patriarchs and prophets-第29部分

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came　out　with　his　retinue　to　honor　the　conqueror。　He　bade　him　take　the
goods；　begging　only　that　the　prisoners　should　be　restored。　By　the　usage　of
war；　the　spoils　belonged　to　the　conquerors；　but　Abraham　had　undertaken　this
expedition　with　no　purpose　of　gain；　and　he　refused　to　take　advantage　of　the
unfortunate；　only　stipulating　that　his　confederates　should　receive　the
portion　to　which　they　entitled。

Few；　if　subjected　to　such　a　test；　would　have　shown　themselves　as　noble　as
did　Abraham。　Few　would　have　resisted　the　temptation

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to　secure　so　rich　a　booty。　His　example　is　a　rebuke　to　self…seeking；
mercenary　spirits。　Abraham　regarded　the　claims　of　justice　and　humanity。　His
conduct　illustrates　the　inspired　maxim；　〃Thou　shalt　love　thy　neighbor　as
thyself。〃　Leviticus　19：18；　〃I　have　lifted　up　my　hand；〃　he　said；　〃unto　the
Lord；　the　most　high　God；　the　possessor　of　heaven　and　earth；　that　I　will　not
take　from　a　thread　even　to　a　shoe　latchet；　and　that　I　will　not　take　anything
that　is　thine；　lest　thou　shouldest　say；　I　have　made　Abram　rich。〃　He　would
give　them　no　occasion　to　think　that　he　had　engaged　in　warfare　for　the　sake
of　gain；　or　to　attribute　his　prosperity　to　their　gifts　or　favor。　God　had
promised　to　bless　Abraham；　and　to　Him　the　glory　should　be　ascribed。

Another　who　came　out　to　welcome　the　victorious　patriarch　was　Melchizedek；
king　of　Salem；　who　brought　forth　bread　and　wine　for　the　refreshment　of　his
army。　As　〃priest　of　the　most　high　God；〃　he　pronounced　a　blessing　upon
Abraham；　and　gave　thanks　to　the　Lord；　who　had　wrought　so　great　a　deliverance
by　his　servant。　And　Abraham　〃gave　him　tithes　of　all。〃

Abraham　gladly　returned　to　his　tents　and　his　flocks；　but　his　mind　was
disturbed　by　harassing　thoughts。　He　had　been　a　man　of　peace；　so　far　as
possible　shunning　enmity　and　strife；　and　with　horror　he　recalled　the　scene
of　carnage　he　had　witnessed。　But　the　nations　whose　forces　he　had　defeated
would　doubtless　renew　the　invasion　of　Canaan；　and　make　him　the　special
object　of　their　vengeance。　Becoming　thus　involved　in　national　quarrels；　the
peaceful　quiet　of　his　life　would　be　broken。　Furthermore；　he　had　not　entered
upon　the　possession　of　Canaan；　nor　could　he　now　hope　for　an　heir；　to　whom
the　promise　might　be　fulfilled。

In　a　vision　of　the　night　the　divine　Voice　was　again　heard。　〃Fear　not；
Abram；〃　were　the　words　of　the　Prince　of　princes；　〃I　am　thy　shield；　and　thy
exceeding　great　reward。〃　But　his　mind　was　so　oppressed　by　forebodings　that
he　could　not　now　grasp　the　promise　with　unquestioning　confidence　as
heretofore。　He　prayed　for　some　tangible　evidence　that　it　would　be　fulfilled。
And　how　was　the　covenant　promise　to　be　realized；　while　the　gift　of　a　son　was
withheld？　〃What　wilt　thou　give　me；〃　he　said；　〃seeing　I　go　childless？〃　〃And；
lo；　one　born　in　my　house　is　mine　heir。〃　He　proposed　to　make　his　trusty
servant　Eliezer　his　son　by　adoption；　and　the　inheritor　of　his　possessions。
But　he　was　assured　that　a

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child　of　his　own　was　to　be　his　heir。　Then　he　was　led　outside　his　tent；　and
told　to　look　up　to　the　unnumbered　stars　glittering　in　the　heavens；　and　as　he
did　so；　the　words　were　spoken；　〃So　shall　thy　seed　be。〃　〃Abraham　believed
God；　and　it　was　counted　unto　him　for　righteousness。　〃Romans　4：3。

Still　the　patriarch　begged　for　some　visible　token　as　a　confirmation　of　his
faith　and　as　an　evidence　to　after…generations　that　God's　gracious　purposes
toward　them　would　be　accomplished。　The　Lord　condescended　to　enter　into　a
covenant　with　His　servant；　employing　such　forms　as　were　customary　among　men
for　the　ratification　of　a　solemn　engagement。　By　divine　direction；　Abraham
sacrificed　a　heifer；　a　she…goat；　and　a　ram；　each　three　years　old；　dividing
the　bodies　and　laying　the　pieces　a　little　distance　apart。　To　these　he　added
a　turtledove　and　a　young　pigeon；　which；　however；　were　not　divided。　This
being　done；　he　reverently　passed　between　the　parts　of　the　sacrifice；　making
a　solemn　vow　to　God　of　perpetual　obedience。　Watchful　and　steadfast；　he
remained　beside　the　carcasses　till　the　going　down　of　the　sun；　to　guard　them
from　being　defiled　or　devoured　by　birds　of　prey。　About　sunset　he　sank　into　a
deep　sleep；　and；　〃lo；　a　horror　of　great　darkness　fell　upon　him。〃　And　the
voice　of　God　was　heard；　bidding　him　not　to　expect　immediate　possession　of
the　Promised　Land；　and　pointing　forward　to　the　sufferings　of　his　posterity
before　their　establishment　in　Canaan。　The　plan　of　redemption　was　here　opened
to　him；　in　the　death　of　Christ；　the　great　sacrifice；　and　His　coming　in
glory。　Abraham　saw　also　the　earth　restored　to　its　Eden　beauty；　to　be　given
him　for　an　everlasting　possession；　as　the　final　and　complete　fulfillment　of
the　promise。

