -- 94.

What promise did G.o.d make to Abraham at Bethel? and what promise did he make while Abraham dwelt in the plains of Mamre? -- 94.

Describe the place of Abraham's residence at the time Jehovah promised him a son. Quote the Scriptural account. -- 95.

How many sons did Abraham have by his wife Sarah? Give Scriptural proof.

-- 96.

To what special test did G.o.d put Abraham with reference to his son Isaac? -- 96.

Describe in detail the offering of Isaac. -- 97.

Repeat G.o.d's promise to Abraham at the time of his offering of Isaac.

-- 98.

Whom did Abraham typify in this offering? and of whom was Isaac a type?

-- 99.

What did the offering of Isaac picture? -- 99.

Did Abraham understand the full meaning of G.o.d's promise? -- 99.

What is the meaning of the word "covenant"? -- 100.

How does G.o.d regard his covenants? Give Scriptural proof. -- 100.

How many parties are required to make a covenant? -- 100.

Where only one party is bound, what kind of covenant is it? -- 100.

Where both parties are bound to perform certain things, then what do we call the covenant? -- 100.

Why was G.o.d's covenant with Abraham a one-sided covenant? -- 101.

What is the important statement of the Abrahamic covenant or promise?

-- 101.

Whom will the Abrahamic covenant ultimately affect? -- 101.

"IS IT COME?"

Poet and seer that question caught, Above the din of life's fears and frets; It marched with letters, it toiled with thought, Through schools and creeds which the earth forgets.

And statesmen trifle, and priests deceive, And traders barter our world away; Yet hearts to that golden promise cleave, And still, at times, "Is it come?" they say.

The days of the nations bear no trace Of all the sunshine so far foretold; The cannon speaks in the teacher's place; The age is weary with work and gold; And high hopes wither, and memories wane; On hearths and altars the fires are dead; But that brave faith hath not lived in vain; And this is all that our watcher said.

--_Brown_.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

CHAPTER V

String 4: _The Birth of Jesus_

It has pleased Jehovah to use men and women to picture or foreshadow various parts of his plan. For instance, Abraham at times pictures or represents G.o.d; while Sarah his wife was used to picture or typify G.o.d's covenant with Abraham through which he promised to bring forth the seed for the blessing of all the families of the earth. Sarah was the mother of Isaac, her only son. Isaac was used to typify or foreshadow Jesus, the son of G.o.d, the Redeemer of the world. Hagar had a son by Abraham, and Hagar typified or foreshadowed the law covenant, which was made by Jehovah with Moses as a mediator for the children of Israel at Mount Sinai. As Hagar was a bondwoman, the servant of Sarah, so was the law covenant one of bondage that brought forth no real blessings to the Jews; but it was made for the purpose of teaching the Jews their inability to lift themselves up to life and to show them the absolute necessity for a redeemer. After the death of his wife Sarah, Abraham married Keturah and by her had many children; and Keturah is used as a type foreshadowing the new covenant that is to be made by Jehovah with Christ as the Mediator for the world of mankind, through which all will have an opportunity to gain life everlasting.

[103]The apostle Paul speaks of these figures or pictures relating to the covenants, as follows: "For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise." (Galatians 4:22-28) Isaac pictures the entire Christ, head and body--Jesus the Head, the church the body members.

[104]It is noted that G.o.d's covenant with Abraham stated that there would be an offspring or seed which would bless all the families of the earth. This seed is the Redeemer, Christ Jesus, the Savior of the world; and by adoption into the family of G.o.d the true Christians, the church, the members of Christ's body, become a part of that seed. "And the scripture, foreseeing that G.o.d would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made.

He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ."--Galatians 3:8,16.

[105]Before the blessing promised could come to the peoples of earth, the seed which was promised must first come. The Israelites, otherwise called Jews, therefore expected that one of the natural descendants of Abraham would become their king and that through that king and his kingdom all the nations of the earth would be blessed by receiving the benefits first given to them. For this reason the faithful Jews looked forward with great expectancy to the birth of the one who was to be their king. They based their hopes upon the repeated promise made by Jehovah. Without doubt it was thought by some that Isaac, the son of Abraham, would be the one through whom the blessing would come. "After the death of Abraham, G.o.d blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai-roi." (Genesis 25:11) When Isaac was about sixty years old there were born to him and his wife Rebekah two sons, twins, who were named by them Esau and Jacob.--Genesis 25:26.

[106]Isaac then went to live in the land of the Philistines, and while there, G.o.d said to him: "Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; and I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed". (Genesis 26:3,4) Thus the Abrahamic promise was renewed to Isaac. Before the death of Isaac, he p.r.o.nounced his blessing upon his son Jacob, and Jacob thereby became the successor of his father to the Abrahamic promise.

[107]Under the rule of descent, the firstborn or eldest son was the heir of the father's estate and any other rights or privileges that went with that estate, unless for some cause there should be an exception to the rule. Esau having been born a few moments before his brother Jacob, under the operation of this rule would be the successor to the Abrahamic promise and heir to his father. His birthright, therefore, would include the promise made to Abraham. But the Lord clearly indicated that there should be an exception to the rule in this case and that Jacob should be the heir and not Esau. When it was known that the mother would bear two sons, and just before the time of their birth, Rebekah the mother inquired of the Lord concerning the expected children and the Lord said unto her that two sons would be born to her and that the elder should serve the younger. (Genesis 25:22,23) This definitely shows that it was G.o.d's purpose that Jacob, who was born last, should be the heir and successor to the Abrahamic promise.

[108]These two sons grew to manhood's estate. Esau became a great hunter and loved the outdoor sports; while Jacob was a plain man, remaining quietly at home. Esau showed that he did not appreciate the birthright, viz., the Abrahamic promise, even if it were his, which in fact it was not, since G.o.d had foreordained that it should belong to Jacob. Esau thought more of his own selfish, immediate comfort than anything that might come to him by reason of this promise. On one occasion he was in the field hunting. He returned hungry and faint. He found that Jacob had prepared a pot of lentils. When Esau smelled this appetizing food he said to Jacob: "Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage, for I am faint". And Jacob said: "Sell me this day thy birthright". "And Esau said, Behold I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright."

--Genesis 25:27-34.

[109]Genuine, real right and t.i.tle to the birthright was now Jacob's for two good and sufficient reasons: (1) because it was so ordered by the Lord before his birth, as above stated; and (2) because he had bought it in an open and fair transaction with his brother Esau. These two brothers were not mere children at this time. They were past forty years of age (Genesis 26:34), both capable of entering into a contract; and they made a contract which was binding upon both.