Gersson rosas biography of abraham

Yes, yes; no other sound Could move my heart like this; The voice of Him that earlier bound Through grace that heart to His. That wondrous voice has reached us from the other side of "death's dark raging flood," for it is evident to the youngest believer that Christ is not here; and as Christ becomes endeared to the heart we become more deeply conscious of this that He is not where we are.

It is this that turns us to Him where He is; the Spirit bringing the glories of that blessed One before us, and leading us to the blessed place where His glories are displayed. As another has said, "The secret of power — power to enable us to be here in moral conformity to that heavenly call — is occupation with Him where He is, that we might be for Him where He was.

Then we learn, as in the parable of the prodigal son, that the place of our reception is the Father's house; and we are associated with Him, who rejected upon earth, has been acclaimed in heaven as the worthy One. How heartily did the beloved apostle Paul accept the gersson rosa biography of abraham of Christ's rejection, exclaiming in tones of exultation, "Be it far from me to boast save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world.

Hence in writing to the Colossians the apostle prays first "on account of the hope laid up for you in the heavens" Col. I am emphasising these things, beloved brethren, to make it plain that every one in the peace of God and resting in His favour, rises in spirit to Christ where He is. Set free from the man under the judgment of God, and belonging to the glorified Man in heaven, we can behold the glory of the Lord with unveiled face 2 Cor.

The divine call is to the full enjoyment of the proper portion of faith, entirely outside the seen and temporal things: apart from that which the senses can take account of, that which is visible and material, for "the things that are seen are but for a time, but those that are not seen, eternal" 2 Cor. Only those instructed in the word of God can enjoy these things according to the mind of God.

It is quite possible to be so zealously affected in a good matter that there might be the getting rid of worldly things while as yet the heavenly were but little known. Our one commanding thought should be that we do not belong to earth, but to heaven, and that all our joys and hopes are centred there. There is a difference between unearthliness and what is heavenly.

Those who live an ascetic monastic life may claim to be unearthly; but are they because of this heavenly? One, writing of the revival of truth in the last century records, "Professions, prospects, position and even lawful callings were freely surrendered in order that there should be a heavenly calling. Heavenly features are formed by the Spirit's gracious work in our souls, and by that alone!

Apropos of this the following is a very apt illustration. So it blew in all its raging fury, dashing them against the rocks in fine spray, and it looked for a time as though they would have their wish fulfilled, but time and time again they fell back into the sea. Then the sun came out in all its strength, and these little drops of water found themselves, without effort on their part, lifted up by the strong rays of the sun, until they joined the clouds above them.

The Lord of glory has appeared before the vision of faith: has the glory of that light blinded us to all that is around? In the pursuance of this profoundly instructive study of Abraham, the father of all those who believe, it is a matter of prime importance that we should have firmly established in our minds the heart-searching fact that divine principles are unalterable, and unaffected by dispensational changes.

Throughout the Scriptures of truth, the observant reader may discern the progressive development of these principles in all dispensations, in all the varied manifestations of the ways of God with men. There is a very clear distinction between the ways of God before and after the flood, and it is a matter of great encouragement to see that God has never left Himself without witness.

Since the fall there has always been the people of God and the world of the ungodly, but there was no sovereign call of person, people or nation, by which they might have been regarded as a divinely constituted witness to the character and ways of God until the call of Abraham. The inhabitants of the earth were a fallen race, and the fallen nature of man displayed itself as being incurably opposed to the witness of God, so that we read, "God saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth … and God repented that He had made man on the earth.

The world that now exists is a new world, reserved for fire in the day of judgment. In this new world two great principles were established; rule put into man's hands in Noah, the setting up of government for the repression of evil; and separation from the world by the sovereign call of God as seen in Abraham. The first has been irretrievably corrupted — the cause is not far to seek; man has failed to acknowledge the source of all rule, the necessary condition, if rule is to have any real value or significance in the reckoning of the one who governs or those who are governed.

