STUDIES IN GENESIS

"Why Be A Baptist"

"Bible Briefs Against Hurtful Heresies"

"Studies in Romans"

"Acts of the Apostles"

"Studies in the Parables"

"Women's Work in Baptist Churchs"

Edited by

Roy O. Beaman, pastor

West End Baptist Church, Paducah, Ky.

Editor, The Baptist Voice

EDITOR'S NOTE

     These notes on Genesis comprise Old Testament I was taught by the lamented Author in a FOUR YEAR COURSE IN THE WHOLE BIBLE. As printed here, they are the result of a comparison of his original penned notes, a typed set used in his teaching and often modified by his pen, and scant oral comments preserved by his students. Two valuable additions to these notes are ardently desired by the Editor: full reports of his oral comments in class, for it is here that one felt the touch of a great teacher of the Word, and gleanings from the bound volumes of News and Truth, time for which arduous task has not been found by the Editor.

     The greatest reward will accrue to the student who reads every reference and develops the suggestive outlines herein printed. Questions similar to those used by the Author have been inserted to help clinch these studies. Every other addition by the Editor is earmarked by the initials "R.O.B." The Supplement, which is appended, is a tithe of the material offered by the Editor in his five years of teaching Genesis along with the notes of the Author.

     If the required time for preparation and the necessary money for publication conjoined with the welcome reception of the public toward this initial volume be forthcoming, seven other similar books will be offered the public for the elucidation of the Holy Scriptures.

Introductory Studies In Genesis

     PROOF OF THE MOSAIC AUTHORSHIP OF GENESIS

     AND THE PENTATEUCH

     I. PRELIMINARY PROOF:

     1. Who said and says that Moses did not write Genesis and the Pentateuch?

     Infidels and Catholic priests.

     Carlstadt, a critic, 1521.

     Andreas Mosius, a Belgian, in his commentary on Joshua, 1574.

     Peyrere, a Catholic priest, in his Systematic Theology, in 1660.

     Spinoza, a Dutch philosopher, in 1670.

     Hobbes, an English philospher.

     Richard Simon of Dieppe, France, a Catholic priest, 1685.

     Astruc, a profligate free-thinker, a French doctor, 1753.

     Voltaire, 1762, popularized it.

     For study, see "The Fundamentals" on "The History of the Higher Criticism," by Canon Dyson Hague, Vol. I. p. 93. "Breakers! Methodism Adrift", L. W. Munhall, pp. 25-32.

     2. Who fights it today and why? Because, they do not love the truth. Munhall, ibid, P. 61f. "The Fundamentals", Vol. VIII. p. 74f.

     3. Jewish and profane history proves Mosaic authorship. Angus-Green, "The Bible Hand-Book", pp. 389f. Tacitus, Juvenal, Strabo, Longimus, Porphyry, Emperor Julian, Mohammed, Josephus, and many other Jewish and profane writers.

     4. Numerous quotations by Old Testament prophets. See Angus-Green, p. 390. "Hosea and Amos show there were five books recognized in the Northern Kingdom."

     5. Archaisms, Angus-Green, p. 391.

     6. Internal evidence, Angus-Green, p. 391.

     7. The monuments bear record of it. "Back to the Bible", by A. C. Dixon, pp. 95-96, 105.

     II. BIBLE PROOF:

     Old Testament proof:

     Moses himself said that he wrote the Pentateuch.

     "And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven" (Exo. 17:14); "And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do. And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD. And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient" (Exo. 24:3-7); "And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of the LORD: and these are their journeys according to their goings out" (Num. 33:2); "And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and unto all the elders of Israel. And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Gather the people together, men and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law... And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished" (Deut. 31:9-12, 24).

     A man is to be believed until he is impeached, and Moses has never been impeached by any.

     Joshua so testifies. "Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success" (Josh. 1:7-8); "As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings. And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel. And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel. And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law" (Josh. 8:31-34); "Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left" (Josh. 23:6).

     The historical books so testify. "And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself" (I Ki. 2:3); "But the children of the murderers he slew not: according unto that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin" (II Ki. 14:6); "Only the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the LORD thy God. Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed" (I Chron. 22:12-13). "But he slew not their children, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin" (II Chron. 25:4); "Neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers; so that they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses" (II Chron. 33:8); "And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses" (Ezra 6:18); "We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses. Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations" (Neh. 1:7-8);      "And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel" (Neh. 8: l).

     New Testament proof:

     Jesus Himself said so. " And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?" (Mark 12:26); "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself... And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me" (Luke 24:27,44); "Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?" (John 5:45-47); "Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me? The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee? Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel. Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man. If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?" (John 7:19-23). The truth of Christ's words stand or fall with the Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch. "Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me? The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee? Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel. Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man. If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?" (John 7:19-23). Note these points. "Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?" (John 5:45-47)

     A. Jesus says that Moses wrote His words.

     B. He puts them on equality with His own words, because they are just as authoritative.

     C. The words of Moses will accuse until and at the judgment.

     The apostles so testify. "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (John 1:17); "Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph" (John 1:45); "For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day" (Acts 15:21); "And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening" (Acts 28:23); "For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them...But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you" (Rom. 10:5,19); "But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart" (II Cor. 3:15); "For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?" (I Cor. 9:9); "For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people" (Heb. 9:19); "He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses" (Heb. 10:28).

     Conclusion: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled" (Matt. 5:17-18).

THE INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES

     General Comments on Inspiration:

     "Either Moses knew as much about science as we or else he was inspired", Ampere. "Look into the Holy Scriptures, which are the true words of the Holy Spirit", Clement. "The prophets delivered oracles to the people; the apostles wrote letters to the brethren", author unknown.

     "As a result of the careful examination of the entire Scriptures in the originals, noticing and marking where necessary every variation of tense, preposition and the significance of words, the impression left upon my mind is this, not the difficulty of believing the entire inspiration of the Bible, but the impossibility of doubting it... The godliness of the translators, and the superiority of their scholarship, and the manifest assistance and control afforded these by the Holy Spirit in their work is such that the ordinary reader can rely upon the whole being the word of God," Thomas Newberry. James II. Brooks is authority for the statement that the words 'Thus saith the Lord', occur two thousand times in the Bible. Ninety three times in the five books of Moses, so under fire today, we do read, "The Lord spake unto Moses saying" (Exod. 6:10). David claimed: "The Spirit of the Lord spake by me and his word was in my tongue" (II Sam. 23:2). Isaiah contended that he wrote "For the LORD spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying" (Isa. 8:11). Jeremiah begins one of his prophecies, "The word that the LORD spake against Babylon and against the land of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the Prophet" (Jer. 50:1). Amos' plea was, "Hear this word that the Lord hath spoken against you, O children of Israel" (Amos 3:1). Micah closes a prophecy with the words, "The mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it" (Micah 4:4). Peter "Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus" (Acts 1:16), "Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me" (Psalm 41:9). Here we are clearly told that it was the Spirit of God speaking through the mouth of David. Even, more strongly is verbal inspiration insisted on when Peter and John were released from prison, the early disciples lifted up their voices with one accord to God . . . who by the mouth of thy servant David hath said, "Why do the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing?" (Psa. 2:1). God indited; David uttered", Young.

I. DEFINITION OF INSPIRATION     .

     Inspiration is man's writing the very words as chosen by the Holy Spirit to make sure he writes the very words God wants said. "The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue" (II Sam. 23:2); "Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth" (Jer. 1:9). The word for "inspiration" "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (II Tim. 3:16) means literally "God-breathed". The word of God has the very breath or life of God in it.

     The words themselves, not the men, are inspired. "The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue" (II Sam. 23:2); "Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth" (Jer. 1:9); "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (II Tim. 3:16). We can speak of the inspired Scriptures but not of the inspired men. They were not always under the influence of the Spirit of inspiration.

     Note these results of inspiration:

     Because it is an inspired Book, it is inerrant; that is, it is without error. "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled" (Matt. 5:17-18); "and The scripture cannot be broken" (John 10:35); "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" (II Peter 1:20-21).

     Because the very words of Scripture are inspired, it is an infallible book. "If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken" (John 10:35); "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled" (Matt 5:17-18).

     Because the Book is inspired it is the living word.. "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Heb. 4:12); "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever" (I Peter 1:23); "This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us" (Acts 7:38). Plant it and it will grow. The breath of God put life into the word. "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (Gen. 2:7). I recommend here a very fine book, "Life In The Word," Philip Mauro. There is the same difference between the Bible and all other books that there is between Christ and all other men. Christ had life in Himself, could impart life, and His life could not be taken; the Bible has life in itself. "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63). Christ was the only perfect Man; the Bible is the only perfect Book. Christ and the Bible stand or fall together.

II. THE PROOF OF INSPIRATION     :

     "But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?" (John 5:47); "This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us" (Acts 7:38); "And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished, That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying, Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee. For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the LORD; and how much more after my death?" (Deut. 31:24-27); "And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me" (Luke 24:44); "Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation" (Acts 15:31); "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" (II Pet. 1:21); "The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue" (II Sam. 23:2); "Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth" (Jer. 1:9).

     Other proof, outside of the Bible, may be given:

     The history of the Jews is great proof. A king asked his chaplain for one word to prove the inspiration of the Bible. "The Jew," replied the chaplain.

     Fulfilled Prophecy. "The Wonders of Prophecy," John Urquhart. Be sure to read this fine book.

     Effects on the life of those who read it, both saved and lost. It reveals our own thoughts to us. Other books tell us the writer's thoughts: this Book tells us our thoughts.

     Supplementary notes: R. 0. B.

     Verbal inspiration means that the words are inspired.

     Inerrant inspiration means that no errors are in the word. As Baptists confessions always affirm, the Bible has God for its author and truth without any admixture of error for its matter.

     Infallible Scripture means that it cannot fail.

     Plenary inspiration means full inspiration; each part is inspired in the same degree. This opposes the Modernist view of partial or spotted inspiration. Here we need to observe these important distinctions.

     Three words sum up the whole of the story of the Bible:

     1. Revelation means something divinely made known. It could not and would not have been otherwise known unless God revealed it. It is above human knowledge. This is the source or origin of the message.

     2. Inspiration means the divine method of transmitting this revelation to writing. In such preservation of the matter revealed there is no error intermixed. This is the method of preserving the message revealed.

     3. Illumination deals with the opening of the Scripture and the opening of the mind and heart to receive the message. This extends through the incipient stages of Holy Spirit conviction through the full development of the Christian in knowledge. This is the power of the message as it is made effective in the life.

THE ELEVEN NATURAL DIVISIONS OF GENESIS

     1. Creation, 1:1-2:3.

     2. Generations of the heavens and the earth, 2:4-4:26.

     3. Generations of Adam, 5:1-6:8.

     4. Generations of Noah, 6:9-9:29.

     5. Generations of the sons of Noah, 10:1-11:9.

     6. Generations of Shem, 11:10-26.

     7. Generations of Terah, 11:27-25:11.

     8. Generations of Ishmael, 25:12-18.

     9. Generations of Issac, 25:19-35:29.

     10. Generations of Esau, 36-1-37:1.

     11. Generations of Jacob, 37:2 - 50:26.

     Thus Genesis naturally divides itself into these eleven chapters. This is God's Outline of the book of Genesis. The line ever moves along the line of the promised seed, the line of the Messiah, except in the case of Ishmael and Esau. Ishmael was closely associated with Isaac, and Edom with Israel.

     SOME BEGINNINGS IN GENESIS

     The book of Genesis was named from its opening noun; the Greek of the word "beginning" is "genesis." The keyword of the book is beginning. The Bible is the only history of the beginning of things. Herodotus, the father of history, wrote not earlier than the fifth century before Christ; Moses wrote one thousand years earlier the story of the beginning of things.

     1. The beginning of matter, 1:1, 21, 27.

     2. The beginning of animal life, 1:20-21.

     3. The beginning of man, 1:27.

     4. The beginning of time, 1:1.

     5. The beginning of sin in our world, ch. 3.

     6. The beginning of salvation, 3:15.

     7. The beginning of destructive criticism, 3:4.

     8. The beginning of true worship, ch. 4.

     9. The beginning of the chosen race, ch. 12.

     10. The beginning of the Messianic hope, 49:8-12.

     11. The beginning of faith, Chap. 4.

     12. The beginning of prophecy, 3:15.

     13. The beginning of marriage.

     14. The beginning of sorrow, 3:16.

     15. The beginning of atonement and sacrifice.

     16. The beginning of government, Chap. 9.

     17. The beginning of the sabbath, 2:2-3.

     18. The beginning of work, 3:19.

     19. The beginning of clothing, 3:21.

     20. The beginning of tithing, 14:20.

     21. The beginning of civilization and nations, Chap. 4.

     22. The beginning of music, 4:21.

     23. The beginning of birth, 4:1.

     24. The beginning of war.

     25. The beginning of murder, 4:8.

     QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW

     1. Who wrote Genesis and the Pentateuch?

     2. When was Genesis written?

     3. Who denies Moses wrote Genesis?

     4. Give five proofs outside the Bible, that Moses wrote Genesis.

     5. Summarize the lines of proof for Mosaic authorship.

     6. Discuss the relation of Moses and Christ.

     7. What Is Inspiration?

     8. Give three results of inspiration.

     9. Define verbal Inspiration.

     10. Define infallible inspiration.

     11. Define inerrant inspiration.

     12. Define plenary inspiration.

     13. Distinguish between revelation, inspiration, and illumination.

     14. What is meant by calling the Bible the final revelation of God?

     15. Name the eleven natural divisions of Genesis.

     16. Whose outline is this called? Why?

     17. What line is followed in this outline?

     18 Define Genesis.

     19. Make a list of other beginnings in Genesis.

Studies in the First Three

Chapters of Genesis

     It has been well said that, if one gets right on the teachings in the first three Chapters of the Bible, he is pretty sure to be right on the rest of the Bible. Because we believe this, we devote quite a bit of time to the study of these initial chapters. My brethren, there is much material here for the very preaching that we need today. Linger here in your study.

RUNNING COMMENTS ON GENESIS 1-2

     Who was the Creator? What proof is there of the trinity in creation? What was the work of each person of the Godhead?

     Answer. "Let us make man" speaks of the trinity in the Godhead.

     God spake, "And God said, Let there be light: and there was light" (Gen. 1:3). "Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created" (Psa. 148:5). "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear" (Heb. 11:3). That is what we call "fiat" creation; God spake, and it was done.

     Christ made, "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made" (John 1:3). "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist" (Col. 1:16-17).

     The Holy Spirit brooded, "And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters" (Gen. 1:2). "Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth" (Psa. 104:30); "By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent" (Job 26:13). The Hebrew word means "brooded," not "moved."

     How many creative acts were there and what was created in each act?

     Answer Three:

     Matter, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Gen. 1:1). "And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens" (Gen. 2:3-4); "The north and the south thou hast created them" (Psa. 89:12), "Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created" (Psa. 148:5); "Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth... Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding" (Isa. 40:26,28); "That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it" (Isa. 41:20); "For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else" (Isa. 45:18); "Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein" (Isa. 42:5); "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things" Isa. 45:7); "For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The God of hosts, is his name" (Am. 4:13).

     Animal life, "And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good... And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so" (Gen. 1:21,24). There was no evolution; only the creative fiat put life into matter.

     Man, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them" (Gen. 1:27); "This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created" (Gen. 5:1-2); "And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them" (Gen. 6:7); "For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it?" (Deut. 4:32); "I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded" (Isa. 45:12). There was no evolution of animal to man. The gulf is wide between animals and man; creation is the only bridge.

     Created and made. "And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made" (Gen. 2:3). He created matter; out of it He made His works. To create is to make something out of nothing; to make is to make something out of something.

     The order of creation.

     First day. He created matter. "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Gen. 1:1). He made light and time. Light was the first need, and was necessary for day and night. "      And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day" (Gen. 1:3-5).

     Second day. He made an expanse between the waters: that is, space. The word translated "firmament" means "expanse," space, atmosphere. "And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day" (Gen. 1:6-8).

     Third day. He made dry land and the seas. He made seed to germinate after its kind. That is plant life. "And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the third day" (Gen. 1:9-13).

     Fourth day. He made the sun and moon to appear. "And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day" (Gen. 1:14-19).

     Fifth day. He created animal life after its kind. Two kinds were created this day; the air and water animals. "And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day" (Gen. 1:20-23).

     Sixth day. He made the land animals. He created man, male and female. "And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him" (Gen. 2:15-20).

     Man was made out of dust, not out of rocks indicative of his frailty. "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (Gen. 2:7); "For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust" (Psa. 103:14).

     The three heavens of the Jews:

     Where the fowls fly, "And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven" (Gen 1:20).

     Where the sun, moon, and stars are, "And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years" (Gen. 1:14). "Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness" (II Pet. 3:12-13).

     Where God personally dwells. This explains why the word for heaven in 1:1 is plural, "heavens". (R.V.). "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?" (I Kings 8:27). "But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!" (II Chron. 6:18).

     God put man to work; he was to be no idler. "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth" (Gen. 1:28); "And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. ...And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it" (Gen. 2:5,15).

     "Replenish" means in the Hebrew "fill."

     Man was to be a herbarian. Before the fall he ate only herbs. "And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so" (Gen. 1:30). Eating meat, or the desire for flesh, is the result of sin. In heaven man eats of the tree of life. "In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations" (Rev. 22:2).

     Man's life was God-breathed. "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (Gen. 2:7). So is the Bible. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (II Tim. 3:16). The expression "inspired of God" means literally, God-breathed.

     The Jews reckoned time as God, evening and morning, because there was darkness before light. "And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day" (Gen. 1:5).

     Creation was never finished until the end of the six days. "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens" (Gen. 2:1-4). Therefore, there was no cataclysm between 1:1 and 1:2.

     Rain does not come of itself, though we say impersonally, "It rains." God at first caused and controlled rain. "And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground" (Gen. 2:5). He does today.

     Woman is a counterpart or helpmeet. "And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him....but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man" (Gen. 2:18,20-23). She is his equal; made from his rib, not his head or feet. There was no help meet in animals; therefore evolution is a lie. Not foot to be under nor head to be over.

     Man's wisdom. "And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field" (Gen. 2:19-20). He named the cattle, fowls, and beasts.

     Names given by God Himself:

     (1). Light-day. "And God called the light Day" (Gen. 1:5).

     (2). Darkness-night. "And the darkness he called Night" (Gen. 1:5).

     (3). Expanse-heavens. "And God called the firmament Heaven " (Gen. 1:8).

     (4). Dry land-earth. "And God called the dry land Earth" (Gen. 1:10).

     (5). Waters-seas. "And the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good" (Gen. 1:10).

     Sleep for surgical operation. "And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof" (Gen. 2:21). God was thousands of years ahead of doctors.

     They were not ashamed though they were naked, which shows that they had no sin. "And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed" (Gen. 2:25). They clothed themselves as soon as they sinned. "And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons" (Gen. 3:7).

     God's law on marriage. "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh" (Gen. 2:24). "But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife. But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace" (I Cor. 7:11-15).

     The seed were put in the earth in creation. "And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so" (Gen. 1:11).

     The first sabbath. "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them... And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made" (Gen. 2:1,3).

     Soul of man is called living, but the soul of animals is only in creation. Man's soul goes upward, but the soul of animals goes downward. "Breath of life," literally, "lives". That means physical life, soul life, spiritual life. "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (Gen. 2:7).

     God made the garden beautiful. "And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil" (Gen. 2:8,9).

     God made gold. "The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold" (Gen. 2:11).

     "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Gen. 1:1), refers to the beginning of time and creation.

     Chapter 1 should end with "And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made" (Gen. 2:3).

SPECIAL STUDIES IN GENESIS 1-2

I. WAS THERE A CATACLYSM BETWEEN THE FIRST TWO VERSES OF GENESIS? THERE WAS NOT. Proof:

     "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (Romans 5:12), teaches very clearly that there was no death upon the earth until after Adam's transgression. If there was no death until Adam sinned and death came as a result of sin, then no beasts died before that time. If there had been millions of years, as Mr. Scofield and others say, between the first two verses of` Genesis and the beasts had multiplied as rapidly as they do now and none of them had died; they would have crowded the earth so full of animals that there would have been no room for vegetation to grow upon which they might feed. For instance: Suppose that even rabbits or flies either one should live for just one century unmolested.

     If there was a cataclysm between the first two verses of Genesis, then you have two separate creations: one recorded "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Gen. 1:1), and another millions of years later in the rest of the chapter. The whole theory is based on supposition, just like the one they intend to oppose. They try to get around evolution and yet they have as many suppositions as evolution has. Darwin, in his book, uses the expression, "We may well suppose," over eight hundred times. These men who deny evolution base their whole contention on suppositions and yet contend for a million years between Gen. 1:1 and "And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters" (Gen. 1:2). They suppose a cataclysm. They suppose there was a prehistoric man. They suppose there was death in the world before Adam sinned when the Bible plainly says that sin came by Adam and death by sin. They suppose that there were geologic ages millions of years long between the first two verses of Genesis.

     As an explanation it does not explain. It was meant to give scope for the geologic ages. How could there be fossils of animals that lived and died and their skeletons buried by an earthquake, so that we find them today, four days before any animals were created? Why are there no fossils of angels or prehistoric men? It is worthless as an explanation because it raises more difficulties than it explains.

     If everything was created, destroyed by a cataclysm, and then recreated, we then have God doing His work over, which is contrary to all Bible teaching. "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:6). We had as well talk of two new creations as two first creations.

