patriarchs and prophets-第27节

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worship　and　service　of　the　true　God。　These　attached　themselves　to　the
patriarch's　household；　and　accompanied　him　to　the　land　of　promise。　〃And　they
went　forth　to　go　into　the　land　of　Canaan；　and　into　the　land　of　Canaan　they
came。〃

The　place　where　they　first　tarried　was　Shechem。　Under　the　shade　of　the　oaks
of　Moreh；　in　a　wide；　grassy　valley；　with　its　olive　groves　and　gushing
springs；　between　Mount　Ebal　on　the

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one　side　and　Mount　Gerizim　on　the　other；　Abraham　made　his　encampment。　It　was
a　fair　and　goodly　country　that　the　patriarch　had　entered〃a　land　of　brooks
of　water；　of　fountains　and　depths　that　spring　out　of　valleys　and　hills；　a
land　of　wheat；　and　barley；　and　vines；　and　fig　trees；　and　pomegranates；　a
land　of　oil　olive；　and　honey。〃　Deuteronomy　8：7；　8。　But　to　the　worshiper　of
Jehovah；　a　heavy　shadow　rested　upon　wooded　hill　and　fruitful　plain。　〃The
Canaanite　was　then　in　the　land。〃　Abraham　had　reached　the　goal　of　his　hopes
to　find　a　country　occupied　by　an　alien　race　and　overspread　with　idolatry。　In
the　groves　were　set　up　the　altars　of　false　gods；　and　human　sacrifices　were
offered　upon　the　neighboring　heights。　While　he　clung　to　the　divine　promise；
it　was　not　without　distressful　forebodings　that　he　pitched　his　tent。　Then
〃the　Lord　appeared　unto　Abram；　and　said；　Unto　thy　seed　will　I　give　this
land。〃　His　faith　was　strengthened　by　this　assurance　that　the　divine　presence
was　with　him；　that　he　was　not　left　to　the　mercy　of　the　wicked。　〃And　there
builded　he　an　altar　unto　the　Lord；　who　appeared　unto　him。〃　Still　a　wayfarer；
he　soon　removed　to　a　spot　near　Bethel；　and　again　erected　an　altar；　and
called　upon　the　name　of　the　Lord。

Abraham；　〃the　friend　of　God；〃　set　us　a　worthy　example。　His　was　a　life　of
prayer。　Wherever　he　pitched　his　tent；　close　beside　it　was　set　up　his　altar；
calling　all　within　his　encampment　to　the　morning　and　evening　sacrifice。　When
his　tent　was　removed；　the　altar　remained。　In　following　years；　there　were
those　among　the　roving　Canaanites　who　received　instruction　from　Abraham；　and
whenever　one　of　these　came　to　that　altar；　he　knew　who　had　been　there　before
him；　and　when　he　had　pitched　his　tent；　he　repaired　the　altar；　and　there
worshiped　the　living　God。

Abraham　continued　to　journey　southward；　and　again　his　faith　was　tested。　The
heavens　withheld　their　rain；　the　brooks　ceased　to　flow　in　the　valleys；　and
the　grass　withered　on　the　plains。　The　flocks　and　herds　found　no　pasture；　and
starvation　threatened　the　whole　encampment。　Did　not　the　patriarch　now
question　the　leadings　of　Providence？　Did　he　not　look　back　with　longing　to
the　plenty　of　the　Chaldean　plains？　All　were　eagerly　watching　to　see　what
Abraham　would　do；　as　trouble　after　trouble　came　upon　him。　So　long　as　his
confidence　appeared　unshaken；　they　felt　that　there　was　hope；　they　were
assured　that　God　was　his　Friend；　and　that　He　was　still　guiding　him。

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Abraham　could　not　explain　the　leadings　of　Providence；　he　had　not　realized
his　expectations；　but　he　held　fast　the　promise；　〃I　will　bless　thee；　and　make
thy　name　great；　and　thou　shalt　be　a　blessing。〃　With　earnest　prayer　he
considered　how　to　preserve　the　life　of　his　people　and　his　flocks；　but　he
would　not　allow　circumstances　to　shake　his　faith　in　God's　word。　To　escape
the　famine　he　went　down　into　Egypt。　He　did　not　forsake　Canaan；　or　in　his
extremity　turn　back　to　the　Chaldean　land　from　which　he　came；　where　there　was
no　scarcity　of　bread；　but　he　sought　a　temporary　refuge　as　near　as　possible
to　the　Land　of　Promise；　intending　shortly　to　return　where　God　had　placed
him。

The　Lord　in　His　providence　had　brought　this　trial　upon　Abraham　to　teach　him
lessons　of　submission；　patience；　and　faith　lessons　that　where　to　be　placed
on　record　for　the　benefit　of　all　who　should　afterward　be　called　to　endure
affliction。　God　leads　His　children　by　a　way　that　they　know　not；　but　He　does
not　forget　or　cast　off　those　who　put　their　trust　in　Him。　He　permitted
affliction　to　come　upon　Job；　but　He　did　not　forsake　him。　He　allowed　the
beloved　John　to　be　exiled　to　lonely　Patmos；　but　the　Son　of　God　met　him
there；　and　his　vision　was　filled　with　scenes　of　immortal　glory。　God　permits
trials　to　assail　His　people；　that　by　their　constancy　and　obedience　they
themselves　may　be　spiritually　enriched；　and　that　their　example　may　be　a
source　of　strength　to　others。　〃I　know　the　thoughts　that　I　think　toward　you；
saith　the　Lord；　thoughts　of　peace；　and　not　of　evil。〃　Jeremiah　29：11。　The
very　trials　that　task　our　faith　most　severely　and　make　it　seem　that　God　has
forsaken　us；　are　to　lead　us　closer　to　Christ；　that　we　may　lay　all　our
burdens　at　His　feet　and　experience　the　peace　which　He　will　give　us　in
exchange。

