The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-09-15
Sunday Study.
JACOB A PRINCE WITH GOD.
4s5!1
~


JACOB A PRINCE WITH GOD.
The International Sunday school lesson
for Sept. 10. is found in Genesis xxxi, /
%. and covers many interesting events in
the life of Jacob The golden text is
from Luke xviii. l: Men ought always
to pray, and not to faint Besides the
lesson teachers. and students should read
the 18th and Slst chapters OF Genesis.
The story of Jacobs love for Rachel
shows Jacobs character at its best ana
Labans at its worst Jacob was evident
~ a man of energy, as is shown by his
conversation with the shepherds at The
Well and his prompt offer to serve for
his bride. His service was valuable 70
Laban, and that fact had quite as much
10 do with the deception which forced
Leah upon Jacob as the custom which
was alleged as excuse for the fraEd.
The eleven sons and one daughter who
were born to Jacob seemed to him as
much tokens of prosperity as the m
crease in his possessions which took
place later. But the story reveals a
jealousy between Jacobs wives and a 10 Y
idea Of the Sanctity OF marriage such as
always so with pelygamy.
isaac and Esau were still living in
Canaan, and Jacob could not Well go
back without property to maintain his
family SO he was ready to accept La
bans proposition that he remain longer.
The schemes he adopted for increasing
his own tiocks were in accordance with
the letter of the contract but were of
course close to the verge of dishonesty.
The jealousy of I4aban and his sons
was evident to jacob. but it. would have
been as dangerous for him to propose
going as 1t was to remain. The depart
IRE was made when Laban was absent;
but Jacob. travelling with his family and
Hocks, could net escape pursuit. The
F-yaT1f VIII
We're probably a considerable number of
armed men. sufficient to oveTpower ia cob.
The watching by Jehovah for which they
prayed was not as a sacred seal upon
friendship, but was to prevent their
WronSing each other while apart jacobs
fear in returning to-Canaan was that
ESau might still seek vengeance This
fear was incre ased by the news that Esau
was coming to meet his brother with
large company of armed men.
Despite the care with which Jacob had
made his arrangements to placate Esau
and to save as much as possible if at
tacheo, he felt nervous and uneasy and
after settling down for the night he start
ed up again and moved his family across
the Jabbok. The man" who wrestled
with him was not recognized at once as
a supernatural yisitant, but very likely
seemed to Jacob robber or an assassin
sent by ES3u. Jacobs wrestling was a
desperate struggle for his life. 1t was
only after a contest lasting almost all
night that the wrestler touched Jacobs
thigh and made him lame From that
time Jacob chung to the other for sup
port, and when the unknown wished. to
depart because DAY was at hand Jacob
perceived that 1t was a heavenly mes
senger with whom he had been strug-
elInG- Then came his petition for a bless-
ing, and in this petition determined as
It was. We find the reason for his prevail
ing. The change of Ja~ob's name was the
token Of his success. It was not the per
sistent striving, but the clinging and the
prayer that had given him the victory.
TIE name for which Jacob asked was IN
speakably sacred. God himself had been
face to face with the patriarch. as Jacob
recognized in naming the place The
blessing Jacob received was not merely
the escape from Esau's vengeance which
had been the first object of his prayers
IT included also something which NAV
be described as a new birth.
Inc account of Jacobs sosourn with
MS uncle. Laban, sets neither man be-or-
US IN a very good light. We see Two
very sharp-witted men trying to get the
better OF each ether, and Jacob Droves
10 be the keener. We sympathize with
Jacob because Laban is the aggressor
and is so manifestiy unjust but we find
Impossible wholly to approve of him
but at Pencil Jacob becomes another
a1i- Nlthout Iuily losing his old char
acterlstics, Jacob, ''the suppla nter''-the
qnderhanded, tricky mans changed to
Israel the prince that prevails with
God. In marking such change. Simon
became Peter and Saul became PAU.
such transformation is worthy OF or
study. The lessen teaches:
J. PRAYER IS great refuge in time
OF trouble. God can help us when we can
not help ourselves
True prayer for help is followed by
ones best efforts to help himself. God
helps through them.
3: When Gods spirit strives with mon
it is that thsy may receive a great hiss
ing.
4. Dot Jacobs wrestling. but his cling
ms is a model to US.
D Prevailing PRAYER is earnest and n2r.
severing- It will not give up- untii the
blessing is obtained.
t. God can so change the heart that a
rev name is needed to express the trans
formation.