     This theory is contrary to all Bible History of God's dealing with men in various ages. He always leaves a remnant. Instance the flood and the captivity.

     There was no prehistoric man. Adam was the first man. "And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit" (I Cor. 15:45).

     "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth" (Gen. 1:28). The Hebrew word for "replenish where Arthur W. Pink makes his argument, does not mean "refill". The Hebrew is "male". It is translated 246 times in the Old Testament "to fill," "fulfill," or "to be full." Creation was never finished until "And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made" (Gen. 2:2). No idea of repetition inheres in the original Hebrew word. "These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens" (Gen. 2:4).

II. THE DAYS OF GENESIS ONE     .

     Were they twenty four hour days or long periods of time? The Bible is its own best interpreter. God usually tells what He means the first time He uses a word in His book. In Genesis 1, where the word "day" is first used, God made it very clear that He was talking about a twenty four hour day for the following reasons:

     1. The only day which has an evening and a morning is a twenty four hour day. The reason evening is mentioned before morning is because darkness came before light. That is why the Jewish day begins at six p.m. The Seventh Day Adventists close their day at six p.m. We may see them down town on Saturday afternoon after six o'clock buying their goods because their day closes then. We need to remember this in connection with Christ's resurrection also.

     2. The seventh day of this first week of days was a twenty four hour day. "But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it" (Ex. 20:10,11); "Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death" (Ex. 31:15). Therefore, since the seventh day was a twenty four hour day, the other six days of that same week must have been twenty four hour days.

     3. "And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day... And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:... And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good" (Gen. 1:5,14,18). The period lighted by the sun is what is here called day. The period is the daylight period of a twenty-four hour day.

     4. In all the Bible, the word days is never used to designate an indefinite period of time when connected with a numeral. "And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated" (Gen. 8:3); "And they returned from searching of the land after forty days" (Num. 13:25); "Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights" (Jonah 1:17); "For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it" (Ex. 20:11); "To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3). In Genesis 1 we have the numerals first, second, and third. Unless Genesis 1 contradicts the rest of the Bible, the days here are twenty four hour days.

     5. The objection is raised: There could have been no twenty four hour days without the sun, and the sun did not shine until the fourth day.

     Answer: The twenty four hour day is made by the revolution of the earth upon its axis, and that could have been without the sun's shining as well as with it. The sun does not make the day; it lights it. The light was created the first day. "And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day" (Gen. 1:3-5).

     6. These days could not have been periods of time because there was no death until man's sin. "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (Rom. 5:12). Geologists say that the fossils we find in the rocks are the remains of animals which died before Adam's sin. Since nothing died before Adam's sin, we have fossils of animals that never died! Fossils, according to George McCready Price, are explained fully by the flood.

     7. The days of Genesis 1 were twenty four hour days "And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years" (Gen. 1:14). They were the same kind of days that belong to seasons and years.

     8. These days were twenty four hour days. "And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died" (Gen. 5:5).

     9. The days of Genesis were not long periods of time because God commanded the animals to multiply and fill the earth.

FOURTEEN REASONS WHY EVOLUTION ISN'T TRUE

     There are fourteen distinct statements in Gen. 1:1-3:24 that give the lie to evolution.

     1. The Bible says "God created the heavens and the earth." That proves that matter is not eternal, that it was not begun by blind force, that it did not start itself, that it came into existence by the creative fiat of God. That prevents a belief in evolution.

     2. The Bible says God created animal life. That proves that animals did not evolve up from vegetable life by inherent or resident forces. It proves that it took God's creative fiat to bring them into existence. That prevents a belief in evolution.

     3. The Bible says God created man. That prevents belief in the evolutionist lie that men came from the lower animals.

     4. The Bible says that God made man's body out of the dust. That prevents belief in the evolutionist lie that man's body ever was different to what it is now and that it was not evolved up through millions of years of time from an anthropoid ape to its present form.

     5. The Bible says ten times that God's law for vegetable life, for animal life, for all created things is "after its kind." That prevents belief in the evolutionist lie that one species developed into another and higher species. The mule is a living witness that evolution is a lie. He is a cross between the ass species and the horse species and he cannot propagate his kind. He has no kind. He is a cross between two kinds and is not a distinct species and is an indisputable witness to the truth. "And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.... And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good" (Gen. 1:11,12,20,21,22,24,25).

     6. The Bible says the days of Creation were days that included day and night; that they were ruled by the sun and by the period of light; that the sun divided between the day and the night; that these days' were regulated by the sun and moon just as the seasons and years are. All that prevents belief in the evolutionist lie that he was not made at all, but evolved up from the lower animals in the image of an anthropoid ape.

     7. The Bible says that Eve was the mother of all living. "And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living" (Gen. 3:20). That prevents belief in the evolutionist lie that man evolved from the lower animals unless God worked a greater miracle than creation. For God to have so controlled the process of evolution that Eve would be the only woman that would evolve from an anthropoid ape would be a great miracle and require more credulity, than to believe in creation. If evolution is true then many female anthropoid apes evolved into women and Eve was not the mother of all living. But the Bible plainly says that Eve was the mother of all living; therefore evolution is an impossible lie.

     8. "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (Gen. 2:7). That prevents a belief in the evolutionist lie that man is any kin to the anthropoid ape or the lower animals.

     9. "And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him" (Gen. 2:19-20). That prevents belief in the evolutionist lie that the first man was just a little above the ape in intelligence; but substantiates the idea taught elsewhere in the Bible that Adam, was the most intelligent man that ever lived on this earth except the Son of man. His knowledge was finite, not infinite; but like God he knew by intuition. He did not have to study to know. That is one of the curses that came as a result of sin.

     10. The Bible says that all the beasts and fowls were brought to Adam to see if any of them would do for a help meet for him. That prevents belief in the evolutionist lie that man himself is an evolution from the beasts. He could have found a help meet among his ancestors, if evolution was true. That also shows the degeneracy of womankind today, who prefers association with poodle dogs to little children.

     11. "And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man" (Gen 2:21-22). That prevents belief in the evolutionist lie that man evolved from the lower animals; for if man had evolved from the ape state, woman with her quicker intuition would have evolved too.

     12. The Bible says there was a personal devil that deceived Eve and led her into sin. "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" (Gen. 3:1). That prevents belief in the evolutionist lie that the devil is only an influence and not personal but impersonal.

     13. The Bible says Adam and Eve fell. That prevents belief in the evolutionist lie that the tendency of everything in this world is upward. Plants left to themselves degenerate. Fine blooded stock left to itself degenerates. The fall is written on everything. The fundamental principle of evolution that the tendency of all things is to develop upward is a hell born lie. The devil is the author of it in an attempt to hide the fall of man and the curse of it that came therefrom.

     14. Thorns and thistles and sweat and toil and pain in travail and the enmity and fear of the snake are God's ever-present witness, to the truth of the first three chapters of Genesis. And with thinking people will prevent belief in the evolutionist lie of development from inherent or resident forces being the law of life. Everything of itself in this world goes backward and downward if left to itself. It is only by intelligent forces outside of itself, either human or divine, that there is ever any development in plants or animals or man. Evolution is a lie from start to finish.

     MAN AS GOD MADE HIM

     In God's image. "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness... So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them" (Gen. 1:26-27); "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (Gen. 2:7); "This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created" (Gen. 5:1-2); "And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them" (Gen. 6:7); "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man" (Gen. 9:6); "For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it?" (Deut. 4:32); "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet" (Psa. 8:3-6); "Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him" (Isa. 43:7); "I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded" (Isa. 45:12). This refers to the soul, not to the body. Man's body is not in the image of God, for God has no body. "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24).

     1. He was made upright. "Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions" (Eccl. 7:29).

     2. He was made a living soul. "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them" (Gen. 1:26-27); "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (Gen. 2:7).

     3. He was made like God in knowledge. "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth" (Gen. 1:28); "And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him" (Gen. 2:19-20). "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature" (Col. 1:15); "And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him" (Col. 3:10). Adam was not omniscient like God, but what he knew he knew by intuition, as God knows all things. God does not have to study to know, neither did Adam. Hard study in order to obtain knowledge came as a result of sin. Adam knew more than any man upon earth so far as his natural knowledge was concerned.

     4. Wisdom. This is seen in his naming the beasts.

     5. Righteousness and holiness. "And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness" (Eph. 4:23-24).

     6. Man is a trinity. "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it" (I Thes. 5:23-24). Man was made in the image of God in that he was given a body, soul and spirit. God is of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. "And be renewed in the spirit of your mind" (Eph. 4:23).

     7. God gave him dominion over all creation. "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth" (Gen. 1:28); "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet" (Psa. 8:3-6).

GENERAL SUBJECTS IN GENESIS THREE     

     I. SATAN

     He was a person. This is seen from the fact, that he talked. "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?...And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die" (Gen. 3:1,4). The essential marks of personality are intellect, sensibility, and will. Personality has no reference to form. "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD" (Job 1:6-12); "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (I Pet. 5:8); "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him" (Rev. 12:9); "But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?" (Acts 5:3); "Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices" (II Cor. 2:11); "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ...And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light" (II Cor. 11:3,14).

     He was one of the highest of God's creatures before the fall. "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit" (Isa. 14:12-15); "Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more" (Ezek. 28:12-19). Since Tyrus was not in Eden, this could not refer to a merely human being. The devil was just using Tyrus.

     He fell by reason of his own pride. "For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north" (Isa. 14:13); "Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created" (Ezek. 28:13). He aspired to be equal with God. Pride causes most downfalls, as Adam, Babylon, Nineveh, Nebuchadnezzar, and Herod.

     In his work he uses or indwells some being. The devil is a spirit. That is why he uses some being to accomplish his purposes. He has to use something that men can see; men cannot see a spirit. He does not necessarily use a human being. "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" (Gen. 3:1). Here he used a snake. "Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty" (Ezek. 28:12). He used a king. "And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea" (Mark 5:1-13). He used swine. He has used a dog many times by his barking or walking around in the meeting house. He uses a Christian if the Christian will let him, "Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men" (Matt. 16:22-23). If he does not use a man he uses an animal.

     He is subtle. That means, slick, sly, cunning, shrewd, deceiving. "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made?" (Gen. 3:1). "Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty" (Ezek. 28:12). He works under cover.

     He uses the beautiful and enthusiastic. "Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty....Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee" (Ezek. 28:12,15); "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light" (II Cor. 11:14). He was once beautiful, but his wisdom and beauty were corrupted. Most of the devil's places of amusement have music. You never heard of the devil's using something ugly. That is why he chose the serpent. That is why he uses education and music. The devil is not one with horns and a tail, and we should not so teach our children. He seeks to hide his sly work.

     Music, jewelry, beauty culture, business, politics, dress, merchandise are his forts or specialties. This is what ruined Germany and many of our schools.

     His chief concern, however, is religion. He controls other things if he can. See the parable of the tares. "I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan" (Rev. 2:9); "Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee" (Rev. 3:9); "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works" (II Cor. 11:13-15). He preaches another:

     a. Jesus; that is, they say that He is a good teacher but deny His deity; To them He is a social, sentimental, good fellow, the flower of evolution, just an extra good person, but not the substitute for the guilty sinner.

     b. Spirit, as the Campbellites who say He is a mere influence, or as the Hardshells that He works without the gospel, or the feminist who says that he leads the women to speak publicly before men.

     c. Gospel, as the gospel of works. Satan has his churches. He uses saved men as well as his own in carrying out his will and purpose. "Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men" (Matt. 16:22-23). Cf. The denominational machines in our work today.

     He is the head of a compact, unionistic, political, religious organization of spirit forces, "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Eph. 6:11-12). "Principalities" means compact organizations. The Christian is not to fight with fire: his two weapons are :

     A. The word of God-the defensive weapon.

     B. Prayer-the offensive weapon.

     He is the god of this world, the prince of the power of the air. He tries to run this world and succeeds where God does not interfere. "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them" (II Cor. 4:4); "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience" (Eph. 2:2); "And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness" (I John 5:19). The world lies in the devil's arms as the child lies in its mother's arms. "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (Gal. 6:14). We are not primarily to make the world better; we are to die to the world and the world to us. "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever" (I John 2:15-17). "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God" (Jas. 4:4). Elisha reveals to his servant the host of angels around him. "The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them" (Psa. 34:7); "Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia" (Dan. 10:12-13). Daniel prayed, but the devil delayed the angel who bore the message. The Christian has three enemies: the world, the flesh, and the devil.

     Conclusion:

     There is no good in the world, nor the flesh, nor the devil, "And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness" (I John 5:19). There is no good in the natural man, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (John 3:6). "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not" (Rom. 7:18). "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God" (Rom. 8:7-8). People talk of the moving picture show as though it were good; you had just as well talk of a good devil.

     II. THE SNAKE:

     What he was when he was made:

     (1). The highest of God's animal creation, "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" (Gen. 3:1). This shows that the snake, not the ape or gorilla, is the nearest to man or the highest of God's animal creation.

     (2). He was beautiful and graceful. The most beautiful of all God's animal creation.

     (3). Subtil. He was guileful and fascinating. "And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat" (Gen. 3:13).

     (4). He walked upright, "And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life" (Gen. 3:14). Otherwise the curse is meaningless. He did not always go on his belly; he was cursed because he let the devil use him.

     What He still is:

     (1). Wise, "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves" (Matt. 10:16).

     (2). Beautiful graceful, fascinating. He has great charming power. He charms birds and men. Illus. Fred Taylor, my brother, in his baby days, was found in the front room of the house charmed by a great snake of some kind. That is the way he catches his prey, even in his fallen state.

     (3). Subtle.

     (4). He crawls.

     3. Results of his curse:

     (1). Enmity. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel" (Gen. 3:15). Women especially dread snakes. This dread will leave when Christ comes again.

     (2). The curse on the woman stays as long as the curse on the snake.

     III. DEATH

     Definition: A good way to study a word is to note its first use. Death is defined so clearly the first time it is used that no one need be mistaken about its meaning. Death is defined in its first use as separation. God told Adam plainly that they would die the first time they ate of the forbidden fruit, "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Gen. 2:17). They died then spiritually, that very day. "And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden" (Gen. 3:8). They hid themselves from God. "Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken" (Gen. 3:23). God sent him forth. "So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life" (Gen. 3:24). God drove him out of the garden. Death, therefore, means separation from God. That is what death always means; it never means cessation of being. This death was not annihilation as Adventists and Russellites say; death never means annihilation.

     There are three kinds of death:

     (1). Physical death means the separation of the soul from the body.

     (2). Spiritual death means the separation of the soul from God.

     (3). Eternal death means the eternal separation of the soul from God.

     God's word was fulfilled. God said that they would die in the day they ate of the forbidden fruit. "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Gen.2:17). They did not die physically that day, but they did die spiritually. They died spiritually then and physically later; spiritual death caused physical death. We are born again before our bodies are redeemed from sin. "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Heb. 9:27).

     There was no death until Adam sinned, "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:     " (Rom. 5:12). If Adam had never sinned, there would have been no death, human, spiritual, or animal.

     Satan lies today about eternal death just as he did to Eve about spiritual death. He told Eve that she would not die that day; he tells men today that they will not die eternally.

     Just as Adam, and Eve did not cease to exist when they died spiritually because of their sin, so the soul of man does not cease to exist or lose consciousness when men die physically. "There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead" (Luke 16:19-31). Even so men who die eternally are not unconscious or annihilated but suffer consciously and eternally, in their resurrected bodies in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, "Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die" (Ezek. 18:4); "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6:23); "And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh" (Isa. 66:24).

     IV. TEMPTATION

     Satan first put a question mark to what God said, "And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" (Gen. 3:1).

     To misquote the Scriptures, especially intentionally, is to wrest or whittle it. That is what the devil did to Eve. That is what Eve did in quoting to the devil what God said. "And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Gen. 2:16-17). "And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die" (Gen. 3:2-3). In comparing the above two scriptures Eve added "neither shall ye touch it."

     Doubting God's word led to sin. Contrast God's statement "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Gen. 2:17), and Satan's "And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die" (Gen. 3:4). Eve doubted God's word and believed the devil's. Unbelief is the mother of all sin.

     The devil next led Eve to question God's goodness, "For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil" (Gen. 3:5). This was in addition to disbelieving God's word, "For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly" (Psa. 84:11). The devil meant, "God does not want you to know as much as He does; if you eat, you will know as He knows. Therefore, He was not good in withholding from you. There is not so much in what He gives as in what He withholds."

     Satan's threefold appeal, "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat" (Gen. 3:6); "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world" (I John 2:16); "Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve" (Matt. 4:1-10).

     (1). He appealed to the appetite, saying it was good for food. John calls this the lust of the flesh. The dance well illustrates this appeal. Satan tempted Jesus to make bread from stones when Jesus was extremely hungry.

     (2). He appealed to her sense of beauty. He told her it was beautiful. John calls this the lust of the eye. The movie well illustrates this appeal. Satan tempted Jesus with the passing of the kingdoms of the world.

     (3). He appealed to her intelligence. He said it would make her wise. John calls this the pride or vainglory of life. Education just to make one wise well illustrates this appeal. Satan tempted Jesus to jump off of the pinnacle of the temple.

     Disobedience was the result of these. Doubting God's word, questioning God's goodness; listening to Satan's voice, and the threefold appeal to the appetite, the eye, and culture led the woman into sin.

     Remarks:

     (1). Little things test us as surely as the big ones or more so. "And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams" (I Sam. 15:22). "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:19).

     (2). The real test is: Can God trust man, and will man trust God? Fellowship and friendship with God are based on trust. Man must believe that what God withholds from him is as good for him as what He gives him. Eve doubted this and was led into sin. Back of all sin is the sin of unbelief. "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us" (Heb. 12:1), The besetting sin is unbelief. We must believe that God's will as revealed in His word is the very best for us, and then obey it to the letter, or we have neither friendship nor fellowship with God.

     V. SIN-AS SEEN IN GENESIS 3

     Doubting, wresting, or cutting out any part of God's word is sin. Adding to God's word is sin. "But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die" (Gen. 3:3); "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book" (Rev. 22:18-19).

     Questioning God's goodness or love is sin. "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Gen. 2:17).

     Disobeying any command of God is sin. "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Gen. 2:17).

     The one underlying principle of all sin is a failure to trust God and believe His word. "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Heb. 11:6).

     Self-will is always sin. " All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isa. 53:6); "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would" (Gal. 5:17).

     Any act, a thought, or desire independent of God is sin. "And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread" (Matt. 4:3). One of the temptations presented to our Lord was to get bread independently of God.

     The woman was deceived. Her sin was the sin of ignorance but it brought death. "And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression" (I Tim. 2:14); "And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty" (Lev. 4:27); "And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD; though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity" (Lev. 5:17). Adam's sin was wilful. "And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat" (Gen. 3:12). He deliberately chose to follow his wife rather than obey God. Whether wilful or ignorant, all sin will be punished; but not all the same, however. "And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more" (Luke 12:47,48). "For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward" (Heb. 2:2).

     Seven Bible Definitions of Sin:

     (1). Lawlessness is sin. "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law" (I John 3:4)

     (2). Thoughts of foolishness are sin. "The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men" (Prov. 24:9).

     (3). Pride of heart and of mind and selfishness are sin. "An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin" (Prov. 21:4).

     (4). Whatever is not of faith is sin. "And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Rom. 14:23).

     (5). Respect of persons is sin. "But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors" (James 2:9).

     (6). Omission of duty is sin. "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin" (Jas. 4:17).

     (7). Everything that is not right is sin. "All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death" (I John 5:17).

     VI. GOD'S CURSE ON SIN

     The serpent was cursed. "And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life" (Gen. 3:14). He was changed from the most subtil and beautiful of God's animal creation to the lowest and most despised of God's animal creation. He was to crawl on his belly and eat dust. He had done neither before the curse fell on him.

     The devil was cursed. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel" (Gen. 3:15). The curse on the devil was that he should lose his dominion and authority. "Head" here refers to his dominion. The fulness of God's curse on Satan will be realized at the end of the millennium. "And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly" (Rom. 16:20).

     Woman was cursed. "Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee" (Gen. 3:16). Her curse was the most painful and humiliating of all because she took the lead in the transgression. Her sorrow was multiplied. "Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety" (I Tim. 2:15). Her conception (motherhood) was to be in pain, labor, and travail. Doctors have tried in many ways to remedy this but have failed. Subjection to her husband. He was to rule over her but not as a slave. This is not in accordance with Twentieth Century thinking, but it is true nevertheless. In I Tim. 2, Paul gives two reasons why God does not want women to lead men. First, Adam was formed first. Second, she led him wrong.

     Man was cursed. "And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return" (Gen. 3:17-19). He had to earn his living by toil, labor, and sweat. Physical as well as spiritual death came as a result of sin. "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (Rom. 5:12).

     Creation itself was cursed. "And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field" (Gen. 3:17-18).

     The curse: The ground did not bring forth briars and thorns naturally; all this is the result of sin. The atmosphere, sun, moon, and stars, and heavens felt the effect. "It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these" (Heb. 9:23). "How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight. How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?" (Job 25:4-6); All germs and diseases came after the fall.

     The removal of the curse. The curse will be removed when Christ comes again. "For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body" (Rom. 8:22-23).

     VII. THE RESULTS OF SIN

     Shame and fear. "For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. ..And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself" (Gen. 3:5, 9,10).

     A fallen nature. Man lost God's likeness. "And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth" (Gen. 5:3). Seth was born in the likeness of Adam, not the likeness of God.

