The Signs of the Times, vol. 11

April 2, 1885

“Inheritance of the Saints. Promises to Abraham.—Continued” The Signs of the Times, 11, 14.

E. J. Waggoner

THE SABBATH-SCHOOL.

LESSON FOR THE PACIFIC COAST—MAY 2

No Authorcode

PROMISES TO ABRAHAM.—CONTINUED

1. Under what circumstances was the promise first made to Abraham? SITI April 2, 1885, page 214.1

2. Repeat this promise? SITI April 2, 1885, page 214.2

“And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing; and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” Genesis 12:2, 3. SITI April 2, 1885, page 214.3

3. What condition of things will exist when this is fulfilled? SITI April 2, 1885, page 214.4

4. What scripture contains additional features of the promise? SITI April 2, 1885, page 214.5

“And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward; for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.” Genesis 13:14-17. SITI April 2, 1885, page 214.6

5. When was this promise made? SITI April 2, 1885, page 214.7

6. What did the Lord promise at this time? SITI April 2, 1885, page 214.9

7. To whom besides Abraham was the land promised? Ib. SITI April 2, 1885, page 214.11

8. How long was it said that they should have it? Ib. SITI April 2, 1885, page 214.12

9. How numerous did the Lord say his seed should be? SITI April 2, 1885, page 214.13

“And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth; so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.” Genesis 13:16. SITI April 2, 1885, page 214.14

10. If his seed was to be “as the dust of the earth,” how much of the earth would it occupy? SITI April 2, 1885, page 214.15

11. Then to what was the promise equivalent? SITI April 2, 1885, page 214.16

12. How much territory does Paul say that the promise included? SITI April 2, 1885, page 214.17

“For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.” Romans 4:13. SITI April 2, 1885, page 214.18

13. Why did the Lord make such great promises to Abraham? SITI April 2, 1885, page 214.19

“Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For 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.” Genesis 18:18, 19. SITI April 2, 1885, page 214.20

In our last week’s lesson we learned that the first promise was made to Abraham while he was in his native country, when God told him to go out into a land which he should show him. Genesis 12:1-3. We found that the promise affected not only Abraham, but all the people who should live at a certain time upon the earth; that at that time all would be blessed, and would, consequently, be keeping God’s commandments. SITI April 2, 1885, page 214.21

After Lot had separated from Abraham, we find the promise renewed, with some additional particular. This will be found in Genesis 13:14-17. There we find that land was promised to Abraham, and to his seed, and that it was to be theirs forever. In the sixteenth verse we learn that his seed was to be “as the dust of the earth.” This is but another way of saying that his descendants should fill the whole earth. That being so, it follows that the promise given at that time was that he and his descendants should possess the whole earth. In Romans 4:13 we learn that this conclusion is correct. We must not fail to note, however, as recorded in Genesis 18:18, 19, that the Lord’s promise to make of Abraham a great nation, and the fact that Abraham would command his children and his household after him, that they should keep the way of the Lord. E. J. W. SITI April 2, 1885, page 214.22