THOUGH we have lingered for some months over “The Story of Abraham, the Friend of God,” it will, we trust, be found alike helpful and interesting to glance for a moment at him as “the man of faith,” and touch briefly a few points in his history, before passing on to that of his grandson Jacob.
Many of the dear young friends whose papers tell of diligent, patient Bible-searching and study, have at some time or other visited a picture gallery, and gazed with never-to-be-forgotten delight on the portraits of men and women whose names are living on the page of our country’s history. Kings, queens, nobles, warriors and statesmen, found their places on its walls, and it seemed easy as we gazed to recall the leading events of the times in which they lived, and picture for ourselves the scenes in which they took part.
Have we anything like a picture gallery in our Bibles? Perhaps the question is not quite an easy one to answer. “Olive” says her father has a Bible, almost every page of which is illustrated with pictures drawn or painted by great artists. But my question does not refer to rare and high-priced editions of “THE BOOK” we have all, I trust, learned to love and value because it is the “WRITTEN WORD of the ONE Who is Himself the LIVING WORD.”
It is quite a long time now since someone gave me a very beautiful thought about the eleventh chapter of Paul’s letter to the Hebrews, by calling it “the picture gallery of God’s noblemen”: and among those whose names and deeds must have been well known to every Jew, ABRAHAM, “the father of the faithful,” holds an honored and important place.
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DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS,— “Cousin Edith” wonders if Question 1 was not clearly put, as, while all who have replied to the last clause of it have done so correctly, nearly half the members of our Class have not even attempted an answer. Shall we look at the question together? “In what words is the conduct of Esau referred to by an apostle? Give your reasons (if you have any) for thinking that the history of Esau would be well known by those to whom he was at that time writing?” The passage referred to occurs in the epistle of Paul to the Hebrews (12:16). The Hebrews were, as we know, Jews, and had all descended from one or other of the twelve sons of Jacob, each of whom became the father of a family. These families grew and multiplied, being known in after years as the “tribes of Israel.” Jacob and Esau were twin brothers: and the history of his nation, together with the law as given to Moses, formed part of the education of every Jewish boy.
Clara Maluis, Post Office, Clifford Chambers.— Your letter, dear, is an interesting one. I think that I quite understand what you mean by saying that “it is not what we think about ourselves, but what God thinks of us,” that is so important: but you won’t mind, will you, if I put it into other words? Rest of heart and perfect cloudless peace fill our souls when in any little measure occupied with what God thinks of CHRIST. “He is the chiefest among ten thousand, and the altogether lovely”—the One on Whom the eye of God can rest with perfect satisfaction, the One in whom His heart has found its delight. Everyone who truly believes on Christ (I am not writing of mere assent to the doctrines of Christianity, but of living faith in a living Saviour) is “accepted in the Beloved” (Eph. 1:66To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (Ephesians 1:6)), and so seen by God in all the beauty of Christ, in all the value of His finished work. We know truly that
“God is satisfied with Jesus”:
and it is so blessed when we are also.
Answers to “Bible Class” questions, and letters for COUSIN EDITH, &c., should be addressed to her, care of the Editor of “THE SPRINGING WELL,” 14, Paternoster Row, E.C. Post, if possible, on or before the 25th of each month.