Long, long after the flood, there lived a good man whose name was Abram, “the friend of God.” He was the first Hebrew. At first he lived in a large city on the river Euphrates. It was a beautiful city with fine buildings, gardens, fountains, statuary, and other things for comfort and pleasure. Abram and his people were rich. They had everything to make them happy, excepting one thing. Abram saw that in all that great city, in all that country, none worshiped God but himself. There were many temples where the people worshiped the sun, moon, stars, and many false gods. There were beautiful temples built, and beautiful music sung to the Sun-god, but no thanks were given to the great Creator of the sun and moon and man. A good deal of their worship was very wicked and cruel, and often boys and girls were burned to please the idols. Abram saw all this was false and wicked. One day God told him to leave that land and take a long journey to another land that God would show him. At last Abram reached a land so rich in vines, fruit trees, and pastures for flocks and herds, that it was called “the land flowing with milk and honey.” Here Abram and Lot, his brother’s son, lived in tents. Both were very rich in cattle, goats, sheep, servants, and silver and gold. But when the servants of Lot and Abram kept quarreling over which should have the best pasture for feeding their flocks, Abram said to Lot: “Let there be no quarrel between thee and me, and between our servants, for we are brethren. Choose the land you wish, and I will take what is left.” Abram was older than Lot, and had always been kind and generous, like a father, to him. Lot should have given his uncle the first choice. Instead of that, Lot greedily chose the well-watered plain-lands near the river Jordan, leaving to his uncle the hilly land. Abram generously let him keep them. Lot moved close to the wicked city of Sodom. Soon after, in a battle, Lot and his family and his servants were taken prisoners. Lot had not treated his uncle well, but that made no difference to Abram. He was a true friend, loving Lot even when he did not do right. So he rescued Lot and saved all the property the kings had stolen. Lot went back to Sodom, making his home this time inside the city, among its wicked people, and he grew more forgetful of God.
One day, in Sodom and Gomorrah, the cities of the plain, a great fire broke out which destroyed everything Lot had. Only for Abram’s prayer to God, Lot would have been burned up too. But for Abram’s sake, two angels came and led Lot and his wife and two daughters out of the city, telling them not to look back nor stay in all the plain, but flee to the mountains. Lot’s wife looked longingly back at the wicked cities, and was changed into a pillar of salt in the very plain upon which she, with Lot, had so much set her heart. Lot and his two daughters were saved only by fleeing to the mountain land that Lot had despised and Abram had taken. So, after all, the selfish nephew did not choose so well as the unselfish uncle, “the friend of God.”
Yes, Faith, Life, Song, most meetly named him “Friend”;
All men’s he was and is, till time shall end.
And in the Christ-path he so closely trod
That all men saw he was “the Friend of God.”
6. THE OBLIGING GIRL AT THE WELL
(Genesis 24)
“Laughter” is a queer name for a boy. But “Laughter” is the name Abraham gave his son. That is what Isaac means. When Isaac grew up Abraham did not like the idea of his son marrying any of the young women of that land because they all worshiped idols; so he called his head servant and told him to go far away to the country where Abraham’s own people lived, and there find a young woman who would be the right sort of wife for Isaac. It was a long, long journey across the desert. Abraham gave the servant ten camels, and servants, and tents, with gold and silver, and precious stones and rich robes, to give as presents to the young woman and her family. After many days of travel the servant came to a city where some of Abraham’s people were still living. Outside the city was a well with a trough for the camels to drink from. He knew every evening young girls and women came with their pitchers for drinking water to this well. He decided when they came he would ask for a drink, and whoever gave him a drink and also offered to give the camels a drink by filling the watering-trough, would prove the wife for Isaac. He also prayed God to guide him. While he was praying there came to the well a beautiful young girl carrying a pitcher on her shoulder. When she had filled her pitcher the servant said, “Let me drink, please.” She said, “Drink, my lord,” and quickly let down her pitcher upon her hand and gave him a drink. Then seeing how tired the camels looked, her kind heart made her say, “I will get water for your camels too.” Camels drink a great deal of water, and there were ten of them, but this obliging girl did not stop filling the large watering-trough until every thirsty beast had drunk enough. Quietly the servant watched her, and when he saw how friendly she was he gave her a splendid gold earring and two beautiful bracelets of gold and asked her name and whether there was room in her father’s house for him to stay over night. She told him her name was Rebecca—a relative of Abraham’s family—and said there was plenty of room for them to spend the night. Then the servant thanked God, for he knew this kind, obliging girl was just the one whom God wanted to become Isaac’s wife. When they came to the house, the servant told his story to all, and gave still more beautiful presents to Rebecca and to her sister and brothers. Early the next morning the old servant wanted to start back at once, because God had prospered his journey. They called Rebecca and said to her, “Wilt thou go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.” So Rebecca’s queer bridal party, herself and her old nurse, Deborah, and several maids, mounted on camels and escorted by Abraham’s servants, began the long march to Isaac’s home in Canaan where she and Isaac were married. They loved each other dearly. And Abraham was glad that “Laughter” had found so good and true a wife in the friendly girl at the well.