God　has　always　tried　His　people　in　the　furnace　of　affliction。　It　is　in　the
heat　of　the　furnace　that　the　dross　is　separated　from　the　true　gold　of　the
Christian　character。　Jesus　watches　the　test；　He　knows　what　is　needed　to
purify　the　precious　metal；　that　it　may　reflect　the　radiance　of　His　love。　It
is　by　close；　testing　trials　that　God　disciplines　His　servants。　He　sees　that
some　have　powers　which　may　be　used　in　the　advancement　of　His　work；　and　He
puts　these　persons　upon　trial；　in　His　providence　He　brings　them　into
positions　that　test　their　character　and　reveal　defects　and　weaknesses　that
have　been　hidden　from　their　own　knowledge。　He

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gives　them　opportunity　to　correct　these　defects　and　to　fit　themselves　for
His　service。　He　shows　them　their　own　weakness；　and　teaches　them　to　lean　upon
Him；　for　He　is　their　only　help　and　safeguard。　Thus　His　object　is　attained。
They　are　educated；　trained；　and　disciplined；　prepared　to　fulfill　the　grand
purpose　for　which　their　powers　were　given　them。　When　God　calls　them　to
action；　they　are　ready；　and　heavenly　angels　can　unite　with　them　in　the　work
to　be　accomplished　on　the　earth。

During　his　stay　in　Egypt；　Abraham　gave　evidence　that　he　was　not　free　from
human　weakness　and　imperfection。　In　concealing　the　fact　that　Sarah　was　his
wife；　he　betrayed　a　distrust　of　the　divine　care；　a　lack　of　that　lofty　faith
and　courage　so　often　and　nobly　exemplified　in　his　life。　Sarah　was　fair　to
look　upon；　and　he　doubted　not　that　the　dusky　Egyptians　would　covet　the
beautiful　stranger；　and　that　in　order　to　secure　her；　they　would　not　scruple
to　slay　her　husband。　He　reasoned　that　he　was　not　guilty　of　falsehood　in
representing　Sarah　as　his　sister；　for　she　was　the　daughter　of　his　father；
though　not　of　his　mother。　But　this　concealment　of　the　real　relation　between
them　was　deception。　No　deviation　from　strict　integrity　can　meet　God's
approval。　Through　Abraham's　lack　of　faith；　Sarah　was　placed　in　great　peril。
The　king　of　Egypt；　being　informed　of　her　beauty；　caused　her　to　be　taken　to
his　palace；　intending　to　make　her　his　wife。　But　the　Lord；　in　His　great
mercy；　protected　Sarah　by　sending　judgments　upon　the　royal　household。　By
this　means　the　monarch　learned　the　truth　in　the　matter；　and；　indignant　at
the　deception　practiced　upon　him；　he　reproved　Abraham　and　restored　to　him
his　wife；　saying；　〃What　is　this　that　thou　hast　done　unto　me？　。　。　。　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。〃

Abraham　had　been　greatly　favored　by　the　king；　even　now　Pharaoh　would　permit
no　harm　to　be　done　him　or　his　company；　but　ordered　a　guard　to　conduct　them
in　safety　out　of　his　dominions。　At　this　time　laws　were　made　prohibiting　the
Egyptians　from　intercourse　with　foreign　shepherds　in　any　such　familiarity　as
eating　or　drinking　with　them。　Pharaoh's　dismissal　of　Abraham　was　kind　and
generous；　but　he　bade　him　leave　Egypt；　for　he　dared　not　permit　him　to
remain。　He　had　ignorantly　been　about　to　do　him　a　serious　injury；　but　God　had
interposed；　and

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saved　the　monarch　from　committing　so　great　a　sin。　Pharaoh　saw　in　this
stranger　a　man　whom　the　God　of　heaven　honored；　and　he　feared　to　have　in　his
kingdom　one　who　was　so　evidently　under　divine　favor。　Should　Abraham　remain
in　Egypt；　his　increasing　wealth　and　honor　would　be　likely　to　excite　the　envy
or　covetousness　of　the　Egyptians；　and　some　injury　might　be　done　him；　for
which　the　monarch　would　be　held　responsible；　and　which　might　again　bring
judgments　upon　the　royal　house。

The　warning　that　had　been　given　to　Pharaoh　proved　a　protection　to　Abraham　in
his　after…intercourse　with　heathen　peoples；　for　the　matter　could　not　be　kept
secret；　and　it　was　seen　that　the　God　whom　Abraham　worshiped　would　protect
His　servant；　and　that　any　injury　done　him　would　be　avenged。　It　is　a
dangerous　thing　to　wrong　one　of　the　children　of　the　King　of　heaven。　The
psalmist　refers　to　this　chapter　in　Abraham's　experience　when　he　says；　in
speaking　of　the　chosen　people；　that　God　〃reproved　kings　for　their　sakes；
saying；　Touch　not　Mine　anointed；　and　do　My　prophets　no　harm。〃　Psalm　105：14；
15。

There　is　an　interesting　similarity　between　Abraham's　experience　in　Egypt　and
that　of　his　posterity；　centuries　later。　Both　went　down　into　Egypt　on　account
of　a　famine；　and　both　sojourned　there。　Through　the　manifestation　of　divine
judgments　in　their　behalf；