Thoughts on Scripture Subjects.
By John Nevins Andrews
VERSE 5 reads thus: “And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and THE SOULS that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.” When Abram was about to enter the land of Egypt he thus addressed his wife, according to verse 13, “Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister; that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.” In the first of these texts it is evident that the word soul is used as in Gen. 2:7, simply as designating persons. The word soul is therefore here used for the whole man. In the second text it is used in a very similar manner. It was used as the equivalent of Abraham. It is the same as though he said, “I or myself shall live because of thee.” Certain it is that Abraham believed it possible for his soul, i. e., himself, to die. He was not immortal even in his soul; or if he was he surely was unaware of the fact. THE REQUEST OF THE KING OF SODOM.
“And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.” Gen. 14:21. This was said to Abram when he had returned from the overthrow of the kings. The marginal reading shows how the word soul was used in that time. The margin gives us the Hebrew form of expression which was this, “Give me the souls, and take the goods to thyself!” Here the word soul is used in the same sense as when first applied to man in Gen. 2:7. It is simply the whole man, which is by far the most general use of the word in the Bible. This clause occurs in the fourth commandment. It relates to the stranger. He is to do no work upon the Sabbath. This is reasonable. If he spend the Sabbath within our gates he must desist from labor. If he spend it elsewhere, he is accountable indeed to God, but we have no duty to control him. The clause “within thy gates” relates solely to this thing. It is therefore an utter perversion to apply this expression also to our cattle and our hired help as though they might labor for us if they do this outside our gates. Be not deceived by so unreasonable a construction of the plain commandment of God. On that very form of argument you can labor yourself on the Sabbath, provided you do it outside your gate. Some are acting on this plan so far as to employ their hired help to work for them on other men’s farms. But it is evident that no one can do this who fears God from the heart. It is no part of our business to murmur against God or man. God cannot do any unjust thing. It is only a wicked heart that can murmur against his dealings with us. He may chastise us, but it is always for our own wrongs; and even then our good absolutely demands it. No affliction from the hand of God should ever affect us only by way of causing deep humiliation and penitence for our own sins. Men may do us an injury wantonly, and without provocation. Yet it is folly to murmur even then. How much better to accept it as a chastening from the hand of God for our own sins. How much better to take it to the Lord in prayer. What a sad spectacle is a grumbling, complaining, murmuring Christian! Rather, what a contradiction in terms is such an expression. The Christian is a man that rejoices evermore, prays without ceasing, and in everything gives thanks. Murmurers, complainers, and grumblers are not Christians. Men that make God their portion, and that are heirs to endless and infinite felicity, cannot be otherwise than always joyful in God.