t either: "in or
for good luck;" "luckily," "happily" (so the LXX. et Vulg.), or,
following _Onkelos_ and the Mazorets: "good luck has come."--(Tr.)

[Pg 46]

THE PROMISE TO THE PATRIARCHS.

A great epoch is, in Genesis, ushered in with the history of the time
of the Patriarchs. _Luther_ says: "This is the third period in which
Holy Scripture begins the history of the Church with a new family." In
a befitting manner, the representation is opened in Gen. xii. 1-3 by an
account of the first revelation of God, given to Abraham at Haran, in
which the way is opened up for all that follows, and in which the
dispensations of God are brought before us in a rapid survey. Abraham
is to forsake everything, and then God will give him everything.

Gen. xii. 1. "_And the Lord said unto Abraham, Get thee out of thy
country, and from thy hone, and from thy father's house, into a land
that I will show thee._ Ver. 2. _And I will make of thee a great
nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt
be a blessing._ Ver. 3. _And I will bless them that bless thee, and him
who curseth thee I will curse: and in thee all the families of the
earth shall be blessed._"

"_Into a land that I will show thee._" From what follows, it appears
that, in the very same revelation, the country was afterwards _more
definitely_ pointed out; for Abraham, without having received any new
revelation, goes to Canaan, For the sake of brevity, the writer gives
the details only afterwards, when he has occasion to report how they
were carried out. The land which God will show to Abraham, stands
contrasted with that in which he is at home,--in which he and his whole
being had taken root. This contrast points out the greatness of the
sacrifice which God demands of Abraham. With a like intent we have the
accumulation of expressions--"out of thy land," etc.--corresponding to
a similar one when the command was given to sacrifice Isaac (Gen. xxii.
2), and forming the condition of the promise which follows. This
promise is intended to make the sacrifice a light thing to Abraham, by
pointing out what he is to receive if he give up everything which
stands in the way of his living to God. A similar call comes to all who
feel impelled to renounce the world in order to serve God. This call to
Abraham is peculiar only as to its form; as to its essence, it is ever
repeating itself. This will appear the more distinctly, when we inq