patriarchs and prophets-第30节

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not　passed　the　limits　of　divine　mercy；　He　would　still　grant　them　space　for
repentance。

Two　of　the　heavenly　messengers　departed；　leaving　Abraham　alone　with　Him　whom
he　now　knew　to　be　the　Son　of　God。　And　the　man　of　faith　pleaded　for　the
inhabitants　of　Sodom。　Once　he　had　saved　them　by　his　sword；　now　he　endeavored
to　save　them　by　prayer。　Lot　and　his　household　were　still　dwellers　there；　and
the　unselfish　love　that　prompted　Abraham　to　their　rescue　from　the　Elamites；
now　sought　to　save　them；　if　it　were　God's　will；　from　the　storm　of　divine
judgment。

With　deep　reverence　and　humility　he　urged　his　plea：　〃I　have　taken　upon　me　to
speak　unto　the　Lord；　which　am　but　dust　and　ashes。〃　There　was　no
self…confidence；　no　boasting　of　his　own　righteousness。　He　did　not　claim
favor　on　the　ground　of　his　obedience；　or　of　the　sacrifices　he　had　made　in
doing　God's　will。　Himself　a　sinner；　he　pleaded　in　the　sinner's　behalf。　Such
a　spirit　all　who　approach　God　should　possess。　Yet　Abraham　manifested　the
confidence　of　a　child　pleading　with　a　loved　father。　He　came　close　to　the
heavenly　Messenger；　and　fervently　urged　his　petition。　Though　Lot　had　become
a　dweller　in　Sodom；　he　did　not　partake　in　the　iniquity　of　its　inhabitants。
Abraham　thought　that　in　that　populous　city　there　must　be　other　worshipers　of
the　true　God。

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And　in　view　of　this　he　pleaded；　〃That　be　far　from　Thee；　to　do　after　this
manner；　to　slay　the　righteous　with　the　wicked：　。　。　。　that　be　far　from　Thee：
Shall　not　the　Judge　of　all　the　earth　do　right？〃　Abraham　asked　not　once
merely；　but　many　times。　Waxing　bolder　as　his　requests　were　granted；　he
continued　until　he　gained　the　assurance　that　if　even　ten　righteous　persons
could　be　found　in　it；　the　city　would　be　spared。

Love　for　perishing　souls　inspired　Abraham's　prayer。　While　he　loathed　the
sins　of　that　corrupt　city；　he　desired　that　the　sinners　might　be　saved。　His
deep　interest　for　Sodom　shows　the　anxiety　that　we　should　feel　for　the
impenitent。　We　should　cherish　hatred　of　sin；　but　pity　and　love　for　the
sinner。　All　around　us　are　souls　going　down　to　ruin　as　hopeless；　as　terrible；
as　that　which　befell　Sodom。　Every　day　the　probation　of　some　is　closing。
Every　hour　some　are　passing　beyond　the　reach　of　mercy。　And　where　are　the
voices　of　warning　and　entreaty　to　bid　the　sinner　flee　from　this　fearful
doom？　Where　are　the　hands　stretched　out　to　draw　him　back　from　death？　Where
are　those　who　with　humility　and　persevering　faith　are　pleading　with　God　for
him？

The　spirit　of　Abraham　was　the　spirit　of　Christ。　The　Son　of　God　is　Himself
the　great　Intercessor　in　the　sinner's　behalf。　He　who　has　paid　the　price　for
its　redemption　knows　the　worth　of　the　human　soul。　With　an　antagonism　to　evil
such　as　can　exist　only　in　a　nature　spotlessly　pure；　Christ　manifested　toward
the　sinner　a　love　which　infinite　goodness　alone　could　conceive。　In　the
agonies　of　the　crucifixion；　Himself　burdened　with　the　awful　weight　of　the
sins　of　the　whole　world；　He　prayed　for　His　revilers　and　murderers；　〃Father；
forgive　them；　for　they　know　not　what　they　do。〃　Luke　23：34。

Of　Abraham　it　is　written　that　〃he　was　called　the　friend　of　God；〃　〃the　father
of　all　them　that　believe。〃　James　2：23；　Romans　4：11。　The　testimony　of　God
concerning　this　faithful　patriarch　is；　〃Abraham　obeyed　My　voice；　and　kept　My
charge；　My　commandments；　My　statutes；　and　My　laws。〃　And　again；　〃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。〃　It　was　a　high
honor　to　which　Abraham　was　called；　that　of　being　the　father　of　the　people
who　for　centuries　were　the　guardians　and　preservers　of　the　truth　of　God　for
the

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worldof　that　people　through　whom　all　the　nations　of　the　earth　should　be
blessed　in　the　advent　of　the　promised　Messiah。　But　He　who　called　the
patriarch　judged　him　worthy。　It　is　God　that　speaks。　He　who　understands　the
thoughts　afar　off；　and　places　the　right　estimate　upon　men；　says；　〃I　know
him。〃　There　would　be　on　the　part　of　Abraham　no　betraying　of　the　truth　for
selfish　purposes。　He　would　keep　the　law　and　deal　justly　and　righteously。　And
he　would　not　only　fear　the　Lord　himself；　but　would　cultivate　religion　in　his
home。　He　would　instruct　his　family　in　righteousness。　The　law　of　God　would　be
the　rule　in　his　household。