     Spiritual death. He was cast out of the presence of God and the garden. "So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life" (Gen. 3:24).

     Sorrow and woe. "Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee" (Gen. 3:16). Disobedience to the word of God always brings woe.

     Toil and sweat. "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so" (Gen. 1:28-30). "And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed" (Gen. 2:8). "And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return" (Gen. 3:17-19). Work was not the curse. It is the toil and sweat and tired feeling that are results of sin. God did not create him to be idle but gave him dominion over the work of His hands and the task of tending the garden.

     Everything was cursed that had anything to do with man's transgression. The devil who tempted him, the snake that let the devil use him, the woman who led him into the temptation, and the man himself were cursed as well as the ground which he worked, all because of sin. "And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return" (Gen. 3:14-19). "For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope" (Rom. 8:19-20).

     Banishment from the garden of Eden and from the presence of God. "Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life" (Gen. 3:23-24).

     VIII. CONSCIENCE

     There is no evidence of a conscience before the fall. Manifestly, because he had not yet sinned. After the fall conscience did its twofold work.

     Excusing and accusing is its twofold work. "Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another" (Rom. 2:15).

     Conscience here showed its defilement by sin in three ways:

     (1) Adam excused himself and blamed Eve. "And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat" (Gen. 3:12).

     (2) Adam accused God. "And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me" (Gen. 3:12). He blamed God for having given him the woman.

     (3). Yet the conscience of Adam accused him and made him hide from God. "And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself" (Gen. 3:10). Conscience accuses us when we try to justify ourselves.

     IX. GRACE SEEN IN GENESIS THREE

     God seeks the sinner. "And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?" (Gen. 3:9). "But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me" (Rom. 10:20). The trend of all sin is away from God. God went where Adam and Eve were in hiding to seek them. Remember that you are not preaching much grace when you put the emphasis on the sinner's seeking God.

     God promises a Deliverer. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel" (Gen. 3:15).

     God provides a covering for man's nakedness. "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them" (Gen. 3:21).

     These coats of skin were not pretty. The religion of the world magnifies the beautiful and aesthetic; it magnifies flowers, music, and education. "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat" (Gen. 3:6). God's religion does not magnify these; it magnifies righteousness and holiness.

     This covering was not provided by man's effort, but by God's. It was not from man nor by man; man did not make it himself nor did some man make it and give it to him. It was not partly by man and partly by God. It was wholly from, of, and by God. "But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD" (Jonah 2:9). "But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ" (Gal. 1:11-12). The world's religion says, "You do your part, and God will do His. God helps those who help themselves." Man can do no part pleasing to God. Man cannot help save himself, for he is helplessly lost in sin. "And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work" (Rom. 11:6). This is why the rich cannot be saved; he tries to help save himself. Grace always comes as a revelation from God, never by man's reason. This revelation from God is two fold.

     By the word of truth.

     By the Holy Spirit.

     God's provision of these coats of skin for Adam and Eve was wholly of free grace. They had made a covering of fig leaves. "And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons" (Gen. 3:7). Fig leaves did not cover nakedness; they always leave gaps. They do not last; they are always pulling apart, tearing or coming off; they do not hold together. Man's goodness is just like the fig leaves. "And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them? And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit" (Mark 9:16-17). Cf. Mourner's bench. Man did not ask for, work for, nor merit the covering.

     The covering which God provided was at the cost of shed blood. An innocent victim had to die to provide a covering for guilty Adam and Eve. Therein was typified Christ's death to provide a robe of righteousness to hide our sins. "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit" (I Pet. 3:18); "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" (I Cor. 1:30); "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels" (Isa. 61:10). This is the first picture of Christ's atonement. God instituted sacrifices as types of Calvary. Preaching any other message for salvation is false, and the preacher who denies blood atonement is lost and a blind leader of the blind.

     Their giving up of their fig leaves corresponds to, or illustrates our repentance from dead-works. "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God" (Heb. 6:1). The order of repentance and faith are implied in the illustration.

     The two phases of repentance are here illustrated.

     Confession. This was a confession that they were naked and that their nakedness was not hid by their own works.

     Forsaking. This is seen in laying aside their own way of clothing themselves and coming to God for clothes. No man is ever saved until he repents from his own prayers, tears, good resolutions, morality, and obedience to save him. "Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith" (Phil. 3:8-9). All men's works have to be given up, just as Adam and Eve had to give up their fig leaves, before the sinner can be clothed with the righteousness of God.

     Their receiving the coats from God corresponds to or illustrates faith in Christ. "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels" (Isa. 61:10); "But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets" (Rom. 3:21); "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them" (Gen. 3:21; "And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless" (Matt. 22:12). They were not handed to Adam and Eve for them to put on; God clothed them. Just so, God clothes the sinner with Christ's righteousness; man merely receives the gift that is offered to faith.

     These coats were complete before God brought them to them. There was nothing left for man to do. God made them; He did not hand them to them to make. So it is with the finished work of Christ. Everything that is necessary for the sinner to have the salvation Christ gives, is to cease or repent from his dead works and receive the finished work of Jesus Christ in his behalf. "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name" (Jno. 1:12); "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away" (Isa. 64-6); "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" (I Cor. 1:30).

     X. THE GOSPEL IN GENESIS 3:15

     This is the first gospel promise in the Bible.

     This gospel is a revelation of the justice of God. Sin, all sin, must be punished. A just God cannot overlook, condone, or compromise with it. "For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward" (Heb. 2:2); "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6:23). The proof from the context is that all parties were punished; the snake, the devil, the woman, the man, and the ground. "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus" (Rom. 3:25-26). This shows that the cross is an exhibition of the justice and righteousness of God. The sins of men were passed over, yet, they were punished in Christ; men are saved on the basis of justice since Jesus paid it all.

     This gospel is a revelation of the veracity or truthfulness of God. God did what He said; He cannot lie. "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began" (Titus 1:2); "That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises" (Heb. 6:12). They were not only to be punished as God said; God said that they would die the very day they sinned, and they did die spiritually that very day.

     This gospel is a revelation of the holiness of God. A holy God cannot look upon sin except with displeasure and because of His hatred of sin it must be banished from His presence. "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord" (Heb. 12:14); "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" (I Cor. 1:30). "Holiness" and "sanctification" as used in these passages are the same word in the Greek. The holiness of God is here manifested in that Adam and Eve were put out of the garden.

     XI. DOCTRINES TAUGHT IN GENESIS 3:15

     The irreconcilable enmity between good and evil, between Christ and Satan. There can be no compromise. "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty" (II Cor. 6:14-18).

     The virgin birth of Jesus Christ; He was born without a human father. This verse says "seed of the woman", not "seed of man". "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law" (Gal. 4:4); "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14). Elsewhere He is called the seed of Abraham or the seed of David, but they were men. That simply means that His mother was a descendant of Abraham and David. This passage is saying that He was born of a woman without a human father.

     The Deliverer was to be a man. "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel" (Isa. 7:14).

     The Messiah was to be victor over Satan. The bruising of his head means the taking away from him his power and authority. "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil" (Heb. 2:14); "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death" (Rev. 1:18); "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever" (Rev. 11:15); "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" (I John 5:4-5). We have to accept this by faith.

     The Deliverer was to be bruised. "Heel" refers to His humanity. "Bruised" refers to His death upon the cross. "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed....Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand" (Isa. 53:5,10). There is no ground for the infidel Jewish notion that, if the Jews had accepted Jesus as the Messiah, His earthly kingdom would have been established at His first coming and that He would have continued to reign upon the earth. He came to die. The first prophecy of Him in the Bible says so.

     XII. THE PLAN OF SALVATION:

     Man needs a covering for his sins and nakedness and cannot stand before God without one. "And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?...Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them" (Gen. 3:8-11,21).

     "So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life" (Gen. 3:24). A Flaming Sword was placed at the entrance of the garden to keep man away from the tree of life until Christ should come and open up the new and living way by which men would be permitted to eat of the tree of life and partake of the water of life.

     Man cannot provide a covering for himself. Man cannot satisfy himself by his doing; how then can he please God?

     God Himself provided a covering for man and offered it to him for nothing and free gratis. "And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless" (Matt. 22:11-12). The king furnished the wedding garment. God gives the robe of righteousness graciously, gratuitously (without money and without price), and fully. "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price" (Isa. 55:1)

     The blood of the guiltless or innocent was shed to get skins to clothe the guilty. Adam was under the just sentence of death; God provided a substitute by whose death alone Adam could have his sins and nakedness covered. All this was typical of the finished work of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels" (Isa. 61:10); "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission" (Heb. 9:22).

     This covering had to be accepted by the guilty before they could get the benefit of it. "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them" (Gen. 3:21); "Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith" (Phil. 3:8-9).

     DOCTRINES TAUGHT IN GENESIS 1-3

     Genesis is the seed-plot of the Bible, and Genesis 1-3 is the seed-plot of Genesis.

     I. DOCTRINES CONCERNING GOD

     The eternity of God. "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Gen. 1:1). Everything had a beginning but God.

     The personality of God. "In the beginning" (Gen. 1:1). Pantheism, Christian Science, New Thought, and other cults say that we are a part of God. God was separate and distinct from all matter and all creatures.

     The omnipotence of God. That is God has all power. "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Gen. 1:1). This is proven by His making something out of nothing. That is the greatest mistake of evolution. They say that God made something out of something. The Hebrew word "bara" in 1:1 means "to make something out of nothing." "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear" (Heb. 11:3).

     God created everything, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth...And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind:...So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them" (Gen. 1:1,21,27);

     There were three definite creative acts:

     (1). The creation of matter.

     (2). The creation of animal life. These were of three kinds:

     A. Water animals.

     B. Animals that fly in the air.

     C. Land animals.

     (3). The creation of man.

     The trinity. "And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters...And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:" (Gen. 1:2,26); "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God" (John 1:1-2). The "us" means God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

     The sovereignty of God in creation providence, and grace.

     God's mercy to sinners. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel....Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them" (Gen. 3:15,21).

     God's omniscience. "And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?" (Gen. 3:8-11).

     II. DOCTRINES CONCERNING THE EARTH

     The beginning of matter. "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Gen. 1:1). Matter is not eternal.

     The beginning of time. "And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day" (Gen. 1:5). There was no such thing as time as we know it until the earth began to rotate on its axis.

     The three heavens. "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth...And God called the firmament Heaven" (Gen. 1:1).

     (1). The first heaven is where the birds fly.

     (2). The second heaven is where the sun, moon, and stars are.

     (3). The third heaven is where God is and where the redeemed go when they die. "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee" (I Kings 8:27).

     The beginning of seasons. "And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years" (Gen. 1:14).

     God's law of protection was everything "after its kind." Ten times in Genesis 1 is this law affirmed.

     Creation cursed. "Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return" (Gen. 3:18-19).

     III. DOCTRINES CONCERNING MAN:

     Man is a spirit as well as a body and a soul. "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:...So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them" (Gen. 1:26,27); "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (Gen. 2:7).

     The sabbath. "And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made" (Gen. 2:2). It is well to note that it is written in the very constitution of things, that they must rest one day in seven. Cf. horses, land, tools, etc.

     The headship of Adam. "And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh" (Gen. 2:21-24); "Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee" (Gen. 3:16).

     Marriage a monogamy. "And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed" (Gen. 2:21-25). That is, one wife or one husband at a time.

     The subjection of woman. "Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee" (Gen. 3:16). Just as long as the sin curse is on the race, in spite of all the efforts of politicians and feminists, etc., God's curse will stand and woman will be subject to man.

     Travail in child birth. "Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee" (Gen. 3:16).

     Labor is honorable, but toil is a curse. "And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it" (Gen. 2:15); "And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;      In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground" (Gen. 3:17-19).

     The body of man goes back to dust. "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return" (Gen. 3:19).

     The solidarity of the human race. "And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living" (Gen. 3:20); "And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation" (Acts 17:26).

     The unity of the human race. One blood.

     The fall of man. "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons" (Gen. 3:1-7).

     Man's probation ended with the fall. "Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken" (Gen. 3:23).

     Adam and Eve were vegetarians. "and thou shalt eat the herb of the field" (Gen. 3:18).

     The beginning of law. "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Gen. 2:17).

     IV. DOCTRINES CONCERNING SIN AND SATAN

     The personality of Satan. "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" (Gen. 3:1). Subtlety and ability belong to personality.

     Sin is a transgression of God's law. The violation of any law of God is sin. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23).

     Death defined as separation. "And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden....And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever...So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life" (Gen. 3:8,22,24).

     The exceeding sinfulness of sin. The violation of any command of God is sin. "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Gen. 6:5).

     The curse of God on sin. "And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return" (Gen. 3:14-19). All who had anything to do with sin were cursed; the serpent, the devil, the man, the woman, the ground, the atmosphere, the animals, and man's posterity.

     Satan's defeat and overthrow. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel" (Gen. 3:15). The bruising of his head means the taking away of his power.

     Evil is self propagating; good has to be implanted. "Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field" (Gen. 3:18).

     The subtility of sin and error. "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" (Gen. 3:1).

     The sure punishment of sin. "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Gen. 2:17). The very day man sinned he was cast out of the garden and died spiritually.

     V. DOCTRINES CONCERNING CHRIST

     The Messiah promised. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel" (Gen. 3:15).

     Atonement. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel....Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them" (Gen. 3:15,21).

     (a). Atonement typified, Gen. 3:21.

     (b). Atonement prophesied, Gen. 3:15.

     (c.) Atonement illustrated, Gen. 3:21.

     Christ the God man. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel" (Gen. 3:15). The fact that He was to be the seed of the woman implies what is later revealed that He was to be the Immanuel, to have no human father.

     The virgin birth of the Messiah. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel" (Gen. 3:15). "And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS....And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:31,35).

     The Bible doctrine of substitution. "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them" (Gen. 3:21). The innocent had to be slain to provide a covering for the guilty. "And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together" (Gen. 22:8).

     VI. DOCTRINES CONCERNING SALVATION

     The beginning of grace. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel...Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them" (Gen. 3:15, 21).

     The worthlessness of man's best efforts, Cf. fig leaves. "and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons" (Gen. 3:7).

     Salvation by righteousness provided by God clearly prefigured "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them" (Gen. 3:21). "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness" (Isa. 61:10); "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" (I Cor. 1:30); "And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless" (Matt. 22:12).

     Repentance clearly implied. "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them" (Gen. 3:21). "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God" (Heb. 6:1).

     God's gifts received by faith. "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them" (Gen. 3:21). The offering of the coats to Adam and Eve pictures salvation offered to be received.

     VII. DOCTRINES CONCERNING ANGELS, 3:24.

     The cherubim. "So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life" (Gen. 3:24).

     (I have added these seven heads to aid study. R.O.B.)

     QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW

     1. How important are the first three chapters of the Bible?

     2. What did each person of the Godhead do in creation?

     3. How many definite creative acts were there, and what were they?

     4. What is the difference between create and make?

     5. What did God do on each of the six creative days?

     6. What is meant by "the three heavens?"

     7. Why is it written that "evening and morning" were a certain day?

     8. Give proof that there was no cataclysm between Gen. 1:1&1:2.

     9. Give proof that the days of Genesis 1 were twenty-four hour days.

     10. Give reasons from Gen. 1-3 why evolution cannot be true.

     11. What are the seven points under "Man As God Made Him"?

     12. Does God have bodily form?

     13. What are the three essentials to personality?

     14. What is the chief concern of Satan?

     15. What are the three anothers of Satan's gospel?

     16. Why do women dread snakes?

     17. What is the difference between the snake now and when he was made?

     18. What is death?

     19. Define the three kinds of death.

     20. What lie does Satan tell today about death?

     21. What was the threefold appeal Satan made to Eve? Show how this corresponds to the temptation of Jesus "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world" (I John 2:16).

     22. What is the real test between God and man?

     23. What is sin?

     24. What is the difference between the sin of Adam and the sin of Eve?

     25. What things and persons were cursed?

     26. What change did the fall bring in the relation of man and woman?

     27. What two reasons does Paul give why women are not to lead men?

     28. When will the curse be removed from the earth?

     29. What is the twofold work of conscience?

     30. What are the three pictures of grace in Gen. 3?

     31. What seven lessons are drawn from the covering God provided?

     32. Who instituted animal sacrifices and for what purpose?

     33. What are the two phases of repentance, and how are they illustrated here?

     34. Interpret Gen. 3:15 in detail.

     35. How does Gen. 3 outline the plan of salvation?

     36. Name one truth taught in Gen. 1-3 concerning God, the earth, man, sin, Satan, Christ, salvation, and angels?

STUDIES IN GENESIS 4-11

CAIN AND ABEL

     I. ONE GODLY, ONE UNGODLY

     "And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell" (Gen. 4:1-5)

     Cain and Abel were sons of the same father and mother, yet one was godly and the other ungodly. This shows that godliness is not inherited. Depravity is inherited.

     II. RELIGION BY WORKS

     Cain's religion was the religion of a man who thought God would accept the best that he could do. Cain was a Modernist who rejected God's word and did his own thinking. Cain put his own opinions above the word of God. It is always true that the man who does his own thinking thinks wrong. "Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment" (Isa. 1:5-6). "But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness" (I Cor. 10:5). Faith believes the word of God. "Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision" (Acts 26:19). Cain brought an unbloody offering, the fruits of the cursed earth, produced by the labor of a cursed man and thought God would accept it.

     There were three reasons why God would not accept cain's offering.

     1. He brought no blood. "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission" (Heb. 9:22). Only blood can remove the curse of sin.

     2. He brought the fruit of a cursed earth.

     3. The offering was made by a man under the curse, and God accepts no offering from any man who is under the curse of sin. "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them" (Gal. 3:10); "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing" (I Cor. 13:3). It is well to bear in mind just here that religion is not salvation. "For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it" (Gal. 1:13); "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain" (Jas. 1:26). Religion is wholly of works: salvation is wholly of grace.

     III. THE HERESIES OF CAIN

     As to the nature of sin. Any rejection of God's word or way is sin. "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isa. 53:6). He thought God would accept a sinner's gifts and offerings if he did the best he could. God refused his offering and told him why. God accepts an offering from no man until his sins have been atoned for by blood. His word to Cain as well as to Abel was blood. "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him" (Gen. 4:7).

     As to the nature of man. He was heretical on total depravity. He did not believe that man was wholly bad. He thought that man could do something good and that God would accept him for it. Man cannot do anything good. "And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just. What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God" (Rom. 3:8-19); "So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God" (Rom. 8:8): "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away" (Isa. 64:6). "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death" (Phil. 3:7-10). This is hard on much singing, many unconverted singers, even leaders of choirs. This is hard on the Sunbeams, G. A's, R. A's, and all other unsaved people who take part on programs, etc. Programs themselves are an abomination in the sight of God. The only kind of program the Bible says anything about is the preaching of the gospel.

     As to the word of God. He did not believe God's word.

     As to atoning blood. He denied the atoning blood.

     IV. RELIGIOUS HATE AND JEALOUSY

     Because God accepted Abel's offering and rejected his own, Cain became a murderer. "And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him" (Gen. 4:8). Thus the first murder in human history was caused by religious hatred. Religious hate was the cause of the murder of Jesus Christ. Religious hate has been the cause of the murder of millions of Baptist Martyrs. Religious hate has probably shed more blood than any other thing in the world.

     V. FREE MORAL AGENCY

     "And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground" (Gen. 4:8-10).

     Bishop in "Doctrines of Grace," p. 146, says. "Man is a free moral agent; but man has not a free will. Man, therefore, is responsible; yet he is impotent. The man is free, but his will is not free. Liberty or freedom from coercion is one thing, ability or power from within is another. Man is a free agent because unforced from without; be does as he pleases, always as be pleases, only as he pleases, he is therefore responsible. But man has not a free will because be is bound together within, because his judgment moves his desires and his desires his volition's."

     "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door" (Gen. 4:7). The word translated sin is translated "sin-offering" one hundred times in the Old Testament. It is so translated here by Young in his Concordance and by Scofield in his notes. Cain was responsible for God's rejection of him. Every man is responsible for his own damnation.

     God shows Cain that he is a free moral agent and responsible for his own acts by telling him that he is his brother's keeper and that his brother's blood cries unto Him from the ground for vengeance. "The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground" (Gen. 4:10).

     The fact that God cursed the ground for Cain's sake showed that Cain was a free moral agent and responsible for his own acts. There are many Baptists today just like Cain, wandering from pillar to post, from city to city, because they are fleeing from the presence of the Lord.

     VI. CAIN WENT OUT FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD

     "And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden" (Gen. 4:16). The key note of the descendants of Cain was going away from God. Lamech of the seventh generation was a polygamist and the murderer of two men. "And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle. And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ. And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah. And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt. If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold" (Gen. 4:19-24).

     VII. THE CAIN DESCENDANTS

     The Cain line put the emphasis on the social, intellectual, economic, and governmental improvement of this world. They were the Modernists of their day. Their cry was, "Make the world better," but they left out the gospel of the blood. God's program is to save men out of this world and cause them to live separated lives unto Him. Social service, social settlement work, and a soup and soap gospel are all in line with Cain's followers.

     VIII. THE CAIN LINE ENDED IN THE FLOOD

     "And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die" (Gen. 6:17).

     IX. GOD'S PROVIDENTIAL CARE

     God's providential care even of those who reject Him and His work. "And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him" (Gen. 4:15).

     ABEL

     He believed God. "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh" (Heb. 11:4). The only way Abel knew to bring blood for atonement for sins was that God told him to (or that his parents taught him. R.O.B.). He believed the word of GOD, and Cain did not.

