to justification by faith in Romans and Galatians, being but expansions and details of this

one grand covenant.

Abraham must ever stand out in the Scriptures as a giant of faith, and it behooves such

pigmies as ourselves to be careful of our criticism, yet we realize that the faithful Word

presents to us in Abraham a man of like infirmities with ourselves, and if we learn

salutary lessons from the recorded failure of this man of faith, it need not minister to our

pride, nor lessen the testimony to faith which Abraham gave:

The question that is in our mind concerns Lot. The Lord had called Abram and he

obeyed. He had told him to leave country, kindred and father's house. Did Abram fully

obey this part of the command? The verse in Gen. 12: says, "So Abram departed, as the

Lord had spoken unto him, and Lot went with him". Lot was the son of Haran, therefore

Abram's nephew (Gen. 11: 27, 31; 12: 5; 14: 12), and so he was Abram's kindred, and

Abram had been commanded to get out from his kindred. Lot seems to be mentioned

several times in a somewhat detached way, "and Lot with him" (13: 1). "And Lot also,

which went with Abram" (13: 5). A relieved feeling seems to come when we read, "And

the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes"

(13: 14). The ties of the flesh are strong, "and Lot went with him". Whether we are

right in this, we cannot say; true it is that Lot's presence brought neither peace nor

blessing to Abram, and the entry of Lot into the land of Canaan ultimately lost him

his wife, his home, and finally his character. If we will but examine ourselves we shall

find the most of our fullest acts of obedience, and sincerest endeavours to walk a

separate path, have been somewhat spoiled by the Terahs and the Lots who will not leave

us to wholly follow the Lord. The silence of Scripture as to this in the record of faith in

Heb. 11:, is a consolation; the Lord is not swift to mark iniquity, if He were, who would

When Abram reached Sichem and the plain of Moreh, the Lord appeared unto him.

Abram had crossed the Jordan, and penetrated nearly half-way through the country

known as Samaria; Gilgal, where the reproach of Israel was rolled away some years

afterwards, is near this place. It looks as though Abram had to venture upon the word of

the Lord, walking by faith. Without further vision or revelation, surrounded by the

Canaanites (ever the foes of faith), he was put to a severe test. The silence is at length

broken by the appearance of the Lord, and by the utterance of a single promise, `unto thy

seed will I give this land'. Following this promise comes Abram's response, "and there

he builded . . . . ." (12: 7). What did he build? Surely, if the land was his freehold, and

his seed's for ever, he will at once begin to build a nice comfortable house, he will be

justified in adding all the latest improvements that the Canaanites may have invented, and

so show that his faith was real and matter of fact, that he really believed that the land

belonged to him. So reasons the flesh. Abram never built anything other than altars

throughout his pilgrimage. Cain and Nimrod built cities, the whole family of mankind

attempt to build a city and a tower and make a great name; Noah and Abram built altars.