As　a　pledge　of　this　covenant　of　God　with　men；　a　smoking　furnace　and　a
burning　lamp；　symbols　of　the　divine　presence；　passed　between　the　severed
victims；　totally　consuming　them。　And　again　a　voice　was　heard　by　Abraham；
confirming　the　gift　of　the　land　of　Canaan　to　his　descendants；　〃from　the
river　of　Egypt　unto　the　great　river；　the　river　Euphrates。〃

When　Abraham　had　been　nearly　twenty…five　years　in　Canaan；　the　Lord　appeared
unto　him；　and　said；　〃I　am　the　Almighty　God；　walk　before　Me；　and　be　thou
perfect。〃　In　awe；　the　patriarch　fell　upon　his　face；　and　the　message
continued：　〃Behold；　My　covenant　is　with　thee；　and　thou　shalt　be　a　father　of
many　nations。〃　In

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token　of　the　fulfillment　of　this　covenant；　his　name；　heretofore　called
Abram；　was　changed　to　Abraham；　which　signifies；　〃father　of　a　great
multitude。〃　Sarai's　name　became　Sarah〃princess；〃　for；　said　the　divine
Voice；　〃she　shall　be　a　mother　of　nations；　kings　of　people　shall　be　of　her。〃

At　this　time　the　rite　of　circumcision　was　given　to　Abraham　as　〃a　seal　of　the
righteousness　of　the　faith　which　he　had　yet　being　uncircumcised。〃　Romans
4：11。　It　was　to　be　observed　by　the　patriarch　and　his　descendants　as　a　token
that　they　were　devoted　to　the　service　of　God　and　thus　separated　from
idolaters；　and　that　God　accepted　them　as　His　peculiar　treasure。　By　this　rite
they　were　pledged　to　fulfill；　on　their　part；　the　conditions　of　the　covenant
made　with　Abraham。　They　were　not　to　contact　marriages　with　the　heathen；　for
by　so　doing　they　would　lose　their　reverence　for　God　and　His　holy　law；　they
would　be　tempted　to　engage　in　the　sinful　practices　of　other　nations；　and
would　be　seduced　into　idolatry。

God　conferred　great　honor　upon　Abraham。　Angels　of　heaven　walked　and　talked
with　him　as　friend　with　friend。　When　judgments　were　about　to　be　visited　upon
Sodom；　the　fact　was　not　hidden　from　him；　and　he　became　an　intercessor　with
God　for　sinners。　His　interview　with　the　angels　presents　also　a　beautiful
example　of　hospitality。

In　the　hot　summer　noontide　the　patriarch　was　sitting　in　his　tent　door；
looking　out　over　the　quiet　landscape；　when　he　saw　in　the　distance　three
travelers　approaching。　Before　reaching　his　tent；　the　strangers　halted；　as　if
consulting　as　to　their　course。　Without　waiting　for　them　to　solicit　favors；
Abraham　rose　quickly；　and　as　they　were　apparently　turning　in　another
direction；　he　hastened　after　them；　and　with　the　utmost　courtesy　urged　them
to　honor　him　by　tarrying　for　refreshment。　With　his　own　hands　he　brought
water　that　they　might　wash　the　dust　of　travel　from　their　feet。　He　himself
selected　their　food；　and　while　they　were　at　rest　under　the　cooling　shade；　an
entertainment　was　made　ready；　and　he　stood　respectfully　beside　them　while
they　partook　of　his　hospitality。　This　act　of　courtesy　God　regarded　of
sufficient　importance　to　record　in　His　word；　and　a　thousand　years　later　it
was　referred　to　by　an　inspired　apostle：　〃Be　not　forgetful　to　entertain
strangers：　for　thereby　some　have　entertained　angels　unawares。〃　Hebrews　13：2。

Abraham　had　seen　in　his　guests　only　three　tired　wayfarers；

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little　thinking　that　among　them　was　One　whom　he　might　worship　without　sin。
But　the　true　character　of　the　heavenly　messengers　was　now　revealed。　Though
they　were　on　their　way　as　ministers　of　wrath；　yet　to　Abraham；　the　man　of
faith；　they　spoke　first　of　blessings。　Though　God　is　strict　to　mark　iniquity
and　to　punish　transgression；　He　takes　no　delight　in　vengeance。　The　work　of
destruction　is　a　〃strange　work〃　to　Him　who　is　infinite　in　love。

〃The　secret　of　the　Lord　is　with　them　that　fear　Him。〃　Psalm　25：14。　Abraham
had　honored　God；　and　the　Lord　honored　him；　taking　him　into　His　counsels；　and
revealing　to　him　His　purposes。　〃Shall　I　hide　from　Abraham　that　thing　which　I
do？〃　said　the　Lord。　〃The　cry　of　Sodom　and　Gomorrah　is　great；　and　because
their　sin　is　very　grievous；　I　will　go　down　now；　and　see　whether　they　have
done　altogether　according　to　the　cry　of　it；　which　is　come　unto　me；　and　if
not；　I　will　know。〃　God　knew　well　the　measure　of　Sodom's　guilt；　but　He
expressed　Himself　after　the　manner　of　men；　that　the　justice　of　His　dealings
might　be　understood。　Before　bringing　judgment　upon　the　transgressors　He
would　go　Himself；　to　institute　an　examination　of　their　course；　if　they　had
not　passed　the　limits　of　divine　mercy；　He　would　still　grant　them　space　for
repentance。

Two　of　the　heavenly　me