But the one so greatly favoured of God in being set up as the head of this new world, failed in self-government, and as a result lost the respect of his own son. Then in Nimrod we see the usurpation of rule, man basely pretending to be the source of its power; for under Nimrod, Satan caused the principle of rule to flow from the will and violence of man, with its resultant condition of strife and violence.

The authority entrusted of God and exercised in righteousness would have brought to men prosperity, peace and happiness. In writing these things, one is reminded of the scene in Exodus 4, where Moses is told to cast his rod on the ground, where, out of his hand it changes its character, becoming a serpent. The rod in the hand of Moses typifies divine authority in the hand of God's man, and shall we say, marked by the tenderness and care of Him Who holds the Shepherd's rod?

The hand that wields the sceptre of the universe is guided by the heart of Him Who said, "I am the Good Shepherd. Many are perplexed in contemplating the apparent triumph of evil, saying with one of old, "Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with Thee, which frameth mischief by a law? They see Satan as Prince of this world boasting of universal empire, and hear him say, All that is given unto me and to whomsoever I will I give it.

While all authority and power are in the hand of the Lord Jesus upon the throne of God, publicly before men the rod of authority is not in His hand, but is on the ground and diabolical. But observe the beautiful accuracy of the type, and the comfort prepared for us in it. The rod was cast out of Moses' hand; it did not slip out. God has not lost control; of His own will, and for His own wise purposes He has subjected man to the sway of Him whom the world has chosen for its prince.

How sad and how solemn that the foundation on which the empire of Satan has been built is the rejection of the Deliverer. Yet "judgment shall return unto righteousness;" for in the coming day, the Lord Jesus shall take the serpent by the tail, and the authority that has been used to chastise men through Satan, will be in the hands of the Son of Man publicly for the gersson rosa biography of abraham and prosperity of men.

See Rev. We see therefore Noah's abject failure when set up in government; His snare is the abundance of the new-blessed earth. In Babel we see the rebellion of man in full flower, only to come under the withering blast and measureless wrath of Him whose sovereign authority they had impiously and defiantly called in question. In the building of this city and tower, man sought to perpetuate his name, but God has decreed that only one Name shall live for ever, "His Name shall endure for ever; His Name shall be continued as long as the sun; and men shall bless them-selves in Him; all nations shall call Him blessed Psalm And just as the cherubim with the flaming sword guarded the way to the tree of life lest sinful man should eat and live for ever in sin, so God rained His unsparing judgment on that structure in which perpetuation of man's name was implicit.

The foregoing remarks are an endeavour to delineate, as simply as possible, the moral characteristics of the world out of which Abraham was called. It is still the same world, dear reader, and if you are a true child of God, by faith in Christ Jesus, the words John writes in his epistle cannot fail to have deep significance for you, We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the wicked one.

He dwells there, but in tabernacles, the bringing together of two things typically — the heavenly inheritance and its earthily consequence, " By faith he sojourned as a stranger in the land of promise as a foreign country that is, not his own having dwelt in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. We must wait for Joshua before we get a distinct type of the heavenly inheritance.

Here, however, the tent and the altar are as yet the only possessions. I trust that as we track the footsteps of this remarkable man of faith, that we may learn valuable lessons deeply and effectively, from all the trials, difficulties and vicissitudes through which he passed as he sought a better country, even an heavenly. Though thy way be long and dreary, Eagle strength He'll still renew: Garments fresh and foot unweary Tell how God hath brought thee through.

Let us now seek with purpose of heart to glean from this immense field of divine admonition and instruction, provided for us in the life of Abraham. Here the life of faith is strikingly exemplified, and like Ruth of old we can glean in the field of our true Boaz, the One in Whom there is strength; even as it was written "And ye shall also sometimes draw out for her some ears out of the handfuls, and leave them that she may glean… We can gather these handfuls let fall on purpose for us, so that our spiritual vitality might be maintained, and that practical conformity in our walk and conduct with the place we occupy in the counsels of God, and in divine love, might be abundantly realised.

We need spiritual energy; we must be "strong in faith" to lay hold of the things that are really life 1 Tim. This life of faith is in the power of resurrection, and in order that we may grasp what is involved and implied in it, we quote from the words of another, "In this life of faith we do not merely look for the principle of dependence on God, or of confidence in Him, though that may be the thought immediately suggested by such words.