Abraham's　household　comprised　more　than　a　thousand　souls。　Those　who　were　led
by　his　teachings　to　worship　the　one　God；　found　a　home　in　his　encampment；　and
here；　as　in　a　school；　they　received　such　instruction　as　would　prepare　them
to　be　representatives　of　the　true　faith。　Thus　a　great　responsibility　rested
upon　him。　He　was　training　heads　of　families；　and　his　methods　of　government
would　be　carried　out　in　the　households　over　which　they　should　preside。

In　early　times　the　father　was　the　ruler　and　priest　of　his　own　family；　and　he
exercised　authority　over　his　children；　even　after　they　had　families　of　their
own。　His　descendants　were　taught　to　look　up　to　him　as　their　head；　in　both
religious　and　secular　matters。　This　patriarchal　system　of　government　Abraham
endeavored　to　perpetuate；　as　it　tended　to　preserve　the　knowledge　of　God。　It
was　necessary　to　bind　the　members　of　the　household　together；　in　order　to
build　up　a　barrier　against　the　idolatry　that　had　become　so　widespread　and　so
deep…seated。　Abraham　sought　by　every　means　in　his　power　to　guard　the　inmates
of　his　encampment　against　mingling　with　the　heathen　and　witnessing　their
idolatrous　practices；　for　he　knew　that　familiarity　with　evil　would
insensibly　corrupt　the　principles。　The　greatest　care　was　exercised　to　shut
out　every　form　of　false　religion　and　to　impress　the　mind　with　the　majesty
and　glory　of　the　living　God　as　the　true　object　of　worship。

It　was　a　wise　arrangement；　which　God　Himself　had　made；　to　cut　off　His
people；　so　far　as　possible；　from　connection　with　the　heathen；　making　them　a
people　dwelling　alone；　and　not　reckoned　among　the　nations。　He　had　separated
Abraham　from　his　idolatrous　kindred；　that　the　patriarch　might　train　and
educate　his　family　apart　from　the　seductive　influences　which　would　have
surrounded

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them　in　Mesopotamia；　and　that　the　true　faith　might　be　preserved　in　its
purity　by　his　descendants　from　generation　to　generation。

Abraham's　affection　for　his　children　and　his　household　led　him　to　guard
their　religious　faith；　to　impart　to　them　a　knowledge　of　the　divine　statutes；
as　the　most　precious　legacy　he　could　transmit　to　them；　and　through　them　to
the　world。　All　were　taught　that　they　were　under　the　rule　of　the　God　of
heaven。　There　was　to　be　no　oppression　on　the　part　of　parents　and　no
disobedience　on　the　part　of　children。　God's　law　had　appointed　to　each　his
duties；　and　only　in　obedience　to　it　could　any　secure　happiness　or
prosperity。

His　own　example；　the　silent　influence　of　his　daily　life；　was　a　constant
lesson。　The　unswerving　integrity；　the　benevolence　and　unselfish　courtesy；
which　had　won　the　admiration　of　kings；　were　displayed　in　the　home。　There　was
a　fragrance　about　the　life；　a　nobility　and　loveliness　of　character；　which
revealed　to　all　that　he　was　connected　with　Heaven。　He　did　not　neglect　the
soul　of　the　humblest　servant。　In　his　household　there　was　not　one　law　for　the
master　and　another　for　the　servant；　a　royal　way　for　the　rich　and　another　for
the　poor。　All　were　treated　with　justice　and　compassion；　as　inheritors　with
him　of　the　grace　of　life。

〃He　will　command　his　。　。　。　household。〃　There　would　be　no　sinful　neglect　to
restrain　the　evil　propensities　of　his　children；　no　weak；　unwise；　indulgent
favoritism；　no　yielding　of　his　conviction　of　duty　to　the　claims　of　mistaken
affection。　Abraham　would　not　only　give　right　instruction；　but　he　would
maintain　the　authority　of　just　and　righteous　laws。

How　few　there　are　in　our　day　who　follow　this　example！　On　the　part　of　too
many　parents　there　is　a　blind　and　selfish　sentimentalism；　miscalled　love；
which　is　manifested　in　leaving　children；　with　their　unformed　judgment　and
undisciplined　passions；　to　the　control　of　their　own　will。　This　is　the
veriest　cruelty　to　the　youth　and　a　great　wrong　to　the　world。　Parental
indulgence　causes　disorder　in　families　and　in　society。　It　confirms　in　the
young　the　desire　to　follow　inclination；　instead　of　submitting　to　the　divine
requirements。　Thus　they　grow　up　with　a　heart　averse　to　doing　God's　will；　and
they　transmit　their　irreligious；　insubordinate　spirit　to　their　children　and
children's　children。　Like　Abraham；　parents　should　command　their　households
after　them。　Let　obedience　to

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parental　authority　be　taught　and　enforced　as　the　first　step　in　obedience　to
the　authority　of　God。

The　light　esteem　in　which　the　law　of　God　is　held；　even　by　religious　leaders；
has　been　productive　of　great　evil。　The　teaching　which　has　become　so
widespread；　that　the　divine　statutes　are　no　longer　binding　upon　men；　is　the
same　as　idolatry　in　its　effect　upon　the　morals　of　the　people。　Those　who　seek
to　lessen　the　claims　of　God's　holy　law　are　striking　directly　at　the
foundation　of　the