Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-04-14
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON II, SECOND QUARTER, INTER
NATIONAL SERIES, APRIL ~

22-3O-Nemory Verses, 26-2S-Go1d-
en- Text, Luke 4, 2O-COmmentary
Prepared by Rev. d. M. Stearns.
[CopyEight, 1907, by American Press Association
Twenty years have passed since the
events of last lesson when Jacob left
his home. In search Of wife. Four
teen years he served Laban for his
two daughters, and six years he served
for the cattle he now possessed. By
day and by night, in drought and in
frost, he served (xxxi, 38-42). God
watched over him, as He had said He
would, and increased him exceedingly
and suffered not Laban to hurt him or
to speak evil to him Xxx, 43; XXI, z,
"a, 90. The story Of his finding Rachel
by well and his welcome to Laban's
home, bringing tidings Of his mother,
who left that home forty years before.
is most fascinating. We are reminded
of Eliezer finding Rebekah at WELL
and also OF the we'll stories in connec-
ton with Hagar, and the wells Of the
oath, and of him that liveth and seeth
me, by which Abraham and Isaac
dwelt Gen. xvi, IA; xxi, 10, 81; xiv,
11-67; XIV, ~. We cannot but think
also Of the well by which Moses found
Zipporah eek. ii, 15-2D, and then Of our
Lord Jesus at Jacobs well John iv),
and the well of which He spake which
would be in the believer, carrying us
back again to lisa. xii and Jcr. ii, 10.
SO the unity of Scripture grows upon
us, and everywhere we see God.
At the final parting of Laban and
Jacob we have the heap of witness,
most Familiarity known as Mizpah, by
which each called God to witness that
neither would ever pass that heap Of
stones to do the other harm chapter
XXI, 1865, which is not quite the
thought now associated with the word
''Mizpah"
How near heaven seems to be as we
read the angel stories of the Bible!
And this story of the angels of God
meeting Jacob and the two hosts, the
heavenly and the earthly, makes me
believe that I never speak to con-
gregation upon whose faces look but
that there Is also present company
Of intensely interested angels whom
cannot see Il Pet 1-12: Eph. Ill, 10.
The weakness of Jacob notwith-
standing all Gods care of him is seen
In his fear and distress when he heard
that Esau was coming to meet him
Verse 2, but in him do we not see
ourselves and our own unbellef?
His prSyer In verses 9-12 sounds all
right. He takes the place Of humility
and unworthfness, acknowledges Gods
faithfulness and pleads His promises.
Having committed the whole matter to
God, he then a. what seemed wise
to him in the matter Of proving his
faith by his works, somewhat like Ne
hemiah, who said, 1--WE made our
prayer unto our God and set watch
against them day and night (Neh. iv,
81. Ezra would not accept q visible
escort when he went up to Jerusalem,
but Nehemiah did, yet both relied up
on the Lord. We must each give ac-
(OOAS VA A4AAoNAA W OOo anu OC SdIG@
full not to judge others unless it is
clearly a case Of wrongdoing, as when
Rebekah by deceit and lying sought
to accomplish what God had said that
He would do. I do not say that there
was not large piece of Jacob in all
this plan to appease his brother, and
do believe that we must come to the
aud ~ q 49,
working as He desires to. All our wis
dom must be swallowed up Cps. cvii,-
q, marginl, and the rest of our lesson
makes that plain. 1t might be en-
titled Goods way Of blessing or "God
breaking Jacob down. or "helplessness
clinging to all power"
Jacob, having made all arrangements
as seemed best to him, was left alone
(verse 24). This is essential-to be
alone with God, to see no one save
Jesus only. Then we read that man
wrestled with him till the breaking of
the day. or. as In the margin. "the as
cending of the morning." 1t is evident
that Jacob resisted the man, or the
angel, for he prevailed not over Jacob
till he touched Jacobs thigh and put
1t out of joint (25); then Jacob in con-
scious weakness chung to the mighty
one till the blessing was obtained.
Not by striving, agonizing, wrestling,
but by clinging in our helplessness to
Him who glveth power to the faint
and to them who have no might Qsa
II, 29), this is the way of victory.
In Jacob resisting till the morning
there Is possibly a suggestion that man
will never be thoroughly broken down
till the morning of our Lords return.
1t will certainly be true OF Israel as q
nation, for 1t Is written, God shall help
her when the morning appeareth" Cps.
XVI, 5, margin). In giving his name
as Jacob, or supplanter (xxvii, 36), we
have another suggestion as to the way
OF power. We must acknowledge that
we are sinners and nothing but SIN
ners, having nothing to plead but our
guilt and our need. Then, receiving
Christ, we at once get new name
saint or saved sinner or child OF Cod
with the assurance that our names are
written in heaven John /, II; Luke K,
20). We think of Abrams new name,
Abraham, and Simon's new name
Peter, and the new name Of Rev. II, IL.
Jacob seeing God face to face and the
result of 1t reminds us of Job Kilt, g. 6;
lisa. vi. 5; Dan. x. Z, 8. All these were
VII skty,'he finest Straight " his