Now there is giving up because he had his portion; thereon the Lord leads him to the full knowledge of his own portion, this leads to his building a new altar. Now he is finally victorious over the world; this produces no altar, but blessing and praise through the royal priest. Hitherto we had altars—relationships of faith turning to worship.
3. Bat-t'khil-lah (at the beginning).
4. Barisho-nah (at the first).
There is the true point of return, but no progress; but he returned to the altar there, and there he called on the name of Jehovah—cared for meanwhile, but no calling on the name. The Lord's prayers are as little possible in a strange land as the Lord's songs are unfit.
- 8, 9. It is a difficult place, where grace must separate; but it always yields as regards self and the world. It gets what its desire would rest in, though only by gracious conduct, the heavenly place and promise. This is not the cross, but the spirit of grace. Self goes necessarily towards judgment, because it does not know itself; all this is very instructive.
When the world and self are given up, the place of promise is more measured and known. Abram was fearful—it was want of faith. Lot's heart was in the world—selfish—it was a sad course with Lot.
10-17. The whole picture is striking of Lot and Abraham, but I have considered it elsewhere. Only remark this, that Abraham failed in faith, got into sorrow, and returned; Lot chose the well-watered plain, and got into Sodom, and out of it into sorrow, as through fire.
13. I think " sinners," laY'hovah (before Jehovah) is special; it is not merely " How shall I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? " (chap. 39: 9) i.e., a true conscience and the fear of God. It was Jehovah, the Governor, offended and, speaking reverently, disgusted, with the evil, infamous as it was.
14. How beautiful it is from this verse!
18. There are three altars here; God's appearing to him in the land, the regular, natural so to say, habit of communion, sign of the bond of the soul with God. To this he must return on leaving Egypt; he builds no new one—and consequent upon his survey, and realization of the place and gift of promise. In Egypt, of course, none.
Note.—I do not find any intercourse like that of Abraham with God; Noah's is the most like it after the flood—there too we find an altar; then there is a present salvation ordered of God—the altar is to Jehovah. But when the blessing comes, it was Elohim renewing the earth—the ordering of the condition of the world only—Jehovah comes in with Shem. Here it is special calling and promise, and revelation of Himself, and intercourse on the ground of it.