_These are the days of the years of Abraham’s life:--_ THE LAST YEARS OF ABRAHAM I. ON THEIR NATURAL SIDE. Active to the last. II. ON THEIR SPIRITUAL SIDE. He provided for the purity and peace of the chosen family, by sending away the sons of his concubines. He did this (1) to prevent confusion... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and fall of years; and was gathered to his people_ ABRAHAM’S DEPARTURE “Full of years” is not a mere synonym for longevity. The expression is by no means a usual one. It is applied to Isaac at the close of his calm, contempl... [ Continue Reading ]
_God blessed his son Isaac_ DIVINE BLESSING Two large and perpetual principles, on which the government of God proceeds, are involved in such commonplace incidents, as death, benefits received, and access to a well of water-- (1) that God repeats Himself in His modes of training men; and (2) tha... [ Continue Reading ]
_These are the generations of Ishmael_ I. THE GENERATIONS OF ISHMAEL I. THAT THOSE WHO ARE NOT APPOINTED TO THE MOST HONOURABLE PLACE ARE YET CARED FOR BY PROVIDENCE. II. THAT PROVIDENCE AFFORDS ENCOURAGEMENTS FOR THE SUPPORT OF FAITH AND VIRTUE. III. THAT THE FAITHFULNESS OF PROVIDENCE MAY BE P... [ Continue Reading ]
_The generations of Isaac._ THE HOLY SEED 1. God hath a special care to commend unto posterity the line of His Church, and His providences towards it. 2. The eminent line of the Church visible begins from Abraham (Genesis 25:19). 3. The holy seed run not foolishly nor hastily into the marriage c... [ Continue Reading ]
_Twins_ BIRTH OF ESAU AND JACOB I. THEIR MARKED INDIVIDUALITY. II. HOW HEREBY IS POINTED OUT THEIR FUTURE DESTINY. III. HOW THEIR CHARACTERS, SO EARLY DEVELOPED, AFFECTED THE PREFERENCES OF THEIR PARENTS. (_T. H. Leale._) THE TWINS The children whose birth and destinies were thus predicted, at... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter_ ESAU, THE HUNTER I. A man of strong physical nature, a man of passion, with little self-restraint. II. A man of swift impulse. III. A man reckless of consequences. The present, the immediate, arrests him. IV. Esau had no sense of spiritual thin... [ Continue Reading ]
_Rebekah loved Jacob_ REBEKAH; OR, UNDUE NATURAL AFFECTION AND PARTIALITY IN PARENTS 1. While the account of Rebekah in Holy Scripture is so brief, that it would be difficult to draw many reflections from the study of her character, her position is suggestive, and her conduct by no means without... [ Continue Reading ]
_Esau despised his birthright_ THE STORY OF THE BIRTHRIGHT The story of the birthright shows us what kind of a man Esau was: hasty, careless, fond of the good things of this life. He had no reason to complain if he lost his birthright. He did not care for it, and so he had thrown it away. The day... [ Continue Reading ]