1. Patriarchal Age of the World

The world has its infancy just like man. Families came before nations. Family worship was, therefore, the first religious institution.

At the head of this institution naturally stood the father of every family. Out of necessity and by choice, he was the prophet, the priest, and the king of his household. As a prophet, he taught his household about God and the history of humanity. As a priest, he led worship at the family altar, interceded for those under his care, and pronounced blessings on his children. As a lawgiver and king, he commanded his children and servants and rewarded them according to merit. By divine ordinance, the first fathers of mankind were thus made prophets, priests, and kings. Hence, the first religious and political institution is properly called 'the Patriarchal.'

Family worship was, then, the first social worship; and during the early ages of the world (for at least 2,500 years) it was the only social worship with divine authority. Though other institutions have since been added, this has never been replaced. Having its foundation in the marriage covenant, the oldest of all religious and political institutions, and this being based on nature itself, it can never be superseded. While the forms of this worship have always been adapted to the spirit of the various revelations of God given to mankind, it has continued through all the changes of six thousand years and will continue until the day when people, like angels of God, will neither marry nor be given in marriage.

Family worship, as long as it remained the only social worship, underwent no significant change; and this is the period properly called the Patriarchal age of the world. As long as the descendants of one man and one woman remained under the paternal roof, or until they became heads of families themselves, they remained under this religious and political administration. And if, after marriage, they did not move far from the family inheritance, the paternal authority was still acknowledged and accepted. Thus, over time, the one who was initially only the head of a single family, if he lived long and his descendants multiplied, became the paternal prince or chief patriarch of a tribe.

In the early days of humanity and the freshness of human nature, families quickly became large; and since the father and head could not always be present while he lived, and might die before all his children became heads of families, it became necessary to appoint a substitute in his absence and a successor in case of his early death to manage the family's affairs. Nature and reason both pointed to the firstborn son, and religion consecrated him as his deputy. Hence, the privileges and honors of the firstborn son were both religious and political; and thus the duties assigned to him gave him the right to a double portion of the inheritance. Esau was, therefore, both wasteful and disrespectful in selling his birthright for a meal of stew.

The antiquity of this arrangement appears from the envy and jealousy of Cain, stirred by the rejection of his offering and the acceptance of Abel's. That jealousy seems to have been inflamed because of his birthright. This is fairly implied in God's address to Cain, when that address is properly translated and understood. "If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And (Abel will be subject to you) his desire will be for you, and you will rule over him."²

The moral and religious institutions of the patriarchal or family worship, which continued from the fall of Adam to the covenant of circumcision, were the Sabbath, the service of the altar, oral instruction, prayer, praise, and blessing. With the addition of circumcision in the family of one patriarch, these were the parts of that system which lasted for two thousand five hundred years.

The religious observance of weeks or Sabbaths in remembrance of Creation, and in anticipation of an eternal rest arising from the sacrificial and symbolic institution, was faithfully observed until the giving of the law or the establishment of the Jewish institution. Thus the law of the Sabbath begins with the words, "Remember the Sabbath." The righteous always remembered the weeks and regarded the end of the week as holy to the Lord. Hence, even after the apostasy, which led to neglect of family worship due to the sons of God intermarrying with the daughters of men, and which brought a flood of water upon the ungodly world — we find Noah faithfully counting his weeks even while confined in the ark. In the wilderness of Sin, before the giving of the law, we also find the Jews observing the Sabbath. And to help them observe it, God performed three special miracles during Israel's wanderings. He provided two days' worth of manna on the sixth day — none on the seventh — and preserved from spoilage the portion set aside for the Sabbath.³

Sin offerings and thank offerings, on altars made of both stone and earth, were presented to the Lord — the former in faith of the promise concerning the crushing of the serpent's head by the offspring of the woman — the latter in grateful acknowledgment of God's goodness in creation and providence. Cain, without faith in the promised redemption, like many deists and natural religionists today, acknowledged God's goodness and care by a thank offering; but Abel, by faith in that promise, not only offered his thank offering but also a lamb as a sin offering: therefore, while God did not accept Cain's offering without faith in that promise, He showed favor to the gifts of Abel — He accepted his sin offering and his thank offering.