     The Bible doctrine of substitution, that the innocent must die for the guilty before the guilty can be accepted by God, is here plainly prefigured. "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door" (Gen. 4:7).

     God accepts the person of only those who have accepted the death of a substitute as a ransom. "Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many" (Matt. 20:28); "To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace" (Eph. 1:6-7).

     God accepts gifts from the blood washed only, those who have accepted His ransom and believed His word. "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Heb. 11:6). "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh" (Heb. 11:4); "And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Rom. 14:23).

     SETH

     Seth was born in the image of his father, which means that he was born with a sinful nature. "And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth" (Gen. 5:3). "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me" (Psa. 51:5); "The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies" (Psa. 58:3); "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one" (Job 14:4).

     He was the father of the race through Noah. We are descendants of Seth, not of Cain or Abel.

     Like Abel, Seth was a believer. "And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew" (Gen. 4:25);

     The Seth line were not only men of faith but were also men of prayer. "And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD" (Gen. 4:26).

     CHRONOLOGY AND GENEALOGY

     There are only two comments in chapter five.

     Enoch walked with God. "And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him" (Gen. 5:22-24). There is special comment on men of faith; no comment on their lives if there is no faith in them.

     The name of Noah or the prophecy of Lamech. "And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed" (Gen. 5:29). The human race came from Seth. That is why his line is more prominent than the line of Cain. The line of Seth is the line of faith, prayer, and election. Little space is given to Ham, Japheth, Ishmael and Esau. Most of the space is given to Noah, Shem, Terah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Adam was contemporaneous with eight generations (beside himself). He could have told the story of creation, the fall, etc., to Lamech, then Lamech could have told it to Shem, then Shem could have told it to Abram. Lamech was fifty-six when Adam died.

     Methuselah died the year the flood came. Lamech died five years before the flood. None of the ancestors of Noah died in the flood.

     TWO WAYS TO FIND THE DATE OF THE FLOOD

     Adam was 130 at the birth of Seth. "And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth" (Gen. 5:3). Seth was 105 at the birth of Enos. "And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos" (Gen. 5:6). Enos was 90 at the birth of Cainan. "And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan" (Gen. 5:9). Cainan was 70 at the birth of Mahalaleel. "And Cainan lived seventy years and begat Mahalaleel" (Gen. 5:12). Mahalaleel was 65 at the birth of Jared. "And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared" (Gen. 5:15). Jared was 162 at the birth of Enoch. "And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch" (Gen. 5:18). Enoch was 65 at the birth of Methuselah. "And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah" (Gen. 5:21). Methuselah was 187 at the birth of Lamech. "And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech" (Gen. 5:25). Lamech was 182 at the birth of Noah. "And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son: And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed" (Gen. 5:28-29). Noah was 600 at the time of the flood. "In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened" (Gen. 7:11). This totals 1656 years from creation to the flood.

     Adam lived 930 years. Lamech lived after Adam 721 years. Lamech died 5 years before the flood. This totals 1656 years, the date of the flood.

     TWO WAYS TO FIND THE DATE OF BIRTH OF ABRAHAM

     The date of the flood was 1656. Arphaxad was born 2 years after the flood. "These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood" (Gen. 11:10). Arphaxad was 35 at the birth of Salah. "And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, and begat Salah" (Gen. 11:12). Salah was 30 at the birth of Eber. "And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber" (Gen. 11:14). Eber was 34 at the birth of Peleg. "And Eber lived four and thirty years, and begat Peleg" (Gen. 11:16). Peleg was 30 at the birth of Reu. "And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu" (Gen. 11:18). Reu was 32 at the birth of Serug. "And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug" (Gen. 11:20). Serug was 30 at the birth of Nahor. "And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor" (Gen. 11:22). Nahor was 29 at the birth of Terah. "And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and begat Terah" (Gen. 11:24). The date of the birth of Terah 1878. Terah died at the age of 205. "And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran" (Gen. 11:32). Abram was then 75 years of age. "So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran" (Gen. 12:4). The age of Terah at the birth of Abram was 130. Therefore the birth of Abram was 2008.

     Adam died at the age of 930 years. Lamech lived after Adam 721 years. Shem lived after Lamech 507 years. And Abram was 150 when Shem, died 357. Hence, Abram was born in 2008. It was 427 years from the flood to the call of Abram.

     WHO ARE THE SONS OF GOD IN GENESIS 6:2

     "The sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose" (Gen. 6:2).

     I. THEY WERE NOT ANGELS:

     Angels are not God's sons. "For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?" (Heb. 1:5). "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" (Heb. 1:14).

     Angels do not marry. "For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven" (Matt. 22:30). It would contradict Genesis 1 where ten times it is said that everything produces, after its kind.

     If this had been a marriage of angels with women, their posterity would have been half angels and half men. Then the Spirit of God made a mistake in striving with them. There is no atonement for angels. "For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham" (Heb. 2:16). Each angel stands or falls on its own merit and has. no federal head.

     II. WHO WERE THESE SONS OF GOD?

     They were the sons of Seth who were praying men. "And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD" (Gen. 4:26).

     The sons of God, the descendants of Seth, married the daughters of men, the descendants of Cain. In this case as in most all cases of mixed marriages, the results were baneful.

     The children were worldly, noted, prosperous, but wicked. "There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart" (Gen. 6:4-6). Their idea was to get on in this world. Such ambition always leads away from God, downward, sinward, hellward.

     Mixed marriages, that is of believers and unbelievers, etc., are practically always from wrong motive's and are detrimental to the children of God and their posterity. Compare the marriages of Ahab with Jezebel and of Solomon with the outlandish women from the nations around. A preacher who marries for any other reason than to please God is headed for trouble.

     The world's estimate of things and times and God's estimate never agree. The world thought that everything was going well. Physically they were giants, intellectually they were mighty men; but morally they were reprobates, and spiritually they were children of the devil. God's estimate of them was that they were wicked through and through. That is total depravity. "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Gen. 6:5). There is the same difference today that there was then. The world and many church members too think that because we have so many schools, so much athletics, that the world is getting better while God says it is getting worse. "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth....But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived" (II Tim. 3:1-7,13). Education without Christ and the Bible never made anybody better.

     The Holy Spirit worked with Noah. "And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years" (Gen. 6:3); "By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water" (I Pet. 3:19-20). "And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly" (II Pet. 2:5). Herein was the difference in Noah and Lot. Noah preached righteousness, lived separate from the world, and saved all his family. Lot mixed up with the world, dabbled in politics, did not obey God, did not live separate, and lost all his family, wife, and children.

     The only ones saved out of the flood were saved by grace through faith. "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD" (Gen. 6:8); "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith" (Heb. 11:7). They were saved in the ark which God provided. "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (I Pet. 3:21). "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory" (Col. 3:3-4).

     All of the children of these mixed marriages were lost and damned. Their physical powers, intellectual renown, social, financial, and governmental power did not keep them from drowning or from hell.

     The total depravity of the human race is here plainly demonstrated. "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Gen. 6:5). "And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done" (Gen. 8:21). No better after the flood than before. From Adam to Noah the tendency of the race was downward; from Noah to the present time it is still downward. Wherever and whenever nations, states, communities, or individuals are left to themselves they always go to the dogs morally and spiritually. The two things that have kept this world from being destroyed again from the flood until now are God's promise and the revivals that have come along through the centuries, as a result of the preaching of the gospel of grace.

     THE FAITH OF NOAH

     He believed God. "And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed" (Gen. 5:29). "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD" (Gen. 6:8).

     He obeyed God. "These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God....Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he" (Gen. 6:9,22); "And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him" (Gen. 7:5).

     His faith worked. "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" (Jas. 2:20); "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith." (Heb. 11:7). His faith not only worked but it tackled an impossible job.

     His faith testified. "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison" (I Pet. 3:18-19); "And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly" (II Pet. 2:5). This passage says that the Holy Spirit through Noah warned the ante-diluvians while they were yet living, not after they had become spirits but while they were on earth in the flesh before the flood. God warned them He would destroy the earth because of sin and promised them through Noah a righteousness that was to be received through faith.

     Faith not only saved Noah but saved his household. That means their faith as well as his. We cannot have faith for our children, but men of faith and prayer, who walk with God as Noah did, usually lead their children to faith. "These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God" (Gen. 6:9). I doubt seriously that the child of any man is ever finally lost who puts God and His word first in his life.

     Noah was not conformed to the age in which he lived. He was no doubt an eccentric preacher and was looked upon by his neighbors as an old crank, an old fogey, an old fool. "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Rom. 12:2). This teaches us as to non-conformity.

     Noah and his family were saved by grace. "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD" (Gen. 6:8). The elect remnant at that time got down mighty small. "But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace" (Rom. 11:4-5).

     Moved by Godly fear. The fear of God, not the fear of hell, is a right motive to lead us to serve him. "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith" (Heb. 11:7); "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Phil. 2:12-13).

     Noah's walk with God included four things:

     (1). Fellowship.

     (2). Obedience.

     (3). Working at the job God gave him. This job included two things: Building the ark, Warning the wicked.

     (4). His testimony. This testimony was twofold: By lip, By life.

     God wrought with him. God brought in the animals. God shut him in. "And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in" (Gen. 7:16).

     "By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water" (I Pet. 3:19-20), presents:

     FOUR LIKENESSES BETWEEN US AND NOAH:

     1. SAVED BY GRACE.

     NOAH: "Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD" (Gen. 6:8).

     US: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" (Eph. 2:8).

     2. SAVED BY FAITH.

     NOAH: "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith" (Heb. 11:7).

     US: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Eph. 2:8-9).

     3. GOD'S PROVISION.

     NOAH: "And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark" (Gen 7:1).

     US: In Christ. "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth, For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory" (Col. 3:1-4).

     4. SAFE.

     NOAH: Noah saved, safe, and shut up in the ark seven days before a drop of water fell. "There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah. And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth" (Gen. 7:9-10).

     US: We are saved, safe, and shut up in Christ before we get to baptism. "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand" (John 10:27-29).

     5. FIGURE.

     NOAH: Water declared their salvation as the ark was borne upon it. "And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth" (Gen. 7:17).

     US: So baptism pictures not only Christ's resurrection but ours. "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection" (Rom. 6:4-5).

     AFTER THE FLOOD, Genesis 8:20-11:9

     Noah's altar. "And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar" (Gen. 8:20).

     Note that they did not worship the ark nor keep any relics from it as far as we know. Noah's faith was here exemplified in five ways.

     1. By a walk of faith. He walked by faith and not by sight. The only way that he knew that the flood was coming was that God said so.

     2. By the obedience of faith. "Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he" (Gen. 6:22); "And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him" (Gen. 7:5). He did as God told him.

     3. By the testimony of faith. "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison" (I Pet. 3:18-19).

     4. By a work of faith building the ark.

     5. By the worship of faith he built an altar. "Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water" (I Pet. 3:20); "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith" (Heb. 11:7).

     Noah's offering was propitiatory, piacular, and vicarious. "And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done" (Gen. 8:21). This means that because God's wrath was appeased by vicarious offering that God promised never again to send a flood that would destroy every living thing. Piacular means kindly disposed in one's dealings with us.

     Seasons were to be perpetual. "While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease" (Gen. 8:22).

     They now became meat eaters. "Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat" (Gen. 9:3-4). Up to this time they had been vegetarians. "And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat" (Gen. 1:29). "But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood." (Acts 15:20). The beginning of human government. "And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man." (Gen. 9:5-6). Law was given by God. Man had no right to make law without the sanction of God Himself.

     Capital punishment is here enjoined. "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man." (Gen. 9:6). Before this time God Himself did the punishing. "And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear" (Gen. 4:13). Now He turns it over to human government. This is the first law that God gave in human government and the highest function of human government. This is God's law. Capital punishment was commanded by God, has never been changed, and is binding upon all human governments today.

     There is much sentimental gush today that would do away with capital punishment. Some try to prove that it was abrogated by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. He did not. The thing He was opposing there was personal vengeance. No man ought to be turned loose for manslaughter, even if be did it in self defense. I had a great deal rather be dead and in heaven than to have man's blood on my hands.

     The rainbow covenant. "And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth" (Gen. 9:9-17). This covenant is with man and beast, including all flesh. It was made for God, not especially for man.

     Noah gets drunk. "And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent" (Gen. 9:20-21). Best of men can and do sin.

     Ham's sin. "And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness. And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren" (Gen. 9:22-25). This father's sin brought a curse upon his son, and incidentally the grandfather's sin brought a curse upon a great section of his posterity. When God says a thing, you can depend on its coming true, not necessarily just then.

     Drunken Noah was still a prophet. "And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant" (Gen. 9:24-27). How remarkable are God's providences. God's care of His dependent children. Preach on this. This is the day of Japhetic enlargement. Someday during the millennium, Shem through the Jews will be the ruling nation of the world.

     The first world kingdom. "And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar" (Gen. 10:10). Babylon is also to be one of the last kingdoms. "And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird...Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come...Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her...And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all" (Rev. 18:2,10,20,21). Whether this will be spiritual or natural, I know not. The second kingdom was Nineveh. It was a kingdom although not a world kingdom at that time. There have been four world kingdoms: Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek, and Roman.

     The confusion of tongues at Babel. "Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth" (Gen. 11:7-9). This came as a curse upon man for trying to be independent of God. This is the beginning of tongues or languages. Up to this time everybody in the world spoke the same language. "And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech" (Gen. 11:1).

     "These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread" (Gen. 9:19). "And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living" (Gen. 3:20). These scriptures prove there was no prehistoric man and no evolution.

     QUESTIONS ON GENESIS 4 -11

     1. What is the proof from Cain and Abel that godliness is not inherited ?

     2. For what three reasons did God reject the offering of Cain?

     3. What were the four heresies of Cain?

     4. Should lost people be encouraged to take active part in Christian service? Why?

     5. What caused the first murder?

     6. What is the difference between free will and free moral agency?

     Which is true?

     7. How do you translate "sin" in Gen. 4:7 and why?

     8. What are polygamy, bigamy, and monogamy?

     9. What were the keynote and emphasis of the Cainites?

     10. Why did God accept the offering of Abel?

     11. In whose image was Seth born?

     12. From which one of Adam's sons did we all come?

     13. How many years was it from creation to the flood?

     14. How many years was it from the flood to the birth of Abram?

     15. How many years was it from creation to the birth of Abram?

     16. Why were the sons of God in Gen. 6:1 not angels?

     17. What is the sin of mixed marriages?

     18. What four things did Noah's walk with God include?

     19. What are the likenesses between Noah and us?

     20. What are the five exemplification's of the faith of Noah?

     21. Define the three words describing Noah's offering.

     22. What change was made in man's diet after the flood?

     23. Discuss capital punishment.

     24. Define Babel and tell of the incident that resulted in the confusion of languages.

     25. Name the four world kingdoms.

STUDIES IN GENESIS 12-14

     The call of God always means a call to leave something and somebody as well as to go somewhere, to somebody and do something. "Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee" (Gen. 12:1). The call of God is out of as well as into. God called Abraham. The call of God is always into as well as out of. Many people have not yet learned both of these. Illustration: saved out of the world and into kingdom service. "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10). Family ties often hinder. The purpose of God cannot be defeated, even though it must be accomplished by God's judgments. "And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life" (Mark 10:29-30).

     Separation unto God before worship. "And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him" (Gen. 12:7). God's presence with Abram and Abram's offering both came after he had gotten out of Haran. Haran was a place of idolatry like Ur. God did not want an altar built there lest Abram should mix up God's true worship with the idolatrous worship of the heathen. He wanted the separation to be marked and complete. So with us. A man who refuses to be baptized after he is saved, if truly saved, soon finds that God cannot use him. "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty" (II Cor. 6:14-18).

     Election:

     It began with one man. (That means that the teaching or revelation of His elective purpose began with Abraham, just as the teaching of tithing and justification by faith began with Abraham. R. 0. B.)

     The purpose of God according to election declared, "And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing" (Gen. 12:2). His declared purpose was threefold: to bless Abram and his posterity, to make his name great, and to make Abraham and his seed a blessing. Election is God's choosing a channel for future and larger blessings. God never saved anybody just to save him, but to make him a channel of blessing. He chose Abraham to bless him and make him great in order that He might make him a channel of blessings to the other nations of the earth.

     If men fail to see that purpose, they become channels of cursing rather than channels in sending the gospel to other nations, and God has cursed them for centuries. "Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee" (Rom. 11:20-21); "It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated." (Rom. 9:12-13). Here Paul seems to say that God hated Esau because he was not willing to take second place to which God assigned him before his birth. All of the elect are chosen, not simply to salvation, but as channels through which God would give the gospel to other people and bring glory to His name. "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you" (John 15:16-18); "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied" (I Pet. 1:2); "In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts" (Hag. 2:23); "But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty" (I Cor. 1:27); "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love" (Eph. 1:4); "Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?" (Jas. 2:5); "And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard" (Acts 22:14-15); "And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks" (Acts 9:5).

     Seven unconditional promises God made to Abraham:

     (1) To make of him a great nation. "And I will make of thee a great nation" (Gen. 12:2). "And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee" (Gen. 17:6) He puts it in the plural. Both are fulfilled.

     (2) To bless him and make him a blessing. "And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed" (Gen. 12:2-3).

     (3) To give to him and his posterity the land of Canaan. "For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever" (Gen. 13:15); "And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God" (Gen. 17:8); "And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:" (Ezek. 37:21).

     (4) That his natural seed should be as dust. "And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered" (Gen. 13:16).

     (5) His spiritual seed are as the stars of heaven. "And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be" (Gen. 15:5); "Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham...And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Gal. 3:7,29). Incidentally that is one of the strongest proofs of the verbal inspiration of the Bible. In Abraham's day the skilled astronomers said that there are only 2,500 stars. Now we know, through the telescope, that there are millions of stars that the unaided eye cannot see.

     (6) The promised seed, Jesus, was to be through Sarah, his real wife, the free woman. "And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him" (Gen. 17:18-19).

     (7) All families of the earth to be blessed through him. "And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed" (Gen. 12:3); "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation" (Rev. 5:9).

     Election did not save him until be believed. "And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness" (Gen. 15:6); "For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness" (Rom. 4:3); "Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness" (Gal. 3:6).

     "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went" (Heb. 11:8). Faith prompted Abraham to move but that faith was not saving faith. That is the kind of faith talked about "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Heb. 11:6). Saving faith is always in Christ. Abraham had faith enough in God to do what God told him to do. "And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir" (Gen. 15:4), "And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness" (Gen. 15:6).

     An altar and a tent. These were prominent features in the life of Abraham. He was a pilgrim in Canaan. His altar was for worship, and his tent was easily moved as an evidence that he was a pilgrim and a stranger in the world and had no continuing city. "By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God...But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city" (Heb. 11:9,10,16).

     One of the big surprises of men who have laid up great possessions upon this earth will be to see their possessions go up in smoke and ashes. They are not acting like pilgrims and strangers upon this earth; they act as if they were going to stay here forever.

     He always got into trouble when he moved for business reasons and left his altar behind. "And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land. And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon: Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive. Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee. And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair. The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house. And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels. And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife. And Pharaoh called Abram and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way. And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had" (Gen. 12:10-20).

     A sadder case still is the case of Lot. "Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom" (Gen. 13:12).

     The fear of man makes Abram lie. "Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee" (Gen. 12:13). Cf. the denial of Peter and Proverbs that says, "The fear of man bringeth a snare."

     God's care of a wayward child. "And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife" (Gen. 12:17).

     Lot is a fit type "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire" (I Cor. 3:13-15). "And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai; Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD. And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly" (Gen. 13:1-13).

     Lot was a just or justified man. "And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked" (II Pet. 2:7). This passage shows that be hated sin and did not take his fill of it, though he was worldly and covetous. He is also a type of the man who makes money his chief aim in life. Beware of his worldliness and covetousness. Though he himself was saved, his wife and children were all lost. The man who makes money his chief end in life cannot save his own family.

     Vexing his soul over the sinfulness and wickedness about him did not save anyone, as long as he was mixed up with their worldliness. A separated life is an essential prerequisite for having power with God and men. Worldliness always costs more than it comes to. Lot lost his wife; he lost all his children in the fires of Sodom, except his two daughters that had no character and were a disgrace to him and a curse to their posterity. He lost all his money and property when Sodom burned. Thus he is a fine type of man saved so as through fire. "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire" (I Cor. 3:13-15). Many people will get to heaven just the same way.

     Every time Abram lost a friend God gave him a new promise. "And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward. For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.     " (Gen. 13:14-17).

     Note the emphasis on "separated." Abram was not only separated from his wicked kin and associates but from his worldly kin. After the separation God promised all to Abram and nothing to Lot.

     The renewal of the promise of God aroused the gratitude and worship of Abraham. The first thing he did after his separation was to erect an altar. "Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD" (Gen. 13:18).

     "And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram...And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God....And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all" (Gen. 14:13,18,20). This is the first use of the word "Hebrew", the first use of the word "priest", and the first use of the word "tithing". "Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better. And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him" (Heb. 7:4-10). The first priest and tithe were not Aaronic but Melchizedec, and they have not been done away.

     Lot, the worldly, was delivered by Abram, the separated. "And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim; With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five. And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain. And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way. And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed. And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram. And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people" (Gen. 14:8-16).

