Part 3

When the ark was finished, the Lord caused the animals from the forest, and the birds of the air, to come to it. They came two and two, and went to their places in perfect order. The angels of the Lord were leading them, although none could see them. It must have been a wonderful sight.

When all were in the ark, the Lord shut the heavy door. Then the rain came down and the thunder rolled. The crust of the earth was broken up, and the water under the surface was thrown up in great water-spouts.

The water rose higher and higher. It rained forty days and forty nights. Men and animals climbed to the tops of the highest mountains. But finally these were all covered. Then all the human beings, the birds, and the animals on the whole earth were drowned.

But all that were in the ark rode safely on the waters. The power of God protected the ark through all this terrible time.

Then the Lord caused a wind to blow, which dried up the water. After floating one hundred and fifty days, the ark rested upon the top of Mount Ararat.

After this Noah waited forty days, and then he opened the window in the top of the ark and sent out a raven and a dove. But they found no place to rest, and so returned to the ark.

Seven days after, he sent out another dove, and in the evening it returned with an olive leaf in its mouth. After another seven days, he again sent out a dove, but it did not return.

Finally the water was fully dried up, and God told Noah that he and all the birds and animals could leave the ark. They must have been very glad to be on the land once more, for they had been in the ark a year and seventeen days.

Noah was very thankful to God for saving their lives. "And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord, and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar." Genesis 8:20.

The Lord was pleased with this offering, for it showed that Noah was still true to God, and had faith in Jesus Christ, the great Sacrifice for the sins of the world.

Then the Lord said that He would not again destroy the earth with a flood. And as a covenant, or pledge in regard to this promise, He set the beautiful rainbow in the clouds.

As all the wicked were destroyed from the earth, the Lord made a new start with the family of faithful Noah, to raise up a people that would obey Him and be finally redeemed, or brought back to the first dominion.

Jesus said, "As the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matthew 24:37-39.

The Tower of Babel.

NOT long after the flood, some of the descendants of Noah forgot God who had saved their fathers in the ark. They began to worship idols as the people did before the flood.

Then Nimrod gathered these wicked people together and went with them to the plain of Shinar. Nimrod was a grandson of Ham, and a great grandson of Noah. He was a mighty hunter, and became famous in the earth.

The Lord wanted the people to move in small companies into different places all over the earth. In this way it could be best settled and subdued, or cultivated.

Nimrod wanted to build large cities and keep the people together. In this way he wished to establish a government that would finally rule the world.

"The beginning of his kingdom was Babel." In this city they decided to build a great tower that would be the wonder of the world. They thought they would make the tower so high that they could go to the top of it and be safe if ever there came another flood.

God had promised that He would never again destroy the world by a flood, but these people did not believe God. They forgot that if God could bring a flood on the earth He could also destroy any city and tower that man could build.

For a long time the work of building this great tower went forward rapidly. It was finished inside into many rooms, some of which were used as temples for idol worship.

How long they were at work on this tower we do not know, but it reached to a great height. The builders were much pleased with their work, and praised the gods of silver and gold. They believed that these idols were giving them success.

Then the Lord interfered with their work. He would teach the people that He was the true and all-powerful God. He would show to the world that their idols could not help them nor give them any real success.

It is always best to trust and obey the true God. He alone can give true happiness and success. Some people now trust in their riches. Some trust in their strength. Some trust in their education. But almost every day we hear of some rich man who has lost his wealth, some strong man who loses his strength by sickness, some educated man who has failed in his work.

But the man who obeys God and walks in His ways in this world, is sure of success. He may not be rich, nor strong, nor have great learning, but he will have true happiness and a reward by and by greater than all the world can give.

Before building the tower of Babel the whole world spoke one language, and the people could understand one another easily. But when their work seemed most successful, the Lord made them speak different languages. None could understand what the others were saying.

Soon all was confusion. If the workmen ordered brick sent to them, they got mortar. If they ordered stone, perhaps they got wood. This made the workman very angry, and their work ended in disappointment and strife.

Then the people were scattered abroad in the earth as God intended they should be. The tower was then called the tower of Babel, which means tower of confusion.

Many years afterward the city of Babylon was built around this tower, and the tower was used as a temple of their god Belus. The tower was then named the Temple of Belus.

The Call of Abraham.

