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18 - Commentary on The Book of Genesis · Philosophy and Faith

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Speaker 1: Chapter fifteen of Commentary on the Book of Genesis. This
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Speaker 1: is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the
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Speaker 1: LibriVox dot org. Commentary on the Book of Genesis by
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Speaker 1: Matthew Henry fifteen. In this chapter we have a solemn
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Speaker 1: treaty between God and Abram concerning a covenant that was
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Speaker 1: to be established between them. In the former chapter we
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Speaker 1: had Abram in the field with kings. Here we find
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Speaker 1: him in the mount with God. And though there he
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Speaker 1: looked great, yet methinks here he looks much greater. That
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Speaker 1: honor have the great men of this world. But this
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Speaker 1: honor have all the saints. The covenant to be settled
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Speaker 1: between God and Abram was a covenant of promises. Accordingly,
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Speaker 1: here is numeral one a general assurance of God's kindness
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Speaker 1: and goodwill to Abram Verse one. Numeral two a particular
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Speaker 1: declaration of the purposes of his love concerning him in
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Speaker 1: two things. Number one, that he would give him a
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Speaker 1: numerous issue Verses two through six. Number two, that he
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Speaker 1: would give him canaan for an inheritance Verses seven through
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Speaker 1: twenty one. Either an a state without an heir, or
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Speaker 1: an heir without an estate would have been but a
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Speaker 1: half comfort to Abram. But God insures both to him.
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Speaker 1: And that which made these two the promised seed and
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Speaker 1: the promised land comforts, indeed, to this great believer, was
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Speaker 1: that they were both typical of those two invaluable blessings
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Speaker 1: Christ and Heaven. And so we have a reason to
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Speaker 1: think Abram eyed them. God's covenant with Abram VC. Nineteen thirteen,
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Speaker 1: Verse one. After these things, the word of the Lord
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Speaker 1: unto Abram in a vision, saying, fear not, Abram, I
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Speaker 1: am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward. Observe here
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Speaker 1: numeral one the time when God made this treaty with Abram.
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Speaker 1: After these things. Number one, after that famous act of
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Speaker 1: generous charity which Abram had done in rescuing his friends
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Speaker 1: and neighbors out of distress, and that not for Christ
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Speaker 1: nor reward. After this God made him this gracious visit. Note,
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Speaker 1: those that show favor to men shall find favor with God.
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Speaker 1: Number two, after that great victory which he had obtained
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Speaker 1: over four kings. Lest Abram should be too much elevated
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Speaker 1: and pleased with that, God comes to him to tell
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Speaker 1: him he had better things in store for him. Note
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Speaker 1: a believing converse with spiritual blessings is an excellent means
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Speaker 1: to keep us from being too much taken up with
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Speaker 1: temporal enjoyments. The gifts of common providence are not comparable
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Speaker 1: to those of covenant love. Numeral two. The manner in
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Speaker 1: which God conversed with Abram, the word of the Lord
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Speaker 1: came unto Abram. That is, God manifested himself and his
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Speaker 1: will to Abram in a vision which supposes Abram awake
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Speaker 1: and some visible appearances of the Shikhana or some sensible
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Speaker 1: token of the presence of the divine glory. Note the
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Speaker 1: methods of divine revelation are adapted to our state in
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Speaker 1: a world of sense. Numeral three. The gracious assurance God
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Speaker 1: gave him of his favor to him. Number one. He
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Speaker 1: called him by name Abram, which was a great honor
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Speaker 1: to him and made his name great, and was also
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Speaker 1: a great encouragement and assistance to his faith. Note God's
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Speaker 1: good word does us good when it is spoken by
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Speaker 1: His spirit to us in particular, and brought to our hearts.
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Speaker 1: The word says Ho every one Isaiah fifty five, Verse one.
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Speaker 1: The spirit, says Hoe such a one. Number two, he
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Speaker 1: cautioned him against being disquieted and confounded. Fear not Abram.
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Speaker 1: Abram might fear lest the four kings he had routed
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Speaker 1: should rally again and fall upon him to his ruin. No,
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Speaker 1: says God, fear not, fear not their revenges, nor thy
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Speaker 1: neighbors envy. I will take care of thee. Note subscript one.
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Speaker 1: Where there is great faith, yet there may be many
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Speaker 1: fears Tewod Corinthians seven, verse five. Subscript two. God takes
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Speaker 1: cognizance of his people's fears, though ever so secret, and
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Speaker 1: knows their souls Psalm thirty one. Subscript three. It is
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Speaker 1: the will of God that his people should not give
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Speaker 1: way to prevailing fears. Whatever happens. Let the sinners in
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Speaker 1: sion be afraid, but fear not Abram. Number three. He
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Speaker 1: assured him of safety and happiness, that he should forever
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Speaker 1: be Subscript one, as safe as God himself could keep him.
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Speaker 1: I am thy shield, or somewhat more emphatically, I am
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Speaker 1: a shield to thee present, with THEE actually caring for thee.
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Speaker 1: See First Chronicle seventeen, verse twenty four. Not only the
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Speaker 1: God of Israel but a god to Israel. Note the
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Speaker 1: consideration of this, that God himself is and will be
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Speaker 1: a shield to his people to secure them from all
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Speaker 1: destructive evils. A shield ready to them, and a shield
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Speaker 1: round about them, should be sufficient to silence all their perplexing,
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Speaker 1: tormenting Subscript two. As happy as God himself could make him,
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Speaker 1: I will be thy exceedingly great reward, and not only
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Speaker 1: thy rewarder, but thy reward. Abram had generously refused the
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Speaker 1: rewards which the king of Sodom offered him, And here
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Speaker 1: God comes and tells him he shall be no loser
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Speaker 1: by it. Note sub point one. The rewards of believing, obedience,
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Speaker 1: and self denial are exceedingly great. First Corinthians two, verse nine.
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Speaker 1: Sub point two. God himself is the chosen and promised
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Speaker 1: felicity of holy souls, chosen in this world, promised in
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Speaker 1: a better He is the portion of their inheritance and
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Speaker 1: their cup Verses two through six. And Abram said, Lord God,
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Speaker 1: what wilt thou give me? Seeing I go childless and
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Speaker 1: the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus.
