their faith, accordingly, Sarah's son IsRRc would neverh&ve been born; and the promise could not have been realized that Abraham should have a posterity-both natural and 1,piritual-numerous as the stars in the Eastern sky, or as the sand-grains upon the &bore of ocean. IV. ABRAHAM'S FAITn WAS SHOWN IN THE SACRIFICE OF RIB BON. (Ven. 17-19.) This extraordinary event WIIS the final strain to which his faith was subjected. It was a dreadful ordeal, and one from which even most good men would have recoiled with horror. The patriarch WllS commanded to offer up the most precious of all sacrifices. He mu; to perform a deed abh01Tent to the most sacred human affection. He was required to put to death the heir of the Divine promise, and thus appear to destroy the hopes which clustered round him. Yet by faith Abraham sustained this last and crowning trial. His submission was entire. His obedience was perfect. The apostle says definitely that he "offered up Isaac;" for the sacrifice wa.s completely accom- plished in the patriarch's will before the angel stayed his hand. And what was the faith which comforted his heart and nerved his arm, at this unparalleled crisis of his spiritual life? Abraham accounted that " God is able to raise up, even from the dead." He was sure that Isaac would be restored to life again, rather than that the promise should fail. Isaac's resurrection would not be a greater miracle than his birth had been. And, the apostle adds, the pattiarch really did receive Isaac from the dead, figuratively speaking (ver. 19). An achievement so sublime evinced that complete self-consecration and submission to God's will which belongs only to pe1·fect faith, and thus certifies Abraham's right to the lofty title of" father of the faithful." APPLICATION. 1. Are we ready to obey any call of God, whether relating to our out.er life or to our soul-life? 2. Do we feel ourselves to be "strangers and pilgrims on the earth," or could we take an eternity of our present life, provided our material circumstances were comfortable? 3. Have we the faith which can laugh at impos- i;ibilities rather than disbelieve the Divine promise? 4. Have we unreservedly conse- crated to God our soul, our life, our all? Happy is each heart that can "make melody to the Lord" in the words of the hymn- " The God of Abraham pmise, At whose supreme command From earth I rise, and seek the joys At his right hand. I all on earth forsake.- Its wisdom, fame, e.nd power; And him my only Portion make, My Shield and Tower." (Olivers.) Vera. 20-22.-Faith of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Each of these patriarchs died In the firm confidence of "things hoped for," and pronounced prophetic blessings upon his descendants accordingly. The patriarchal benedictions were the expressions of a faith in the promises of the covenant, which was strong enough to bear the test of a death-bed. L Is.uc·s JILESSING. (Ver. 20.) The prophecy here referred to was divinely inspired. It was not the utterance merely of parental love. The Holy Spirit revealed to Isaac the fortunes of his two sons; and. believing the revelation, he felt himself impelled by an irresistible impulse to declare it. The sin of Rebekah and Jacob in intercepting for the latter what his father had i?tended f~r Esau did not make the promise of none effect. Had Isaac been ~nouncrng only his o~ plea.sure, he would most certainly have recalled the words which Jacob had appropriated so treacherously; but the patriarch felt that he dared not do so. He was persuaded that he had been made only the mouthpiece of the Divine will reepectini the person who stood before him at the time. He saw that the blessing of the fi.rstborn had beeu providentially directed t:iwardi; bis younger son, and he confessed his inability to reverse it (Gen. :u:vii. 33). Isaac blessed his sons "by faith" in the revelation regarding them of which he was the recipieut. II. JAcon·s DLESSING. (Ver. 21.) It was faith in a Divine testimony ma.de in turn to Ja.cob that caused him (Gen. :x:lviii. 5, 15-20) both to predict that Joseph should have a double portion in Israel through his two sons, and to bestow the larger blessins CH. II, 1-40.] '.l.'HE EPIS'l'LE 'fO '!'HE HEBREWS. 31.'3
upon Ephraim. the younger. The patriarch knew that it woulcl be a greater hononr to these two young men to become each the head of a little Israclitish clan, than even tc take rank throu!,!h their mother as Egyptian princes. And behind this benediction of hie grandsons there lay also Jacob's firm faith in that provision of the covenant which gave the land of Canaan to his posterity. He bad exacted from Joseph a promise npon oath that he should not be buried in Egypt. fe.r from the graves of bis kindred; and be devoutly thanked God, "leaning upon the top of his staff," for the assurance that hi~ body should rest in the land of promise (Gen. xlvii. 29-31). All this sbows Jacob'i, faith in the future return of the Hebrews to Canaan as the land of their inheritance. And his faith looked also, we are persuaded, to the "heavenly country" of wbich the land promised to Abraham was only the type. . III. JosEPH's BLESSING. (Ver. 22.) Amid the stem realities of the dying hour, tho illustrious Joseph evinced the same bright and strong faith which had distinguished his father and his grandfather. It had never counted for much to him that he we.a Pharaoh's prime minister. He had always been at heart a Hebrew, not an Egyptian. His hope was in the covenant promises. So, foreseeing the affliction of his people in Egypt, and their eventual exodus, he resolved that his body should not be buried in that land. His embalmed remains must be made useful, during the whole period of their bitter bondage, as a witness to Israel of the faithfulness of the God of Abraham. And the tribes must carry his bones with them when they go to take possession of their inheritance. Joseph's faith is so ~eat that he is content that his coffined clay should meanwhile remain unburied. So he died, leaving with his brethren this blessing: "God will surely visit you" (Gen. I. 24, 25). His tender farewell shows us how steadfastly the eye of his faith was gazing upon the unseen. CoNoLUSION. The Christian Hebrews of the first century needed "like precious faith" with these three patriarchs, to enable them to discharge the duties and endure the sufferings to which they were called in connection with their Christian discipleship. And so also do we Gentile believers of these last times. Only faith in "things to come "-confidence in the.life and immortality which have been brought to light through the gospel-will enable us to live ·obediently and to die triumphantly.