BIBLE LESSONS FOR YOUTH.
By G. H. Bell
LESSON XXVI.—RECAPITULATION.
“In six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.” Adam and Eve, the first pair, disobeyed God, lost their home in paradise, and became subject to death. Cain, Adam’s oldest son, killed his only brother, Abel, and became a vagabond; but God gave Adam another son, who was called Seth. Adam lived to mingle with eight generations of his children. Enoch, the seventh from Adam, was translated without seeing death. He was a prophet, and prophesied of the coming of Christ. Jude 14, 15. Noah, the tenth from Adam, was a preacher of righteousness, and warned the world of the coming flood. He built an ark, in which he and his family were saved, while all the world perished. As men multiplied again, they became proud, and God, by confusing their speech at Babel, scattered them abroad upon the face of the earth. Then God called Abraham to leave his country and kindred, promising to give him the land of Canaan for an inheritance, to make his seed as the stars of heaven, and to make him a blessing to all the nations of the earth. By his impatience in regard to the fulfillment of these promises, Abraham displeased God, and caused much trouble in his own family; but when Abraham was one hundred years of age, God gave him a son. This son was named Isaac. Isaac was a man of God. He had two sons, Jacob and Esau. Jacob, by his eagerness to obtain the blessing that had been promised him, incurred his brother’s hatred, and was obliged to flee to a distant land, where he remained for more than twenty years. Jacob had two wives and twelve sons. Joseph, his favorite son, was sold by his wicked brothers, and became a slave in Egypt. Finally he was cast into prison, but God was with him, and brought him out of prison, and made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. At length, Jacob and all his family were obliged to go to Egypt to escape the famine which was over all the earth. Jacob died in Egypt, at the age of one hundred and forty-seven years; but his body, at his urgent request, was taken to Canaan, and buried there in the cave of Machpelah. Joseph had two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. He died at the age of one hundred and ten years, having prophesied the deliverance of his people, and given a charge respecting his bones. The promises that were made to Abraham were renewed to Isaac and Jacob, but they all died without receiving them. Heb. 11: 9, 13. The promises will be fulfilled to them when they receive their inheritance in the new earth. Then will Abraham’s seed be as the stars of heaven; for all that are Christ’s are the seed of Abraham. NOTE.—No questions accompany this lesson, for it should be recited without the aid of questions, though not necessarily in the words of the text. After it has been thus recited, the teacher may ask such questions as seem necessary.