The Signs of the Times, vol. 11
April 9, 1885
“Inheritance of the Saints. Promises to Abraham.—Continued” The Signs of the Times, 11, 15.
E. J. Waggoner
THE SABBATH-SCHOOL.
LESSON FOR THE PACIFIC COAST—MAY 9
PROMISES TO ABRAHAM.—CONTINUED
1. Repeat the promise made to Abraham after Lot had separated from him. SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.1
2. Where is this promise found? SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.2
3. What did this promise embrace? SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.3
“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 9, 1885, page 230.4
4. How great a posterity did the Lord say Abraham should have? SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.5
“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 9, 1885, page 230.6
5. On another occasion, what did the Lord say of his posterity? SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.7
“And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.” Genesis 15:5. SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.8
6. Had Abraham at this time any children? SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.9
“And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?” Genesis 15:2. SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.10
7. How did he regard this promise from the Lord? SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.11
“And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” Genesis 15:6. SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.12
8. How did the Lord regard Abram’s belief? Ib. SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.13
9. How old was Abram when the Lord next appeared to him? SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.14
“And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.” Genesis 17:1. SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.15
10. What part of the promise did the Lord at this time renew? SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.16
“And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.” “And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.” Genesis 17:2, 6. SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.17
11. What name did the Lord at this time give him as a continual reminder of this promise? SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.18
“Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.” Genesis 17:5. SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.19
12. What is the meaning of “Abraham”? SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.20
“Father of a great multitude.” Genesis 17:5, margin. SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.21
13. What did the Lord at this time say he would give to Abraham and his seed? SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.22
“And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” Genesis 17:8. SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.23
14. How long did the Lord say they should possess this land? Ib. SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.24
15. And how much land have we learned that they were to have? SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.25
16. On what condition was this promise given? SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.26
“And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.” Genesis 17:1. SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.27
17. Then to what other promise is this equivalent? SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.28
“But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” Psalm 37:11. SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.29
The promise made to Abraham after Lot separated from him, will be found in Genesis 13:14-17. It will be remembered that the promise embraced a grant of land, and this land, we learned (Romans 4:13), was the whole earth. In Genesis 17:1-8, we have the same thing repeated. At that time the Lord gave him his name, “Abraham,” meaning, “a multitude of nations,” or a “father of many nations.” This would serve to continually keep in mind the promise that his seed should be as the dust of the earth, and as the stars of heaven. God also at this time repeated the statement that he would give the land (the earth) to Abraham and his seed for an “everlasting possession.” As noted in our last lesson, this promise was on condition that Abraham should walk perfectly before the Lord. Since a meek person is a follower of Christ, and therefore perfect, it follows that this promise is equivalent to that already learned in Psalm 37:11. E. J. W. SITI April 9, 1885, page 230.30