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Esau was so angry when he found it out, he determined to kill Jacob as soon as his father was dead. Jacob and his mother were both sorry for what they had done, but it was too late. Jacob had to leave home and never saw his mother again. It doesn’t pay to lie and not trust God. Before Jacob left home, his father blessed him again, this time knowing Jacob was ready to do the right thing. At heart, Jacob loved God but was sure God needed his help in carrying out His plans. He was afraid to .trust all to G°d. His life was full of trouble for many years, until he learned to let God do things His way, as God’s way is always best. Jacob traveled a long way. Coming to a place in the country where he decided to spend the. night, he lay down with a stone for. a pillow and fell asleep. He dreamed a ladder was set up which reached to heaven, while angels went up and down it. God stood at the top, saying to him, verses 13-15 (read). When Jacob awoke, he was fright ened, saying, “God is in this place, and I didn’t know it.” His conscience hurt him. He built an altar, calling the place Bethel, saying, verses 20-22 (read). Not quite sure of God yet. Poor Jacob, many of us are just like him in this. Memory Verse: “Thou w ilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord forever, for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.” Isa. 26:3, 4. DECEMBER 16, 1023 JACOB’S EXPERIENCE AT HARAN Genesis, Chapters 29-31 Golden Text: ^ ‘1 am the God of Beth-el, where thou an- ointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me; now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.” (Gen. 31:13 ). Outline: (1) The Prodigal's Welcome,— in the Home of Laban. (2 ) The Patient Worker, and Penurious Employee. (3 ) The Providential Oversight, (the God of Israel). (4 ) The Parting and Peace Compact (Mizpah). Introduction: These three chapters should be read by the teacher and portions selected for the scholars to read. It is impossible to go into detail with these chapters, bui\ it is possible to tell the story and emphasize the main points. We are always to remember that but few people EXPOSITION know much of anything about Bible his tory, and should take nothing for granted. the foundation facts, we have done a good and lasting work. (1 ) THE PRODIGAL’S WELCOME. “Surely thou art my bone and my flesh” 29:14. ■ Jacob is discovering the law of deceit. He is to pay the price of playing the fool. There is a great law of God in the moral realm,— “What you sow, you reap.” God never sleeps. Judgment is sometimes slow, but always sure (Rom. 12:19). Jacob journeyed about 250 miles and found his mother’s home, and Laban, her brother. The story of the introduc tion of Jacob to the home is a unique love story, and calls to mind Eliezer’s experience in his search for a bride for Isaac: ' Here God proposes to train Jacob. He is to be subjected to teaching, testings and trials which are always essential in the moulding of men for higher and better service. God has His plans in human affairs and in individual lives. T. C. Horton we can incite our scholars to an interest in the Bible and lay deep in the hearts the
‘Be sure your sin will find you out.’ This message is writ large on every line of the story. All four found this out to their cost, as we see in the subsequent history of Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob and Esau. They were never the same af terwards, and their sins in some respects dogged their foot steps all the rest of their days. If only Isaac had realized this at the outset, how much he might have saved himself and his family!—W. H. Griffith Thomas. ‘The Lord reigneth.’ This is perhaps the chief and fun damental lesson of the whole story. It is utterly futile to suppose that we can thwart the Divine purpose. ‘There are many devices in a man’s heart; 'nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.’ (Prov. 19 :21 ).—W. H. Griffith Thomas. Chapter 28. v. 18—Then followed a four-fold assurance which must have been very precious to the soul of the fugitive— (a) The Divine Presence: ‘I am with thee’; (b) the Divine protection: ‘and will keep thee’; (c) the Divine preservation: ‘and will bring thee again into this land’; (d) the Divine promise: ‘I will not leave thee until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.’^ W . H. Griffith Thomas. In John 1:51 Christ is presented to us as the ladder that leads to God, as the medium between God and man, and man to God. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father but by Him (John 14 :6 ).— William Evans. |s|S
ELEMENTARY Kate II. Haus
Isaac had two sons, Esau a n d Jacob. God had decided that Ja cob was to get the older son’s blessing, because He k n e w that E s a u did not care for it; Esau w a s a v e r y worldly man, not caring to please God. When Isaac was very old, al- m o s t blind, he called E s a u to h im , s a y i n g ,
“Get me some venison, coqk it as I like it, and I will bless you before I die,.” '; Es.au went to find and kill a deer, to prepare the meal for his father. Rebekah heard Isaac, and being afraid that he would give Esau the blessing that ought to be given to Jacob, decided to make Isaac believe Jacob was Esau. She hurried, killed two kids, preparing a dainty dish of them for Jacob to bring his father. Jacob said, “My skin is smooth while Esau’s is hairy; father will know the difference.” So when the dish was ready, Rebekah dressed Jacob in Esau’s clothes, put the skins of the kids over Jacob’s hands and neck, gave him the meat, telling him to take it to his father. When his father asked his name, he lied and said “Esau; I have done what you wanted, and here is the m eat;. now eat, and bless me.” Isaac asked how he got it so quickly; Jacob lied again and said, God had helped him. Isaac again asked, “Are you my very son Esau?” Again Jacob lied, saying, “I am.” Then his father gave him the blessing God intended him to have, which he would have gotten in the right way, without lieing, if he had only trusted God.
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