73
With each revelation, said Eber, God has given a sign. With Adam the sign was in the tree of knowledge, and with Noah in the cloud where the rainbow was fixed, to come forth with the sunshine after a storm, like the smile of God, for ever: as our Scripture saith, 'The waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh; and the bow shall be in the cloud: and this is the token of the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.' — Thus were finished the two first dispensations.
The third, said Havilah, was greater than either which had been given before. It was delivered to Abraham the faithful, who was no idolater, but an example of the true religion. He was beloved of God, and, according to his hope, were his sons Ismael and Isaac great and favored from Heaven; and according to his prayer was the mightiest of the prophets sent to confirm the true faith which was in early time given to him.
Even so, replied Eber, is he called in the Scriptures the friend of God, and the father of many nations; even so was it made known unto him that in his seed should the whole race of men be blessed; so that he rejoiced, as Christ
