The Pulpit Commentary — Genesis — Section 292

\'ers. 12-17.-Abralwm's watch and vision. "And when .the sun was going duwn, a deep sleep," &c. The great blessings promised are still afar off. As yet Abraham has no son to hand down his name to potserity. By means of a vision God strengthened his faith. Weird is the picture in this .fifteenth chapter. See the sulitary sheik in the desert offering his varied sacrifice, then.watching until the sun goes do,vn 1o drive off the vultures from the slain offerings. His arms become weary with waving and his eyes with their vigils. As the sun sinks below the wide- Epread horizon, and night quickly steals over the desert, a horror of ·greu.t d_arkness creeps over his spirit. Then a deep sleep falls upon him, and in that sleep come ,·isions and a voice. The vision was of a furnace and a shining lamp moving steadily between the divided emblems. Look at the meaning of that vision. I. It indicated the ACCEPTANCE OF THE OFFERINGS. Fire in the East is generally understood to be a solemn witness to any engagement. To confirm an oath some Orientals will point to the lamp and say, "It is witness." Nuptial ceremonies are sometimes solemnised by walking round a fire three times, and the parties uttering certain words meanwhile. II. The furnace may have referred to THE NEED FOR PURIJ!'ICATION, AND THE LAMP TO THE CERTAINTY OF Drvll!E GUIDANCE. 1. Both the Israel after the flesh and that after the spirit had to pass through the fire of persecution; but the lamp of truth had alwoys been kept alight by the prophets, apostles, martyrs, and confessors of the Church. 2. The life and work of Christ may also have been shadowed forth in that furna.ce and lamp. Christ knew the bitterness of betrayal, denial, and death; but he knew also the joy of conscious sinlessness, complete self-sac1ilice, and unending power of salvation. 3. They illustratj'ld the character of the life of many believers'. Trial and joy 111Ust be intermingled. As Abraham saw the vision in connection ,vith sacrifice, so on Calrnry shall we beat learn !he menni11g of the smoking furnnce nnd b11ming h111p.-ll. OH, XVI, 1-6,) THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 225