to the sacrifice of Isaac, we must bear in mind the customs of those
days in Canaan. As we now know, through excavations in that land,
human sacrifices were common. Remembering this, my own impression is
that God intended to teach his servant two things by this command.
First, that all human sacrifices were abhorrent to God; and second,
that his obedience must be unquestioning. God never intended that
Isaac should be sacrificed. This is apparent from the whole narrative.
His command was a "test" of the utter obedience of the Patriarch. This
test Abraham met grandly. He was willing to trust God to the last,
though he could not see the reason why. Then God showed him that his
son was not to be sacrificed, and provided in Isaac's place a ram for
an offering.

The story of procuring a wife for Isaac is truly oriental in its
setting. But bear in mind, it was accompanied with prayer. Though it
is not in accord with Western methods of courtship, it turned out
quite as well as many modern marriages made after the custom of
twentieth century "society."

#22. Abraham and Sodom.#--Here again we have this man in a grand
light. He pleads for Sodom, and that, in spite of its utter
worthlessness. But there are not in all of Sodom twenty righteous men
to be found. Lot's family even, merely scoff at him, and refuse to
believe his warning. It is most suggestive in this connection, that
"God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the
overthrow." (Gen. 19:29.) Lot's best asset in his life was not his
real estate in Sodom, but his godly uncle far from that wicked city.
Just so the best asset that any modern city has, is not its stocks and
bonds, or real estate, but the truly godly people who live in its
midst.

#23. Abraham and Machpelah.#--There are two places in Canaan most
intimately associated with Abraham. These are Shechem, where he first
learned that he was in "the Land" at last, and Machpelah, where he
laid Sarah to rest and where he himself was buried. Here also were
buried Isaac, Jacob, Rebekah, and Leah. (See Gen. 25:9, 49:30, and
50:13.) It would not be very surprising if some day we were to recover
their bodies from that historic burying-place. Stranger things have
happened.

Test Questions

In what does the Bible deal largely?

Give the names of the great characters of the Old Testament up to
David.

In what two respects was Abraham one of the greatest men of history?

In what respect was the call