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Speaker 1: And Abram said, behold to me, thou hast given no
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Speaker 1: seed and lo one born in my house is mine heir.
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Speaker 1: And behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,
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Speaker 1: this shall not be thine heir, but he that shall
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Speaker 1: come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.
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Speaker 1: And he brought him forth abroad and said, look now
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Speaker 1: toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able
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Speaker 1: to number them. And he said, unto him, so shall
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Speaker 1: thy seed be. And he believed in the Lord, and
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Speaker 1: he counted it to him for righteousness. We have here
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Speaker 1: the assurance given to Abram of a numerous offspring which
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Speaker 1: should descend from him, in which observed Numeral one Abram's
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Speaker 1: repeated complaint Verses two and three. This was that which
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Speaker 1: gave occasion to this promise. The great affliction that sat
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Speaker 1: heavy upon Abram was the want of a child, and
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Speaker 1: the complaint of this he here pours out before the
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Speaker 1: Lord and shows before him his trouble Psalm one forty two,
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Speaker 1: verse two. Note, though we must never complain of God,
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Speaker 1: yet we have leaved to complain to Him, and to
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Speaker 1: be large and particular in our statement of our grievances.
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Speaker 1: And it is some ease to a burdened spirit to
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Speaker 1: open its case to a faithful and compassionate friend. Such
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Speaker 1: a friend God is whose ear is always opened. Now
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Speaker 1: his complaint is fourfold. Number one, that he had no child.
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Speaker 1: Verse three, Behold to me, thou hast given no seed,
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Speaker 1: not only no son, but no seed. If he had
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Speaker 1: had a daughter from her, the promised Messiah might have come,
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Speaker 1: who was to be the seed of the woman. But
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Speaker 1: he had neither son nor daughter. He seems to lay
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Speaker 1: an emphasis on that. To me, his neighbors were full
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Speaker 1: of children his servants had borne in his house. But
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Speaker 1: to me, he complains, thou hast given none, and yet
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Speaker 1: God had told him that he should be a favorite
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Speaker 1: above all. Note those that are written childless must see
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Speaker 1: God writing them. So again, God often withholds those temporal
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Speaker 1: comforts from his own children, which he gives plentifully to
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Speaker 1: others that are strangers to him. Number two, that he
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Speaker 1: was never likely to have any intimated in that I
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Speaker 1: go or I am going childless, going into years, going
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Speaker 1: down the hill apace. Nay, I am going out of
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Speaker 1: the world, going the way of all the earth. I
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Speaker 1: die childless. So the seventy I leave the world and
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Speaker 1: leave no child behind me. Number three that his servants
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Speaker 1: were for the present and were likely to be to
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Speaker 1: him instead of sons. While he lived. The steward of
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Speaker 1: his house was Eliezer of Damascus. To him he committed
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Speaker 1: the care of his family estate, who might be faithful,
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Speaker 1: but only as a servant, not as a son. When
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Speaker 1: he died, one born in his house would be his heir,
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Speaker 1: and would bear rule over all that for which he
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Speaker 1: had labored. Ecclesiastes I, Verses eighteen, nineteen twenty one. God
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Speaker 1: had already told him that he would make of him
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Speaker 1: a great nation chapter seven, verse two, and his seed
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Speaker 1: as the dust of the earth chapter eight, verse sixteen.
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Speaker 1: But he had left him in doubt whether it should
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Speaker 1: be his seed begotten, or his seed adopted by a
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Speaker 1: son of his loins, or only a son of his house. Now, Lord,
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Speaker 1: says Abram. If it be only an adopted son, it
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Speaker 1: must be one of my servants, which will reflect disgrace
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Speaker 1: upon the promised seed that is to descend from him. Note.
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Speaker 1: While promised mercies are delayed, our unbelief and impatience are
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Speaker 1: apt to conclude them. Denied Number four, that the want
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Speaker 1: of a son was so great a trouble to him
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Speaker 1: that it took away the comfort of all his enjoyments. Lord,
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Speaker 1: what wilt thou give me? All is nothing to me
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Speaker 1: if I have not a son. Now, subscript one, if
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Speaker 1: we suppose that Abram looked no further than a temporal comfort,
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Speaker 1: this complaint was culpable. God had by his providence given
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Speaker 1: him some good things, and more by his promise, and
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Speaker 1: yet Abram makes no account of them because he has
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Speaker 1: not a son. It did very ill become the father
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Speaker 1: of the faithful to say, what wilt thou give me?
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Speaker 1: Seeing I go childless? Immediately after God had said, I
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Speaker 1: am thy shield in thy exceedingly great reward. Note those
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Speaker 1: do not rightly value the advantages of their covenant relation
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Speaker 1: to God and interest in Him, who do not think
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Speaker 1: them sufficient to balance the want of any creature whatever.
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Speaker 1: But subscript too, if we suppose that Abram herein had
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Speaker 1: an eye to the promised seed, the importunity of his
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Speaker 1: desire was very commendable. All was nothing to him if
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Speaker 1: he had not the earnest of that great blessing and
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Speaker 1: an assurance of his relation to the Messiah, of which
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Speaker 1: God had already encouraged him. To maintain the expectation he
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Speaker 1: has wealth and victory and honor. But while he is
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Speaker 1: kept in the dark about the main matter, it is
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Speaker 1: all nothing to him. Note till we have some comfortable
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Speaker 1: evidence of our interest in Christ and the New Covenant,
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Speaker 1: we should not rest satisfied with anything else. This and
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Speaker 1: the other I have. But what will all this avail
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Speaker 1: me if I go christless? Yet thus far the complaint
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Speaker 1: was culpable, that there was some diffidence of the promise
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Speaker 1: at the bottom of it, and a weariness of waiting
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Speaker 1: God's time. Note true believers sometimes find it hard to
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Speaker 1: reconcile God's promises and his providences when they seem to disagree.
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Speaker 1: Numeral two. God's gracious answer to this complaint. To the
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Speaker 1: first part of the complaint verse two, God gave no
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Speaker 1: immediate answer because there was something of fretfulness in it.
