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the most knowing-were needful to impress the fact upon human minds. And, therefore, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that truth came in manifold ways. It was burnt into their memories, their imaginations, and their hearts; and the patriarchs of Israel, Divinely taught, were the sources of that deep, strong faith in God, which, amidst aberrations and perversions, stamped a distinguishing character upon their whole race.

The last words of Joseph contained a Divine prophecy: "And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which He sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob."1 A brighter light than that of nature, which fell upon the father's eyes at the hour of life's sunset, also illuminated the eventide of his son. That light revealed a continued gracious purpose in the mind of God.

Before we close this chapter, it is fitting we should notice how the Divine selection of instruments for the accomplishment of gracious purposes plainly narrows, and becomes more particular and specific, as time rolls on. What a great scholar has remarked for another reason applies here.

"Thus (1), after the Noachic deluge the author fixes the origin of existing nations: he separates off all the numerous nations not belonging to the race that leads down to Israel (Gen. x.), and even arranges these in such a manner as to come in order from the most distant (Japhet) to the nearer (Ham), and the nearest (Shem). Not till then follows the series of generations leading down to Terah and Abraham (Gen. xi. 10-26), to which is attached the detailed history of Abraham. In like 1 Gen. 1. 24.

manner (2), he first separates off all Terah's and Abraham's descendants who do not lead down to Isaac's family, especially Ishmael (xxv. 12—18); and not till then does the history of Isaac and his sons appear on its own account (xxv. 19, sqq.). (3) Thirdly, and lastly, he separates off Esau (xxxvi.), so that at last Israel is left quite alone as father of the race, with his sons representing the people-the single great subject of the narrative (xxxvii. 2, sqq.).” 1

1

And to this we add, that in Jacob's dying prophecy there appears a further application of the same principle of selection: for in that prophecy Judah is seen, if not separated from, yet raised above his brethren, while one connected with him, the Shiloh of a future age, is presented in unique majesty and glory as concentrating in himself the hope, trust, and obedience of men.

1 Ewald, History of Israel, i. 80.

CHAPTER VI.

PATRIARCHAL KNOWLEDGE OUTSIDE THE CHOSEN

M

FAMILY.

ELCHISEDEC here comes before us. The name means "king of righteousness." He was really king of Salem, and he is described as "priest of the Most High God." No kinship whatever appears between him and Abraham, and he probably belonged to one of the races which at the time inhabited the land of Canaan. The references which are made to him afterwards in Scripture invest him with singular interest and importance; but without anticipating any of those references, enough appears in the book of Genesis to show that he occupied a high position, both in a civil and religious point of view. The words which he addressed to the patriarch prove that, though not of the patriarchal stock, he shared in the patriarchal faith. "Blessed be Abraham of the Most High God, possessor of heaven and earth, and blessed be the Most High God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand."1 Whether this remarkable man acquired his knowledge of the true God by tradition from his ancestors, or by intercourse with Abraham, or by immediate Divine teaching, it is vain to conjecture, and impossible to determine.

Job is a prominent figure in this part of our history. Whatever be the opinion formed as to the age

1 Gen. xiv. 18-20.

and authorship of the Book of Job, there can be no legitimate doubt of its canonicity and inspiration; nor is there room for any hesitation, in receiving the narrative and dialogue as a true picture of early patriarchal piety outside the circle of the Israelitish race. "All critics concur in extolling the fresh antique simplicity of manners described in this Book, the genuine air of the wild, free, vigorous life of the desert, the stamp of hoar antiquity, and the thorough consistency in the development of characters, equally remarkable for originality and force." Though not one of the house of Jacob, it is probable that Job was descended from Abraham through Ishmael, or through Esau. "He was the head of a great family, successful in war, prosperous in peace, supplied abundantly with the necessaries of life, and enjoying many of its luxuries; he lived near the great cities on the Euphrates and Tigris, and on the route of the caravans, which at the remotest periods exchanged the productions of Egypt and the far East, and had therefore opportunities of procuring information from those merchants, supposing that he did not himself visit a country so full of interest to a thoughtful mind."2 Neither Job nor his friends make any allusion to the Exodus, or to any other events in the age of Moses, or to any name or incidents connected with the Abrahamic line. Yet numerous references to city life and to advancing civilization arise in remarks by different speakers; and both these characteristics of the Book accord with the age to which we assign the life of the man of Uz; and also with the place itself, situated as it was outside the range of the covenanted relationships with Abraham and his sons. 1 Smith's Dictionary of the Bible. Art. Job.

2 Ibid.

There is a reference to the flood in chapter xxii. 16, which goes as far as we may suppose the knowledge of any of the descendants of Shem would extend, and no further. We may speak of the patriarchal economy of religion, described in the Bible, as having existed under two forms.

First, in Abraham's chosen family, through the line of Isaac and Jacob, in a form which developed under Divine inspiration vouchsafed to favoured individuals. That advance has occupied and will occupy our attention.

Secondly, in the case of Melchisedec and Job, and of others hereafter to be noticed. This outside form of patriarchal faith did not advance and improve like the other, but declined and decayed-ultimately it almost entirely died away.

Discussions as to the author and the scope of the Book of Job have been so numerous, and cover such a wide field of Biblical literature, that it is impossible here satisfactorily to enter upon them, nor is it requisite for the purpose we have in view. To ascertain, as far as we can, what amount of Divine knowledge was vouchsafed to the men of Uz in patriarchal days is all we have to do. And in studying this question we must confine ourselves to what is said by the persons who take part in the dialogue. The wonderful account in the first chapter of a conversation between the Almighty and the spirit of evil proceeds entirely from the author of the Book, whoever he was, whose apprehension of the invisible world probably far exceeded that of Job and his friends. Therefore we must not use that portion of the narrative for the purpose of measuring the extent of their religious information.

One impression made by the accusations and replies

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