The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1907-03-16
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON X, FIRST QUARTER, iNTERNA-
TloNAL SERIES. MARCH II.

Text Of the Lesson, Gen. xvii, 1923,
l 41-4S-MemOry Verses, 21-23-Gold-
en- Text, Prov. XII, 22-Commentary
Prepared by Rev. ID. NJ. stearns.
copyright, 1907, by American Press Association
. This is certainly pitiful story Of
human weakness and sin and unbelief
and scheming to help God carry out
His purpose. Isaac's desire for a mess
of savory meat that he might bless
Esau before he died seems like weak
ness, but what shall be said of Re-
bekah teaching Jacob to lie and willing
to take the consequences upon herselff
Verse 49, We know that it Is written
of Ahaziah, king of judah, that ehis
mother was his counselor to do wick
edly" QI Chron. xii, 81, but she was a
wicked woman and murderess. We
know also that Herodias told her
daughter to ask for the head of John
the Baptist, but we could expect moth
ing better from such a one Both Ath-
allah and Herodias were the devils
own property and he did as he pleased
with them, but both Rebekah and ia
cob were of Gods chosen people. and
better things are expected of such.
The devil seems to take special
pains to get hold of the Lords
property, for thus he brings great
dishonor on the name of the Lord.
We have already seen him gain
ing an advantage over Abraham and
Isaac and Lot and Noah, and later he
takes David and Solomon and Jehosha-
plat and others. He asked for Job and
Simon Peter; he instilled unbelief and
doubt and fear into the minds even of
those who were nearest to our Lord.
Let us lay 1t to heart that 1--WE wres-
tie not against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness OF
this world, against wicked spirits in
heavenly places, and that we need
nothing less than the whole armor Of
God that we may be able to stand
against the wiles of the devil (Eph. vi
11-13). We may always overcome him
by the blood Of the Lamb and the
word of our testimony and by not
counting our lives dear to ourselves
(Rev. xii, III. Turning to our lesson,
we must remember that the Lord had
told Rebekah that her younger SON
would have the pre-eminence and that
the elder should serve the younger
(xxv, 23). Faith would not have been
troubled by any suggestions as to the
possibility Of its being otherwise. 1t
should be true OF all believers as It
was of Abraham that ''he staggered
not at the promise OF God through I'M
belief, but was strong in faith, giving
glory to God, and fully persuaded that
what He had promised He was able
also to perform" Rom. ", 20, 21). See
also the comfort of Isa xiv, "a. tA
Rebekah, not having her mind stayed
upon Jehovah, no sooner hears the
words of Isaac to Esau than she feels
that something must be done and
that quickly--if her fayorite son (xxv,
2S) Is to have the blessing. This may
look like reason and common sense,
but it certainly was not faith in God.
The father of lies, the great deceiver,
seems at once to have taken possession
of her and to fill her with plans to de-
ceive her husband and to transform
the smooth man into hairy man
(verse III. 1t is about the worst kid
glove story on record (verse I6). Soon
Jacob is on his way to his father partly
clothed with some of Esau's raiment.
and partly fixed up otherwise and bear
ing the savory meat which his mother
had prepared verses 1910. Now SEQ
him In the presence OF his father and
listen to the lies that roll out of him in
answer to his fathers questions. II am
Esau, thy firstborn," ''The Lord thy
God brought the venison to me" II
am thy very SON Esau' oversees 10, 20,
24. It is written, whatsoever a man
soweth that shall he also reap {Gal.
vi. q. and, while nothing can palliate
the guilt of Jacob and his mother, we
notice that Isaac is doing little reap
ing on the line of lying. And what
about the reaping Of Jacob when his
sons so cruelty deceived him concern
ing his beloved Joseph? Is 1T not sug-
gestive of sowing the wind and reap
ing the whirlwind? CLOS. viii. y. It
pays to sow to the spirit,
When Isaac was telling Esau that
his brother had obtained the blessing
and added, YEA, and he shall be bless
ed" (verse 33), 1t Is possible that he
remembered the purpose of God about
che elder serving the younger and per-
haps saw the folly of his attempt to
thwart the purpose of God. And yet
verse 80 may indicate that he was
spiritually as well as physically blind,
for be speaks to Esau Of ''thy bless
Ing"
In verse Al we see proof Of ! John
ili, Is, that hatred IS murder. And
now Rebekah begins to do a little reap
ing. FOR she is compelled to part with
her beloved son because Of the hatred
of Esau. She says that he is to tarry
with her brother in Haran few days
until Esau's fury turn away, until he
should forget II, and that then she