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Speaker 1: But when he renews his address somewhat more calmly verse three,
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Speaker 1: God answered him graciously. Note if we continue instant in prayer,
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Speaker 1: and yet pray with a humble submission to the divine will,
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Speaker 1: we shall not seek in vain. Number one. God gave
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Speaker 1: him an expressed promise of a son. Verse four. This
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Speaker 1: that is born in thy house shall not be thy
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Speaker 1: heir as thou fearest, but one that shall come forth
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Speaker 1: out of thy own bowel shall be thy heirr. Note
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Speaker 1: subscript one, God makes airs. He says, this shall not,
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Speaker 1: and this shall And whatever men devise and design in
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Speaker 1: settling their estates, God's counsels shall stand. Subscript two. God
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Speaker 1: is often better to us than our own fears, and
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Speaker 1: gives the mercy we had long despaired of Number two
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Speaker 1: to affect him the more with this promise, He took
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Speaker 1: him out and showed him the stars, this vision being
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Speaker 1: early in the morning before day, and then tells him,
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Speaker 1: so shall thy seed be Verse five. Subscript one so
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Speaker 1: numerous the stars seem innumerable to a common eye. Abram
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Speaker 1: feared he should have no child at all, But God
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Speaker 1: assured him that the descendants from his loins should be
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Speaker 1: as many as not to be numbered. Subscript two, so illustrious,
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Speaker 1: resembling the stars in splendor, for to them pertained the
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Speaker 1: glory Romans nine, verse four. Abram's seed, according to his flesh,
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Speaker 1: were like the dust of the earth. Chapter thirteen, verse sixteen.
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Speaker 1: But his spiritual seed are like the stars of heaven,
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Speaker 1: not only numerous, but glorious and very precious numeral three.
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Speaker 1: Abram's firm belief of the promise God now made him,
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Speaker 1: and God's favorable acceptance of his faith Verse six, number one.
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Speaker 1: He believed in the Lord. That is, he believed the
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Speaker 1: truth of that promise which God had now made him,
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Speaker 1: resting upon the irresistible power and the inviolable faithfulness of
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Speaker 1: Him that made it. Hath he spoken, and shall he
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Speaker 1: not make it good? Note? Those who would have the
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Speaker 1: comfort of the promises must mix faith with the promises.
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Speaker 1: See how the apostle magnifies this faith of Abram and
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Speaker 1: makes it a standing example. Romans four, verses nineteen twenty.
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Speaker 1: He was not weak in faith, he staggered, not at
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Speaker 1: the promise. He was strong in faith. He was fully persuaded.
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Speaker 1: The Lord works such a faith in every one of us.
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Speaker 1: Some think that his believing in the Lord respected not
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Speaker 1: only the Lord promising, but the Lord promised, the Lord Jesus,
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Speaker 1: the mediator of the new Covenant. He believed in him,
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Speaker 1: that is, received and embraced the divine revelation concerning him,
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Speaker 1: and rejoiced to see his day, though at so great
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Speaker 1: a distance. John eight, verse fifty six, number two. God
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Speaker 1: counted it to him for righteousness. That is, upon the
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Speaker 1: score of this he was accepted of God. And as
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Speaker 1: the rest of the patriarchs, by faith he obtained witness
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Speaker 1: that he was righteous Hebrews eleven, verse four. This is
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Speaker 1: urged in the New Testament to prove that we are
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Speaker 1: justified by faith without the works of the law Romans four,
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Speaker 1: verse three, Galatians three, verse six. For Abram was so
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Speaker 1: justified while he was yet uncircumcised. If Abram, that was
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Speaker 1: so rich in good works, was not justified them but
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Speaker 1: by his faith, much less can we that are so
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Speaker 1: poor in them. This faith, which was imputed to Abram
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Speaker 1: for righteousness had lately struggled with unbelief verse two, and
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Speaker 1: coming off a conqueror, it was thus crowned, thus honored.
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Speaker 1: Note a fiducial practical acceptance of and dependence upon God's
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Speaker 1: promise of grace and glory and through Christ is that which,
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Speaker 1: according to the tenor of the New Covenant, gives us
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Speaker 1: a right to all the blessings contained in that promise.
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Speaker 1: All believers are justified as Abram was, and it was
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Speaker 1: his faith that was counted to him for righteousness Verses
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Speaker 1: seven through eleven. And he said unto him. I am
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Speaker 1: the lord that brought thee out of Heerr of the Chaldees,
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Speaker 1: to give thee this land to inherit it. And he said,
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Speaker 1: Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?
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Speaker 1: And he said, unto him, take me in heaver of
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Speaker 1: three years old, and a she go to three years old,
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Speaker 1: and a ram of three years old, and a turtle dove,
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Speaker 1: and a young pigeon. And he took unto him all
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Speaker 1: these and divided them in the midst, and laid each
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Speaker 1: piece one against the other. But the birds divided he not,
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Speaker 1: And when the fowls came down upon the carcasses, Abram
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Speaker 1: drove them away. We have here the assurance given to
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Speaker 1: Abram of the land of Kingaan for an inheritance numer one.
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Speaker 1: God declares his purpose concerning at verse seven. Observe here
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Speaker 1: Abram made no complain in this matter, as he had
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Speaker 1: done for the want of a child. Note, those that
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Speaker 1: are sure of an entry in the promised Seid will
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Speaker 1: see no reason to doubt of a title to the
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Speaker 1: promised land. If Christ is ours, Heaven is ours. Observe again,
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Speaker 1: when he believed the former promise verse six, then God
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Speaker 1: explained and ratified this to him. Note to him that
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Speaker 1: has improves what he has more shall be given Three things.
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Speaker 1: God here reminds Abram of for his encouragement concerning the
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Speaker 1: promise of this good land. Number one, what God is
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Speaker 1: in himself. I am the Lord Jehovah, and therefore subscript one,
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Speaker 1: I may give it to THEE, for I am sovereign
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Speaker 1: Lord of all and have a right to dispose of
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Speaker 1: the whole earth. Subscript two, I can give it to
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Speaker 1: THEE whatever opposition may be made, though by the sons
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Speaker 1: of anak. God never promises more than he is able
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Speaker 1: to perform, as men often do. Subscript three, I will
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Speaker 1: make good my promise to THEE. Jehovah is not a
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Speaker 1: man that he should lie. Number two. What he had
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Speaker 1: done for Abram. He had brought him out of er
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Speaker 1: of the Chaldis, out of the fire of the chaldis
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Speaker 1: so some that is either from thy idolatries, for the
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Speaker 1: Chaldeans worshiped the fire, or from their persecutions. The Jewish
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Speaker 1: writers have a tradition that Abram was cast into a
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Speaker 1: fiery furnace for refusing to worship idols, and was miraculously delivered.