AFTER the people were scattered from Babel, they became more wicked than before. Nearly all turned from the true God, and worshiped idols. Abraham remained true to God; but even his father's household were beginning to worship false gods. The world then was about as wicked as before the flood.

Then God chose Abraham to represent Him in the earth. He would call him the father of the faithful, which means those who have faith, or who believe God. He would give His truth a new start, as He did when He chose Noah before the flood.

God would not destroy the sinners, as He did at the flood, but would call Abraham out from among them. Then through Abraham He would give to the world the knowledge of the only true God.

But the Lord must separate Abraham from his own kindred and friends, and teach him, and fit him to be the father of a nation that should serve Him. Hence Abraham must leave his home, and go where the wicked lives of his friends and relatives would not lead him away from God.

And God said, "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee." Genesis 12:1.

Abraham obeyed at once. "And he went out, not knowing whither he went." He loved his home, but he loved to obey God more than he loved his home or friends. He did not even know where he was going. He simply trusted God.

The Lord led him to the land of Canaan, or Palestine. Lot, who was his nephew, was the only one of his relatives who went with him.

Abraham was very rich. He had vast flocks and herds and a large number of servants to care for them. Lot had also large flocks and many servants.

When Abraham finally pitched his tents in Canaan, he was distressed to find the country filled with idolatry. Idols were worshiped in the temples and groves, and human beings were sacrificed upon the hills.

But the Lord appeared to him in the night and said, "Unto thy seed will I give this land," and, "I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven."

This gave him hope and courage, "And there builded he an altar unto the Lord who appeared unto him." Genesis 12:7. He did the same as Abel and Noah. He offered a lamb. This shows that he believed in Jesus who was to die for the sins of the world.

The Lord prospered Abraham in Canaan, and his wealth, his flocks and herds, increased wonderfully. By the example of his life the Canaanites learned of the true God.

Wherever he pitched his tent he built an altar to the true God, and morning and evening called his large family together to sacrifice and prayer.

Thus the Canaanites learned of the God of Abraham. They saw that the Lord was with him. But idol worship had so strong a hold upon them that few turned to the true God.

By and by there came a great drought in Canaan. The rain ceased to fall, the streams were dried, and the grass withered. It seemed that his whole encampment must perish.

Then Abraham journeyed to Egypt where he remained until the rains again filled the streams and caused the grass to grow in Canaan.

By this visit to Egypt the people there learned of the true God. Thus, in His own way the knowledge of a promised Saviour was taken by Abraham to the great countries of Canaan and Egypt.

It was God's plan that through Abraham and his descendants the whole world should learn of the "good news" of salvation from sin and death, through Christ who was to suffer for men, and thus buy them back to God and happiness.

But Abraham had no children, and Sarah, his wife, did not believe that God would give her a son. So she got Abraham to marry her Egyptian maid, Hagar. But the Lord said that His promise was not to be fulfilled through Ishmael, the son of this woman, but through a son whom He would give Sarah. So after Isaac was born, Hagar and Ishmael were sent away; for the Lord had said, "In Isaac shall thy seed be called."

The Destruction of Sodom.

ABRAHAM returned from Egypt "very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold." Lot was still with him, and their flocks and herds became so great that they could not find pasture for them all together.

So Abraham said to Lot, "Is not the whole land before thee? Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me. If thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left."

Abraham was the elder, and the choice should have been his. But he was not selfish, and so gave the choice to the younger man, his nephew.

Lot selfishly chose the plain of Jordan. This was the most beautiful and productive portion of all the land of Canaan. And he "pitched his tent toward Sodom."

But Lot did not stop to consider that Sodom and the other cities of the plain were very wicked. He thought only of his own interests, and was soon living in the city of Sodom itself. His daughters married wicked men of Sodom, and so forgot God. Lot could now see the evil of choosing his home among wicked people.

At last Sodom and some of the other cities near it became so wicked that God would not suffer them to remain. He must destroy them from off the earth. But first the Lord would tell Abraham what He was about to do.

One day when it was very warm, Abraham sat in the door of his tent. Soon he saw three strangers coming toward him. He ran to them and asked them to come and sit under a tree and rest while he prepared some food for them to eat.

After they had eaten, two of the men went toward Sodom, but the third, who was the Lord, or Christ, remained to tell Abraham that He was about to destroy Sodom.