     The first instance of tithing recorded in the Bible is of Abram's paying tithes to Melchizedek because of his gratitude to God for victory over his enemies. "And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all" (Gen. 14:20). Note also that the ground of tithing is God's ownership of everything. "And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth" (Gen. 14:19).

     Melchisedec, the king-priest, was a type of the priesthood of Christ. "For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually"      (Heb. 7:1-3).      If we knew who Melchisedec was, the type would be spoiled since there is much about Christ that is mysterious.

     God's ownership again declared. "And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth" (Gen. 14:22).

     Abraham accepted no gift from the heathen. "That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich" (Gen. 14:23).

     That is why our church has no suppers, no bazaars, no festivals, no pageants, etc., to collect funds. "For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not" (II Cor. 8:12).

     Notes by R.O.B.

     Use pp. 25-26 of Christian, A History of the Baptists, on the idea of Christians being strangers and pilgrims.

     The First Recorded War of the Bible. "And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations" (Gen. 14:1). This story is important because it touched the life of Abram.

     Genesis 1-11 may be regarded as an introduction to the whole Bible. Genesis 1-11 are world history; Genesis 12-Revelation 22 are the story of the chosen line. These eleven chapters may be regarded as an introduction to the rest of Genesis. "And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods" (Joshua 24:2). This is a description of the idolatry of Abram and his people. Abram was, therefore, a converted idolater. Study here "Then said the high priest, Are these things so?" (Acts 7:1). Two proofs are given above that Lot was saved: first, the Scriptures call him "just"; second, his attitude toward sin, it vexed or troubled his soul. Another proof is, and I shall call it typical, that he was not destroyed in Sodom, the destruction of which is a picture of the judgment of hell.

     QUESTIONS ON GENESIS 12-14

     1. What is the twofold meaning of the call of God?

     2. What had to precede worship in the life of Abram?

     3. What was the purpose of God in choosing Abram?

     4. What seven unconditional promises did God make to Abram?

     5. Does election save before faith?

     6. What spiritual truth did both the altar and the tent signify?

     7. Why did Abram go to Egypt?

     8. Of whom was Lot a type?

     9. Give proofs that Lot was saved?

     10. What three words are used for their first time in the Bible in Chapter 14?

     11. Tell the story of the first recorded tithe.

     12. What moved Abram to tithe?

     13. On what great truth is tithing based?

     14. Of whom and of what was Melchisedec?

     15. What is the relation of Genesis 1-11 to the rest of Genesis and to the rest of the Bible?

     16. What verse proves that Abraham was a converted idolater?

CHAPTER FIVE

STUDIES IN GENESIS 15-18

     God was all and in all to Abram. "After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward...And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness" (Gen. 15:1,6). He was his Shield or Protector and his Reward or Prosperer. Note Chapter 14.

     Abram was saved when he believed the promise of God about Christ. "And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness" (Gen. 15:6).

     In this scripture it is well to bear in mind that faith has no power to save. It is the object of faith. The Lord Jesus Christ saves. Faith is believing the promise of God concerning His Son Jesus Christ, either in the Old Testament or New Testament. Faith never saved until it had laid hold on Christ and depended on Him.

     Faith in God does not save anyone. Faith and obedience do not save. Abram not only believed God but he obeyed Him in many things. Faith in Christ saves. "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad" (John 8:56); "What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness" (Rom. 4:1-3); "And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed" (Gal. 3:8);

     A diagram of faith:

     F-orsaking

     A-11

     I

     T-ake

     H-im

     That means, forsaking all I take Him.

     The Abrahamic covenant. "And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness. And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it. And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not. And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away. And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him. And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates" (Gen. 15:6-18).

     "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. 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. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise" (Gal. 3:13-18). This covenant made with Abram is referred to in the above scripture and includes:

     (1) The promise of Christ. "The seed," singular and not plural, refers to Christ. Paul bases his argument on this question of number and surely believed in verbal inspiration of the Scriptures.

     (2) Salvation through Christ. Every one who has ever been saved has been saved the same way Abram was saved.

     (3) His seed through Christ to be as the stars for multitude.

     (4) That the heathen should he saved through Christ and that by the preaching of the gospel. "And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed" (Gal. 3:8).

     (5) That Palestine should be inherited by the Jews. "In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates" (Gen. 15:18). This is not yet fulfilled, but is to be fulfilled at the second coming of Christ. It will not be fulfilled until all living Jews have been saved by receiving Christ as their Messiah. "And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob" (Rom. 11:26): "And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me" (Luke 22:29); "Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the LORD: for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished" (Jer. 46:28).

     (6) Their servitude in Egypt is also here foretold. "And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years" (Gen. 15:13).

     God's justice and patience are seen in His dealing with the Amorites. "But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full" (Gen. 15:16). Though God had promised the land to Abraham, He did not give it to him in his life time nor to his seed for several hundred years because the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full. God always treats His enemies right; much more His children and His friends.

     Sarah's Unbelief. "Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. 4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee" (Gen. 16:1-5).

     (1) She doubted the promise of God. When it appeared to her that God would fail to keep His promise in giving them a son, then she gave Hagar to Abraham.

     (2) She tried to help God out by giving Hagar to Abraham. That is the way we do; for instance, churches that go into debt for their house of worship.

     (3) She then lied on God in trying to put the blame on Him. "And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing" (Gen. 16:2).

     God often tests our faith by waiting until we lose all ground of hope in human life. "And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him. For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee" (Isa. 30:18-19): "O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save...Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days which ye will not believe, though it be told you" (Hab. 1:2,5). "For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry" (Hab. 2:3); "And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness" (Rom. 4:19-22). "For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise" (Heb. 10:36): "Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions" (Heb. 11:33); "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him" (I John 5:14-15).

     God's dealing with the "non-elect". "And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof. And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door. But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door. And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door. And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it" (Gen. 19:7-13).

     (1). Hagar and Ishmael are a Scriptural type of what people call the "non-elect". "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. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free" (Gal. 4:22-31).

     Yet they were ministered to by angels. "And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?" (Gen. 16:13).

     God made a promise to her of earthly blessing and kept it. "And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude...And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael" (Gen. 16:10,15).

     Her prayer was heard. "And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction" (Gen. 16:11).

     A dwelling place for her and her son was granted. "And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren" (Gen. 16:12).

     All her needs were met and supplied by God. "And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?" (Gen. 16:13); "That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matt. 5:45).

     God communed with her. "And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?" (Gen. 16:13).

     Later on her prayer was heard in behalf of Ishmael. "And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation" (Gen. 17:20).

     God reveals Himself to Abraham as God Almighty. "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect" (Gen. 17:1). The word "Almighty" means "all sufficient", therefore He is the "God Who is enough."

     At this time Ishmael was thirteen years of age and was a living witness to the unbelief of Sarah. God comes revealing Himself as God Almighty, the God who is big enough to keep His promises and to give to Abram and Sarai a son who would be the promised seed, through whom the blessings of God that He promised to them that all families of the earth would come. "And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed" (Gen. 28:14).

     The three tenses of faith. "And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee" (Gen. 17:2-5).

     (1). The past tense, v. 5.

     (2). The present tense, v. 4.

     (3). The future tense, vs. 2-4. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" (John. 5:24), "hath passed", "hath", and "shall not come."

     Circumcision. "This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant. And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham. And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him. And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son. And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him" (Gen. 17:10-27).

     It was for all the natural seed of Abraham. "This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised" (Gen. 17:10).

     It was a token of the Palestinian covenant. "And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you" (Gen. 17:11). This has no reference to salvation.

     It was for all males. "And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed" (Gen. 17:12).

     It was an everlasting covenant. "He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant" (Gen. 17:13). This is the reason Paul circumcised Timothy; it was still binding on the Jews.

     The reason Paul refused to have Titus circumcised was because Titus was a Gentile, and circumcision was for Jews only. "Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek" (Acts 16:1-3); "But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised" (Gal. 2:3). Circumcision brought the Gentile under bondage to the whole law.

     A new name was given to Sarai and Abram. "Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee...And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be" (Gen. 17:5,15). This was often done as the mark of some striking experience in the life of the individual.

     All the prayers, even of good men, are not always answered. "And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!" (Gen. 17:18). "And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD... And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake" (Gen. 18:22,32), Abraham was heard. This shows that it was not the fault of Abraham that he was not heard this time. The trouble was that this prayer was not in harmony with the purpose of God.

     The promised seed are free born. "And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her...But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year" (Gen. 17:16,21); "Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise" (Gal. 4:28). All children born of a mixture of grace and law are not children of God and are not really saved. They are Ishmaelites and will eventually be cast out. This is why there is so much harm done in union meetings; too many Ishmaelites are born. "Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free" (Gal. 4:30-31); "And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work" (Rom. 11:6); "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them" (Gal. 3:10).

     The covenant of God stands fast. "And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her" (Gen. 17:16); "And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken" (Gen. 19:21).

     Neither the unbelief of Sarah, nor the intercession of Abraham, nor anything else could make God change or break His covenant that the promised seed should be the son of Sarah. The same thing is true in the new covenant; God never breaks His covenant with Christ to save eternally, all who receive Him. "His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven. If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me. It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah" (Psa. 89:29-37); "Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman" (Gal. 4:30); "If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself" (II Tim. 2:13).

     Entertaining angels unawares. "And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat. And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh" (Gen. 18:1-15); "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares" (Heb. 13:2).

     Nothing is too hard for God. "Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son" (Gen. 18:14).

     Many Modernists and others say there are things too hard for God to do, but there is not one thing. "And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform" (Rom. 4:19-21). Every new birth is a miracle. "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come" (Eph. 1:19-21).

     Sarah's unbelief. "Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son" (Gen. 18:12-14). She tried to lie out of it, "Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh" (Gen. 18:15). Unbelief cannot make God lie. "For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?" (Rom. 3:3); "If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself" (II Tim. 2:13); "And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform" (Rom. 4:21). Whether we believe it or not, God will do what He has promised.

     Grace and doom in the same visit: grace to Lot, doom to the Sodomites and most of the family of Lot. "And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way" (Gen. 18:16). Lot was spared for Abraham's sake. Lot's worldliness prevented his praying.

     Abraham's intercession. "And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes: Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it. And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake. And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there. And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake. And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake" (Gen. 18:23-32). This shows his persistence v. 25 is a mighty appeal for answered prayer for God's own.

     God blesses the posterity of men who control their children. "For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him" (Gen. 18:19).

     God reveals His will to fathers who govern their homes and are heads of their families. A preacher who does not control his family, cannot hope to succeed as a pastor and ought not to be ordained and is headed for much trouble. "One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?" (I Tim. 3:4-5). Joshua's last charge to Israel. "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served...but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (Josh. 24:15).

     God destroys the wicked. "And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous" (Gen. 18:20).

     Communion with God defined. "And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place" (Gen. 18:33). It is God talking to man and man talking to God. Very few people know anything about real communion. They simply go with their short petitions and don't wait for God to speak to them. Communion and intercession usually go together. "Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified" (Isa. 43:26); "But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt" (Ex. 13:18); "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen" (II Cor. 13:14).

     QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW

     1. Explain the promise of' Gen. 15:1 in the light of the context.

     2. Define saving faith.

     3. What are the six items of the Abrahamic covenant?

     4. What argument does Paul make on the number of the word "seed"?

     5. Why did not the children of Israel inherit the land at once?

     6. Discuss the unbelief of Sarah.

     7. How did God care for Hagar?

     8. Define "Almighty" and tell why God so revealed Himself at this time.

     9. Explain the meaning of circumcision.

     10. Why did God change the names of Abram and Sarai?

     11. What two events prove that God's covenant stands fast?

     12. To what Old Testament story does Heb. 13:2 refer?

     13. What visit brought both grace and doom?

     14. What blessing does God promise the father who controls his children?

     15. How does Gen. 18:33 define communion?

CHAPTER SIX

STUDIES IN GENESIS 19-22

     God's call always means a call out of as well as a call into or to something. Over and over again you see this in the life of Abraham, a call to separation from the world and to consecration to God.

     The four great crises in the life of Abraham:

     (1). The separation from home and kindred. "Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee" (Gen. 12:1); "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went....And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned" (Heb. 11:8,15). So today, God saves us, and calls us to a life of separation from sinners and unbelievers. "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners" (I Cor. 15:33). "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty" (II Cor. 6:14-18); "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple" (Lk. 14:26-33).

     (2). The separation from Lot, his nephew. "Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left" (Gen. 13:9). Lot was selfish, greedy, and a lover of money. "And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)" (II Pet. 2:7-8). So today, the children of God are to be separate from worldly believers. Many children of God have been led into heresy by running with heretics or into worldliness by running with worldlings.

     (3). Separation from Ishmael. "And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!" (Gen. 17:18); "And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son" (Gen. 21:11). Ishmael was his firstborn. So today, the children of God should be separated from all legalists and ritualists, all false religionists, and all kinds of union meetings.

     (4). The separation from Isaac. Isaac was at this time a full grown man. Abraham's obedience was voluntary as was Isaac's surrender. God commanded him to give up Isaac. "And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, 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 up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. Then 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 ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you" (Gen. 22:2-5); "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure" (Heb. 11:17-19). So today, God wants our best just as He wanted Abraham's best. We should yield to Him our best as readily as Abraham offered his son Isaac.

     Sodom destroyed. (Gen. 19:1-29).

     Compromising crooked officials and politicians. "But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them. And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof. And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door" (Gen.19:4-9).

     Blindness before death. "And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door" (Gen. 19:11).

     The penalty of worldliness. "And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law" (Gen. 19:14). This is always true; a worldly parent trying to talk to his children about salvation will always receive mocking.

     The angels delivered Lot. "And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city" (Gen. 19:16). Lot's wicked, daughters were delivered for his sake. God's grace is seen in that Lot's prayer was heard for himself, notwithstanding his worldliness. "Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die: Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live. And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken" (Gen. 19:19-21).

     God will punish sin. "Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven" (Gen. 19:24).

     Unbelief was punished. "But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt" (Gen. 19:26); "Remember Lot's wife" (Luke 17:32). This is a warning to women then and now against having their hearts absorbed in the world. She was the wife of a city official, and was used to entertaining strangers. "And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground" (Gen. 19:1).

     Election hinders the salvation of no one; it only guarantees the salvation of some. "And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee" (Matt. 11:23-24).

     Lot's worldliness bears more fruit. "And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters. And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth: Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day" (Gen. 19:30-38). The sin of his two daughters gave rise to two nations, the Moabites and the Ammonites, whose subsequent history is closely related with that of Israel.

     Abraham's sojourn in Philistia. "And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar. And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife. But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation? Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this. And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her. Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine. Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid. Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done. And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing? And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake. And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother. And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife. And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee. And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved. So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife" (Gen. 20:1-18).

     He went without God's orders. Many of us get into trouble because we go where God did not send us.

     Again, be lied about his wife. "And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land. And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon: Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive. Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee. And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair. The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house. And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels. And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife. And Pharaoh called Abram and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way. And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had" (Gen. 12:10-20).

     God's kindness to the non-elect. "But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife. But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation? Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this. And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her" (Gen. 20:3-6).

     Abraham was a prophet. "Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine" (Gen. 20:7). One of the astonishing things is how God holds on to His own and owns them in spite of their lying and sinning.

     Abraham was a curse to Abimelech because of his bad example. "Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done....And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved" (Gen. 20:9,16). It is a sad state of affairs when sinners have to rebuke Christians, but it is often true.

     The fear of the Lord is often where we do not expect it. "Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid....And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake....For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife" (Gen. 20:8,11,18). Abraham thought that the fear of God was not there, but they feared God more than Abraham did.

     Abimelech's graciousness. "And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife. And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee. And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved" (Gen. 20:14-16). Instead of killing Abraham for the trouble he had caused, Abimelech dealt kindly.

     God heard Abraham pray, but His answer to prayer came because of Abraham's relationship to God and not his fellowship with God. "Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine...So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children...For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife" (Gen. 20:7,17,18). God deals thus with Abraham because of His covenant. Sin breaks fellowship, not relationship.

     Issac's birth, circumcision, and, weaning. "And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken. For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him. And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him. And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me. And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age. And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned" (Gen. 21:1-8).

     Ishmael cast out. "And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son. And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept. And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation. And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt" (Gen. 21:9-21).

     He was cast out for his own sin, not because he was the non-elect. "And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking" (Gen. 21:9). "It was the uppishness of this boy that caused him to be cast out." God never mistreats anyone. "Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference" (Rom. 3:19-22). Ishmael is a great type of the non-elect. No one goes to hell because of non-election but because of his own sin.

     Abraham's grief. "And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son" (Gen. 21:11).

     Note that temporal blessings were promised to Ishmael because he was a son of Abraham. Many children were blessed in this world because of the righteousness of their parents.

     The prayer of the non-elect was heard. "And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is" (Gen. 21:17). Yet the word "non-elect" is not in the Bible. We use it sometime for the want of a better word.

     God was with the non-elect. "Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.     ...And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer" (Gen. 21:18,20). An archer is one who uses the bow and arrow to kill what he eats.

     Abraham's covenant with Abimelech. "And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest: Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned. And Abraham said, I will swear. And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away. And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing; neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day. And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant. And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves? And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well. Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them. Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines" (Gen. 21:22-32).

     Abraham's alter in Beersheba. "And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God" (Gen. 21:33).

     Abraham's faith tested. "And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, 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 up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. Then 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 ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and 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 the fire in his hand, and a 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, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an 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. And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, 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 a 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 Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen" (Gen. 22.1-14).

     He obeyed God when it looked like He was going back on His own word. God wants obedience no matter what it looks like the outcome would be. "And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams" (I Sam. 15:22).

     Abraham's faith. "And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you....And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together" (Gen. 22:5,8). "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure" (Heb. 11:17-19). He thought God would let him kill Isaac and then raise him. God never does as we think.

     Isaac's obedience and surrender. "And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood" (Gen. 22:9). Isaac was from twenty-two to twenty-six years old. The Oxford Bible says twenty-six. This shows Abraham's control over his family and Isaac's obedience to his father.

     Abraham feared God. "And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me" (Gen. 22:12). Many people think now that when you preach the fear of the Lord, you are preaching law. That is what God commanded here. A child who loves his father will fear to disobey him. God is now teaching this whole country to fear Him. No man fears God who does not obey Him.

     Because of his fear of God, he withheld not his best from God. "And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me" (Gen. 22:12). There are two kinds of fear:

     (1) Fear of consequences. Illus. A man who will not sell his farm for fear of starving.

     (2) Fear of God, a reverential fear.

     God always provides. "And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together...And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a 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 Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen" (Gen. 22:8,13,14). God is never late nor behind time with His provision. If God had in this case been one minute behind time, the death of Isaac would have been certain. This was true with Philip and the eunuch, they met at just the right time. Jebovah-jireh means the Lord will see or provide. "And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen" (Gen. 22:14). God's unfailing faithfulness.

     God's oath to Abraham. "And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for 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 shore; 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" (Gen. 22:15-18). God always gives great blessing to those who trust Him and do what He tells them.

     The silence of the Scriptures is as much a proof of their inspiration as what they do tell. There is no gratification of idle curiosity as to what took place between Abraham and Isaac on the mount. What passed would have been fine for some sob-stuff preacher. This proves it is the word of God; men alone as writers would have told the details.

     The holy fellowship of a believing father and an obedient son may be clearly seen, however, in what is told.

     QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW

1. What is the twofold significance of the call of God?

2. What were the four great crises in the life of Abraham and what is their modern application to us?

3. Why was Sodom destroyed?

4. What position did Lot hold in Sodom?

5. What kind of life had Lot been living in Sodom?

6. For whose sake was Lot delivered?

7. For whose sake were the daughters of Lot delivered?

8. What is the most pathetic scene in the life of Lot?

9. What two nations came from the daughters of Lot?

10. What sin did Abraham repeat in Philistia?

11. Who is the first man called a prophet in the Old Testament?

12. What was the ground of God's hearing Abraham pray?

13. Why was Ishmael cast out?

14. Tell the story of Abraham's offering Isaac.

15. What are the two kinds of fear?

16. Define "Jehovah-jireh".

17. Discuss the silence of the Scriptures     .

CHAPTER SEVEN

STUDIES IN GENESIS 23-27

     I. SARAH'S DEATH AND BURIAL, ch. 23.

     Abraham's care for his dead. "And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah. And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying, I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight" (Gen. 23:1-4). He bought a burying place of his own.

     A warranteed deed to what he bought. "And the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders round about, were made sure Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city. And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan. And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace by the sons of Heth" (Gen. 23:17-20). He was walking by faith but he got the title clear to what he bought.

     He bought and paid for it. "And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant" (Gen. 23:16). There was no haggling as to the price. They named the price, and he paid it. Why should a whole chapter be given to Sarah's burial when in Genesis 5 we have the genealogy and death of the men from Adam to Noah?

     Take care of the cemeteries. "Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee" (Jude 9).

     II. THE MARRIAGE OF ISAAC, ch. 24.

     His father was very careful to see that he did not marry a heathen. "And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto 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 unto my son Isaac" (Gen. 24:3-4). No believer ought to marry an unbeliever, and no Baptist should marry any one but a Baptist. "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" (II Cor. 6:14); "The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord" (I Cor. 7:39).

     (1). The Bible nowhere minimizes burial or marriage. Contrast the Modernists who deny the sacredness of marriage.

     (2) Marriage is an important event in the life of a man or woman. This shows how important Abraham thought it was.

