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And now the Lord spoke to Abram
again in a vision, to comfort and encourage him. God promised to do
great and wonderful things for him at some future time, but not yet; for
He was pleased first to try Abram's faith and patience. One night,
God brought him out into the fields, and told him to look upwards.
The stars were shining brightly in the sky, and God told Abram to try to
count them; but there were more, many more, than Abram could number.
Then God said, "So shall thy seed be." Abram had yet no
children, but he believed God still. He felt sure, that the Lord
could and would do as He promised. This is an example of faith for
us. God speaks to us in the Bible, and all he says, we are to
believe. And those who truly believe, will be blessed with faithful
Abram. God promised Abram
that he should inherit the land of Canaan; and He told him what would
happen to his children, when he himself was dead. God commanded
Abram to take several animals, and to divide them in pieces, and offer
them in sacrifice, and when the birds came to devour the dead bodies of
these animals, Abram drove them away. That same night, God spoke to
Abram again, and told him, that his children should go into a strange
land, and be afflicted there; but that after 400 years, they should come
out of that land, with great riches, and possess all the country of
Canaan. And when it was dark, Abram saw, in vision, a smoking
furnace, and a burning lamp, which passed between the pieces of the
sacrifice, which Abram had offered at God's command. What
was the meaning of this? Perhaps the vision was meant to teach
Abram, what should happen to his children, in that strange land to which
they were going. The smoking furnace might teach him that they would
be afflicted; and the bright lamp might teach him that they would be
comforted. God often afflicts his people, but He always comforts
them too; and so, as we shall soon see, He afflicted and comforted Abram's
children, the people of Israel in the land of Egypt.
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