Then Abraham began to plead for Sodom. He made many requests of the Lord, and finally gained the promise that if ten righteous people could be found in Sodom the city would be saved.

In his child-like faith Abraham felt safe when this promise was made. In the household of Lot alone he thought there must be at least ten who were true to God. But the evil surroundings of Sodom had corrupted even the family of Lot.

The two angels who left Abraham came to Lot and told him to take his sons and daughters, and flee from the city. But these young persons, who were married to the people of Sodom, would not heed the warning.

Early the next morning the angels told Lot to take his wife and the two daughters who were with him, and hasten out of the city.

But Lot lingered, for he was sorry to know that some of his children, his friends, the beautiful city, and all his wealth must be destroyed. So the angels took hold of them and hastened them out of Sodom.

Then the angel said to them, "Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed." And then the angel adds, "For I can not do anything till thou be come thither."

The angel had said, "Look not behind thee." But the treasure of Lot's wife was in Sodom. She did not heed the warning of the angel. She loved her beautiful home and the riches of Sodom more than she loved God. She proved unworthy of the deliverance that the angels of God had brought to them, and she turned and looked back to see if God really meant what he said. That very moment she became a pillar of salt, dead and white like a marble statue.

When Lot and his daughters were far away, the Lord rained a horrible tempest of fire and brimstone upon the cities of the plain, and they were utterly destroyed. The very ground where they stood is now covered by the Dead Sea.

Thus God showed His hatred of their awful wickedness. They loved sin, and were not thankful that God had paid the great price of the life of His only Son in order to save them from doing wrong, if they would only ask Him for help to do right. Holding on to sin they perished with it, as many will perish in the last great "lake of fire" "prepared for the devil and his angels." That fire is not being prepared for man; heaven is being fitted up for him. Oh that all would accept it!

Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many mansions; I go to prepare a place for you." Which place are we preparing ourselves for? We are to make the choice.

Abraham and Isaac.

GOD had promised Abraham that he should be the father of a great nation, and that the land of Canaan should be their home. This was not to come through Ishmael, but through another son.

God had also promised that "in thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed." Genesis 22:18. Paul says, in Galatians 3:16, that the "seed" here mentioned is Christ; so Genesis 22:18 is a promise that Christ shall come through the family of Abraham. In Christ all nations of the earth are blessed, although not all of them accept the blessing.

Abraham was called "The friend of God," because he loved and served the Lord so faithfully.

He had a son named Isaac, whom he loved very much. God had told Abraham that Isaac should be his heir, or have all that was Abraham's when he died. All the blessings promised to Abraham were to come to his son Isaac.

But a great trial was to come to Abraham to test his faith in God. The Lord said to him, "Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of." Genesis 22:2.

What a terrible test this was! How could God's promise be fulfilled if Isaac should die? But Abraham did not distrust God nor question His command. He believed that if Isaac should die God would "raise him up, even from the dead." Hebrews 11:19.

Early the next morning Abraham took Isaac and two of his servants and prepared for the long journey. They cut the wood and bound it to the back of his beast, and started for the place of sacrifice.

None but Abraham knew of the awful command of God. His heart was very sad as they journeyed three days in silence.

On the third day they came in sight of the mountain God had appointed as the place of sacrifice.

"And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship.

"And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together." Genesis 22:5, 6.

As the two walked on in silence, Isaac finally asked, "My father," "behold the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"

This was the first time this question had been asked on the journey. What pain it must have brought to the heart of the loving father! He could not tell him yet, so he said, "God will prepare himself a lamb for a burnt offering."

At last they came to the appointed place. They built an altar and placed upon it the wood. Abraham must now tell his son the command that God had given. He could keep it no longer.

Isaac heard the message of his fate in sorrow, but he did not resist. Abraham was a hundred and twenty years old, and weak from grief. Isaac was twenty years old, and strong and vigorous. He could have escaped if he had desired to do so, but he, too, had faith in God, and was obedient to his parents.

Isaac let his aged father bind him down to the wood upon the altar, just as Jesus was to let Himself be nailed to a cross of wood. The last good-bye had been said, and the last tender words spoken. Then Abraham raised the knife to slay his son.

But before the stroke could fall, an angel calls to him from Heaven, "Abraham, Abraham!" And the patriarch answers, "Here am I."

