the Judge of all the earth not going to do what is right?” Abraham showed himself the right kind of family head, whether it involved the use of weapons of war or prayer to God!—Gen. 14:13-16; 18:25; Num. 21:14.

Far from being the henpecked husband that some higher critics insinuate he was, Abraham was addressed by Sarah his wife as “lord.” More than that, she readily fell in line with his suggestion that she represent herself as his sister in order to save the life of her husband. Since Abraham is nowhere censured for pursuing this strategy, and since in both instances that he pursued this course Jehovah maneuvered matters to protect Sarah from harm, we are precluded from finding fault with Abraham on this score. Both Abraham and Sarah recognized the fact that in their day women were considered expendable.—Gen. 18:12; 12:11-20; 1 Pet. 3:6.

PROPHETIC FEATURES

Abraham’s exemplary life also serves as a light to our roadway in that it was filled with prophetic significance. Repeatedly he is used to picture Jehovah God. Thus Abraham’s name being made great and his becoming a blessing pictured that Jehovah would make his own name great and that He would be a blessing.—Gen. 12:2; Mal. 1:11.

Further, even as Sarah continued long barren, so God’s heavenly Jerusalem, his wifelike organization, continued long barren, until she produced Jesus as the anointed ‘seed of the woman.’ And as Abraham upon two occasions hid his relationship to Sarah, so it has seemed as though Jehovah God had denied his wifely organization or hid his relationship to her for a long period of time, tempting Satan’s agents to violate her representatives upon earth.—Isa. 54:1-8.

As Abraham had two sons by two women, so Jehovah God has had two peoples, the natural Jews by an earthly organization and the spiritual Jews by a heavenly organization, Jerusalem from above. As Hagar, the bondmaid, served in a temporary capacity, so the nation of Israel, in bondage to the law covenant, served in a temporary capacity. As Sarah, the free woman, brought forth the promised seed, so the free heavenly Jerusalem brought forth the promised Heir.—Gal. 4:21-31.

Abraham’s offering up his son Isaac pictured that Jehovah would offer up his only-begotten Son. And finally his sending forth Eliezer to procure a bride for Isaac pictured that Jehovah would send forth his holy spirit, beginning with Pentecost, to procure a spiritual bride for his Son.—John 3:16; Gal. 3:16.

Truly the Bible’s record of the lives of such men as Abraham underscores the fact that it is indeed a lamp to our foot and a light to our roadway!

“Church Depending on Lifts by the State”

Under the heading quoted above writer Bo Stromstedt, in the Stockholm Expressen, January 6, 1959, concluded an article on the discussion as to whether State and Church ought to separate, as follows: “It cannot be helped; it certainly would make a cleaner look, and at the same time be the only proper thing from the viewpoint of the law about religious freedom, if the Church would once for all give up the thought of getting lifts by the State’s old horse and would instead dare to embark ‘alone in fragile vessel’, as all other denominations must do. With the fare paid all by herself.”