Scofield Reference Notes Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: [1] Now the Lord
The Fourth Dispensation: Promise. For Abraham, and his descendants it is evident that the Abrahamic Covenant See Scofield Note: "Gen 15:18" made a great change. They became distinctively the heirs of promise. That covenant is wholly gracious and unconditional. The descendants of Abraham had but to abide in their own land to inherit every blessing. In Egypt they lost their blessings, but not their covenant. The Dispensation of Promise ended when Israel rashly accepted the law Ex 19:8. Grace had prepared a deliverer (Moses), provided a sacrifice for the guilty, and by divine power brought them out of bondage Ex 19:4 but at Sinai they exchanged grace for law. The Dispensation of Promise extends from Gen 12.1 to Ex 19.8, and was exclusively Israelitish. The dispensation must be distinguished from the covenant. The former is a mode of testing; the latter is everlasting because unconditional. The law did not abrogate the Abrahamic Covenant Gal 3:15-18 but was an intermediate disciplinary dealing "till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made" Gal 3:19-29 4:1-7. Only the dispensation, as a testing of Israel, ended at the giving of the law. See, for the other six dispensations: See Scofield Note: "Gen 8:21". INNOCENCE (Gen 1:28) CONSCIENCE (Gen 3:23) HUMAN GOVERNMENT (Gen 8.21) LAW (Ex 19.8) GRACE (Jn 1.17) KINGDOM (Eph 1.10) 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: [2] And
For analysis and summary of the Abrahamic Covenant, See Scofield Note: "Gen 15.18". And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.
And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.
And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him. Margin appeared
The theophanies. Gen 17:1 12:7 Rev 1:10. And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD. [1] Beth-el
One of the sacred places of Canaan, meaning, house of God Gen 28:1-22, See Scofield Note: "Gen 35:7". It is characteristic of all apostasy that Jeroboam chose this sacred place in which to erect an idol 1Ki 12:28,32. (Cf) 1Ki 13:1-5 and of divine judgment upon apostasy that God should decree the destruction of Bethel, despite its sacred memories 1Ki 13:1-5 2Ki 23:15-17 Amos 3:14,15. God never hesitates to cast aside that which no longer serves His purpose Rev 2:5 3:16. And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.
And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land. [2] famine
A famine was often a disciplinary testing of God's people in the land. (Cf) Gen 26:1 42:5 Ruth 1:1 2Sam 24:13 Ps 105:16. The resort to Egypt (the world) is typical of the tendency to substitute for lost spiritual power the fleshly resources of the world, instead of seeking, through confession and amendment, the restoration of God's presence and favour. And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:
Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.
Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.
And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.
The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.
And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.
And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife.
And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?
Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.
And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had. Scofield Reference Notes by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield [1917] Bible Hub |
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