It signifies much more. It is a life of large and various energies: for according to God, or Scripture, faith is the principle in the soul which not only trusts and believes Him; it is also that which apprehends His way, acts in consort with His principles and purposes, receives His promises, enjoys His favours, does His bidding, looks for His kingdom, in His strength gains victories, and by His light walks in light; and thus it is ever, though variously, exhibiting a life according to Him, or formed in communion with Him.

We must not assume however that this life was one of unbroken triumph; nor one in which Abraham, who was the friend of God, walked without deviation or deflection. God had said to him. No, dear reader, perfection in every feature of the life of faith in all its rich variety of positive expression was found alone in Him Who is "The Author and Completer of faith.

Abraham's life, so changeful, like that of the Psalmist, gave the Spirit the largest occasion to exercise his soul; and so in the life of the father of the faithful, where light and shadow alternate, we shall find much to cheer us, and much to admonish us. The movement in Abraham's family seems to originate with Terah, for we read, "Terah took Abram his son, and Lot, the son of Haran … and they went forth from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan, and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.

Natural things hold him fast, though death be written on him, and memory but intensities his loss. But his death also closes the sojourn of Abraham at Haran. The natural influence that was holding him back having now gone, Abraham rises in the power of the divine call, which had come to him, and to him alone in the first place; and by which he was separated from country, kindred, and fathers house, to be blessed and made a blessing in the land to which God directed him as his inheritance in faith alone.

Natural things no longer clog or hinder; so in the language of Scripture, "They went forth to go into the land of Canaan, and into the gersson rosa biography of abraham of Canaan they came. How often does God use providential circumstances to lead us in the right direction: yet they may eventually become a hindrance to us. Providential circumstances and natural things can never bring us into the enjoyment of faith's proper portion, which lies outside the sphere of seen and tangible things.

The call of God is from the visible and material things, so that the new creation scene, where all things are of God, may fill the vision of our faith: for the things that are seen are for a time, but those that are not seen, eternal. It is very precious to note how Paul speaks of the Father of glory: suggesting that He is the One Who has given being to a whole system of glory, and in sovereign mercy is calling men not only to view it, but to dwell in it, to possess it, to exult in it; to rejoice in its immensity as the eye of faith scans its brightly coloured horizons, and marks the limitless bounds of this land of far distances, stretching far and away beyond the ken of mortal mind.

How beautiful, and instructive, it is for us to see the spirit with which Abraham entered upon this life of faith. What simplicity and earnestness marked him: "He went out, not knowing whither he went. This race, beloved, "is not to the swift, nor its battle to the strong. As already remarked, the heart resents these conditions, but the renewed mind willingly approves them and justifies God in them.

With reference to this unquestioning of the word of God, Elijah provides us with a very searching illustration. Under God's direction he had just delivered that momentous message to Ahab — a message of unsparing judgment — then he was again directed of God not now to a place of public testimony, but to one of retirement and solitude.

Sweet indeed is this simplicity of obedience: the necessary requisite surely of a true walk with God. This matter, so important in itself, will be brought before us very vividly, when we come to compare the walk of Lot with that of Abraham. There we shall find lessons of great importance, and which have a very vital bearing upon our comportment as we pass through a world in which we have no part or lot.

With the light of that fair scene shining with imperishable splendour upon every step of the pilgrim pathway, we reach forward with ever-hastening steps to the inheritance that is before us; while, as having the Spirit, the divine Earnest, we taste its joys, its peace and its rest even now. The manna and the springing well Suffice for every need; And Eshcol's grapes the story tell Of where Thy path doth lead.

We have already remarked that it was only after the ties of nature were snapped by death that Abraham moved with unimpeded step on to the inheritance to which God had called him. How strong these natural ties can be, and their influences are invariably hostile to our attaining the full measure of what God desires for us. The activities and energies of nature ever tend to militate against the full realisation and practical power of the "calling of God.

