ng down upon them. In Tyre and Sidon there were
great glass works and dying factories. There were also vast harbors
crowded with sea going ships. Luxurious living was to be found
everywhere.

_Inwardly_, however, there was a corrupt moral condition, which was
hastening the nations to decay and to a ruin such as amazes all the
world to this day. Ur of the Chaldees, the birth place and home of
Abraham, was the seat of the great temple of the moon-god, and this
sanctuary became so famous that the moon-god was known throughout all
northern Syria as the Baal or Lord of Haran. The bad state of the
times is suggested by Sodom and Gomorrah and their fate. For these
cities were perhaps only typical of the entire civilization of the
time.

In such a time and out of such a civilization God called Abraham, who
should found a new nation that would serve him and form the basis of a
new civilization. He also selected Canaan as the home of this new
people. It was the geographical center of all the ancient world and a
revelation of God made there would soon be know among all nations.

The Confirmations of the Biblical Record. Each new excavation made in
the ruins of the ancient, long-buried, cities throws new light upon
the scriptures and always confirms its statements. There are on the
tablets of clay found in the old libraries statements concerning the
social, commercial, religious and political conditions of the time of
Abraham and before and all of them agree with the statements of
Genesis. There has been found a record of the years of famine and the
Pharaohs of the time have been determined.

The kings who captured Lot are now known. The Bible has suffered
nothing at all from the knowledge gained from the ancient records.

The Experiences of Abraham. The call of Abraham as recorded In this
section is probably from Ur of the Chaldees to Haran where his father
died (11:31-32). His call is the most important event in the history
of God's kingdom since the fall of man. It was indeed a new starting
point for that kingdom. The call was accompanied by a promise or
covenant in which God bound himself not to withdraw from Abraham
(15:17-21). The call and work, together with the promises, may be put
down somewhat as follows:

1. _It was a call to separation from his home and native land._ He was
a large shepherd-farmer with large flocks and herds and a number of
slaves. The family was perhaps of high rank in his country and there
was