     (3). I believe that preachers only should marry people.

     (4). Marriage can be disannuled for only one thing. "And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery" (Matt. 19:9).

     "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" (Gen. 24:5-6).

     The faith of Abraham. "The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred, and which 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 unto my son from thence...And he said unto me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father's house" (Gen. 24:7,40). The father selected a wife for his son.

     Eliezer's prayer. "And he said O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham. Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water: And let it come to pass, 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 shewed kindness unto my master...And I came this day unto the well, and said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go" (Gen. 24:12-14, 42). Little things show God's leading. This also shows that we ought to pray about little things, as marrying.

     It is no sin to be good looking. "And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up" (Gen. 24:16).

     The place of women in those days. 0nly Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the servants of God did not make slaves of women. Many say that in Bible days they made slaves of women; it is a lie. Yet this is true; that while they did not make slaves of the women, yet the men were the heads of the homes and the wives obeyed their husbands. "But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered" (I Peter 3:4-7).

     God prospered Eliezer. "And he said O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.. And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not...And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master" (Gen. 24:12,21,56). It is well to remember that it always pays to pray.

     Eliezer worshipped God. "And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD....And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter unto his son...And it came to pass, that, when Abraham's servant heard their words, he worshipped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth" (Gen. 24:26,48,52). The spirit of worship is the best evidence of gratitude and thanksgiving. That is the most marked difference between Abraham and Lot. Even the servants of Abraham were taught by him to worship God while the children of Lot were reprobates. You can tell what kind of home children have had by the way they come into the house of God. "For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him" (Gen. 18:19).

     He gave God the glory. "And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren" (Gen. 24:27).

     The hospitality of those days. "And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels" (Gen. 24:31).

     His master's business was first. "And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on" (Gen. 24:33). Cf. Jesus in the temple "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt. 6:33).

     The thing was so clearly from God that even Rebekah's father and brother had to admit it. "Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good. Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master's son's wife, as the LORD hath spoken" (Gen. 24:50-51).

     The young lady went voluntarily. "And they said, We will call the damsel, and inquire at her mouth. And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go" (Gen. 24:57-58).

     Isaac's prayer life. "And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming" (Gen. 24:63).

     A happy home. "And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death" (Gen. 24:67). Marriages in which there is as much praying as in this home are always happy.

     III. ABRAHAM'S THIRD SET OF CHILDREN, 25:1-4.

     "Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim. And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abidah, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah" (Gen. 25:1-4)

     IV. ISAAC WAS THE SOLE HEIR, 25:5.

     "And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac" (Gen. 25:5)

     V. CONCUBINES CONTRASTED WITH THE TRUE WIFE

     "And the sabbath of the land shall be meat for you; for thee, and for thy servant, and for thy maid, and for thy hired servant, and for thy stranger that sojourneth with thee" (Gen. 25:6). All the sons of these other women were cast out. Note well that the best time for any man to divide his estate is while he is still living.

     VI. ABRAHAM'S DEATH, 25:7-10.

     "And these are the days of the years of Abraham's life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years. Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people. And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre; The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife" (Gen. 25:7-10).

     VII. ISAAC BLESSED, 25:11.

     "And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahairoi" (Gen. 25:11).

     VIII. THE GENERATIONS OF ISHMAEL, 25:12-18.

     "Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, bare unto Abraham: And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, And Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa, Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah: These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations. And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, an hundred and thirty and seven years: and he gave up the ghost and died; and was gathered unto his people. And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that is before Egypt, as thou goest toward Assyria: and he died in the presence of all his brethren" (Gen. 25:12-18). No age is given and very little is said about them because they are not in the chosen line through which Christ should come.

     IX. THE GENERATIONS OF ISAAC, 25:19-23.

     "And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham begat Isaac: And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian. And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD. And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger" (Gen. 25:19-23).

     The age at which he married, forty years. "And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife" (Gen. 25:20).

     His age at the birth of his children, sixty years. "And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them" (Gen. 25:26).

     The prayer of Isaac. "And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived" (Gen. 25:21).

     God's purpose in prophecy. "And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger" (Gen. 25:23); "And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger" (Rom. 9:10-12).

     X. THE TWO BOYS, 25:24-34.

     "And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them. And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob. And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. 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 lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright" (Gen. 25:24-34).

     Esau was the more popular, a hail fellow well met. Everybody liked him except the Lord Who does not usually like the one everybody likes. Jacob was crooked and tricky. He knew how to drive a good bargain, a slick trader and a money lover. But he was a miracle of grace.

     Partiality of the parents. "And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob" (Gen. 25:28). Esau's incurable worldliness. "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 lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright" (Gen. 25:31-34); "Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright" (Heb. 12:16).

     God's Spirit calls Esau a profane person because he counted the gratification of a present appetite as worth more than his birthright. A profane person as used there is one who treats sacred things with contempt. Every pleasure lover is a profane person before God. God does not excuse them on the plea of youth, ignorance, or weakness, but treats them many times just as He did Esau and lets them find no place of real repentance. Pleasure lovers are a great deal more wicked and despicable in the sight of God than they or their excusers think.

     The birthright included a double portion of the inheritance and the priesthood of the family and the line through which the promised seed was to come. That is why God calls Esau profane; he sold his place of religious leadership in the family for a mess of pottage. When a man puts gratification of worldly pleasure first, he always gets into trouble.

     XI. ISAAC IN PHILISTIA, 26:1-22.

     A famine caused him to go. "And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar" (Gen. 26:1). He did not ask God anything about it; he just went of himself without any excuse and got into trouble just like men always do who leave God out.

     God did not forsake him however but revealed Himself to him. "And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: 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 all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws" (Gen. 26:2-5).

     He duplicates his father's sin and his father's lie. "And Isaac dwelt in Gerar: And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon. And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife. And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife; and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her. And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us. And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death" (Gen. 26:6-11). He was rebuked by an unconverted heathen for his sin just like his father was.

     God gave him great prosperity in spite of his sin. "Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him. And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him. For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth. And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we" (Gen. 26:12-16). "He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities" (Psa. 103:10).

     Living water defined. "And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water" (Gen. 26:19). "Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water" (John 4:10).

     Strife about wells. "And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him. And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah. And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land" (Gen. 26:20-22). A Christian always has strife with the worldly around him when on their territory.

     XII.      ISAAC AT BEERSHEBA, 26:23-33.

     God renews His promise. "And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake" (Gen. 26:24). He was back on God's territory. God reveals Himself to him immediately. That is always true of the backslider. God's promises often renewed because we forget them so soon. He was blessed for his father's sake.

     Prayer, prosperity, and peace experienced together. "And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake. And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a well" (Gen. 26:24,25).

     God with him was the testimony of his enemies. "Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath one of his friends, and Phichol the chief captain of his army. And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you? And they said, We saw certainly that the LORD was with thee: and we said, Let there be now an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee" (Gen. 26:26-28); "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus" (Acts 4:13). If you are living right, even your enemies will have to admit that God is with you.

     An oath for peace was made between Isaac and Abimelech. "That thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace: thou art now the blessed of the LORD" (Gen. 26:29).

     Esau's marriage was a grief to his father and mother. When boys put sex pleasure before God, they usually end up by breaking the hearts of their parents. "And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite: Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah" (Gen. 26:34-35).

     XIII. ISAAC BEATEN AT HIS OWN GAME, ch. 27.

     God had revealed His purpose concerning these two boys. "And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger" (Gen. 25:23).

     Isaac tried to defeat the purpose of God. "And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I. And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death: Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison; And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die" (Gen. 27:1-4).

     Rebekah tried to help God out. "And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying..And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death" (Gen. 27:6,10). She knew that it was the purpose of God to bless Jacob instead of Esau. "And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger" (Gen. 25:23). So she sets about to outwit Isaac and get the blessing that God had promised to Jacob without her scheming. Her schemes were a mistake.

     Her purpose was right, but her method was wrong. Her actions show that her own heart was full of unbelief. It is well always to remember that the Lord can do what He promises without any trickery from us. Her unbelief led to deception and sin.

     She reaped the effects of her sin. "Until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day? And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?" (Gen. 27:45-46). She has to scheme now to get Jacob out of the country. It is mighty hard to outwit a shrewd woman. Jacob was a willing aider and abettor of his mother's deception. He too, reaped it.

     Isaac follows feeling rather than judgment. "And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not. And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau" (Gen. 27:21,22).

     The blessing pronounced on Jacob stood even though it was gotten by fraud and deception. "And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son. And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed: Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee" (Gen. 27:26-29).

     Because it was in line with the purpose of God. The purpose of God always stands. "Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure. Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it" (Isa. 46:10,11). "The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand.... For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?" (Isa.14:24,27). Because the father as a priest stood for God.

     Isaac's blessing on Esau. This fulfilled a prophecy. "And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son's venison, that thy soul may bless me. And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau. And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed. And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father. And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing. And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me? And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son? And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept. And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above; And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck" (Gen. 27:30-40). Family strife in this case, as in many others, grew out of partiality of the parents.

     There was no place for repentance for Esau. "And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father" (Gen. 27.34); "Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears" (Heb. 12:16-17).

     QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW

     1. Give Scripture example for care for the dead and for cemeteries.

     2. Why should not Christians intermarry with unbelievers?

     3. What alone is a Scriptural ground for divorce?

     4. What was the name of the servant whom Abraham sent after Isaac's wife?

     5. For what did this servant pray?

     6. Discuss the place of women in those days.

     7. What effect did Isaac's marriage have on Isaac?

     8. Name the three sets of Abraham's children.

     9. Which son from the third set was the father of a nation that became important centuries later?

     10. Who was sole heir of Abraham?

     11. Why are so few details of the line of Ishmael given?

     12. What was God's purpose touching the sons of Isaac?

     13. What was the difference between these two sons?

     14. What things were included in the right of the first born?

     15. Why does the New Testament call Esau a profane person?

     16. Draw three likenesses between Isaac's going to Philistia and his father's going to Egypt?

     17. What is meant by living water?

     18. How did God treat Isaac when he was once again on God's territory?

     19. Could the heathen around Isaac see any evidence of God in the life of Isaac?

     20. How did Isaac take the marriage of Esau?

     21. Tell the story of the deception of Isaac.

     22. Illustrate the bad effects of family partiality.

CHAPTER EIGHT

STUDIES IN GENESIS 28-32

     I. JACOB SENT TO LABAN, ch. 28.

     The wrath of man works out the purpose of God. "And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran; And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's fury turn away; Until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day? And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?" (Gen. 27:42-46).

     Jacob blessed again and sent away. "And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother's brother. And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people; And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham. And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother" (Gen. 28:1-5).

     Esau's effort to make good. "When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan; And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padanaram; And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father; Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife" (Gen. 28:6-9). But they were too late, a mere spasm of reformation. God's blessing on Jacob could not be recalled.

     Jacob's dream. "And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first. And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee" (Gen. 28:10-22).

     God's sovereignty as to time, place, method, and person to whom He reveals Himself. God sought Jacob.

     God's grace to Jacob, the trickster and over reacher. How humbling are God's dealings, even with His elect. He makes us highly graced to reveal His purpose to us and through us. We may expect many humblings in connection therewith. Note "to all families."

     Religion personal, not family. "And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed" (Gen. 28:13).

     This incident is a type of Christ. "And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it" (Gen. 28:12). "And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man" (John 1:51). Christ is the ladder that connects earth and heaven. Our prayers are answered through Him. Our blessings descend through Him.

     The ministry of angels to the redeemed, with all the blessings attendant thereon, is ours only through Christ. "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" (Heb. 1:14). Study their ministries to the saints; preach on it.

     God's sevenfold promise to Jacob. "And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of" (Gen. 28:13-15). Note God's grace in making it to Jacob. Memorize these points.

     A. The land. "And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed" (Gen. 28:13).

     B. A multitudinous seed. "And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed" (Gen. 28:14). This refers to the Jews, but the primary reference is to Christ. Christ is to have a seed from every family of the earth.

     C. Enlargement. "And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed" (Gen. 28:14). "Spread abroad."

     D. God's presence. "And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of" (Gen. 28:15).

     E. God's preservation. "And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother's brother. And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people; And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham. And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother" (Gen. 28:1-5). "Keep."

     F. Jacob's return to Palestine. "And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of" (Gen. 28:15). "Bring".

     G. Never forsaken. "And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of" (Gen. 28:15). "Never leave thee." This is a fine promise to remember as to the security of the believer.

     Jacob's conversion or revival. "And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first. And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee" (Gen. 28:16-22).

     He gets better acquainted with God. "These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do" (John 17:1-4).

     He had been worldly since his conversion. He worships God. There is very little real worship. The word worship comes from "worth-ship", a recognition of God's worth, grace, power, glory, goodness, etc.

     He vows to tithe. I doubt very seriously if any real Christian can be really revived without there coming into his heart a sincere desire to worship God with his substance. "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings....Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it" (Mal. 3:8,10). "And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly. And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto the LORD their God, and laid them by heaps" (II Chron. 31:5-6). "And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house" (Neh. 10:38). In all these passages it is clearly taught that when folks get revived, they go to treating God right with His money.

     II. JACOB ARRIVES AT LABAN'S, 29:1-14.

     "Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east. And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth. And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in his place. And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we. And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him. And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep. And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them. And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep. And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep; for she kept them. And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother. And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father. And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things. And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month" (Gen. 29:1-14)

     A picture of the shepherd life of the times.

     Jacob was an athlete. "And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother" (Gen. 29:10).

     Love at first sight. "And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept" (Gen 29:11).

     Meaning of her father's brother. "And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father" (Gen. 29:12). Jacob was Laban's nephew;

     A cordial welcome. "And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things. And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month" (Gen. 29:13-14).

     III. THE OVER-REACHER OVER-REACHED OR TRICKED, 29:15-30.

     "And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be? And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured. And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me. And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her. And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid. And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me? And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years. And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid. And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years" (Gen. 29:15-30)

     He was beaten at his own game. Jacob came by his trickery honestly. It ran in his mother's family. Greek meets Greek; traders meet. Two low down tricksters meet. God's grace toward us will not stop the process of the law that you will reap what you sow. "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Gal. 6:7).

     Jacob begins to reap. "And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her. And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid" (Gen. 29:21-24).

     The beguiler is beguiled. "And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?" (Gen. 29:25).

     Great is the power of custom. The custom then was that the older girl had to marry first. "And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn" (Gen. 29:26-28). The custom then was that the older girl had to marry first.

     Jacob paid in advance. "Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years. And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also" (Gen. 29:27-28).

     The power of love. "And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years" (Gen. 29:30).

     IV. GOD`S FAVOR TO THE DESPISED, 29:31-35.

     Hate is here defined as meaning to love less. "And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren" (Gen. 29:31). "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:26). This is the law of its first use.

     Four boys given by God. "And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi. And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing" (Gen. 29:32-35).

     V. HELPING GOD OUT OR DOING EVIL THAT GOOD MAY COME ch. 30.

     "For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner? And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just" (Rom. 3:7-8).

     Rachel sets out to help God out by giving Jacob Bilhah. Two boys were born. "And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her. And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her. And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son. And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan. And Bilhah Rachel's maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son. And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali" (Gen. 30:1-8).

     Leah gives him Zilpah. Two boys were born. "When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife. And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son. And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad. And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a second son. And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher" (Gen. 30:9-13).

     God hears Leah's prayer. "And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son's mandrakes. And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son's mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son's mandrakes. And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son's mandrakes. And he lay with her that night. And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son. And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar. And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son. And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun. And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah" (Gen. 30:14-21).

     God hears Rachel's prayer. "And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb. And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach: And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son" (Gen. 30:22-24).

     Jacob too helps God out some. "And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country. Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee. And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake. And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it. And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me. For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the LORD hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also? And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock. I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire. So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me. And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word. And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons. And he set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks. And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods. And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink. And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted. And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstraked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban's cattle. And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods. But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's. And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses" (Gen. 30:25-43). A new trade is made. The Jews got their trickery honestly from Jacob.

     God keeps His promise. "And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of" (Gen. 28:15); "And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake" (Gen.30:27). Jacob's trickery outwits Laban's. God permits some things He does not cause or ordain.

     VI. JACOB RETURNS HOME, chs. 31-32.

     Laban beaten is sullen and revengeful. He plans to get even with Jacob.

     Jacob plans to leave while he can. God says, "And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee" (Gen. 31:3). This shows God's abounding grace.

     Jacob glorifies God. "And said unto them, I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.. And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me...Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me... And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.....I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred" (Gen. 31:5,7,9,11,13). God blesses Jacob in spite of his trickery.

     They leave without saying goodbye. "For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children's: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do. Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels; And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan. And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's. And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled. So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead" (Gen. 31:16-21).

     Rachel was an idolater (she worshiped idols), thief, and a liar. "And Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's" (Gen. 31:19).

     God warns Laban. "And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad." (Gen. 31:24).

     Laban's subterfuge. "Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead. And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword? Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp? And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing. It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad. And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me. With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them. And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two maidservants' tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent. Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not. And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched but found not the images" (Gen. 31:25-35).

     Jacob's anger; "And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me? Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both. This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten. That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night. Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes. Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times. Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight" (Gen. 31:36-42).

     A covenant made. "And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born? Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee. And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar" (Gen. 31:43-45).

     Mizpah means a barrier and not a bond. "And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another" (Gen. 31:49).

     God sends a guard along. "And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim" (Gen. 32:1-2). "For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways" (Psalm 91:11). "And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him" (Mark 1:13). "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 18:10).

     Jacob's effort to appease Esau's wrath. "And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom. And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now: And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight. And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him. Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands; And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape" (Gen. 32:3-8).

     Jacob prays. "And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands. Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children. And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude" (Gen. 32:9-12). Study the basis of prayer. Jacob pleads relationship, the covenant, his own great needs.

     A second effort to appease Esau. "And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother; Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams, Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals. And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove. And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee? Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us. And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him. And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me. So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company" (Gen. 32:13-21).

     Peniel. "And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh. Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank" (Gen. 32:24-32). "Peniel" means the face of God. Penuel is the name of the brook but means the same.

     Jacob has it out with God alone. He was not seeking God. Confession must come before blessing. God wrestled with Jacob. Jacob resisted God. Many misunderstand this history utterly when they represent Jacob as wrestling all night to get God willing to bless him. God wrestled so as to bring Jacob where He could bless Jacob. God crippled his strength. God often, to humble us, touches the thing of which we are proud: children, money, health, etc. We prevail by yielding. This is the strong point in this story. It should be made so in our preaching. We prevail by giving up to God. Thus alone can we prevail in prayer. His power with God came before his power with men.

     A new name is sign of a new character. Jacob means trickster; Israel means "prince of God." Jacob now learns that he wins, not by Jacob, nor by God plus Jacob, but by God alone. Paul learned the same in Rom. 7. Paul Rader's motto, "Let go and let God." Commit your ways. "Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday" (Psa. 37:3-6): Your works. "Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established" (Prov. 16:3). God hears when we commit, Psa. 107.

     QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW

     1. Distinguish between the cause and the occasion of Jacob's being sent to Laban.

     2. What are the seven lessons drawn from Jacob's dream?

     3. What was the sevenfold promise of God to Jacob?

     4. What vow did Jacob make?

     6. What incident proves the athletic strength of Jacob?

     6. How loosely is the word "brother" used In Genesis?

     7. Just when did Jacob receive Rachel as his wife?

     8. What are the names of the two wives of Jacob?

     9. What are the names of their handmaids?

     10. What are the names of the twelve sons and one daughter of Jacob?

     11. How is "hate" defined here in its first use in the Bible?

     12. Of what three sins was Rachel guilty?

     13. What does Mizpah mean?

     14. What does Mahanaim mean?

     15. What does Jacob mean?

     16. What does Peniel mean?

     17. What does Israel mean?

     18. Name the three times Jacob definitely met God.

     19. Outline Jacob's experience at Peniel.

     20. How do many misunderstand this story?

CHAPTER NINE

STUDIES IN GENESIS 33-40

     I. JACOB MEETS ESAU, ch. 33.

     Little things are not unimportant if God is in them; big things are not important if God is not in them. God answers prayer; prayer changes things. Jacob's night prayer, not his present, was the cause of Esau's reconciliation and peace.

     Two unusual men; both have enough. "And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself...Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it" (Gen. 33:9,11). Mark you, this is Israel, not Jacob; it would never have been said by that trickster. Many have enough if they would only say so.

     The company of the man you have wronged always makes you uncomfortable. "And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die. Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir. And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me. And he said, What needeth it? let me find grace in the sight of my lord" (Gen. 33:13-15).

     Jacob does not forget God. "And he erected there an altar, and called it El-elohe-Israel" (Gen. 33:20). Note that Jacob calls himself by his new name. We all like to forget our wicked past. The name means "the God of the God of Israel."

     Home and altar ought always to go together. "And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth. And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city. And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money. And he erected there an altar, and called it El-elohe-Israel" (Gen. 33:17-20). When a man moves his household goods, he ought to move his church membership. J. W. McGarvey's answer to a question from one of his Campbellite brethren who could not worship in a certain town was, "Move to another."

