a warm family affection in his family. Many others had gone from
his country to the regions of the Mediterranean but always for gain or
selfish betterment, Abraham went in obedience to the divine call.
There was no selfishness in his move. He went for conscience' sake,
somewhat as the Pilgrims, forsaking all the ties of nature that bound
them to England, sailed to America in the Mayflower.

2. _It was a call to service_. The people of his time were falling
into idolatry. Even Terah, his father, was an idolater and reputed to
have been a maker of idol images. He was to serve the one true God and
to stand for principle where everyone was against him. He was to enter
into covenant relations with God and stand alone with him where all
social and national customs were hostile.

3. _It was a call to found a nation_. The promise was to make of him a
great nation that should have as its main purpose the service of the
one God. God foresaw the ruin that was to come to all the nations of
Abraham's time and prepared him and in him a new and spiritual nation
which would produce a new and godly civilization. He died when Jacob
was but a lad and did not see the fulfillment of the promise of the
nation that should outlast Egypt or Babylon.

4. _It was a call to be the father of a son_. In 17:16 God promised
him a son, Isaac, in whom his seed should be called (21:12). Out of
him was to come a blessing to all nations. This promise was fulfilled
in Christ, through whom all the nations of the earth have been
blessed. Just as in Isaac Abraham became the head of a great earthly
seed that should be as the sand of the sea, so in Jesus he should be
the head of a great spiritual seed that should be as the stars of the
heaven for numbers.

God often repeats his covenant and promises with Abraham, Gen. 12:1-7;
13:14-17; 15:1-21; 17:1-8; 18:18; 22:16-18. He often renews it in the
generations to come as to Isaac, Gen. 26:1-5, and to Jacob, Gen.
28:10-15.

The Character of Abraham. How great is the name of Abraham today! He
is revered by Jews, Mohammedans and Christians (ch. 12:2). In all
history there is not a nobler character. The story of his life shows
him to have been shrewd in business, of good temper, of warm domestic
affections and possessed of much calm wisdom. He was generous in his
dealings with others, looking well after their interests. He often
made sacrifices for the well-being of others. The most significant
thing about him, h