In the very brief and general outlines of almost two thousand five hundred years given us in the book of Genesis, we find several references to this part of the patriarchal institution. Immediately after leaving the ark, we find Noah building his altar on the cleansed earth and offering whole burnt offerings of every clean bird and beast to the Lord. Thus Noah began, after the flood, to worship the Lord according to the patriarchal institution. And thus we find Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Job, and other patriarchs presenting their sacrifices to the Lord, while family worship was the only religious institution in the world.

Even libations, drink offerings, and anointing as signs of gratitude and consecration are found in this most ancient and venerable institution. "Jacob rose early in the morning, took the stone he had used for his pillow, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it."⁴ "And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where God spoke with him, even a pillar of stone, and he poured a drink offering on it, and poured oil on it."⁵

A beautiful and instructive example of ancient family worship, and of the priestly functions exercised by the patriarchs in relation to the altar, is found in that most ancient of books, believed by many to have been written by Moses while in the land of Midian; but according to others, by Job himself, who was certainly contemporary with Eliphaz the Temanite. Eliphaz was the son of Teman, who was the son of Eliphaz, who was the first son of Esau, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham. He therefore lived before Moses. Thus we find him also serving at the altar. We are told that "his sons went and feasted in each other's houses, each on his day, and sent and invited their sisters to eat and drink with them. And it happened that when the days of their feasting had passed, Job sent and consecrated them, and rose early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts. Thus Job acted continually."⁶

The same Job, by divine appointment, acted as priest or intercessor on behalf of his three friends, princes of Edom: for having spoken wrongly, they were commanded to take seven bulls and seven rams and go to Job, the servant of God, and offer them for themselves; and "Job my servant shall pray for you." "Job prayed for them, and the Lord accepted his prayer and forgave Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar." "The Lord also accepted and blessed Job after he had prayed for these his friends, and the Lord restored Job's fortunes."⁷

During this period of the world, there was only one high or general priest, specially called and sent by God. "He was King of Salem and Priest of the Most High God." To him the patriarch Abraham paid tithes or gave a tenth of the spoils taken in war, and Melchizedek blessed him. He was of a unique order. He had no predecessor, successor, or equal in the age of family worship.

From all these facts and records we learn that the service of the altar belonged first to the father of the family — next, to his eldest son — that it consisted of presenting sin offerings and thank offerings of various kinds on behalf of himself or family — that all pious sons and individuals might for themselves build altars, offer sacrifices, and pour out libations and thank offerings to the Lord; — that these sacrificial observances were generally, if not always, accompanied by prayer, intercession, and thanksgiving; — and that intercession on behalf of those under the care of any father or patriarch was part of the original institution.

Blessing was also one of the first duties of this office. Fathers pronounced blessings on their children. Elders and superiors blessed those younger or lower in rank. Melchizedek blessed Abraham, Isaac blessed Jacob, and Jacob blessed the twelve patriarchs. The invocation of blessings and the laying on of hands on the head were parts of the family worship institution. Concerning prayer and praise, since we cannot imagine a religion without them, it is unnecessary to speak specifically of them as parts of the patriarchal institution. Jubal soon taught people to play the harp and organ, and piety quickly dedicated them to the praise of God. The melodies of nature soon taught people to tune their voices to God. Isaac went into the fields at evening for private prayer. Abraham interceded for Sodom until he was ashamed to press his requests further; and for Abimelech, king of Egypt, and his family, he made his requests to God. Of him and his patriarchal character God said, "I know Abraham that he will command his children, and his household after him, and they shall keep the ways of the Lord, to do justice and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he has spoken of him."8

Prophets of a public character were occasionally raised up to bring people back to the original simplicity of the patriarchal institution, as well as to lead them forward to the future developments of God's purposes regarding this work of redemption. Among these, the most notable were Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. To all of them were given new visions of the future, and thus they were all preachers of righteousness and reformers in their respective generations.

From these insights from the book of Genesis, one may learn that the family worship institution, which was divinely established in the first age of the world, included the observance of the Sabbath, the service of the altar, oral instruction, prayer, intercession, thanksgiving, and benediction. It recognized no other bond of union than the marriage covenant and the relationships arising from it. Doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God were emphasized in all its teachings and in the examples of those whom God honored and approved.

