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Class-Book of Old Testament History

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<h3> Note. SURVEY OF THE PATRIARCHAL AGE.</h3> With the death of Joseph the Patriarchal Age of Israel’s history may be said to close. The Family had now thrown out many branches, and was on the point of merging into the Nation. At this juncture, then, it may be well to look back, and review some of the chief features of Patriarchal Life. i. And the first of these that claims attention is its Nomadic character. Unlike the founders of Egypt, of Babylon, of Nineveh, the Patriarchs were not the builders of cities and towns, but pilgrims and sojourners, dwellers in tents (<abbr title="Hebrews">Heb.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 11">xi.</abbr> 9). But they were very different from rude hordes, like the Amalekites and other “sons of the desert,” abhorring any higher mode of life. Abraham was no stranger to the highest form of civilization that his age afforded. He was acquainted with Ur, with Nineveh, with Damascus, with Egypt; he had left his home in one of the chief cities of Mesopotamia, not from choice, but in consequence of a direct personal call from God. Moreover, so far from regarding his present mode of life as an ultimate end, he and Isaac and Jacob, were ever looking forward to a time when it would close, when their descendants should be settled in the Land of Promise, and become a great nation, when the portable tent should give way to the city that had foundations (<abbr title="Hebrews">Heb.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 11">xi.</abbr> 10, 13<abbr title="through">–</abbr>16; <abbr title="Compare">comp.</abbr> <abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 24">xxiv.</abbr> 7; <abbr title="chapter 28">xxviii.</abbr> 4; <abbr title="chapter 49">xlix.</abbr> 1<abbr title="through">–</abbr>27; <abbr title="chapter 50">l.</abbr> 24). Hence, from time to time, as opportunity offered, we see the wandering life freely and willingly laid aside. Lot settled in Sodom (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 13">xiii.</abbr> 10<abbr title="through">–</abbr>12); Abraham in Egypt went direct to Pharaoh’s court (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 12">xii.</abbr> 14); at Hebron he settled and became a “prince of God” in the midst of the Hittites (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 23">xxiii.</abbr> 6); Isaac not only lived near the Philistines, but occupied a house opposite the palace (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 26">xxvi.</abbr> 8), and practised agriculture (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 26">xxvi.</abbr> 12); and Joseph’s dream of the sheaves points out that this was also continued in the time of Jacob (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 37">xxxvii.</abbr> 7)48. ii. The Family was the centre of the Patriarchal commonwealth. Its head was the source of authority and jurisdiction; he possessed the power of life and death (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 38">xxxviii.</abbr> 24); he united in himself the functions of chief and priest; he offered the burnt-offering; he had his armed retainers (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 14">xiv.</abbr> 14; <abbr title="chapter 48">xlviii.</abbr> 22; <abbr title="chapter 34">xxxiv.</abbr> 25; <abbr title="chapter 33">xxxiii.</abbr> 20); his intercourse with his wives (for polygamy was not forbidden) was free and unrestrained; the wife’s consent was asked before wedlock (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 24">xxiv.</abbr> 57, 58); love hallowed the relations of Abraham with Sarah, of Isaac with Rebekah, of Jacob with Leah and Rachel; woman, indeed, did not occupy the position since conceded to her, but her position was far from degraded, and the sanctity of the marriage-bond was defended by severe laws, which made death the punishment for adultery (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 38">xxxviii.</abbr> 24). Slavery, it is true, existed, but in the tents of Abraham the slave was ever treated with consideration, and not excluded from, but made a partaker of religious privileges (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 17">xvii.</abbr> 13). The fidelity and attachment of Eliezer the steward of Abraham’s house, the mourning for Deborah Rebekah’s nurse (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 35">xxxv.</abbr> 8), are pleasing proofs of the peace that reigned in the Patriarchal household. iii. Civilization. The life of the Patriarchs was chiefly that of the shepherd, and their wealth mainly consisted in their flocks and their herds. But besides practising agriculture they were not unacquainted with money and the precious metals. Abraham paid for the field of Machpelah with coin (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 23">xxiii.</abbr> 9<abbr title="through">–</abbr>20), and the sons of Jacob took money with them into Egypt (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 42">xlii.</abbr> 25, 35); while the gold ring and armlets presented to Rebekah by Eliezer (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 24">xxiv.</abbr> 22), the bracelet and signet ring of Judah (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 38">xxxviii.</abbr> 18), the ear-rings of Rachel (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 35">xxxv.</abbr> 4), the many-coloured coat of Joseph, indicate an acquaintance with the luxuries of life. iv. Religion. While other nations were rapidly learning to deify the powers of nature, the Patriarchs believed not only in a God above and beyond nature, but in a God Personal, Omnipotent, and Holy. