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Advent Lessons

Lesson 11 · September 10, 1898

The Righteous Keep the World

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(.)

  1. 1.Who appeared to Abraham in the plains of Mamre? At what time of the day? Where was he? .
  2. 2.Who were with the Lord? . See, also, . Read , noting Abraham's example of courtesy and hospitality, and the more explicit renewal of the promise, with the question, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" See .
  3. 3.Towards what place did the Son of God and the two angels look to go? Who went with them, apparently as guide? .
  4. 4.What question did the Lord ask? .
  5. 5.What, through the everlasting covenant, is spoken of as a settled fact? .
  6. 6.What on Abraham's part made that covenant promise sure? ; .
  7. 7.What relation must all parents who share the blessings of that covenant sustain toward their children?
  8. 8.Why did the Lord say He would go down to Sodom and Gomorrah? .
  9. 9.Towards what place did the two angels now go? Where did Abraham realize that he now stood? .
  10. 10.What holy boldness, however, did he manifest? .
  11. 11.What questions did he ask? With what attributes of God's character does Abraham here show himself to be familiar? .
  12. 12.What reply did God make? .
  13. 13.What did Abraham realize concerning himself in the presence of the Lord? .
  14. 14.How often and to what extent did he present his petition? Did the Lord grant all his requests? .
  15. 15.What examples of punctuality and promptness are given in ?
  16. 16.For whose sake are the lives of the wicked preserved? . Note.
  17. 17.Think over the texts thus far cited which refer to the character and power of God in creation and redemption.

Notes

Readings.

. "Mount of Blessing," pp. 55-66.

The salvation which comes to this world through grace is by that faith which works through the love of God, and is manifested in Christ, through the Holy Spirit, through the angels, in those who are represented in the sermon on the mount as being "the salt of the earth," "the light of the world." All the power is of God. Christ said, "For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth." God blessed faithful Abraham, as He does every child of faith, that he might be a blessing to others. This can be accomplished only by the vitalizing power and influence of the Holy Spirit, represented by the golden oil flowing through the golden tubes into the golden bowl—by the grace, love, and righteousness of Christ brought to others by the personal contact and association of the Christian with them. For the sake of the righteous, the Lord preserves the world; and as soon as they are taken out of it, the world will be destroyed. "Were it not for the few righteous who inhabit the earth, the wrath of God would not be delayed a moment from punishing the wicked."

Additional Study.

1. The chronology used in the Bible is known as that of Usher. (a) Show that Noah came out of the ark A. M. 1657. . (b) Show that Arphaxad was born A. M. 1659. . (c) Show that Terah was born A. M. 1879. Verses 12-24. (d) Show that Abraham was born A. M. 2009. ; . (e) Show that Abraham left Haran to go into Canaan A. M. 2084. (f) Note that the four hundred years of must date thirty years after the call of Abraham out of "Ur of the Chaldees." (g) Note the precision with which the genealogy and chronology of the ancestors of the promised Seed are given. This is the only line so preserved; could any other than a divine hand have kept it? For a more extended study of this subject see "Sacred Chronology," pp. 45-68.

2. Note Abraham's anxiety for the salvation of those wicked cities. The more nearly one approaches the perfection of Christ, the greater will his love be toward the sinner.

3. Who were the three men? .

4. Abraham's talking with God is an illustration of what He asks all to do: He says, "Come, let us reason together."

5. Why did the Lord make such wonderful revelations to Abraham? to his prophets? . Abraham was not only a friend of God, but a prophet. .

6. Cite examples of how other holy men felt in the presence of God or of angels. In whose presence are we always? Give proof.

7. What in this communion with God shows Abraham's (a) faith, (b) courage, (c) importunity, (d) humility, (e) power with God, (f) love for God, (g) love for sinners.

Bible texts in this lesson

Genesis 18:1 · Genesis 18:2 · Genesis 18:16-33 · Genesis 19:1 · Genesis 19:2 · Genesis 19:22 · Genesis 19:3-15 · Jeremiah 32:17 · Genesis 18:16 · Genesis 18:17 · Genesis 18:18 · Genesis 18:19 · Genesis 26:5 · Genesis 18:20 · Genesis 18:21 · Genesis 18:22 · Genesis 18:23 · Genesis 18:25 · Genesis 18:26 · Genesis 18:27 · Genesis 18:28-32 · Genesis 18:33 · Genesis 18:23-33 · Genesis 7:11 · Genesis 8:14 · Genesis 11:10 · Genesis 11:32 · Genesis 12:4 · Acts 7:4 · Genesis 15:13-16 · Genesis 18:13 · Amos 3:7 · Genesis 20:7

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