Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-04-07
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON /, SECOND QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, APRIL 2.

Text OF the Lesson, Gen. xviii, LIS,
1O-22-Memory Verses, Is, 14-GOId-
en- Text, Gen. xviii, 15-Commen-
tary Prepared by Rev. d. NJ. Stearns.
copyright, 1907, by American Press Association
This lesson follows closely the last
one we had in Genesis three weeks
ago and takes up the story just where
that lesson left 1t. We see Jacob leav-
ing home to go away into the land
from which his mother came full forty
years before XVI 341 that he might
take wife from among the daughters
of Laban, his mothers brother. 1t Is
written IN Hos. xii, u, concerning this,
Jacob fed into the country of Syria,
and Israel served for a wife, and for q
wife he kept sheep" In the story of
Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachel,
Joseph and Asenath, Moses and Zip
porah, Boas and Ruth and others there
Is much that is typical or at least sug-
gestive of Christ and Israel or Christ
and the church, remembering always
that Israel and the church are never
the same.
The special blessing given to Abra
ham, Isaac and Jacob centers in the
| land and the people verse a, and the
certainty of the fulfillment of the
promises is the topic of all prophecy,
The name God Almighty-El Shad
dai-the all sufficient One or the mighty
| God who Is enough for all, by which
| He revealed Himself to Abraham and
| afterward to Jacob (xvii, 1; xxxv, III,
| seems to have taken hold of their
hearts, for Isaac uses it in verse 3 of
| our lesson, and Jacob uses it in his
blessing upon Joseph xix, 30. 1t is
| associated with blessing and fruitful
ness and separation unto God Himself
/ and Is set forth in John XIV as abiding
In the vine that there may be much
| fruit TO Gods glory. Not merely life,
| but life abundantly, Is His desire for
| US, and all hindrance is on our side
| John x, 10; Ps. Xxi, 1916.
We turn to Jacob on his lonely jour
ney from Beersheba, almost the ex-
| treme south, and we may imagine
| that as he journeyed the enormity of
| his sin took hold of him and the good
| ness of God wrought true repentance
| in his heart, so that on this night of
| which our lesson tells us he was prob
ably a true penitent IN Gods sight.
The place was not far from the place
| of Abrams second altar in the land
| where he worshiped God. Compare
| xii, s, and verse 10 Of our lesson.
| With the earth for his bed, stones for
his pillows and the sky for his canopy,
| he lay down to sleep, not knowing the
| special interest that the God of his
| fathers was taking in him because of
| His promises to them. He slept and
| he dreamed, and how beautiful his
dream-a ladder from earth to heaven,
with the Lord above it and angels
| ascending and descending upon it
| (verses u, 49,, an assurance Of the
| Lords watchful care, OF connection
| between heaven and earth and
| prophecy Of coming events yet to be
| fulfilled. I would not be surprised II
| some day we shall be told by Ma
thanael that he was meditating upon
| this very vision when Jesus saw him
under the fig tree, for Jesus Himself
evidently refers to it in connection
with the glory of the kingdom John
/, 90, 81.
Some helpful lessons are suggested
by the ladder as to the way from earth
| to heaven. There Is no way but the
one God has provided, even He who
said, II am the way" He came down
1
died in our stead, rose from the dead
| and returned to the Father, where He
| now Is for us. The angels ministered
| to Him while He was here, and we
are assured that they minister to us
| Heb. !, IA. As there is no possibility
| OF mounting a ladder while one foot
| Is on the earth, so there is no posi-
| bility Of being saved without commit
| ting oneself wholly TO Christ The full
/ significance of the ladder will be seen
only when the kingdom comes, and all
nations, to their great surprise, shall
see that God meant exactly what He
said In reference to the land and the
people and all the families of the
| earth. The first promise to Abram
concerning his seed was that 1t should
I be as the dust of the earth, then as the
stars of heaven; then both were COM
| bined. After that they were divided
and the star promise given to Isaac
and the dust or sand to Jacob Gen.
! xiii, 16; XIV, .; xxi, II; XVI 4; xviii,
14). There Is at least suggestion
here OF Abraham's two seeds, the
heavenly and the earthly, the church
and Israel, the new Jerusalem and Je-
rusalem on the earth, all of which viii
be clearly seen in the kingdom.
We may always say, as Jacob said.
1.-The Lord is in this place" verse 1e),
but we need never say, Il knew it
not" for we have His assurance, 10.
I am with you Away" But, more
wonderful still. each individual beliey-
er is now a Bethel, house of God,
according to John xiv, %.
Taking verses 20-22 just as they read,
1t looks as If Jacob was making a bar
gain with God, saying that If God
\