During the long period of this family institution, there was no community separated from the world larger than a single household—no public altars—no temples—no established order of public teachers; therefore, there were no initiating or separating institutions. There was no circumcision for the infant, nor washing of regeneration for the instructed. These institutions of later times related to public professing communities; and therefore, for two thousand years there was no initiating rite or ordinance among people.

Wherever the family tents were set up, the devout father built his own altar to the Lord, gathered his own children and servants around him, instructed them in the knowledge of God, the creator and preserver of all; and in the history of humanity, its origin and destiny, as far as revealed to them. They offered their thank offerings, acknowledgments of favors received; and when conscious of sin, they presented their sin offering, with confessions, and in faith of God's promise, asked for pardon. Such are the essential attributes of the patriarchal institution and family worship, as learned from the writings of Moses.

But since the root of all subsequent dispensations of God's mercy and favor to humanity was planted in the patriarchal institution, it is necessary for our plan, before we proceed further, to pay some attention to one of the patriarchs, whose fame is eternal, on whom God bestowed an honor above all earthly honor, and who stands recorded in the annals of time as the friend of God. The intelligent reader needs no introduction to the fact that we now focus especially on Abraham.

Abraham

Reader, pay attention! "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob: this is my name forever, and this is my memorial to all generations." And should not the name, the calling, the blessing, and the history of Abraham always occupy a large place in the records of God's governance of humanity, and in all the details of his redemption!

Because of his unprecedented faith in God's promises and exalted piety, he was made the father of all believers; and his whole life is presented as a model for all the children of God, as far as walking by faith in God's promises is a mark of human character.

Sufficient for our present purpose, we observe that during the family worship institution, a little after the start of the third millennium, about the 75th year of his life, God appeared to Abraham while he still lived in Ur of Chaldea, and commanded him to leave that country, and that He would do certain things for him. Abraham obeyed. God freely offered him two promises, not only important and valuable to Abraham himself, but to all humanity.

These two promises were intended to be the basis of a two-fold relationship to God, and the foundation of two distinct religious institutions, called "the Old Testament and the New," "the Old Covenant and the New," "the Two Covenants," and "the Covenants of Promise." These contemplate the constitution of a temporal and spiritual kingdom of God—a kingdom of God of this world, and a kingdom of God not of this world. Therefore, always remember, when we try to form correct views of the whole plan of God's redemption, that these two promises were made while the patriarchal institution was still in place and several centuries before its end. What, then, it will be asked, are these two promises?

Two Promises?

We find them in their simplest form at the beginning of the 12th chapter of Genesis.

The first — "I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, curse those who curse you."

The second — "In you all the families of the earth will be blessed."

These promises, when fully developed, contained numerous blessings. They are, however, in all their details separate and distinct from each other. Abraham's family alone is personally concerned in the first—all families of the earth in the second. Temporal and earthly are the blessings of the former—spiritual and eternal are the blessings of the latter. Paul calls the second, "The gospel preached to Abraham," and "The covenant confirmed by God in reference to the Messiah, four hundred and thirty years before the giving of the law." The Jewish kingdom in all its glory was but the development of the first—the Christian kingdom in its present and future blessings is the fulfillment of the second.

Covenant of Circumcision

In fulfillment of the first promise, and to ensure its exact and literal accomplishment, about twenty-four years after its announcement, the "Covenant of Circumcision" was established. This "covenant in the flesh" marked and defined the natural descendants of Abraham, and gave the world full proof of God's faithfulness, putting it within everyone's power to see how God keeps his covenant of promise with his people. This gave Abraham's descendants the title of "The Circumcision," and beautifully represented the separation of God's people from the children of this world.

The land of Canaan, as the inheritance of this nation, is repeatedly promised to Abraham; and as soon as Isaac, the child of promise, is born and circumcised, the promise of the "seed" in whom all nations were to be blessed is confined to him. Not in Ishmael, but "in Isaac, shall your seed be called."9

After Abraham's death and toward the end of Isaac's life, his father's God gave him a second version of these two promises. The first is considerably expanded in its details, while the second is repeated almost in the same words. That which was first to be fulfilled is first developed, and its provisions pointed out. "I will be with you and will bless you; for to you and your descendants I will give all these lands, and I will fulfill all the oath which I swore to Abraham your father; and will make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven, and will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed: because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws."10

The same two promises are repeated in almost the same words to Jacob, Isaac's son, at the time he had the vision of the ladder reaching from earth to heaven, while, obeying a command given by his parents, he was on his way to Padan-aram in search of a wife. On these three great occasions—to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob—these two promises are solemnly declared; always in the same order—never confused; but as distinct as earth and heaven—as time and eternity.