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Speaker 1: It is rather a place of that name. Thence God
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Speaker 1: brought him by an effectual call, brought him with a
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Speaker 1: gracious violence, snatched him as a brand out of the burning.
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Speaker 1: This was Subscript one. A special mercy. I brought thee
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Speaker 1: and left others thousands to perish there. God called him
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Speaker 1: alone Isaiah fifty one, verse two. Subscript two A spiritual mercy,
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Speaker 1: a mercy to his soul, a deliverance from sin and
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Speaker 1: its fatal consequences. If God save our souls, we shall
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Speaker 1: want nothing that is good for us. Subscript three, A
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Speaker 1: fresh mercy lately bestowed, and therefore should be the more
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Speaker 1: affecting as that in the preface to the commandments. I
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Speaker 1: am the Lord that brought Thee out of Egypt lately.
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Speaker 1: Subscript four A foundation mercy, the beginning of mercy, peculiar
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Speaker 1: mercy to Abram, and therefore a pledge an earnest of
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Speaker 1: further mercy Isaiah sixty six, verse nine. Observe how God
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Speaker 1: speaks of it as that which he gloried in. I
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Speaker 1: am the Lord that brought Thee out. He glories in
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Speaker 1: it as an act both of power and grace. Compare
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Speaker 1: Isaiah twenty nine verse twenty two, where he glories in
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Speaker 1: it long afterwards. Thus Saith the Lord who redeemed Abram
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Speaker 1: redeemed him from sin number three what he intended to do.
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Speaker 1: Yet further for him, I brought thee hither on purpose
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Speaker 1: to give thee this land to inherit it, not only
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Speaker 1: to possess it, but to possess it as an inheritance,
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Speaker 1: which is the sweetest and surest title. Note Subscript one.
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Speaker 1: The providence of God has secret but gracious designs in
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Speaker 1: all its various dispensations towards good people. We cannot conceive
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Speaker 1: the projects of Providence till the event shows them in
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Speaker 1: all their mercy and glory. Subscript two. The great thing
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Speaker 1: God designs in all his dealings with his people is
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Speaker 1: to bring them safely to Heaven. They are chosen to salvation.
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Speaker 1: Second Thessalonians two, verse thirteen called to the kingdom. First
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Speaker 1: Thessalonians two, verse twelve, begotten to the inheritance on peter
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Speaker 1: Ie verses three and four, and by all made meat
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Speaker 1: for it. Colossians one, verses twelve thirteen, Sewo Corinthians four,
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Speaker 1: verse seventeen, Numeral two. Abram desires a sign whereby shall
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Speaker 1: I know that I shall inherit it verse eight. This
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Speaker 1: did not proceed from distrust of God's power or promise
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Speaker 1: as that of Zacharias. But he desired this number one
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Speaker 1: for the strengthening and confirming of his own faith. He
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Speaker 1: believed verse six. But here he prays, Lord, help me
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Speaker 1: against my unbelief. Now he believed, but he desired a
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Speaker 1: sign to be treasured up against an hour of temptation,
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Speaker 1: not knowing how his faith might, by some event or
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Speaker 1: other be shocked and tried. Note we all need and
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Speaker 1: should desire helps from Heaven for the confirming of our faith,
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Speaker 1: and should improve sacraments, which are instituted signs for that purpose.
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Speaker 1: See Judges six, verses thirty six to forty. Second Kings twenty,
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Speaker 1: verses eight to ten. Isaiah seven, verses eleven and twelve,
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Speaker 1: number two for the ratifying of the promise to his posterity,
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Speaker 1: that they also might be brought to believe it. Note
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Speaker 1: those that are satisfied themselves should desire that others also
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Speaker 1: may be satisfied of the truth of God's promises. John
24:27
Speaker 1: sent his disciples to Christ, not so much for his
24:30
Speaker 1: own satisfaction as for theirs. Matthew six Verses two three,
24:36
Speaker 1: canaan was a type of heaven. Note it is a
24:39
Speaker 1: very desirable thing to know that we shall inherit the
24:43
Speaker 1: heavenly canaan, that is, to be confirmed in our belief
24:47
Speaker 1: of the truth of that happiness, and to have the
24:49
Speaker 1: evidences of our title to it more and more cleared
24:53
Speaker 1: up to us. Numeral three. God directs Abram to make
24:58
Speaker 1: preparations for a sacrifice, intending by that to give him
25:02
Speaker 1: a sign, and Abram makes preparation accordingly Verses nine through eleven,
25:07
Speaker 1: Take me a heifer. Perhaps Abram expected some extraordinary sign
25:12
Speaker 1: from heaven, but God gives him a sign upon a sacrifice. Note.
25:18
Speaker 1: Those that would receive the assurances of God's favor and
25:22
Speaker 1: would have their faith confirmed must attend instituted ordinances and
25:28
Speaker 1: expect to meet with God in them. Observe Number one,
25:32
Speaker 1: God appointed that each of the beasts used for this
25:35
Speaker 1: service should be three years old, because then they were
25:39
Speaker 1: at their full growth and strength. God must be served
25:43
Speaker 1: with the best we have, for He is the best.
25:47
Speaker 1: Number two. We do not read that God gave Abram
25:50
Speaker 1: particular directions how to manage these beasts and fowls. Knowing
25:55
Speaker 1: that he was so well versed in the law and
25:57
Speaker 1: custom of sacrifices that he needed not any particular directions,
26:02
Speaker 1: or perhaps instructions were given to him, which he carefully observed,
26:06
Speaker 1: though they are not recorded. At least it was intimated
26:10
Speaker 1: to him that they must be prepared for the solemnity
26:13
Speaker 1: of ratifying a covenant, and he well knew the manner
26:17
Speaker 1: of preparing them. Number three, Abram took as God appointed him,
26:23
Speaker 1: though as yet he knew not how these things should
26:25
Speaker 1: become a sign unto him. This was not the first
26:29
Speaker 1: instance of Abram's implicit obedience. He divided the beasts in
26:34
Speaker 1: the midst according to the ceremony used in confirming covenants
26:38
Speaker 1: Jeremiah thirty four, verses eighteen nineteen, where it is said
26:43
Speaker 1: they cut the calf in twain and passed between the parts.