     II. JACOB REAPS, ch. 34.

     Bad company. "And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land" (Gen. 34:1). He reaps the bad effects of bad associates for his children. Many parents are to blame. As a general rule, it is a bad habit to let your children visit overnight, especially someone you would not want them to marry. Better keep them at home at night. That does not mean that they should not be permitted to attend a social, etc., but be sure you know when they come in and who they are with. Do not let your girl go with a boy you would not like for a son-in-law, and likewise with your boys. The best time to stop a bad match is before they begin. It is much better to have a rough house in preventing a son or daughter going with the wrong crowd, than to have to put up with a storm all your life because of a bad marriage.

     Deceptiveness of Jacob's sons. "And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister" (Gen. 34:13). Simeon and Levi take vengeance. "And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males" (Gen. 34:25). These boys were inexcusable. Jacob and the older sons were to blame.

     Jacob has to move. "And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house. And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?" (Gen. 34:30-31). Many people have to do this.

     The consequences of sin and its retribution are sure and terrible. Note well that when we let our children get into bad company, before we are aware of it they get us in bad in more ways than one, and as Jacob said, they make us to stink among the inhabitants of the land, and then we have to move.

     III. JACOB RETURNS TO BETHEL: NEW EXPERIENCES FOR JACOB, ch. 35.

     Jacob returns to Bethel. Bethel means "the house of God." Most backsliders, when they get into trouble, return to Bethel. God's command. "And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother" (Gen. 35:1). God does not forsake us even when we get in bad with the folks. "Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw" (John 4:13-15). We ought to find His will before we move. Jacob was on safe ground because God had told him.

     Twofold preparation for return. "Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem" (Gen 35:2-4). Fathers often need to clean out their own homes. Many things are brought in by the children that need to be gotten out. All the children were grown and married, except the two younger ones. When a boy gets too big to obey his father's orders, he is too big to eat at his father's table. The humbling process is always preparatory to a revival. Jacob made his children, married or not, get rid of their idols. Note that the idols were not hidden or sold; they were buried and left. Here for once was real repentance.

     God's grace. "And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob" (Gen. 35:5). God's fear upon the nations made him safe.

     An altar at El-beth-el. "And he built there an altar, and called the place El-beth-el: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother" (Gen. 35:7). This means "the God of the house of God." Note that Jacob put God first. "And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee" (Gen. 28:22). God kept His promise and Jacob kept his. "And he erected there an altar, and called it El-elohe-Israel" (Gen. 33:20).

     Communion and blessing. "And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him. And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel. And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land. And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him" (Gen. 35:9-13).

     God reveals Himself to him as EI-Shaddai. "And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins" (Gen. 35:11). That means, "the God who is enough." That means protection in trouble. He is big enough to handle any job He tells us to do.

     Jacob worshipped. "And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon. And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Beth-el" (Gen. 35:14-15). God's goodness strengthened him for the coming sorrows.

     Rachel dies in childbirth and Benjamin is born first sorrow. "And they journeyed from Beth-el; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour. And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also. And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin. And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Beth-lehem. And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day" (Gen. 35:16-20). "Unto this day" means until the time this was written. Jacob changes his name; Rachel named him Ben-oni, which means "son of sorrow"; Jacob named him Benjamin, which means "the son of my right hand."

     More reaping, the second sorrow, Reuben and Bilhah disgrace him. "And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard it" (Gen. 35:22). How God does uncover our sins!

     Isaac dies, the third sorrow. "And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, unto the city of Arbah, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned. And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years. And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him" (Gen. 35:27-29). Jacob is having lots of reaping for his sins. They were three big ones.

     IV. ESAU'S GENERATIONS, ch. 36.

     Esau, Edom, Seir, these are his three names. "And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob. For their riches were more than that they might dwell together; and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their cattle. Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom" (Gen. 36:6-8). Both Jacob and Esau were very rich men.

     The thing most worthy of note here is: Esau voluntarily moves, as God promised, out of Canaan and left the land to Jacob. They separated in peace. His move was in harmony with God's promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,

     V. JOSEPH ch. 37.

     Jacob's beloved and favorite son. "Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours" (Gen. 37:3). He reaps in the future because of this. This favoritism is due to his being the son of his favorite wife.

     Hated by his brothers. "And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him" (Gen. 37:4). His father's folly was the cause of their jealousy.

     He was God's favorite too, however. "And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying" (Gen. 37:5-11), God shows His favoritism to Joseph by revealing things to Joseph that He did not to his brothers. This is true of Christians today; He reveals more to the unworldly. Joseph was hated and envied yet more by his brothers because of God's favoritism. The sovereignty of God is displayed in giving dreams to Joseph.

     Sent to see about his brothers and the flocks. "And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem. And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I. And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou? And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks. And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan. And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him " (Gen. 37:12-18). Note God's hand working out His own plans.

     Sold into Egypt. "And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams. And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him. And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again. And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him; And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content. Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt" (Gen. 37:19-28). They first planned to kill him, "This dreamer." Yet the dreamer was chosen and used by God. His dreams were true.

     Reuben's affection for his father. "And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him...And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes" (Gen. 37:21,29). He intercedes for Joseph. He showed real and genuine, grief that Joseph could not be found.

     Jacob's deception of his own father comes home to him. "And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son's coat or no. And he knew it, and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him" (Gen. 37:31-35). God watching over Joseph. Being sold to Potiphar and put in, prison was a round about way to the throne of Egypt, but God kept His promise and fulfilled His word; bringing Joseph to the throne of Egypt and having his brothers, and father come and bow down to him as God said they would in Joseph's dreams. You can depend on it that the Lord is always going to keep His promise.

     VI. JUDAH, ch. 38.

     Judah's story is told because be was in the Christ line. God's purpose and transforming grace. "(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)" (Rom. 9:11); "But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence" (I Cor. 1:27-29).

     Any man who will study the Old Testament will believe in election. Nowhere is God's elective purpose more clearly seen, than in Genesis. God's purpose gradually narrows, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah. Man's unwritten law was that the firstborn should be blessed, have the birthright, be the family priest and leader. Note how God reversed all that: Abraham was not the firstborn and was a liar but he was God's elect just the same. Isaac was not the firstborn and was a weakling and a liar, but God's choice all the same. Jacob was not the firstborn and was as crooked a trickster as ever lived, but yet God chose him and His grace transformed him. Judah was not the firstborn and was a notorious libertine, yet he was God's elect for the Christ line and for the kingship line also. In all these cases God chose the base to be His channel of blessing to man that no flesh should glory in His presence. He still does it that way. "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord" (I Cor. 1:30-31).

     Judah's rottenness is here told as a background for sovereign grace. Judah was a notorious libertine. He starts his life that way and keeps it up. It is not certain that any of his children were born in wedlock. Yet he did not deny his offspring. It took a good deal of manhood and honor to own a bastard child. Illus. A Catholic priest had eighty seven illegitimate children; he left money to them. Bro. S. E. Tull told me of a whole school in New Orleans that was priest's children.

     A bad father has bad sons. "And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him. And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother. And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother. And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also" (Gen. 38:7-10). This is not always so because God often interposes to show His sovereign grace. It was the custom for the younger boy to marry the widow of the older. The Christ line is through one of these boys.

     A double standard was in existence then. "And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt. When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff. And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more" (Gen. 38:24-26). Things are today excused in men that are not in women. That does not make it right.

     Joseph had God's fellowship and blessings because he walked in God's ways. Judah was an object of elective grace, but he had no fellowship with God most of the time because of his worldly life. Note how much reaping Jacob has done thus far; Leah given him; wages changed; Dinah ruined; deception of his sons; Reuben's crookedness; deception about Joseph; Judah's immorality. The reaping gets worse.

     V11. GOD WITH JOSEPH, chs. 39-40.

     Though men hate and persecute God's own, He never forsakes them. "And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian" (Gen. 39:2).

     God is big enough for His job. It is hard for us to believe this sometimes, and we think we need to help Him out. But God is big enough to make men prosper at any time or any where.

     Joseph prospers because "God was with him". In Potiphar's house he prospered. "And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field. And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured" (Gen. 39:3-6).

     Joseph keeps clean. "And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" (Gen. 39:7-9). "Thou God seest me" is a great preventive of sin. His controlling motive in his cleanness was the presence of God.

     Joseph was lied on. "And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within. And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out. And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice: And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out. And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home. And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me: And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out. And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled" (Gen. 39:10-19). He refused to yield, then she lied on him.

     Joseph prospers in prison. "And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison. But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper" (Gen. 39:20-23). Joseph prospers no difference where they put him. All prosperity comes from God. The wrath of man is not necessarily an evidence of God's displeasure.

     Joseph's promotion. They were placed under Joseph though they were prominent officers. "And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers. And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound. And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward" (Gen. 40:2-4).

     Joseph interprets dreams. The butler and the baker dream dreams. "And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison....And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me; And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes: And Pharaoh's cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand... When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head: And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head" (Gen. 40:5,9-11,16-17)

     God works through dreams. "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit" (Joel 2:28-29).

     Joseph gives God the glory. "And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you" (Gen. 40:8). "Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed" (I Sam. 2:30); "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths" (Prov. 3:5-6).

     Joseph's interpretations prove true. "And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days: Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler....And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days: Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee" (Gen. 40:12-13,18-19). The chief baker lost his head; the chief butler was restored. Pharaoh's birthday occasioned the dreams coming true. "And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants. And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand: But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them" (Gen. 40:20-22).

     QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW

     1. What change did God work in Esau because of Jacob's night with God? 2. Tell the story of the sin of Dinah and what followed.

     3. Define Bethel.

     4. Define EI-Bethel.

     5. Why did Jacob use the longer name?

     6. What does EI-Shaddai mean?

     7. By what three names do we know the brother of Jacob?

     8. Whose favorite was Joseph and were both right?

     9. Which brother of Joseph tried to save him so as to return Joseph to his father?

     10. Why was the story of Judah's sin recorded?

     11. What are some instances of Jacob's reaping?

     12. Give some instance of God's being with Joseph.

     13. Give Illustrations of God not choosing the firstborn.

CHAPTER TEN

STUDIES IN GENESIS 41-50

     I. PHARAOH'S DREAMS, ch. 41

     Joseph's two years enforced idleness. "And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river" (Gen. 41:1). No doubt many times did he ask the question, "why?" We do not know why. He may have been trusting the butler to get him out instead of trusting in God. The butler forgot.

     It may have been that he needed training in patience. "Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more? Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah" (Psa. 77:7-9). He waits to be gracious. God wanted him to walk by faith, not by sight. It may have been that God was not ready for Jacob and his sons to go into Egypt. The why of God's providences and of unanswered prayer and of God's delays no one can answer, until God makes it plain. When God's fulness of time comes, He acts. God takes the initiative; He always does in carrying out His own plans.

     How mysteriously God works in carrying out His own purpose and will. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it" ( Isa. 55:8-11).

     Pharaoh has two dreams. "And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow. And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river. And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke. And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good. And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them. And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream. And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh" (Gen. 41:2-8).

     What have his dreams to do with Joseph's getting out of prison? Joseph had dreamed two dreams a long time ago, and they had not been fulfilled. Joseph had probably forgotten all about them. "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy" (Acts 2:17-18).

     Joseph's PREPARATION for his life's work:

     1. His dreams, in which God gave him a vision of the future. These were expansive and created an expectation. We are all dwarfed in our vision until the Lord broadens us.

     2. His hardships. While his dreams broadened his vision, his hardships toughened him. Spoiled children, as Joseph, often need hardships to prepare them for their life's work.

     3. His responsibilities. In Potiphar's house he was put over the house and in prison over the prisoners. His responsibilities sobered him.

     4. He was trusted by those over him. That made him dependable. The best way in the world to make others dependable is to trust them.

     5. He learned how to handle men. Experience trained and ripened him.

     6. He remained clean. Temptation tested him. Before a big piece of steel is put into an iron bridge, it is tested.

     7. His faith in God. God put him through thirteen years of training in hardship and in many other things to get him ready for the work of his life. Cf. Moses and Paul. They had long years of training too. When God is ready, the doors open; His clock is always on time.

     Joseph interprets dreams (Gen. 41:9-32).

     The butler was used. "Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day: Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard's house, both me and the chief baker: And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream. And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret. And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged" (Gen. 41:9-13).

     Joseph's tidiness. "Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh" (Gen. 41:14). Brethren, do not go with unpolished shoes and dirty clothes.

     He gives God the glory. "And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace" (Gen. 41:16).

     Pharaoh tells his dreams. "And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river: And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow: And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness: And the lean and the ill favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine: And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill favoured, as at the beginning. So I awoke. And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good: And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them: And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me" (Gen. 41:17-24).

     The impossible with men is easy for God. "And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh...And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me" (Gen. 41:8, 24).

     Joseph interprets. "And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one. And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine. This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh. Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land; And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous" (Gen. 41:25-31).

     God reveals the future to Pharaoh. He tells Pharaoh his plans for the next fourteen years. Seven years of plenty and seven years of famine.

     Two dreams because He had determined to carry out this plan. "And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass" (Gen. 41:32).

     Joseph was selected as "Secretary of the Interior". "Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt" (Gen. 41:33).

     Joseph's counsel. "Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine" (Gen. 41:34-36).

     Joseph was chosen for the place. "And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants...And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt" (Gen. 41:37, 44).

     Joseph's chief recommendation. "And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?" (Gen. 41:38).

     Joseph's wisdom and discretion and good sense all came from the Holy Spirit. Many think that all the Holy Spirit is given for is to make them feel good. "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will" (I Cor. 12:7-11); "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (II Tim. 1:7); "And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office. And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations. Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you. Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people. And the LORD said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight: And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy" (Ex. 30:30-35). Wisdom, power, guidance, discretion, and all needed help come from Him.

     Pharaoh finds a wife for Joseph. "And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnath-paaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah priest of On" (Gen. 41:45).

     This was probably an effort upon the part of Pharaoh to unite the religion of Egypt with the religion of God. People go long lengths to effect union. Pharaoh's efforts, however, failed. Joseph had sense enough and faith enough to keep his mouth shut until the time came to talk. And that was nine years later when his own people came down to Egypt, and he put them off to themselves to maintain their separation.

     Children in the home. "And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah priest of On bare unto him" (Gen. 41:50). He named his children names that honored God. "And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house. And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction." (Gen. 41:51-52). Manasseh means "forgetting" and Ephraim means "fruitful."

     Years of plenty pass, the famine is on, and all countries came into Egypt to buy food. "And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands" (Gen. 41:57).

     This was preparatory to the fulfillment of the word of God to Abraham "And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years" (Gen. 15:13).

     II. JOSEPH'S DREAMS COME TRUE, ch. 42.

     Famine in Canaan. "Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another? And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die" (Gen. 42:1-2). Corn, in King James' day, was used in the sense of grain, as meat was used in the sense of food.

     Jacob's harshness was a camouflage to find out how his home folks were. "And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food. And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him. And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come. We are all one man's sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies. And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not. And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies: Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither. Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies. And he put them all together into ward three days. And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God: If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses: But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so" (Gen. 42:7-20). He was just hiding his feeling. "In ward" means in prison.

     Joseph's testimony. "And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God" (Gen. 42:18). This ought to have relieved their fears if they had been close to God themselves, Joseph never forgets to let it be known that he is a worshipper of the true God. It is fine for us to tell men this, ourselves.

     Their conscience at work. "And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required" (Gen. 42:21-22). Conscience resurrected, it gets busy. They tell a fact not told before, that Joseph besought them not to sell him. Here are the evidences of their repentance; they confess their guilt: there is no effort to justify themselves; they admit the justice of God's judgment. "Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest" (Psa. 51:4). Joseph's love for his brothers (Gen. 42:24-28). He weeps. "And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes" (Gen. 42:24). He was very tender hearted and felt sorry for them: there was no bitterness nor anger, only love.

     He gives their money back. "Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them. And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence. And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it was in his sack's mouth. And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they were afraid" (Gen. 42:25-28). Notwithstanding all the sins of these men, yet they knew the Lord and acknowledged His hand. They knew God put the money in their sacks. "What is this that God hath done unto us?" (Gen. 42:28). So ought we to recognize His hand. A fine test of a man's faith is whether be can recognize God's hand.

     Joseph's subterfuge to see Benjamin, the binding of Simeon. "If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses: But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so...And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes" (Gen. 42:19,20,24). Joseph pretends that he is doing it to see if they are truthful men but be was wanting to see Benjamin, whom he had not seen for 22 years..

     A touching scene when they come home (Gen. 42:29-38). A rehearsal to their father. They tell him the whole story. "And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying, The man, who is the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country. And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies: We be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan. And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone: And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffick in the land. And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack: and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid" (Gen. 42:29-35).

     Jacob's lack of faith. "And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me. And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again. And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave" (Gen. 42:36-38). Jacob seems not to have much confidence in Reuben but did in Judah. These strange providences aroused contradictions in Jacob's mind. "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" (Rom. 8:28). Before we criticize Jacob, we need to look at ourselves. He lacked a specific promise.

     III. JUDAH'S SURETYSHIP, chs. 43-44.

     Jacob opposes Benjamin's going. "And the famine was sore in the land. And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food. And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food: But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother? And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down?" (Gen. 43:1-7). This occasioned the suretyship.

     Judah becomes Benjamin's surety. "And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones. I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever: For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time" (Gen. 43:8-10). This is a fine illustration of Christ's suretyship for us. "By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament" (Heb. 7:22). Suretyship includes:

     Judah was surety to Jacob that he would bring Benjamin back. Christ undertakes to bring us back. Christ is surety to the Father that of all He gives Him He will lose nothing.

     Judah was surety to Benjamin that he would get back. Christ is surety to us that all who trust Him will never be cast out. It was prison or death for the surety; so it is not death for us but for Christ.

     Jacob's peace-offering. "And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds: And take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight" (Gen. 43:11-12). It is like a sinner trying to appease God's wrath.

     Jacob cast upon God. "Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man: And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved" (Gen. 43:13-14).

     Joseph's welcome (Gen. 43:15-34).

     Dining with a king. "And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready; for these men shall dine with me at noon. And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph's house" (Gen. 43:16-17).

     Their groundless fears. "And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses. And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they communed with him at the door of the house, And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food: And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand. And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks" (Gen. 43:18-22). Most of the hills we dread to climb we never climb. Most of the rivers we are afraid to cross we never cross. We need to know the truths in the song "God moves In A Mysterious Way."

     Joseph's testimony wins others, the steward. "And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them" (Gen. 43:23).

     God's men in trustworthy places. Even heathen kings trust God's men. Men who claim to be saved and are not trustworthy in money matters are awful hypocrites.

     Joseph's love for Benjamin. "And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son. And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there" (Gen. 43:29-30).

     He has them guessing, he put them according to their ages. "And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one at another. And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him" (Gen. 43:33-34).

     Joseph's trick. "And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's mouth. And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses. And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good? Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing" (Gen. 44:1-5).

     They are humbled and heart-broken. "And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words. And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing: Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold? With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen. And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless. Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack. And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city" (Gen. 44:6-13). Sorrow humbles all of us, and the worst kind of sorrow is when our sins find us out. Each one of these men were now fathers and knew something of the sorrows of the old father over his lost son, and every one of them is mightily humbled before God.

     Joseph's dream fulfilled again. "And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground" (Gen. 44:14).

     The dark hour just before dawn. "And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine? And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord's servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found. And he said, God forbid that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father" (Gen. 44:15-17).

     The plea of Judah, the surety for Benjamin and his father. "Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh. My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother? And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him. And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him. And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die. And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more. And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food. And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother be with us. And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons: And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since: And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life; It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever. Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father" (Gen. 44:18-34). It is a masterpiece; there is no finer in any literature. No need ever to be ashamed of the Bible. The finest literature in the world is in it. Notice Judah's plea: it changed Joseph's mind; he probably intended to keep Benjamin with him awhile, but Judah's plea knocked all that out of him.

     1. Joseph saw that the men were conscience smitten and penitent.

     2. Joseph seemingly purposed to keep Benjamin.

     3. Judah's plea upsets Joseph's plans.

     4. No doubt Joseph was overjoyed to find out how they loved their father.

     5. Seeing their penitence over the way they had treated him and their love for their father and for Benjamin, Joseph's own love for his father overcomes him and he reveals himself to them as their long lost brother.

     IV. JOSEPH REVEALS HIMSELF, ch. 45

     He weeps. "And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard....And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck" (Gen. 45:2,14).

     God did it. "Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not" (Gen. 45:5-9). "Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain" (Acts 2:23). God's overruling purpose and providence do not minimize man's wickedness. These men were just as wicked as if what they thought had happened to Joseph had indeed befallen him.

     Joseph sent before to prepare a place, for them. "And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast: And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty. And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you. And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither. And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck" (Gen. 45:10-14).

     Pharaoh's generosity. "And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan; And take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land. Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours. And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way. To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment. And to his father he sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way. So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way" (Gen. 45:16-24).

     Jacob revived. "And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father, And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not. And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived: And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die" (Gen. 45:25-28).

     V. JACOB MOVES TO EGYPT, ch. 46.

     He offers sacrifices to God. "And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac" (Gen. 46:1). That should be the first mark of our gratitude for the blessings of God. Because Hezekiah did not render according to the benefits received, God was displeased with him.

     God answers immediately. "And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes" (Gen. 46:2-4).

