especially because he was made an offering by his father. (1.) Both were "only and well-beloved sons;" (2.) Both were "obedient unto death;" (3.) Both carried the wood on which they were to suffer death; (4.) Both were offered in sacrifice ; (5.) Both were offered by "the determinate counsel and foreknowledge" of their father; (6.) Isaac, though able to resist, consented to be led as a lamb to the slaughter; and Jesus Christ says: "I lay down my life by myself, no man taketh it from me;" (John x. 17.) (7.) Neither were offered for crime, but to testify unparalleled love; (8.) For the three days in which Abraham was journeying to the mountain, he looked upon Isaac as virtually dead; and for three days Jesus Christ was actually numbered with the dead; (9.) When God told Abraham to spare his son, the father" in a figure received him from the dead;" so at the resurrection was Christ received from the dead; (10.) Isaac returned to his father's house after the sacrifice; and Christ ascended to God, his Father, after the crucifixion. Isaac was offered up on mount Moriah, the temple was built upon the same site, and Calvary (on which our Lord was crucified) was one of the same range of hills. State of the world. STATE OF THE WORLD. The world had advanced greatly in civilization before the time of Abraham's death. For example: (1.) There were many great and flourishing cities, as Nineveh, Egypt, and probably China; (2.) There were several people who were ruled over by kings, had regular courts, stipendiary armies, considerable wealth, and great magnificence; (3.) Greece was peopled and colonised by the Pelasgi, and Inachus had founded the kingdom of Argos. N.B. Shem, the son of Noah, was living when Abraham was 150 years old; yet at the time all the world, except Abraham and Isaac, seems to have fallen into idolatry. CHAPTER III. ESAU AND JACOB. B.C. 1852-1712. GENESIS XXIV.-XXIX. COTEMPORARY EVENTS. 1822. Memnon, the Egyptian, invents letters. The same year Amosis drove away the Hycsos or Shepherd Kings, who had retained the sovereignty of Lower Egypt for 259 years. 1792. The flood of Ogygés, in Attica. 1782. The 2nd dynasty of China, that of Chang, began; about the same time the Chinese profess to have discovered the magnetic needle. 1715. Prometheus brought fire from heaven (or from flints). Section I. BIRTH OF ESAU AND JACOB. B.C. 1832. GENESIS XXV. dwelt. Where Isaac Isaac dwelt with his father at Beersheba to the age of 40, and then consented to marry his father's choice. (B.C. 1852.) How the choice was effected. Abraham forthwith commis F A.M. 2195.] sioned his steward, Eleázer, to go and seek some kinswoman as a suitable wife. Where he went. He went accordingly to Mesopotámia, and prayed God to point out such a person. selected. Who was The person selected was Rebekah, the grand-daughter of Nahor, Abraham's brother, who became Isaac's wife. Her children. She remained without children for twenty years; but then had two sons at a birth. These sons' names. These sons were named Esau and Jacob; Esau being the firstborn. Abraham then alive. Abraham was alive when these twins were born, and lived till they were 15 years of age. (B.c. 1817.) Their characters. The character of the two lads was very different; Esau was fond of enterprise, war, and hunt; but Jacob was a domestic man a shepherd. Their appearance. In appearance they differed also; Esau being red and hairy; but Jacob a smooth pale man. Esau means hairy. He was also called Edom, red. Section II. ESAU SELLS HIS BIRTHRIGHT. B.C. 1793. GENESIS XXV. Birthright privileges. The privileges of a firstborn were: (1) The blessing; (2) A double portion of the paternal estate; (3) The headship of the family; and (4) The office of patriarchal priest. How Esau prized his birthright. Esau despised these privileges, and sold them to Jacob for a mess of pottage. Jacob obtains Jacob having bought the birth the blessing. right, contrived by an artifice, when his father was old and nearly blind, to get the blessing pertaining to it also. |