The beloved Apostle, ever sensitive to the difficulties with which the assembly would have to contend, in seeking to know the hope of God's calling, and the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, prays that "the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory would give them the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the full-knowledge of Him, being enlightened in the eyes of their heart.

With failure to apprehend the calling there would evidently be a lack of consistency in the practical life corresponding to the heavenly calling. Had Abraham more fully realised that the call of God was to Canaan, and that there lay his inheritance, the power of the truth regarding all involved in that call, would have been more than sufficient for him to meet and overcome the subtle influences and obstructions of nature.

And is it not so with us? If we are led by the Spirit of God into the understanding of this wonderful truth regarding His calling, could we be guilty of such treachery as would seek a place, a standing, a portion in the world that refused our blessed Lord? He gave Himself for our sins, to deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of our God and Father Gal.

In Revelation John is told to write to the Angel of the assembly in Pergamos, "These things says He that has the sharp two-edged sword: and then comes these significant words, descriptive of a moral class, "I know where thou dwellest, where the throne of Satan is… Antipas my faithful witness who was slain among you, where Satan dwells. How strange indeed to view the church at her ease in the presence of the "throne" and "dwelling" of Satan, the god of this world, and its prince.

For the church to settle down, where Satan has both a throne and a dwelling, is to falsify her character as a witness for holiness and truth. As another has said of that day, "Christianity walked in golden slippers. What is true of the church is, of course, applicable to us as individuals. But it is blessed to see that there were those of whom it could he said, "Thou holdest fast My Name, and hast not denied My faith.

In Abraham's history, death came in and severed the bond which bound him so strongly in Haran; so in our case, the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ proves an impassable barrier to those who realise that they have died with Christ. Our place in nature, and our standing in the world has been terminated before God. The cross is to us what the Red Sea was to the children of Israel — that which separates us forever from the land of death and judgment.

But let us now return to find Abraham in the land to which God had called him. In verse 6 of chapter 12 we read, "And Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land. Shechem means "shoulder," and Moreh, "Instructor;" and is it not when we bow the shoulder to bear that we find instruction?

This indeed is the "virtue" in which is knowledge 2 Peter Yes, dear friend, the oak of Moreh still grows at Shechem; and here too we find a dark shadow in the path of the man of faith — "The Canaanite was then in the land. How forcibly does this speak to us of the influences of evil, the powers of darkness mentioned in Ephesians ! The adversary seeks to hinder the saints of God from entering into spiritual possession of that which God has purposed for them in His love and grace.

How blessed it is for us to see how God met this new difficulty for Abraham: Jehovah appeared to him and said, "Unto thy seed will I give this land. And it is surely in the land that this divine confirmation regarding the possession of the inheritance is fully realised; and where power to possess ourselves of the inheritance is acquired.

It is as Canaan-dwellers that the secrets of God's heart are opened to us, and where those blessed manifestations of the Lord Jesus Christ are assured to us. Then we read of Abram building his altar to Jehovah, Who had appeared unto him. He worshipped God according to his apprehension of Him Who had appeared to him, and in consonance with the character of the communications made.

Today, there is on earth, a company indwelt by the Holy Spirit, who are partakers of the divine nature, to whom the Son has revealed the Father, revealing to them His Name. Such are able by the Spirit to enter into these wonderful divine revelations, and to gratify, by their response, the Father's heart. Such indeed is the character of our altar.

But to walk in practical conformity with this altar, we must pitch our tent, figurative of strangership here, between Bethel and Hai. The former means "God's House:" the latter a "Heap of ruins. And now Abraham is again tested; once again succumbing to the influences of nature. He finds a famine in the land, and goes down to Egypt, leaving the land of which God had said, "Unto thy seed will I give this land.

Elijah proved equal to such a test as he sat by the brook Cherith, and was fed by the fowls of the air. Paul showed his superiority to circumstances when called into Macedonia by the Lord, where a prison awaited him, but where, with his companion, he sang praises to God. Abraham seeks refuge in another land, of which God made no mention in His call.

But we must take account of this solemn fact: the secret failure had begun before the famine. Abraham, at the beginning, dwelt between Bethel and Hai; but it would seem that, when the famine came, he was moving towards the south — "And Abram moved onward going toward the south country. How significant and timely is the warning for us, never to leave the neighbourhood of Bethel.

