and Israel the Son of Isaac, born by the will of God from the barren womb of Rebekah, Sarah's daughter-in-law, in answer to the prayer of faith.

Then yet again some years later when Abraham lifted up the cruel knife to slay Isaac his beloved son, whatever meaning the trial had for those two, it spoke to God the Father and His Beloved Son of the fearful day when for the redemption of the world He would actually watch His Beloved Son suffer and die upon the cruel cross amid the jeers of the wicked.

Finally the history of Joseph's journey via the cruel pit to the government of Egypt in spite of his brethren's contempt, must have comforted our Lord on His journey from Heaven via Nazareth, the contempt of His brethren, the Cross and Hades, to the Government of the Universe on His Father's Throne.

On the other side of the picture Abraham's unfortunate marriage to Keturah, Isaac's disobedient determination to bless Esau, and Jacob's dreadful deception of his father, all spoke of the great difficulties, disappointments and follies, which would mar the history both of Israel and the Church of God, despite their divine origin. Even the wonderful story of Joseph and his family at the head of the government of Egypt, which ended with the degradation and enslavement of Israel, till again all hope seemed to be lost, and another of God's plans to have come to disaster, was a foreshadowing of the unhappy history of the Christian Church, marred by internal strife and hatred and unbelief.

Yet out of it all from Enoch to Joseph can be discerned a line of spiritual giants, who in the midst of evil surroundings maintained their faith in a Living God, and saw His works, and were in later years to be part of the Foundation of His Eternal Kingdom.