26:48
Speaker 1: Number four. Abram, having prepared according to God's appointment, now
26:53
Speaker 1: set himself to wait for the sign God might give
26:56
Speaker 1: him by these like the prophet upon his watch town
27:00
Speaker 1: Habaka two, verse one. While God's appearing to his own
27:04
Speaker 1: sacrifice was deferred, Abram continued waiting, and his expectations were
27:10
Speaker 1: raised by the delay. When the fowls came down upon
27:13
Speaker 1: the carcasses to prey upon them as common and neglected things.
27:18
Speaker 1: Abram drove them away, believing that the vision would at
27:21
Speaker 1: the end speak and not lie. Note, A very watchful
27:26
Speaker 1: eye must be kept upon our spiritual sacrifices, that nothing
27:30
Speaker 1: be suffered to prey upon them and render them unfit
27:33
Speaker 1: for God's acceptance. When vain thoughts like these fowls come
27:38
Speaker 1: down upon our sacrifices, we must drive them away, and
27:42
Speaker 1: not suffer them to lodge within us, but attend on
27:46
Speaker 1: God without distraction Verses twelve through sixteen. And when the
27:53
Speaker 1: sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram,
27:57
Speaker 1: and lo and horror of great darkness upon him. And
28:01
Speaker 1: he said, unto Abram, know of a surety that thy
28:05
Speaker 1: seed shall be a stranger in a land that is
28:07
Speaker 1: not theirs, and shall serve them, and they shall afflict
28:11
Speaker 1: them for four hundred years. And also that nation whom
28:15
Speaker 1: they shall serve, will I judge, And afterwards shall they
28:19
Speaker 1: come out with great substance. And thou shalt go to
28:23
Speaker 1: thy fathers in peace. Thou shalt be buried in a
28:26
Speaker 1: good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall
28:30
Speaker 1: come hither again, for the iniquity of the Amorites is
28:34
Speaker 1: not yet full. We have here a full and particular
28:38
Speaker 1: discovery made to Abram of God's purposes concerning his seed.
28:42
Speaker 1: Observe numer one. The time when God came to him
28:46
Speaker 1: with his discovery when the sun was going down or declining,
28:51
Speaker 1: about the time of the evening oblation First Kings eighteen,
28:55
Speaker 1: verses thirty six, Daniel nine, verse twenty one. Early in
28:59
Speaker 1: the morning before day, while the stars were yet to
29:02
Speaker 1: be seen. God had given him orders concerning the sacrifices
29:05
Speaker 1: verse five. And we may suppose it was at least
29:10
Speaker 1: his morning's work to prepare them and set them in order.
29:13
Speaker 1: When he had done this, he abode by them, praying
29:17
Speaker 1: and waiting till towards evening. Note God often keeps his
29:21
Speaker 1: people long in expectation of the comforts he designs them
29:26
Speaker 1: for the confirmation of their faith. But though the answers
29:29
Speaker 1: of prayer and the performance of promises comes slowly, yet
29:34
Speaker 1: they surely come at evening time it shall be light
29:39
Speaker 1: Numeral two. The preparatives for this discovery Number one, A
29:44
Speaker 1: deep sleep fell upon Abram, not a common sleep through
29:48
Speaker 1: weariness or carelessness. But a divine ecstasy like that which
29:53
Speaker 1: the Lord God caused to fall upon Adam. Chapter two,
29:57
Speaker 1: Verse twenty one. That being hereby wholly taken off from
30:01
Speaker 1: the view of things sensible, he might be wholly taken
30:05
Speaker 1: up with the contemplation of things spiritual. The doors of
30:09
Speaker 1: the body were locked up, that the soul might be
30:12
Speaker 1: private and retired, and might act the more freely and
30:16
Speaker 1: like itself. Number two. With this deep sleep, a horror
30:20
Speaker 1: of great darkness fell upon him. How sudden a change.
30:24
Speaker 1: But just before we had him solaceing himself in the
30:27
Speaker 1: comforts of God's covenant and in communion with Him, and
30:31
Speaker 1: here a horror of great darkness falls upon him. Note
30:35
Speaker 1: the children of light do not always walk in the light,
30:39
Speaker 1: but sometimes clouds and darkness are round about them. This
30:43
Speaker 1: great darkness, which brought horror with it, was designed Subscript one,
30:49
Speaker 1: to strike in awe upon the spirit of Abram, and
30:52
Speaker 1: to possess him with a holy reverence, that the familiarity
30:56
Speaker 1: to which God was pleased to admit him might not
30:59
Speaker 1: be contempt. Note holy fear prepares the soul for holy joy.
31:06
Speaker 1: The spirit of bondage makes way for the spirit of adoption.
31:09
Speaker 1: God wounds first, and then heals humbles first, and then
31:14
Speaker 1: lifts up Isaiah six, verses five and six. Subscript two.
31:19
Speaker 1: To be a specimen of the methods of God's dealings
31:22
Speaker 1: with his seed. They must first be in the horror
31:26
Speaker 1: and darkness of Egyptian slavery, and then enter with joy
31:30
Speaker 1: into the good land. And therefore He must have the
31:33
Speaker 1: foretaste of their sufferings before he had the foresight of
31:37
Speaker 1: their happiness. Subscript three. To be an indication of the
31:41
Speaker 1: nature of that covenant of peculiarity which God was now
31:46
Speaker 1: about to make with Abram. The Old Testament dispensation which
31:50
Speaker 1: was founded on that covenant was a dispensation sub point
31:54
Speaker 1: one of darkness and obscurity Sewo Corinthians three, Verses thirteen
31:59
Speaker 1: and fourteen. Sub point two of dread and horror Hebrews seven,
32:04
Speaker 1: verse eighteen, numeral three the prediction itself. Several things are
32:10
Speaker 1: herefore told. Number one the suffering state of Abram's seed
32:15
Speaker 1: for a long time Verse thirteen. Let not Abram flatter
32:19
Speaker 1: himself with the hopes of nothing but honor and prosperity
32:23
Speaker 1: in his family. No, he must know of a surety
32:26
Speaker 1: that which he was loth to believe that the promised
32:29
Speaker 1: seed should be a persecuted seed. Note. God sends the
32:33
Speaker 1: worst first, we must first suffer and then reign. He
32:38
Speaker 1: also lets us know the worst before it comes, that
32:42
Speaker 1: when it comes, it may not be a surprise to us.
