y8 The Plan of the Ages.
yet in his possession; they had yet no offspring, and Abra- ham and Sarah were growing old. Abraham reasoned that he must help God to fulfil his promise ; so Ishmael was born. But his assistance was not needed, for in due time Isaac, the child of hope and promise, was born. Then it seemed that the promised ruler and blesser of nations had come. But no: years rolled by, and seemingly God's promise had failed; for Isaac died, and his heir, Jacob, also. But the faith of a few still held firmly to the promise, and was sustained by God; for "the covenant which he made with Abraham" was assured by God's "oath unto Isaac, and confirmed to Jacob . . . and to Israel for an everlasting covenant." i Chron. 16: 16, 17.
When at the time of Jacob's death his descendants were first called the TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL, and recognized of God as a "chosen nation" (Gen. 49 : 28; Deut 26 : 5), the expectation that this nation as a whole, as the promised seed of Abraham, should possess Canaan, and rule and bless the world, seemed to be on the eve of realization ; for already, under the favor of Egypt, they were becoming a strong nation. But hope was almost blasted and the prom- ise almost forgotten when the Egyptians, having gained control of them, held them as slaves for a long period.
Truly God's promises were shrouded in mystery, and his ways seemed past finding out. However, in due time came Moses, a great deliverer, by whose hand God led them out of bondage, working mighty miracles on their behalf. Before entering Canaan this great deliverer died; but as the Lord's mouthpiece he declared, "A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto inc." (Deut. 18 : 15 ; A&s 3 ; 22) This gave a further insight into God's plan, showing that not only would their nation, as a whole, be associated in some way with the future work of ruling and blessing, but that one to
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