The Globe-republican., 1894-03-30
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
International Lesson for April 4. 1S94
Jacobs Prevailing PRAYER Gen. 81,

I Jacobs Prevailing PRAYER Gen. 81,
Ole, $3.50.
/ Especially Arranged from Peloubet's Notes]
GOLDEN TEXT will not let thee go, except
thou bless ulc.-Gen- ed
TINE-The twenty or forty years Of Jacobs
life at his uncle Laban's The common reckon
Ing from Gen. 81 :3Sii, makes the period twenty
years. But Dr. kernicott thinks that the
twenty years mentioned in the two verses are
not the same years; but that the verses should
read: "One twenty years l was with thee a. E..
taking care Of thy locks, but not in thy house):
another twenty years was for myself in thy
house. serving thee fourteen years for thy two
daughters, and six years for thy cattle" This
would make his stay with Laban forty years
The twenty years belong either here or be-
tween the sale Of the birthright and It's bestow-
al on Jacob so that the present date is the
same by either mode Of reckoning.
DArE-R c. 1859 or l7i0 Twenty or forty
years after the vision at Bethel our last regu-
lar lesson
PLACE.-Pcniel or Pcnuel Cthe face OF Cody.
on the north bank Of the stream Jabbok, which
enters the Jordan from the east, about half
way between the Dead sea and the Sea Of Gal.
lee Peniel was at the fords, probably some
fifteen or twenty miles east Of the Jordan
JACOB is now ninety seven years old He has
twelve children He has become richer than
his uncle Laban, and is on his way back to
Palestine.
lSAaS Is sun llNlES U 'OlluOs ICcOl0
man one hundred and fifty six years old I, Is
generally thought that Rchekah was not living
compare 1850 with Ss:s). Rebekah's nurse
would not probably have left her mistress
while she was living 10 join Jacobs family.
LESSON NOTES.
Life at Padan-Aram.-Afterh his vision
at Bethel. Jacob continued his long
journey to Mesopotamia. As he ap-
preached the town of Haran. he found
his cousin Rachel caring for her fathers
sheep. Rachel was probably twelve or
thirteen years old at this time (see
Conder's Tent Life in Palestine}. This
would make her nineteen or twenty at
the time of her marriage. Thus intro
duced. he enters the service of Laban,
marries his cousins Leah and Rachel,
and in course of time becomes the
father of eleven sons. Let us glance
at some of the helpful thoughts sug-
gested by thi period of Jacobs life.
The Expulsive Power Of Supreme
Affection. Jacobs seven years serv-
ice for Rachel seemed to him but
few days for the love he had
to her" This is the secret of
happy service everywhere. 1t is love
that makes life flow smoothly and
happily. 1t equally true of our service
of God; it is blessed when love to Him is
deep and strong Goethe's dying words
were: More light" Our words of life
are: more love"
Returning Home.-In some way God
spoke to Jacob, and summoned him to
return home (31:3). His present life
was but an episode, preparation. His
true position was that of heir of the
promises, the inheritor of the promised
land, the channel for the kingdom of
God. He must not stay too long away.
He may become perverted in his re-
ligious life. He had learned all he
could here. Jacob was becoming too
contented in that strange land. Like
Ulysses and his crew, he was in dan
ger of forgetting the land of his birth,
and the promises of which he was
heir."-Meyer. Circumstances pointed
in the same direction. Life with La
bans family was becoming q serious
trial. He could no longer live in peace
with him.
The Value Of Change.-For most
people some decisive change of life,
some breaking away from old scenes
and habits and associations, as by mar
riage, change of location or business,
often begins an era Of enlargement
and development.
The Hour Of Need.-Jacob left La
ban at Haran, and with his wives, chill
dren. and wealth and 1ocks. sent out
on his long journey Of four hundred
and fifty miles. He had many reasons
for anxiety. W He left Laban secret
ly, fearing that he would refuse to let
Rachel and Leah go with him, and
that his 1iocks and herds would be de-
tained He knows that Laban has
been dishonest with him, has changed
his wages ten times" and that alone
would make Laban dislike him. We
do not like those we have wronged.
Then he had indulged in many sharp
practices toward Laban. That also
would make Laban hostile to him.
Laban pursued after him, but finally
they made q covenant of peace, and
that danger was over. (2) His next
trouble was from his brother Esau.
who had become wealthy chieftain,
and whose territory lay between Jacob
and his hone. AS he drew near Pales-
tine, on his way to the fords of the
Jordan, he sent messengers to his
brother; but no answer was returned
save that Esau was coming to meet
him with four hundred trained SOL
diers. He was exceedingly afraid and
distressed. His family and fiocks had
no defense against such an attack. "a
brother offended is harder to be won
than strong city" Esau in bis wild
| life may have been one of those ''who
have broken all the commandments
/ and have been almost sorry there were
| not more commandments to break"
| 81 Remorse and guilt intensified his
anxiety and fear. He knew he had
wronged his brother. and even forty
years of absence could not wash the
fact away. Many of his past transac-
tions came before him and ''sat heavy
upon his soul"
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.