32:45
Speaker 1: John sixteen, verse four. Now we have here subscript one,
32:50
Speaker 1: the particulars of their sufferings. Sub Point one. They shall
32:55
Speaker 1: be strangers, so they were first in Canaan Psalm one
32:59
Speaker 1: O five, verse twelve, and afterwards in Egypt. Before they
33:03
Speaker 1: were lords of their own land, they were strangers in
33:06
Speaker 1: a strange land. The inconveniences of an unsettled state make
33:11
Speaker 1: a happy settlement the more welcome. Thus, the heirs of
33:15
Speaker 1: Heaven are the first strangers on earth, a land that
33:18
Speaker 1: is not theirs. Sub Point two. They shall be servants,
33:22
Speaker 1: so they were to the Egyptians Exodus one, verse thirteen.
33:27
Speaker 1: See how that which was the doom of the Canaanites.
33:30
Speaker 1: Chapter nine, verse twenty five proves the distress of Abram's
33:35
Speaker 1: seed that they are made to serve. But with this difference,
33:40
Speaker 1: the Canaanites serve under a curse, the Hebrews under a blessing.
33:45
Speaker 1: And the upright shall have dominion in the morning, Psalm
33:48
Speaker 1: forty nine, verse fourteen. Subscript three. They shall be sufferers.
33:54
Speaker 1: Those whom they shall serve shall afflict them. See Exodus one,
33:58
Speaker 1: verse eleven. Note those that are blessed and beloved of
34:02
Speaker 1: God are often sorely afflicted by wicked men, and God
34:06
Speaker 1: foresees it and takes cognisance of it. Subscript two. The
34:11
Speaker 1: continuance of their sufferings four hundred years. This persecution began
34:17
Speaker 1: with mocking when Ishmael, the son of an Egyptian, persecuted Isaac,
34:22
Speaker 1: who was born after the Spirit Chapter twenty one, verse nine,
34:26
Speaker 1: Galatians four, verse twenty nine. It continued in loathing, for
34:31
Speaker 1: it was an abomination to the Egyptians to eat bread
34:33
Speaker 1: with the Hebrews Chapter forty three, verse thirty two. And
34:38
Speaker 1: it came at last to murder the basest of murders,
34:42
Speaker 1: that of their new born children, so that more or
34:44
Speaker 1: less it continued four hundred years, though in extremity not
34:49
Speaker 1: so many. This was a long time, but a limited time.
34:55
Speaker 1: Number two. The judgment of the enemies of Abram seed
34:58
Speaker 1: that nation whom they should shall serve, Even the Egyptians
35:02
Speaker 1: will I judge Verse fourteen. This points at the plagues
35:06
Speaker 1: of Egypt, by which God not only constrained the Egyptians
35:10
Speaker 1: to release Israel, but punished them for all the hardships
35:13
Speaker 1: they had put upon them. Note subscript one. Though God
35:18
Speaker 1: may suffer persecutors and oppressors to trample upon his people
35:22
Speaker 1: a great while, yet he will certainly reckon with them
35:25
Speaker 1: at last, for his day is coming. Psalm thirty seven,
35:30
Speaker 1: Verses twelve and thirteen. Subscript two. The punishing of persecutors
35:36
Speaker 1: is the judging of them. It is a righteous thing
35:39
Speaker 1: with God and a particular act of justice to recompense
35:43
Speaker 1: tribulation to those that trouble his people. The judging of
35:48
Speaker 1: the Church's enemies is God's work. I will judge. God
35:53
Speaker 1: can do it, for he is the Lord. He will
35:55
Speaker 1: do it, for he is his people's God, and he
35:59
Speaker 1: has said vengeance is mine. I will repay to him.
36:03
Speaker 1: Therefore we must leave it to be done in His
36:06
Speaker 1: way and time. Number three the deliverance of abram Seed
36:11
Speaker 1: out of Egypt. That great event is hereforetold. Afterwards shall
36:16
Speaker 1: they come out with great substance. It is here promised
36:20
Speaker 1: Subscript one that they should be enlarged afterwards they shall
36:25
Speaker 1: come out, that is, either after they have been afflicted
36:28
Speaker 1: four hundred years, when the days of their servitude are fulfilled,
36:32
Speaker 1: or after the Egyptians are judged and plagued. Then they
36:36
Speaker 1: may expect deliverance. Note the destruction of oppressors is the
36:41
Speaker 1: redemption of the oppressed. They will not let God's people
36:45
Speaker 1: go till they are forced to it. Subscript two that
36:49
Speaker 1: they should be enriched. They shall come out with great substance.
36:53
Speaker 1: This was fulfilled Exodus seven, Verses thirty five thirty six.
36:57
Speaker 1: God took care they should have not only good land
37:01
Speaker 1: to go to, but a good stock to carry with them.
