HOl\lILETICS. Ver. 31.-Tlie migraJ:ion of tlie Terachi-tes. I. THE DEPARTURE OF THE EMIGRANTS. Th~ attendant circumstances of this rnigration:-t_he gathering of the clan, the mus- termg of the flocks, the farewells and benedictions exchanged with relatives and friends, the hopes and fears of the adventurous pilgrims-imagination may depict, die_ reaEc;ms wh~ch p_rornpted i~ ma~ be conjectured to have been-I. The sp_iri_t oj ernigra,twn, which smce the d1spers1on at Babel had been abroad among the pr1m1tive populations of mankind. The arms of a Trans-Euphratean state had already pene• trated as far west as the circle of the Jordan, and it has been surmised that this Teracbite removal from Cha ldiea may have been connected with some larger movement in the same direct.ion. 2. The oppression of the H amues, who, besides being the most po,~erful and enterprising of the early tribes, and having seized upon the fattest settlements, such as Egypt, Canaan, and Chaldiea, had wandered farthest from the pure Noachic faith, and abandoned themselves to n degraded polytheism, based for the most part upon a study of the heavenly bodies. That the Cushite conquerors of Southern Babylonia were not only idolaters, but, like Nimrod, their leader, destroyers of the liberties of the subject populations, bas at least the sanction of tradition. 3. The awakening of religious life in the breasts of the pilgrims. That Abram had by this time been called we are warranted on the authority of Stephen to hold, and though Terab is expressly said to have been an idolater in Ur, it is by no means improbable that be became a sharer in the pure faith of bis distinguished son. At least it lends a special interest to this primitive migration to connect it with the call of Abram. II. THE JOURNEY OF THE EMIGRANTS. Though upon the incidents and experiences of the way, as upon the circumstances and reasons of the departure, the inspired record is completely silent, yet the pilgrimage of the Chaldrean wanderers was-1. Prom an id-Olatrous land,, which could not fail to secure, even had it not already received, the Divine approbation. Not that flight from heathen countries is always the clear path of duty, else bow shall the world be converted? But where, as was probably the case with the Teracbites, the likelihood of doing good to is less than that of receiving hurt from the inhabitants, it is plainly incumbent to withdraw from polluted and polluting lands. 2. 13y an unknown way. Almost certainly the road to Canaan -was but little understood by the exiles, if even Canaan itself was not entirely a ter,a incognita. Yet in setting forth upon a path so uncertain they were only doing what mankind in general, and God's people in particular, have always to do in life's journey, viz., travel by a way that they know not; while for comfort they had the sweet a~surance that their path was steadily conducting them from idols and oppression, and t:le certain knowledge that they were journeying beneath the watchful and loving superintendence of the invisible Supreme. Happy they :whose path in life, though compassed by clouds and darkness, ever tends away from sm and 1ilavery, and never lacks the guidance of Abram's God I 3. To a better country._ In comparison with the rich alluvial soil of Southern Babylonia, the lancl of Canaa~ might be only a bleak succession of barren bills; but, in respect of liberty to worship God, anywhere, in the eyes of men whose hearts were throbbing with new-found faith, would seem superior to idolatrous Chaldrea. Without endorsing Luther's fancy, th~t Shem and his followers bad already withdrawn to Palestine, and that Terah and his family were setting forth to place themselves beneath the patriarch's rule, we _may reasonably suppose that, like the Pilgrim Fathers of a later age, they were seeking a new land where they might worship God in peace. III. THE HALTING OF THE EMIGRANTS. In the absence of definite info1mation as to the motives which induced it, this sudden stoppage of their joume1 at Haran ii! CTH. XI. 27-32.] THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 177
usunlly ascribed to either-!. The irresolution of Terah, who, having hecome wearied by the fatiguos and perils of the way, and having fo1rnd a comfortable location for himself and flocks, preferred to bring his wanderings to a· close, as many a noble enterprise is wrecked through weak-kneed vacillation, and many a Christian pil- grimage broken short by faint-hearted indecision; or-2. The unoelief of Terah, who, in the first flush of excitement produced by Abram's call, had started on the outward journey with strong faith and great zeal, but, as enthusiasm subsided and faith declined, was easily persuaded to halt at Haran-an emblem of other pilgrims who begin their heavenward journey well, but pause in mid career through the cooling of their ardour and declining of their piety; or-3. The infirmity of Terah, who was now an old man, and unable further to prosecute his journey to the promised land, thus making the delay at Haran a beautiful act of filial piety on the part of Abram, and on that of Terah an imperious necessity. See in this migration of the Terachites-1. An emblem of the changefulness of life. 2. An illustration of God's method of distributing mankind. 3. An example of th~ way in which an overruling Providence disseminates the truth. 4. A picture of many broken journeys on the face of earth.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 29, 30.-Two weddings. L THE TWO BRIDEOrtOOMs-Abram and Nabor. 1. Younger sons in Terah's family. 2. Eminent men in Ur of the Chaldees. 3. Favoured saints in the Church of God. Marriage is honourable in all. II. THE TWO DRIDES-Sarai and Milcah. 1. Near relations of their husbands. Though permissible at that early stage of the world's history, the inter.narriage of relatives so close as half-sister and niece is not now sanctioned by the law of God. 2. Attractive ladies in themselves. As much as this may be inferred from their names. It is both allowable and desirable to seek as wives women distinguished for beauty and intelligence, provided also they are noted for goodness and piety. 3. Descendants of the holy line. Doubtless this was one cause which led to the choice of Abram and N ahor. So Christians should not be unequally yoked with unbe- lievers. III. TrrE TWO II0MES, Formed it might be at the same time, and under similar benignant auspices, they were yet divided. 1. And from the first in their constitu- tions. This was of necessity. 2. And afterwards in their fortunes. Sarai had no child ; Milcah was the mother of o. family. "Lo, children are the heritage of the Lord." 3. And eventually in their locations. Nabor and Milcah remained in Ur, and ultimately moved to Haran ; Abram and Sarai pitched their tent and established their home in Canaan. So God parts the families of earth.-,v.