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Popular BIBLE CLASS fc Note* THE BOOK OF GENESIS Chapter 17 By J. W. SMITH The Covenant Ratified On three different occasions Lord hud appeared unto First, a surinr him that he would conu a bles ,np to all the familh , the earth. 12: 1-3; second, that posterity would he numerous as dust of the earth. 13: 14-10; that his : eed would he the stars that cannot bi 13: Now, after hi: from kith and kin, his victory the kings of the Mast, his being ed by Melchi/.edek , and his tion by faith, he is prepared for fuller revelation of (he will of and expected to take part in covenant of grace by receiving appointed sign of which, according to Paul wa “a sea of the righteousness of the which he had yet being cised.” Rom. 4:11. . The Cod of the Covenant. V»». ft When A bra was ninety m old and nine, the Lord appeared Abram, and said unto him, ‘1 am Almighty God’.” The name y God” occurs six times in thirty-one times in Job, and seven times in the Old A name denotes what a person is himself. It is that by which a is known and identified. Here sivr: Abram a new and fuller Jation of Himself. He says, "1 El Shaddai.” “El” signifies “God and “Shaddai »* is derived from Hebrew word «( shail. ■ • “breast,’ and is invariably used Scripture for the breast of a Hence “Shaddai” means the ed.” “El Shaddai ’ translated “A! mighty God” signifies the eternal, absolute, irresistnble Who is the Nourisher, er, and Satisfier of His people. title expresses “the quality of the power of the true God.’ He is the all-sufficient tin' God that is enough. He is so full of vitality that “He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might He increaseth strength by pouring Himself into His beiieveing children. When Abram was 99 years of age and Sara! about 90 God np peared snto him ns the Ed Shaddai Who was abundantly able to perform, regardless of human impossibilities, that which he had promised concern his seed. The Almighty God said to Abram, “Walk before Me and be perfect.” Vs. 1, The command contains a •jjvntlo rebuke; for it would appear that Abram was becoming impatient concerning the promised seed and ha«l been walking before Kara! as we have seen in the previous chap ter. Henceforth he was to walk in the light and strength of God’s prom¬ ise and be sincere, complete, not merely in walk but in heart, All true Christians walk before Grid as obe¬ dient children, aftei Him as faith¬ ful servants, with Him as true friends, and in Him as living witness¬ es. We are commanded to walk in love, so that we may be the follow¬ ers of God; in truth, so that wo may not drift into error; in the Spirit, so that we may not fulfill the lust of flesh; in newness of life, so that sin ma.v not have dominion over us; and x >i Fort Valley Crate & Lumber Co* i £ g Marlufacturers of i \ i £ F ruit Packages £ s I $2 ij!, ,J, |^| |^| (fji Si, x Exclusive Manufacturers in the South K of the E. Z. Pak Bushel Shipping Basket for i Peaches, Apples Oranges and all kinds of Si S Fruits and Vegetables. R This package conceded to be the best and R safest package on the market l! THE LEADER-TRIBUNE, FORT VALLEY, GA., THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 1924. in faith, so that we may the world. “The perfect way in hard to flesh: , Jt is not hard to Jove. ! If thou wert sick for want of God, j How sw iftly wouldst thou move!” 2. Thr Token of the Covenant. V»a. 4, 5; 15-17. The token consisted in the name given to— (a) Abram. “Thy name shall Abraham." The former mi?an ; “ W * h father.” The new ' vaK formed by dropping the last t, p irl th( ’ “hi name an.l »ddmg ,hl! fn 1 syllable of Wo,,i “harnon. ’ meaning K0 that Abraham is an K Abram-hamon, signifying high father of a multitude. forth he was to be not merely ’he exalted, but Abraham the h' 1 ’ ’’’) Sarai. Thou shall not ■her name Snrai, but Sarah shall name be.” Most scolars are 'that her former name means princess,” which implies her able relation to her husband. name signifies “the princess;” e., the royal mother of kings and t icn-. and especially of Jems Christ the Prince of Peace. The token Alimight.v God gave raham completely stripped him of confidence in the flesh and confirmed his faith In the promise, assuring him that the true heir woidd not he a son horn after the flesh, those who are in spiritual but a son by promise, typical of those who enter into the ; liberty that belongs to the children of God. , 3 r,u ' Permanency of the Covenant Vss. (!-K. “I will establish My cov vnant between Me and thee and thy | I’" se<i(i aft(!r everlasting thee in their generation to be r un covenant, a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.’ The word • . covenant,” which has in view the Messiah and all those who are saved by Him, occurs thir¬ teen times in this chapter. This covenant, in which all the children of God are included, can "ever be revoked; for it is esablish °d by God and made as firm as His almighty power and everlasting can make it. “For the moun¬ tains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy upon thee.” Isa, 54: 10. Furthermore this covenant grace in which God binds Himself to protect His people and take them safe to heaven, includes the children of believers and are made partakers of its blessings although they are (clearly j unconscious set forth of its in the nature. terms This of the is > and in the form of its covenant st; a j. I From the beginning H was God's pur peso to propagate IBs t’hureh by nieiins of a godly seed. 1 he Church dosus Christ, composed of bought souls, is the only institution in the i, world ,i,i today that ,i will .,, never have an e „d Of the Covenant of grace the—(1) Messenger (Mai. 3:1), Me diator (Hob. 12: 24), Substance Isa. 42: ti), Surety (Heb. 7: 22). 4. The Seal of the Covenant. V*. 9-14 “Every male child among you shall be circumcised.’’ In Roni. 4: 11 we are told that circumcision was * seal of the righteousness of fnith which he (Abraham) had, yet being uncircumcised.” Circumcision did not procure the blessings of the coven¬ ant, but declared it. “It was an out ward sign of an inward grace.’ It was a mark which proved the par-! cnts’ devotion to God, which et them apart for God, and which formally ad mitted the children of beiieveing parents into the privileges of the covenant. The ordinance was to be adminis tered on the eigth day, becan. e the child was ceremonially unclean even flays (Lev. 12: 2, 3); it wa perform ed on all the male that were home born and bought (Vs. 12,13); it was accompanied with the naming of the child (21 : 3, 4; Luke 2: 21); it w. vain without faith (Gal. .':(>); it was contempt of the covenant not to observe it (vs. 14), and, therefore, dangerous to those who neglected it (vs. 11; Kxs. 4: 24-26). 5. Tbi* Heir of the Covenant Vs. 21 “But My covenant will 1 establish with Isaac." When God ijevealed to Abraham that, he would have a on by .Sarah wdth whom He would < tab lisb His covenant, hi- expectations concerning Ishmael were destroyed. He was troubled for his son lest he should be abandoned by God and ev en cut off to make room for Isaac. Hence we have the earnest petition; “O that Ishmael might live before Thee!” The prayer was hard; for the Lord greatly blessed him with mate- ■ rial things. But the blessings of the covenant i were reserved for Isaac, from whom (he Messiah was to come. When God i takes into covenant with Himself j those whom He hath chosen from the foundation of the world, no wrong is done to any one idse. They ar< chosen, not for their own sakes, but to carry out God’s great )>lan and to be a blessing to the world. 6. The Subjects of the Covenant. Vss. 9-14; 23-27. Not only Abraham and his eed, but bis house-born slaves and those who were bought, were to receive the sign of the covenant. Abraham, as father and master, was under sol emu obligation to carry out God’s command. Circumcision was to be administered to those who were un conscious of its meaning as well as to those who understood its signifi cance. Those who are connected with godly homes, whether son or slaves, are responsible to God for the religious privileges they enjoy. On the other hand, every employer should remember that he is account able to the great Master in heaven for the souls of those who labor for him, and that his responsibilities do not end with the mere considerations : of Reasonable work and fair wages. | Their spiritual interests must not be neglected. We learn from this portion of God s word that—(1) Our sufficien •y is of God. (2.) It, is our privilege to walk with God. (3) It is to the humble God reveals Himself. (4) God calls things that are not, as though they were. (!>) The Loru is not slack concerning His promise. (6) They who fear the Lord shall not want any j good thing. (7) God's ways are not our ways, (8) Men of influence have | religious duties to perform. (9) We can cast our burdens , , upon ,, the Lord. , , (10) God hears the imperfect peti tjons of His peop i e . (H) Children may hp pnrtakers „f the covenant of , g ract , (12) It is dangerous to neg lect God . s ordinances. (13) Our obe (Uencp to God should be instanta.no v>us. (14) In this life we may have seasons of special communion with God. 1 The University of Lisbon, for many years the only institution of its kind in Portugal, was founded by King I Dionysius, son of Alfonso 111 and husband of Elizabeth of Aragon. Dio- i nysius died in 1326. \ lfiw ElWM Ml. L itJl! I « ijishjiai! j" WW MI. I. l . • 1 “ 1 l j I « £ - [ - 2 r -2 i* -•> ; 1 ‘<9 J | I « £ “ % £ « 1 .. r -1 1 -j * ’3 l J | j IE £ .! “ , -v> 7 • J . J „ | (A The Tire Man l | Z £ “ u J - Eh X • J » I “ - | ■ ANNOUNCES x * X $ in 1 | x <j X J Installation of Complete New “ 1 | 1 i Z | BATTERY EQUIPMENT 1 J He Has Relinquished His Willard Con¬ tract in Favor of X * X Prest-O Lite X X And is in position to serve his many friends and patrons with a GOOD BATTERY at a MODERATE Price. x He also offers to them MODERN and EFFICIENT BATTERY SERVICE. 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