37:05
Speaker 1: Number four, their happy settlement in Canaan Verse sixteen. They
37:09
Speaker 1: shall not only come out of Egypt, but they shall
37:12
Speaker 1: come hither again, hither to the land of Canaan, wherein
37:16
Speaker 1: thou now art. The discontinuance of their possession shall be
37:22
Speaker 1: no defeasance of their right. We must not reckon those
37:26
Speaker 1: comforts lost forever, that are intermitted for a time. The
37:30
Speaker 1: reason why they must not have the Land of Promise
37:33
Speaker 1: in possession till the fourth generation was because the iniquity
37:38
Speaker 1: of the Amorites was not yet full. Israel cannot be
37:42
Speaker 1: possessed of Canaan till the Amorites be dispossessed, and they
37:46
Speaker 1: are not yet ripe for ruin. The Righteous God has
37:50
Speaker 1: determined that they shall not be cut off till they
37:53
Speaker 1: have persisted in sins so long and arrived at such
37:57
Speaker 1: a pitch of wickedness that there may peers some equitable
38:01
Speaker 1: portion between their sin and their ruin. And therefore till
38:05
Speaker 1: it come to that the seat of Abram must be
38:08
Speaker 1: kept out of possession. Note subscript one. The measure of
38:13
Speaker 1: sin fills gradually. Those that continue impenitent in wicked ways
38:18
Speaker 1: are treasuring up under themselves wrath. Subscript two. Some people's
38:24
Speaker 1: measure of sin fills slowly. The Sodomites, who were sinners
38:29
Speaker 1: before the Lord exceedingly soon filled their measure. So did
38:33
Speaker 1: the Jews, who were in profession near to God. But
38:36
Speaker 1: the iniquity of the Amrites was long in the filling up.
38:41
Speaker 1: Subscript three. That this is the reason of the prosperity
38:44
Speaker 1: of wicked people. The measure of their sins is not
38:48
Speaker 1: yet full. The wicked live, become old and are mighty
38:52
Speaker 1: in power, while God is laying up their iniquity for
38:55
Speaker 1: their children. Job eleven, verses seven and nineteen. Matthew twenty three,
39:01
Speaker 1: verse thirty two, due to Romany thirty two, verse thirty four,
39:06
Speaker 1: number five. Abram's peaceful, quiet, death and burial before these
39:10
Speaker 1: things should come to pass verse fifteen. And he should
39:14
Speaker 1: not live to see that good land in the possession
39:17
Speaker 1: of his family, but must die as he lived a
39:19
Speaker 1: stranger in it. So to balance this, he should not
39:22
Speaker 1: live to see the troubles that should come upon his seed,
39:26
Speaker 1: much less to share in them. This is promised to
39:29
Speaker 1: Josiah second Kings twenty two, verse twenty. Note. Good men
39:34
Speaker 1: are sometimes greatly favored by being taken away from the
39:37
Speaker 1: evil to come Isaiah fifty seven, verse one. Let this
39:42
Speaker 1: satisfy Abram, that for his part subscript one, he shall
39:46
Speaker 1: go to his fathers in peace. Note sub point one.
39:50
Speaker 1: Even the friends and favorites of heaven are not exempted
39:53
Speaker 1: from the stroke of death. Are we greater than our
39:57
Speaker 1: father Abram, who is dead? John eight, verse five three.
40:01
Speaker 1: Sub point two. Good men die willingly. They are not fetched,
40:05
Speaker 1: They are not forced, but they go. Their soul is
40:08
Speaker 1: not required as the rich fools Luke twelve, verse twenty,
40:12
Speaker 1: but cheerfully resigned they would not live always sub point three.
40:19
Speaker 1: At death, we go to our fathers, to all our
40:21
Speaker 1: fathers that have gone before us, to the state of
40:23
Speaker 1: the dead Job eleven, verses thirty two and thirty three,
40:28
Speaker 1: to our godly fathers that have gone before us, to
40:31
Speaker 1: the state of the blessed Hebrews twelve, verse twenty three.
40:36
Speaker 1: The former thought helps to take off the terror of death.
40:39
Speaker 1: The latter puts comfort into it. Whenever a godly man dies,
40:44
Speaker 1: he dies in peace. If the way be piety. The
40:47
Speaker 1: end is peace, Psalm thirty seven, verse thirty seven. Outward
40:52
Speaker 1: peace to the last is promised to abram peace and
40:55
Speaker 1: truth in his days, whatever should come afterwards. Second King's
40:59
Speaker 1: twenty one, verse nineteen. Peace with God and everlasting peace
41:03
Speaker 1: are sure to all the seed subscript two. He shall
41:08
Speaker 1: be buried in a good old age. Perhaps mention is
41:12
Speaker 1: made of his burial here where the land of Canaan
41:15
Speaker 1: is promised to him, because a burying place was the
41:18
Speaker 1: first possession he had in it. He shall not only
41:21
Speaker 1: die in peace, but die in honor, die and be
41:25
Speaker 1: buried decently, not only die in peace, but die in
41:28
Speaker 1: season Job five, verse twenty six. Note sub point one
41:33
Speaker 1: Old age is a blessing. It is promised in the
41:36
Speaker 1: Fifth Commandment. It is pleasing to nature, and it affords
41:40
Speaker 1: a great opportunity for usefulness sub Point two, especially if
41:45
Speaker 1: it be a good old age. Theirs may be called
41:49
Speaker 1: a good old age. First that are old and healthful,
41:53
Speaker 1: not loaded with such distempers as make them weary of life. Secondly,
41:59
Speaker 1: that are old, old and holy, old disciples Acts eleven,
42:03
Speaker 1: verse sixteen, whose hoary head is found in the way
42:06
Speaker 1: of righteousness. Proverbs sixteen, verse thirty one, old and useful,
42:11
Speaker 1: old and exemplary for godliness. Theirs is indeed a good
42:15
Speaker 1: old age Verses seventeen through twenty one. And it came
42:20
Speaker 1: to pass that when the sun went down and it
42:22
Speaker 1: was dark, behold a smoking furnace and a burning lamp
42:26
Speaker 1: that passed between those pieces. In the same day, the
42:30
Speaker 1: Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, unto thy seed,
42:33
Speaker 1: have I given this land from the river of Egypt,
42:36
Speaker 1: unto the great river, the River Euphrates. The Kenites and
42:41
Speaker 1: the Kennesites, and the Cadmanites, and the Hittites, and the Parasites,
42:45
Speaker 1: and the Ruffians, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and
42:48
Speaker 1: the Gurgashites and the Jebishites. Here numeral ie the covenant ratified.