Four hundred and thirty years after the first solemn declaration of these promises, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, by virtue of the promise, were redeemed from bondage in Egypt and saved from the tyranny and cruelty of Pharaoh. Then, to fully complete its terms, God, through Moses, proposed a covenant with all Israel at Sinai; in which He guarantees to do all that was promised, confirmed by an oath to Abraham, in being a God to his descendants after him.

Sinaitic Covenant

This Sinai covenant made them a kingdom of God, a holy nation, a special people. All the blessings included in the first promise to Abraham, or that could arise from the relationship to God it contemplated, were fully detailed in this transaction and secured to the whole nation. The relationship was, however, temporal, and its blessings temporal and earthly. The second promise was not part of the Jewish institution or covenant at Sinai, no more than it was part of the patriarchal or earlier institution. The typical or symbolic part of the family worship, enlarged and improved, was transferred into the national institution and made part of it; and whatever spiritual privilege the Jew enjoyed was enjoyed on the same principle as the patriarch—by faith in the second promise, and by an intelligent and believing participation in all the appointed means which either foreshadowed the coming redemption or realized the blessings to be derived through the promised seed. The seed through which all the families of the earth were to be blessed was in the nation, but only in the sense that it was in the people while in Egypt, or in the patriarchs before they went down into Egypt. It was in the nation, but not as part of the national institution. They had the second promise made to their fathers, and all the faithful and approved among them believed that promise and acted accordingly. Thus, among the Jews, even before the coming of the Messiah, there were

Two Seeds

The natural and the spiritual children of Abraham. The whole nation were his literal and natural children; and those among them who believed the second promise and understood it were not only his natural children but his children in the same way that all believing Gentiles are, by virtue of the second promise, considered the children of Abraham. The first, like Ishmael, were born according to the flesh — the physical seed of Abraham; the second, like Isaac, were the children of faith in the promise: and thus Abraham is the appointed father of all who believe in that promise, whether they are of his flesh or not.

But the second promise was not fulfilled for nearly one thousand five hundred years after the first, or after the national institution was confirmed at Sinai; and therefore

The Blessings of Abraham

Which were to come on the nations through his seed, through faith in the fulfilled promises, was to be the foundation and substance of a new institution. This "blessing of Abraham" includes all the spiritual and eternal blessings that are laid up in his seed, who is the ark of this new constitution, in whom all the promises of God are confirmed, and in whom they are kept for the comfort and salvation of all the faithful children of God. Whatever concerned Abraham’s family, coming through the first promise, descended upon the family principle which is only flesh; but whatever concerns all believers of all nations descends upon the new principle of faith. "Those who are of faith," says Paul, "are blessed with believing Abraham." And "If you belong to Christ," then and only then, "you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise."

The blessing of Abraham was then promised in the patriarchal age before the Jewish national institution, and independent of it; therefore that institution cannot affect, much less cancel, the blessings promised in the covenant, confirmed earlier by God, concerning the Messiah, in the time of family worship, and four hundred and thirty years before the Jewish institution began.

In calling Abraham, and making him the father of many nations, and the keeper of even more precious promises and revelations, God did not replace the family worship. He only added to the body of religious knowledge, strengthened the faith, and expanded the hopes of that single family. The family institution continued without the slightest change, except in one particular specified in the covenant of circumcision, as it related to Abraham’s single family, for four hundred and thirty years after the charter concerning his seed and that concerning the Messiah were secured to this renowned patriarch. Thus, we have traced the continuation of the family religion, or patriarchal economy, for two thousand five hundred years, and are now ready to make a few remarks on the Jewish national institution, though we have already anticipated almost everything necessary for our present purpose. Still, however, we will give it a separate consideration. (See Next Essay)