     Jacob obeys God and goes into Egypt. "And Jacob rose up from Beersheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him: His sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt. And these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn. And the sons of Reuben; Hanoch, and Phallu, and Hezron, and Carmi. And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman. And the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. And the sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah, and Pharez, and Zarah: but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Pharez were Hezron and Hamul. And the sons of Issachar; Tola, and Phuvah, and Job, and Shimron. And the sons of Zebulun; Sered, and Elon, and Jahleel. These be the sons of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob in Padanaram, with his daughter Dinah: all the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty and three. And the sons of Gad; Ziphion, and Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, and Arodi, and Areli. And the sons of Asher; Jimnah, and Ishuah, and Isui, and Beriah, and Serah their sister: and the sons of Beriah; Heber, and Malchiel. These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter, and these she bare unto Jacob, even sixteen souls. The sons of Rachel Jacob's wife; Joseph, and Benjamin. And unto Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him. And the sons of Benjamin were Belah, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard. These are the sons of Rachel, which were born to Jacob: all the souls were fourteen. And the sons of Dan; Hushim. And the sons of Naphtali; Jahzeel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shillem. These are the sons of Bilhah, which Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, and she bare these unto Jacob: all the souls were seven. All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his loins, besides Jacob's sons' wives, all the souls were threescore and six; And the sons of Joseph, which were born him in Egypt, were two souls: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were threescore and ten" (Gen. 46:5-27).

     Judah the surety goes before. "And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen" (Gen. 46:28). That is what Christ our Surety always does for us; anywhere He sends us, He goes before.

     Joseph prepares a welcome. "And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive. And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father's house, I will go up, and shew Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father's house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me; And the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have. And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation? That ye shall say, Thy servants' trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians" (Gen. 46:29-34).

     VI. THE ISRAELITES A SEPARATE PEOPLE, 47:1-12.

     They are presented to Pharaoh. "Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen. And he took some of his brethren, even five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh" (Gen. 47:1-2).

     They ask for Goshen, the best part of the country, so as to maintain this separation. "And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers. They said moreover unto Pharaoh, For to sojourn in the land are we come; for thy servants have no pasture for their flocks; for the famine is sore in the land of Canaan: now therefore, we pray thee, let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen" (Gen. 47:3- 4).

     Pharaoh grants their request. "And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee: The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest any men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle" (Gen. 47:5-6).

     Jacob blesses Pharaoh. "And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou? And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh" (Gen. 47:7-10). No matter how big you get, it is not a thing to be despised to have the blessings of a godly old man or woman.

     VII. THE FAMINE RAVAGES, 47:13-26

     "And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine. And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house. And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth. And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail. And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year. When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands: herefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not desolate. And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh's. And as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof. Only the land of the priests bought he not; for the priests had a portion assigned them of Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them: wherefore they sold not their lands. Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land. And it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give the fifth part unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them of your households, and for food for your little ones. And they said, Thou hast saved our lives: let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants" (Gen. 47:13-25). Joseph buys up for Pharaoh the stock, the land (all except the land of the priests,) and the people themselves into slavery. Some high taxes; one fifth was demanded as the government's part. "And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth part, except the land of the priests only, which became not Pharaoh's" (Gen. 47:26).

     VIII. JACOB'S DEATH, 47:27-50:13.

     He makes Joseph swear to bury him in Canaan. "And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years. And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt: But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their buryingplace. And he said, I will do as thou hast said. And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed's head" (Gen. 47:28-31).

     Jacob blesses Ephraim and Manasseh. ch. 48.

     Joseph gets the firstborn portion, two inheritances instead of one. "Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow" (Gen. 48:22).

     God's election again seen in these two boys. "And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near unto him. And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn. And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day, The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth. And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head. And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head. And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations" (Gen. 48:13-19).

     Jacob's prophecy. "And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations. And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh." (Gen. 48:19-20). Note how this was fulfilled, Ephraim became the leading tribe of the ten.

     Jacob blesses and foretells the future of his sons. "And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father. Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch. Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel. Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee. Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk. Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon. Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens: And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute. Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward. I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD. Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last. Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties. Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words. Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:) Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren. Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil" (Gen. 49:1-27).

     Note especially his blessing on Judah and the prophecy of Christ. "Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee. Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk" (Gen. 49:8-12). The Messiah to be of the seed of Judah, not Joseph. The prophetic note running through the Bible is an important note. He foretells where Zebulin would live; though it was decided by Lot, it was just like Jacob foretold. "Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon" (Gen. 49:13).

     Jacob dies. "All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them. And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah. The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth. And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people" (Gen. 49:28-33).

     Joseph makes a great funeral for him. "And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him, and kissed him. And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel. And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days. And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again. And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear. And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, And all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen. And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen: and it was a very great company. And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days. And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was called Abel-mizraim, which is beyond Jordan. And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them: For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre. And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father" (Gen. 50:1-14).

     The embalming lasted forty days and the mourning lasted thirty days. No embalmer could do what was done here; they could do a lot of things that we cannot do. Examples: embalming, building pyramids, etc. He had a big funeral. Remember that a big funeral is no sign of greatness. The difference between him and Abraham was that Jacob had a rich son.

     THE CONCLUSION, 50:15-26.

     Joseph's brothers fear his wrath. "And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him. And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him. And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants. And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?" (Gen. 50:15-19). Joseph's great faith. "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive" (Gen. 50:20).

     Note carefully God's sovereignty and man's free agency. "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them" (Gen. 50:20-21). Joseph did not condone their wickedness in their sending him to Egypt, but he did say God had a hand in it.

     Joseph exacts a promise. "And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence. So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt" (Gen. 50:25-26).

     A RECAPITULATION OF WHAT WE LEARN IN GENESIS

     I. God's purposes as foretold to Abraham, 12:1-3.

     1. A separate people, 12:1. The Jews are the only nation on earth that does not mix up.

     2. A great nation, the greatest on earth, will be here after all the rest are gone.

     3. Blessed and a blessing, 12:2.

     4. Other nations blessed or cursed as they treat Israel, 12:3. That is still true.

     5. The Messiah promised through his seed (Gen. 3:15, 12:3).

     6. God's missionary purpose, prophecy, and program here foretold. "And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed" (Gal 3:8).

     II. God's purpose as wrought out by, though, and for Abraham.

     1. Separated from his land and kindred, 12:4.

     2. Canaan promised, 12:7.

     3. Separated from Lot, 13:5-9.

     4. All others against them because they were a separated people, 15:1. "The shield" shows everybody would be against him. (Here is a good sermon from these promises).

     5. Separation costs, 15:1. That is why God said, "I will be your reward; it costs something to be a separate people, but I will more than pay you for it."

     6. Spiritual seed promised, 15:5.

     7. Egyptian bondage foretold, 15:13-16.

     8. Separation from Ishmael, 21:9-21.

     9. God's promises made to Abraham are confirmed to Isaac 26:1-5.

     10. Confirmed to Jacob also, 28:10-15. Jacob's separation from Esau carries out the idea of a separated people.

     11. Neither Abraham, Isaac, nor Jacob were the firstborn, nor the favorite son of his father. Nahor was the firstborn of Terah. Abraham wanted Ishmael, 17:18. Isaac favored Esau, 25:28. Jacob chose Joseph, 37:3, but God chose Judah, 49:8-10. The Lord never chooses much like we do.

     12. Separated in Egypt, 47:6.

     Conclusion: God's purpose for Israel was that they should be a separated people, a great people, a blessed people, a protected people, a blessing people, the Messiah's people, a worldwide missionary people.

     QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW

     1. The dreams of what five men are mentioned prominently in Genesis?

     2. Why was Pharaoh's dream doubled?

     3. Give the seven steps in Joseph's preparation.

     4. How does Joseph illustrate the two traits of moral purity and tidiness?

     5. What other Bible characters figure prominently in dream interpretation?

     6. What was the probable purpose of Pharaoh's choosing a priest's daughter for the wife of Joseph?

     7. Why did Joseph name his children as he did?

     8. Contrast 42:36 and Rom. 8:28.

     9. Who became surety for Benjamin?

     10. What is the twofold lesson from this suretyship?

     11. Why did Joseph not make himself known at the first?

     12. How does Joseph interpret their wickedness?

     13. In what part of Egypt did Jacob and his household locate?

     14. Explain 49:10. (Use next chapter).

     15. Tell the story of Jacob's death, embalming, and burial.

     16. What was the fear of Jacob's brothers after their father's death?

     17. What two great truths are taught in 50:20-21?

     18. What promise did Joseph exact from his brothers?

     19. Recapitulate Genesis from the viewpoint of God's purposes.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

TYPES AND PROPHECIES IN GENESIS

TYPES IN GENESIS

     I firmly believe that nothing in the Old Testament should be regarded as a divinely-intentioned type of something in the New Testament unless the New Testament says so. Many go to unwarranted extremes in making everything in Genesis typical. God has given plenty types without our creating any.

     Adam was a type of Christ. "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 5:12-21); "And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly" (I Cor. 15:45-49).

     Sin is universal through Adam. "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (Rom. 5:12); the proof is, all die.

     All died from Adam to Moses. "Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come" (Rom. 5:14).

     There was no law to transgress; therefore their death was not due to personal transgressions of God's law. But they died, and since their death was not due to personal transgression, it must have been due to Adam's sin. This proves that the effects of Adam's sin were universal on his posterity.

     Infants and idiots die. They are not capable of personal or actual sin of their own, but their death proves that they are sinners. Therefore, both their sin and their death must be because of the sin of Adam.

     Christ's atonement was as universal as Adam's sin. "Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life" (Rom. 5:18).

     Infants and idiots who die in innocence without being accountable all go to heaven, not because they are not sinners nor because they are pure and holy, but because Christ's atonement for the Adamic sin was as universal as was the sin of Adam or as was the effect of the sin of Adam upon his posterity. Nobody goes to hell for Adam's sin. Christ's atonement answered for the Adamic sin for the whole race and was in that sense universal.

     The universal atonement of Christ guarantees universal resurrection of both the good and the bad. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (I Cor. 15:22).

     Adam a type of Christ in a special sense. "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous" (Rom. 5:19).

     Because of the sin of Adam, every one born into this world is born with a vitiated nature, but not all are actual transgressors. Because of this vitiated nature, the many who reach the age of accountability become transgressors. Not all Adam's seed are actual transgressors, but only those who disobey God's law, whether written in the Bible or in their own minds.

     Likewise, not all accountable beings are accounted righteous, but only such as receive Him. As the many of the seed of Adam who become accountable become transgressors because of their own disobedience to God's law, so the many who receive Christ by faith become righteous through His obedience.

     The Sun was a type of Christ. "And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also" (Gen. 1:16). Christ is the Sun of righteousness. "But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings" (Mal. 4:2). As this physical world is lighted by the physical sun and its darkness is dispelled, so the moral and spiritual world are lighted by Christ, the spiritual sun. The whole world is lighted morally and intellectually by Christ whether they receive Him or not. Only those who receive Christ are spiritually illumined and enlightened.

     Abel's offering was a type of Christ's blood. "And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering" (Gen. 4:4); "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission" (Heb. 9:22).

     The sabbath is a type of the rest the believer receives when he trusts Christ for once-for-all salvation. "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made" (Gen. 2:1-3); "For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his" (Heb. 4:3-10).

     The ark was a type of the security and safety of the believer in Christ. "And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in" (Gen. 7:16); "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory" (Col. 3:3-4).

     The antediluvians and God's dealings with them are a type of the condition of the world and of God's dealings with it just before the second coming of Christ. "And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them" (Gen. 6:3-7); "And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all" (Luke 17:26-27).

     Circumcision of the body is a type of the new birth which is: called the circumcision of the heart. "And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you" (Gen. 17:11); "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God" (Rom. 2:28,29). "In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ" (Col. 2:11). It is well to remember that one bodily or external or physical act is never the type of another bodily or physical or external act as some say of baptism. The types in the Old Testament are physical types of spiritual truths.

     Melchizedek is a type of Christ's priesthood. "And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth" (Gen. 14:18,19); "For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better. And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him. If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore" (Heb. 7:1-28); "The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek" (Psa. 110:4).

     Hagar and Sarah and their children are types of the two covenants, law and grace, and of the end of legalists under law and God's sons under grace. "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. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free" (Gal. 4:22-31).

     Lot's wife is a type of worldly women who love fashion and style more than they love Christ. "But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt" (Gen. 19:26); "Remember Lot's wife" (Luke 17:32).

     Isaac's birth being naturally impossible is a type of the supernatural nature of the spiritual birth of all believers. "Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now" (Gal. 4:28-29); "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power" (Eph. 1:19).

     Jacob's ladder and the angels ascending and descending upon it are a type of Christ and the spiritual blessings that come down from heaven through Him. "And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it" (Gen. 28:12). "And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man" (John 1:51).

     Lot saved so as by fire out of Sodom is a type of the worldly Christian who gives his life to making money, pleasure, and worldly honors and loses all and is scarcely saved, getting into heaven with all his work burned up and he himself saved yet so as through fire. "And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my LORD: Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die: Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live. And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken. Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt" (Gen. 19:16-26). "If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire" (I Cor. 3:15). "And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" (I Pet. 4:18).

     Supplement (R.O.B.)

     Isaac's being spared is a type of the siner's being spared and a type by contrast of Christ, being not spared. "And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me" (Gen. 22:12); "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Rom. 8:32). The ram that was offered is a type of the substitution of Christ Jesus.

     The way of Cain is a type of those who believe in salvation by human effort and by merit and by character. "Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core" (Jude 11).

     The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is an example of the eternal fire of hell. "Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven" (Gen. 19:24); "Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire" (Jude 7). "And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly" (II Pet. 2:6).

     The flood is an example of God's wrath. "And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly" (II Peter 2:5).

     MESSIANIC PROPHECIES IN GENESIS

     I. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel" (Gen. 3:15). The Prophecy Explained.

     Christ to be the seed of the woman; He was to be virgin born, of a human mother but no human father.

     The enmity between Christ and Satan and Christ's seed and the children of the devil to be perpetual. No compromise, no let up.

     The bruising of Satan's head by Christ meant wresting from Satan his usurped dominion and power. "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil" (Heb. 2:14). The bruising of Christ's heel by Satan probably referred to his physical and mental sufferings in Gethsemane and Calvary.

     The Prophecy Fulfilled.

     Christ was virgin born. "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS" (Matt. 1:18-25); "And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her" (Lk. 1:26-38);

     "To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father" (Gal. 4:5-6); "Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety" (I Tim. 2:15); "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).

     Many other passages prove that there was perpetual enmity between Christ and Satan and the children of God and children of the devil. "Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me" (John 14:30); "Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not" (Matt. 2:16-18); "He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil" (I John 3:8); "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Heb. 2:14-15). Many other passages prove that there was perpetual enmity between Christ and Satan and the children of God and children of the devil.

     "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death" (Rev. 1:18). "But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad" (Matt. 12:24-30); "And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen" (Rom. 16:20). All these scriptures prove that Christ bruised Satan's head (and will complete it).

     "When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness" (Lk. 22:53). "Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour" (John 12:27). These and other passages prove that Satan bruised Christ's heel.

     II. "And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done" (Gen. 8:21). This prophecy is not primarily Messanic and yet it is a striking example of God's word being fulfilled.

     This prophecy declares that there will never again be a universal flood of water; that there will be no more universal destruction of man and beast; that seed time and harvest, heat and cold, summer and winter shall last as long as the earth lasts.

     III. "And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant" (Gen. 9:25-26).

     The Prophecy Explained.

     Ham's descendants are prophesied as an inferior and servile posterity. Canaan's seed especially, were to serve the seed of Shem and Japheth.

     Shem's seed to sustain a peculiar relation to Jehovah. All religions that worship Jehovah come from Shem's posterity. The descendants of Japheth and Ham have all been, in their natural state, idolaters. The three religions that worship Jehovah are Judaism founded by Moses, Christianity founded by Christ, and Mohammedanism founded by Mohamet. All these founders were descendants of Shem through Abraham. Even Mohamet was a descendant of Abraham through Ishmael. Christ came from Shem. All divine revelation, unless Luke was a Gentile, came through Shem's descendants.

     Japheth's descendants are the enlarged races. Government, science, art, etc., came largely from his descendants.

     The Prophecy Fulfilled.

     The Canaanites were a servile people, hewers of wood, and drawers of water. "Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God" (Josh. 19:23). "And all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which were not of the children of Israel, Their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy, upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bondservice unto this day" (I Ki. 9:20,21).

     History and the Bible agree in ascribing all true worship of Jehovah to the Jews who were descendants of Shem. "Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22).

     The history of Europe and America, whose inhabitants are descendants of Japheth, proves conclusively the fulfillment of this Prophecy that the enlarged races through whom civilization and culture are extended abroad are the Japhetic races.

     IV. "And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed" (Gen. 12:3). "And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice" (Gen. 22:18).

     The Prophecy Explained.

     Christ is here prophesied as the seed of Abraham.

     The gospel promised through Christ.

     Worldwide missions here foretold.

     The Prophecy Fulfilled.

     Christ was the seed of Abraham according to the flesh. "For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham" (Heb. 2:16). The genealogies of Matthew 1 and Luke 3 prove this.

     "And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed....And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect... That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith....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...And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Gal. 3:8,17,14,16,29). These scriptures all prove that the gospel and its blessings are received by Jew and Gentile thorugh Christ.

     Christ's five commissions "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen" (Matt. 28:18-20). "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mk. 16:15-16). "And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem" (Lk. 24:46-47). "Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you" (John 20:21). "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8). These scriptures all show that world missions is Christ's program for His churches as is so clearly foretold in these two prophecies of Christ. "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" (Rom. 10:10-15). These scriptures show conclusively that God has no other way of saving the heathen except through worldwide missions or the preaching of the gospel to every creature.

     V. "And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces" (Gen. 15:13-17).

     Bondage in Egypt foretold.

     The cup of the iniquity of the Amorites not yet full is God's reason for the delay in fulfilling His promise to Abraham to give to him and to his seed the land of Canaan. God treats everybody right. Every man who goes to hell will admit the justice of his punishment.

     The difference between 400 and the 430 years. "And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years" (Gen. 15:13), and "And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years" (Acts 7:6) speak of the 400 years of their afflictions. "Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years. And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt" (Ex. 12:40-41), and "And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect" (Gal. 3:17). These scriptures speak of the 430 years of their sojourn. If you note Gal. 3:17 you will discover that God reckons the 430 years as beginning the covenant made in Gen. 15:13. This covenant, given to Abraham in Gen. 12 and ratified in Gen. 15, was given in 1921 B.C. "Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years" (Ex. 12:40), They came out of bondage as recorded in 1491 B.C., which is exactly 430 years as the Scripture says. Find what the Scriptures say, and there is never any conflict in them. This Scripture says plainly three things:

     It was 430 years from God's covenant with Abram until the giving of the law.

     While their sojourn was 430 years , they were afflicted only 400 years. The period of Joseph's prosperity, when they were not afflicted, accounts for this difference.

     The fourth generation came out, as God said, with great substance. Jacob was the only one of his generation who went into Egypt; Levi, Amram, and Moses make the fourth generation, and in Moses day they came out.

     This prophecy was literally fulfilled. "Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years" (Ex. 12:40).

     VI. "And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger" (Gen. 25:23).

     God's elective grace.

     This prophecy literally fulfilled in Esau, and Jacob. Esau was Edom. Under David and Solomon, Edom was under subjection to Israel.

     This prophecy was true religiously, nationally, financially, and every other way. The Edomites were in every way inferior to the Jews as a nation and as a people. It is worthwhile to remember how God's word comes true. You cannot pick out an Edomite in the whole line of history who has accomplished anything very notable. Compare with Moses.

     4. In Obadiah, the destruction of Edom is foretold because of their treatment of Jews. "Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land" (Joel 3:19), "The Wonders of Prophecy," John Urquhart, p. 94.

     VII. "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be" (Gen. 49:10).

     The Prophecy Explained.

     The Messiah to be of the tribe of Judah.

     The Messiah to be king.

     The Messiah to be a lawgiver.

     The Messiah to be Shiloh which means "Prince of Peace".

     The Messiah 'to gather the people unto Himself.

     The Prophecy Fulfilled.

     The Messiah was of the tribe of Judah. "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come" (Gen. 49:10). "Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram" (Matt. 1:2-3). "Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda" (Luke. 3:33). "And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof" (Rev. 5:5).

     "And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end" (Luke 1:33); "Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice" (John 18:36-37). "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth" (Matt. 28:18). These scriptures show that He was King at His first coming. "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever" (Rev. 11:15); "These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful" (Rev. 17:14); "For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet" (I Cor. 15:25). "If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself" (II Tim. 2:13). "And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years" (Rev. 20:1-6). This shows the final and complete fulfillment of this at His second coming when He will be King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

     "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen" (Matt. 28:18-20). "To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law" (I Cor. 9:21). "Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all" (Eph. 1:23), "The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all)" (Acts 10:36). These and many other passages show that He is lawgiver to His people now. "And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem" (Isa. 2:3). This and other passages teach that He will be lawgiver to the world during the Millennium.

     "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men" (Luke 2:14), proves Him to be the Prince of Peace now and the giver of peace. Jesus is The Prince of Peace. "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you" (John 14:27). "For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father" (Eph. 2:14-18). "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:7). "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith" (Gal. 5:22). "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 5:1). But the era of universal peace, which the Old Testament promises, will not come until He comes again.

     "And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased" (John. 6:2). "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me" (John 12:32). "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day...And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father" (John 6:44,65). These and other passages show a partial fulfillment of the gathering of the people unto Him when He was here the first time. It is seen in conversion and finds a consummation in the home-going of saints. (R.O.B.). The complete fulfillment of that promise, however will be at His second coming when every knee shall bow to Him and every tongue confess that He is Lord to the glory of God the Father.