42:55
Speaker 1: The sign which Abram desired was given at length when
42:57
Speaker 1: the sun had gone down, so that it was dark,
43:00
Speaker 1: for that was a dark dispensation. Number One, the smoking
43:04
Speaker 1: furnace signified the affliction of his seed in Egypt. That
43:08
Speaker 1: they were in the iron furnace Deuteromine, verse twenty, the
43:13
Speaker 1: furnace of affliction Isaiah forty eight, verse ten, laboring in
43:17
Speaker 1: the very fire. They were there in the smoke, their
43:20
Speaker 1: eyes darkened, that they could not see to the end
43:23
Speaker 1: of their troubles, and themselves at a loss to conceive
43:26
Speaker 1: what God would do with them. Clouds and darkness were
43:29
Speaker 1: round about them. Number two. The burning lamp denotes comfort
43:34
Speaker 1: in this affliction, and this God showed to Abram at
43:37
Speaker 1: the same time that he showed him the smoking furnace.
43:41
Speaker 1: Subscript one. Light denotes deliverance out of the furnace. Their
43:45
Speaker 1: salvation was a lamp that burneth Isaiah fifty seven, Verse one.
43:49
Speaker 1: When God came down to deliver them, he appeared in
43:53
Speaker 1: a bush that burned and was not consumed. Exodus three,
43:57
Speaker 1: verse two. Subscript two. The lamp denotes direction. In the smoke.
44:03
Speaker 1: God's word was their lamp. This word to Abram was
44:06
Speaker 1: so it was a light shining in a dark place.
44:09
Speaker 1: Perhaps this burning lamp prefigured the pillar of cloud and
44:14
Speaker 1: fire which led them out of the land of Egypt
44:17
Speaker 1: in which God was Subscript three. The burning lamp denotes
44:22
Speaker 1: the destruction of their enemies, who kept them so long
44:24
Speaker 1: in the furnace see Zacharias seven, verse six. The same
44:28
Speaker 1: cloud that enlightened Theid's or lights troubled and burned the Egyptians.
44:34
Speaker 1: Number three. The passing of these between the pieces was
44:37
Speaker 1: the confirming of the covenant God now made with him,
44:41
Speaker 1: that he might have a strong consolation, being fully persuaded
44:45
Speaker 1: that what God promised he would certainly perform. It is
44:49
Speaker 1: probable that the furnace and lamp which passed between the
44:52
Speaker 1: pieces burnt and consumed them, and so completed the sacrifice
44:56
Speaker 1: and testified God's acceptance of it. As of Gideon Judges six,
45:01
Speaker 1: verse twenty one, Manoah's Judges thirteen, verses nineteen and twenty,
45:07
Speaker 1: and Solomon's Second Chronicles seven verse one. So it intimates
45:13
Speaker 1: subscript one that God's covenants with man are made by
45:16
Speaker 1: sacrifice Psalm fifty, verse five, by Christ the Great Sacrifice.
45:22
Speaker 1: No agreement without atonement. Subscript two. God's acceptance of our
45:27
Speaker 1: spiritual sacrifices is a token for good and earnest of
45:31
Speaker 1: further favors see Judges thirteen, verse twenty three. And by
45:35
Speaker 1: this we may know that He accepts our sacrifices if
45:40
Speaker 1: He kindle in our souls a holy fire of pious
45:42
Speaker 1: and devout affections in them. Numeral two. The covenant repeated
45:48
Speaker 1: and explained in that same day, that day never to
45:52
Speaker 1: be forgotten. The Lord made a covenant with Abram, that is,
45:56
Speaker 1: gave a promise to Abram, saying, unto thy seed, have
46:00
Speaker 1: I given this land? Verse eighteen. Here is number one,
46:05
Speaker 1: a rehearsal of the grant. He had said before to
46:08
Speaker 1: thy seed, will I give this land? Chapter seven, verse fifteen.
46:13
Speaker 1: But here he says, I have given it. That is
46:16
Speaker 1: subscript one, I have given the promise of it. The
46:20
Speaker 1: charter is sealed and delivered and cannot be disannulled. Note
46:25
Speaker 1: God's promises are God's gifts and are so to be accounted.
46:29
Speaker 1: Subscript two. The possession is as sure in due time
46:34
Speaker 1: as if it were now actually delivered to them. What
46:38
Speaker 1: God has promised is as sure as if it were
46:41
Speaker 1: already done. Hence it is said, he that believes hath
46:45
Speaker 1: everlasting life John three, verse thirty six, for he shall
46:50
Speaker 1: as surely go to Heaven as if he were already there.
46:55
Speaker 1: Number two a recital of the particulars granted, such as
46:59
Speaker 1: is usual, and the grants of land. He specifies the
47:02
Speaker 1: boundaries of the land intended hereby to be granted verse eighteen.
47:07
Speaker 1: And then, for the greater certainty, as is usual in
47:10
Speaker 1: such cases, he mentions in whose tenure and occupations these
47:14
Speaker 1: lands now were Ten several nations or tribes are here
47:19
Speaker 1: spoken of Verses nineteen to twenty one, that must be
47:23
Speaker 1: cast out to make room for the seed of Abram.
47:26
Speaker 1: They were not possessed of all these countries when God
47:29
Speaker 1: brought them into Canaan. The bounds are fixed much narrower
47:35
Speaker 1: numbers thirty four Verses two and three, but subscript one.
47:39
Speaker 1: In David's time and Solomon's their jurisdiction extended to the
47:43
Speaker 1: utmost of these limits. Second Chronicles nine, verse twenty six,
47:48
Speaker 1: Subscript two. It was their own fault that they were
47:51
Speaker 1: not sooner and longer in possession of all these territories.
47:56
Speaker 1: They forfeited their right by their sins, and by their
47:59
Speaker 1: own sloth and cowardice kept themselves out of the possession.
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Speaker 1: Subscript three. The land granted is here described in its
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Speaker 1: utmost extent, because it was to be a type of
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Speaker 1: the heavenly inheritance. Where there is room enough in our
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Speaker 1: Father's house are many mansions. The present occupants are named
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Speaker 1: because their number and strength, and long prescription should be
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Speaker 1: no hindrance to the accomplishment of this promise in its season,
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Speaker 1: and to magnify God's love to Abram and his seed
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Speaker 1: in giving to that one nation the possessions of many nations.
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Speaker 1: So precious were they in his sight and so honorable
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Speaker 1: Isaiah forty three, verse four, end of Chapter fifteen. Recording
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Speaker 1: by A. K. Morton, Greensburg, Indiana.