Genesis Vol 3.pdf - College Press

THE PILGRIMAGE OF FAITH 12 : 1-20
knowledge, the mere name of a country several hundred
miles distant would convey almost 17.0 idea of the country
itself. In our own time, even, of how many an emigrant
on his way to America it might well be said, ‘Ne knows not
whither he is going.”’ (Cf. Heb. 11:8). Again: “Gen.
11 : 3 1 merely shows that Abraham’s destination was known
to Moses writing at a later date.” The same is true of 12: J.
McClear (COTH, 28 : 3 1 ) : “This country, the future
home of the great nation destined to spring from Abram’s
loins, was in many respects eminently adapted for its
special mission in the history of the world. In extent,
indeed, it was but a narrow strip of country, but a little
larger than the six northern counties of England, being
nearly 180 miles in length, and 75 miles in breadth, and
having an area of about 13,600 English square miles.
Bounded on the west by the Mediterranean Sea, on the
north by the mountains of Lebanon, on the east by the
Syrian desert, on the south by the wilderness of Arabia, it
was situated at the meeting-point of the two continents of
Asia and Africa, ‘on the very outpost, on the extremest
western edge of the East.’ It was a secluded land.
A
wilderness encompassed it on the east and south, mountains
shut it in on the north, and the ‘Great Sea’ which washed
its western shore was the terror rather than the thorough-
fare of ancient nations. Unlike the coast of Europe, and
especially of Greece, it had no indentations, no winding
creeks, no deep havens, but one small port-that of Joppa
-with which to tempt the mariner from the west. But
while thus eminently adapted to be the ‘silent and retired
nursery of the Kingdom of God,’ it was in the very centre
of the activity of the ancient world, iiz the midst of the
izatioim, an?d the couiztries that were rou1i.d about it (Ezek.
J:J). On the south was the great empire of Egypt, on
the northeast the rising kingdom of Assyria. Neither of
these great nations could communicate with the other
without passing through Palestine, and so learning some-
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