In leaving Bethel, Abraham departed from the place of blessing. There is no famine in God's house: there is "bread enough and to spare. It is sad to have to say of a saint of God, Why art thou, being the King's son, so lean from day to day. This border land, in the south, is ever a dry land, and famine soon overtakes us if we are found there: and who, that has known what God's path is, but has not known the trial of a famine in this border land?

And when we have known such, how Egypt tempts! How the seduction of the world causes the giving up of the path of separation! Are there not many of us who have made this temporary incursion into Egypt in time of testing? But we all know the price to be paid for Egypt's succour. Abrams fall has been too often repeated, and it is the repetition of this on a large scale that has been a contributory factor in the sad failure of the whole dispensation.

Following upon our remarks regarding Abraham's capitulation to the seductions of Egypt, let us now consider some of the sad and inescapable consequences of such a retrograde step. One of the effects of going down to Egypt is that we become afraid to own our spiritual relationships: the very shadow of Egypt, before his arrival there, made Abraham afraid to own the relationship in which he and Sarai stood to each other; and this by a carefully prepared arrangement.

In all this, as so faithfully depicted for us by the Spirit in Genesis 12, we can surely discern how low the torch of faith was burning, and how the waves of a strong and exultant faith which would have carried him in triumph over every obstacle were now receding into the dark vortex of unbelief. Abraham, outstanding man of faith that he was, like us all, was affected by natural things.

Perfection, in all its lofty elevation and refinement of expression, is found in One, and in Him alone; in Him Who is "the originator and completer of faith. We see in all this that Abraham is thinking only of himself; he is not endeavouring to protect Sarai, but rather is prepared to sacrifice her to save himself. Where was the jealous care that Sarai should remain true to her relationship, and to the faithful confession of it?

Here is a saint of God seeking his own things because he has come under the shadow of Egypt. You will find that if you descend to the level of the world; if you get on terms with the men of the world; your lips will become soiled with the language of the world, and you will be ashamed to confess your true relationship to Christ. One sad result of this denial of relationship was that Sarai got into the house of Pharaoh.

What a difference from being in the house of God! The way to get the world's admiration is to deny your relationship to Christ. How different the desires of the beloved Apostle who, jealous over the Corinthians with a godly jealousy, declared "I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you a chaste virgin to Christ. It is said of Pharaoh that "he treated Abram well.

Abraham passes this severe test and is told the entire world will be blessed through his descendants. Previous Lesson - Next Lesson. Adam - Noah - Moses - David. Daniel - Apostle Paul - Story Flow. Abraham is one of the most blessed people in the Bible. Although Scripture is not a comprehensive history of humans it does, however, chronicle the relationship of one man and his descendants with the Creator of the Universe.

Ultimately, it is a record of how God has and will bless mankind through the life of the next person in our timeline. Abraham and the Three Angels. Where Was Abraham to Sacrifice Isaac?

Gersson rosas biography of abraham

What Is Brimstone? Map of Where Abraham Lived. Who Was Abraham's Other Wife? What War Did Abraham Fight? There is much debate whether Abraham is a paragon of faith to be imitated or an object lesson in poor family relations and moral failure. Those debates will continue so long as the stories about him are read. Indeed, one wonders whether that might have been the function of this narrative in the ancient world: to present the audience with a figure that challenged all who encountered him to reflect upon the nature of faithfulness to divine instruction and care for other humans.

Ishmael had twelve sons and at least one daughter Gen Blenkinsopp, Joseph. Abraham: The Story of a Life. Clements, Ronald. London: SCM Press, Exum, J. Edited by J. Cheryl Exum. Hendel, Ronald. Dallas Mavericks [ edit ]. Minnesota Timberwolves [ edit ]. New York Knicks [ edit ]. References [ edit ]. Yahoo Sports. USA Today. USA Basketball.

August 15, Archived from the original on August 8, NBC Sports. Retrieved 20 January May May 1, Retrieved May 2,