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was no mere abstraction, no mere law. He could and did reveal Himself by angelic appearances, by visions, by dreams; He could console, strengthen, encourage; He could punish, rebuke, and on repentance forgive. Abraham, the Friend of God (<abbr title="James">Jas.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 2">ii.</abbr> 23), intercedes with Him in behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 18">xviii.</abbr> 23<abbr title="through">–</abbr>33); Isaac is warned by Him against going down into Egypt (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 26">xxvi.</abbr> 2); Jacob is consoled by Him at Bethel when setting out into the land of exile (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 28">xxviii.</abbr> 13<abbr title="through">–</abbr>15), and wrestles with Him by the fords of Jabbok till the break of day (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 32">xxxii.</abbr> 24); Joseph believes in His invisible but ever-present help in prison and in a strange land, and ascribes to Him all his wisdom in the interpretation of dreams (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 41">xli.</abbr> 16). The Divine Promise of a great future Abraham believed under circumstances of greatest trial, and his faith was counted to him for righteousness (<abbr title="Romans">Rom.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 4">iv.</abbr> 3). Moreover the God of the Patriarchs was no mere “national or household God.” His sphere of operation was not restricted to the Patriarchs and their families; He is the God of all the earth (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 24">xxiv.</abbr> 3), the God of Righteousness and Holiness. He punishes the people of Sodom and Gomorrah (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 19">xix.</abbr> 24, 25); He plagues Pharaoh’s house (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 12">xii.</abbr> 17); He is the God of the priest-king Melchizedek (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 14">xiv.</abbr> 18), and of the Philistine Abimelech (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 20">xx.</abbr> 3); He protects not only Isaac the “child of promise,” but the outcast Ishmael the “child of the bondwoman” (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 21">xxi.</abbr> 13); He is with Joseph in prison, but He sends dreams to Pharaoh, and through Joseph He saves Egypt from famine (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 50">l.</abbr> 20). v. The Religious Worship of the Patriarchs was in keeping with the simplicity of their creed. The head of the family was also the priest of the family. Whenever Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob, reached any new spot in their pilgrimage, they invariably erected an altar, generally of stone and on a high situation (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 22">xxii.</abbr> 9; <abbr title="chapter 26">xxvi.</abbr> 25; <abbr title="chapter 35">xxxv.</abbr> 7); there they called on the name of Jehovah, there they presented their burnt sacrifice, there they offered up their prayers. Their history also proves the existence of offering covenant-sacrifices, and celebrating covenant-feasts (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 15">xv.</abbr> 9<abbr title="through">–</abbr>18; <abbr title="chapter 21">xxi.</abbr> 32); the making and paying of vows (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 28">xxviii.</abbr> 23); the erection of memorial pillars, and the consecration of them by pouring upon them oil and wine (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 28">xxviii.</abbr> 18); the rite of circumcision (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 17">xvii.</abbr> 10<abbr title="through">–</abbr>14); and the paying of tithes (<abbr title="Genesis">Gen.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 14">xiv.</abbr> 20)49. vi. The Character of the Patriarchs is never represented as perfect, their faults are freely exposed, theirs is no ideal history. If we compare the four most eminent amongst them, we seem to trace in (i) Abraham, “the faith that can remove mountains” in its power and in its fulness, revealing itself in unfaltering trust and unquestioning obedience under the most trying circumstances conceivable; in (ii) Isaac, the faith that can possess itself in patience, and discharge the ordinary duties of life in quietness and waiting; in (iii) Jacob, the violent contest of faith with the flesh, the higher with the lower nature, till by hard discipline the latter is purified, and the “Supplanter” becomes the “Prince,” the “Prevailer with God;” in (iv) Joseph, the fidelity and perseverance of faith, revealed not only in the patient endurance of the most grievous trials, but in energetic action, and at length crowned with victory. “He unites in himself the noble trust and resolution of Abraham, with the quiet perseverance of Isaac, and the careful prudence of Jacob.” He is moreover an eminent historic type of Christ, in (1) his persecution and sale by his brethren, (2) his resisting temptation, (3) his humiliation and exaltation, (4) his dispensing to a famine-stricken people the bread of life, (5) in the fulness of his forgiving love50. <hr class="chap_50" /> <h2 class="vm_30 h2head"> BOOK <abbr title="3">III.</abbr> FROM THE SETTLEMENT OF THE ISRAELITES IN EGYPT TO THE GIVING OF THE LAW.</h2>  <ANTIMG class="image_066 quobrk" alt="" src="images/i_b076b.jpg" /> A MAP OF CANAAN, EGYPT & SINAI to illustrate the PATRIARCHAL HISTORY and THE EXODUS. Stanford’s Geographical Establishment London: Macmillan & Co. <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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