Then the angel said, "Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him; for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me." Genesis 22:12.

What a joyful command! How easy it was to obey it! Then Abraham saw a ram caught in the bushes. This he took and offered upon the altar in the place of his son. Then they journeyed back to their home with joyful hearts. The Lord blessed Abraham still more because he had obeyed Him.

Abraham was willing that Isaac should die, believing it to be best, just as God was willing that Jesus should die for us, knowing it to be best.

Isaac was willing to lay down his own life, just as Jesus was willing to lay down His life for us.

Abraham was spared the awful sorrow of seeing his son die. Another victim was found. But no one could take the place of Jesus. His Father and all the angels in Heaven had to see His dreadful death; and it was all for us.

Jacob and Esau.

ISAAC had two sons, named Jacob and Esau. Esau was a little older than Jacob, and was a hunter of wild animals. Jacob was a shepherd, and cared for his father's sheep.

Esau, the daring hunter, was very dear to his father; but Rebekah loved Jacob most because he was so kind and careful.

God had said to Rebekah that "the elder shall serve the younger." So she knew that the Lord would especially bless Jacob, and finally give him the birthright, which meant that he was to have a double portion of his father's wealth, and also become the head of the family when his father died.

The birthright usually went to the eldest son, but the birthright in the family of Isaac must go to the son who would obey God. He was to be the father of God's people,--the children of Israel.

Jacob loved God, and was willing to obey Him. He greatly desired the blessing which the birthright would bring to him. But Esau did not love God nor care to serve Him. He would rather live the wild, free life of a hunter, and do as he chose, than have the birthright.

Jacob did not trust God as he should, for he feared that Esau would have the birthright because he was the eldest son of Isaac. So he studied all the time to find some plan to get it away from Esau.

One day Esau had been in the fields hunting, but had found nothing. On the way home he became very hungry. Coming to the tent of his brother he found him preparing his dinner of pottage. "And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint."

Jacob forgot that he ought to be kind to his brother. He only thought that this was the chance he had been looking for. "And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright."

"And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die; and what profit shall this birthright do to me?" So he sold his birthright to his brother for a good dinner.

You see Jacob took a mean advantage of his brother when he was faint and hungry. This made it easier for him afterward to do another great wrong, and deceive his father. One wrong act always makes it easier to do another.

When Isaac was very old he became blind. He was still determined to give the birthright to Esau. So one day he told him to go into the field and kill a deer and make some savory meat, and then he would bless him.

But Rebekah heard it, and she was afraid the Lord would let Esau have the birthright. She thought she must do something to help the Lord keep His promise that Jacob should be head of the family.

So she told Jacob to kill two young goats, and she made savory meat, such as Esau made from venison. Then she dressed Jacob in Esau's clothes, and sent him in to deceive his blind father.

This was very wicked, for Jacob told lies to his father to make him think that he was Esau. So through falsehood Jacob got the blessing which made him head of the family.

When Esau returned and learned what Jacob had done, he was very angry. Fearing that his brother would kill him, Jacob fled from his father's house, and went to Mesopotamia, where his mother's family lived.

He felt very sorrowful on his journey. He was afraid that his sin was too great to be forgiven. But one night he confessed it all to God, and then laid his head on a stone for a pillow, and went to sleep.

In the night the Lord gave him a beautiful dream. In it he saw a ladder which reached from earth to heaven. On this ladder there were angels ascending and descending.

At the top of the ladder Jacob saw his Saviour, who told him that He was the God of Abraham and Isaac, and that He would be his God, and make him the father of a great nation. This was because Jacob was sorry for his sins. The Lord promised to go with him on his journey, and finally bring him back again, and that his children should have the land of Canaan for their home.

From this place Jacob journeyed until he came to the home of Laban, his mother's brother. Here he worked hard twenty years.

One night the Lord came to him in a dream, and said, "Arise, get thee out of this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred." Then Jacob prepared immediately to return to Canaan.

Jacob Returns to Canaan.

JACOB had become very rich in sheep and cattle, and had many servants to care for them. His journey back to Canaan was slow. He was very sad because of his sin in deceiving his father.

As he neared his old home he learned that Esau was coming against him with four hundred armed soldiers. Jacob had no soldiers, and was much afraid.