30 GOD'S COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM. —

 

God. This is the way they worshiped in those days.
They would build an altar of stones, laying wood thereon,
then kill alamb or some other animal and put on the wood ;
then set fire to it. As the fire ascended, they would offer
their prayer. The death of the lamb was to show that they
deserved death, but that they believed in the promised
sacrifice of God, even his only Son in the fulness of time.
This. faith was pleasing to God, and he forgave their sins,
and accepted their offering. God kept his covenant with
Abraham, and made of him a great nation, and blest him
greatly. It was of his seed that our Saviour was born.

So it was true, what God told him, that in him shculd
all the nations of the earth be blessed. God prospered
Abraham, so he had great flocks and herds, men-serv-
ants and maid-servants, and much gold and silver. He
was always obedient to the voice of the Lord. He would
go just where God led him, and do just what God told
him. So he was called the Father of the faithful.

From him descended the whole Jewish race, we read
so much about in the Bible. God made his covenant with
Abraham, promising to make his children and his child-
ren’s children like the stars of heaven for multitude. God
also promised to give them the Land of Canaan, the rich-
-est country then in the world. God never forgot his
covenant, but kept his promise.