November 1928
667
T h e
K i n g ' s
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the matter of giving his daughters in marriage. Jacob loved Rachel and “served seven years for her; and they seemed unto him but a few days for the love he had to her.” Leah was foisted on him, and he must needs marry them both to get the one he wanted. A large fam ily was the result of these marriages, eleven of the twelve patriarchs being born in Padan-Aram. The heel-catcher is in full control in the years of stock raising; and, as the work eventually is done on shares, Jacob contrives to get the strongest and best of the live stock for his .share. Consistently following his crafty-pol icy over ippietidd of years, his great genius as a ’breeder makes him immensely wealthy. He makes Laban wealthy, but himself more wealthy. Naturally this creates jealousy and hatred; and the time arrives when Jacob decides to leave Laban, and return to his old home in Canaan. Much interesting detail is omitted. The immense caravan pro ceeded from the East, and reached the territory tributary to the Jordan River. N e a r i n g their destination, the thought uppermost in Jacob’s mind is, how to meet Esau. How much has twenty years accomplished in healing the breach between them ? Is his brother still nursing his bit ter hatred against him ? What can he do to appease him ? The thoroughly humbled supplanter evolves an elaborate plan to get back, if possible, into the red man’s good graces. Five droves of live stock are arranged in order, in charge of competent servants, as presents to Esau, who, Jacob is informed, is coming to meet him, with a retinue of -four hundred men. B e th e l and P e ñ ie l All Jacob’s servants and his possessions pass on be fore; and the last to cross the ford Jabbok áre his wives and children, as evening draws on. The deceitful, tricky, heel-catcher is left solitary on the north side Jabbok,—and —it—is—night. Never, in all the years, had Jacob en joyed the peace of God: True, peace with God had been his valued possession for twenty years. He found that neither wealth nor human love could give him that abid ing peace, which comes only by complete surrender and submission to God. Furthermore, victories and revela tions come when men are ALONE with God. An angel wrestled with him. Was it the Angel of the Covenant, Jehovah, the Lord Jesüs Christ Himself? Night wore on; and the strange match continued. At break of day, the stranger yielded to the tenacious suppliant for spiritual blessing, but touched the latter’s thigh. With the end of the night came the end of Jacob; the heel-catcher gives place to the prince, and glorious victory crowns the earthly resident, when the heavenly visitor disappears. Israel is born. The halting leg is a perpetual reminder of the cost of heavenly attainments; for no man will be blessed of God without paying the price. Is it worth it? Every spiritual conqueror, from the beginning until now, will respond with one grand shout of assent. Now the meet ing with Esau, the remainder of the journey and all things else are made comparatively easy. Life for the victor of Peniel will never be the same again. Jehovah is hence forth to dominate the life. Failures there will be, but new overcoming'grace is at hand (Phil. 4:13). The rec onciliation with Esau,. the finish of the migration, the closing days and death of Isaac, and the burial by his two sons, are all familiar, and will not be entered into here. Every soul coming into relationship with God, has his Bethel and his Peniel. Through the one, comes the experience of salvation; through the other, complete sub mission. They may be experienced together or, as in
Give me the love that suffers and is kind, That envies not, nor vaunts its pride or fame, Is not puffed up, does no discourteous act, Is not provoked, nor seeks its own to claim. Give me the love that thinks no evil thought, Nor dwells complacent on another’s sin; But in the truth delights, and evermore Still seeks the erring to the truth to win. Give me the love that springs from holy faith, And still believes, although it cannot see;- That even for the hopeless hopes the best, And loves because o f what is yet to be. Give me the love that all things sweetly beams"1 Whate’er my Father’s hand may choose to send; Give me the love that patiently endures The wrongs that come from h u m a n foe or friend. There is but One can live and love like this; The Christ-love from the living Christ must ' spring ; 0 Jesus! ever live Thy life in me, And all Thy Heaven of love and blessing bring. Jacob’s case, many years apart. In his boyhood, Dr. Sam uel Johnson refused one day to tend the book stall for his sick father. Fifty years later, he stood with bared head in front of the old book stall, for one hour, in the pour ing rain, amid the scoffs and jeers of bystanders, as a mark of repentance. But, ah, it was too late; his father was dead. Esau, too, and many another has cried with bitter tears over an irreparable loss. How essential that we prepare our hearts ,unto our Bethel and Peniel and pass quickly and surely into our spiritual heritage! In 1864, a young deserter from the Union ranks, was given a letter by the great-hearted Lincoln, pardoning him, provided he returned to the ranks, and remained faithful. Lincoln’s letter was found on the body of the young man, killed in action, a year later, in the battle of Five Forks, Virginia. Devotion, submission, consecration character ize the true servant of Jesus Christ who has passed through his Peniel, and he covets no better reward than to be found faithful. The, young man who left home, under a cloud, unsaved, unhappy, forsaken, came back with something better than a material fortune, although he had that; he returned with untold spiritual wealth, peace, and security.
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