The Yale expositor., 1907-04-12
GOD GIVES JACOB |
A NEW NAME
Sunday School Lesson for April IA, 1907
Specially prepared for this paper.
Specially prepared for this paper.

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LESSON TEXT-Gen. S2:9-l2- g2-sO; mem
1ry verses, 26-2S
GOLDEN TEXT.-"Re5c.ee. because
your names are written In heaven
Luce 1920
TrME.-Jacob went to Padan- ararn
about 1850 b. c., when he was about 81
years old. Perhaps the best authorities
consider that he was in Laban's service
for 20 years; but others finding to" little
space In 20 years for all the recorded
events. reckon IL 40 years. under landing
the 40 years" twice mentioned in Gen.
81 :SS-4l to be two periods of 20 years each.
See Excursus on the chronology "a FL
licott.
PLACE.-The Jabbok (the modern
Wady Zerka) is one of the princir7l riv-
ers of eastern Palestine 1t floNS into
the Jordan fr>rn the east nes. ~ opposite
the city OF Samaria. Pencil or Pe,.uel
was probably a prominent ridge near
the Jabbok. George Adam Smith.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
Hints from Haran.-Jacob was 20
years or more in Haran. During that
time he had a good opportunity to
, learn thoroughly number of impor.
tant lessons; among them these
= That tricksters are likely TO get
tricked in their turn.
z. That God can and will bring
prosperity to any child of his W.T. ~out
the aid of sharp practice on the part
of the man whom God helps.
3. That Gods promises are to be re-
lied upon implicitly. no matter how cir
cumstances may seem to be opposing
the fulfillment of them.
4. That Gods law assig.'. one wife
to one husband, and that :Nly infringe
ment of that law brings only Inhappi-
ness.
Jacobs Troubled Concentration.
32;l-23. Jacob had accomp'. SIZED a
large part Of his journey aud was in
the northern part of the land of Gilead
when the angry Laban overlook him.
From there he proceeded southwark
and soon came TO Mahanaim in GiIead,
where he had his second comforting
vision OF angels-two hosts OF them as
his guards on either hand-and from
the two hosts he named the place.
v. %. "And he rose up that night"
,, This praying and tx disposal of the
caravan across the Jabbok must have
carried Jacob well into the night. And
then. in his loneliness, in the darkness,
the uncertainty, the great anxiety for
himself. his loved ones, and the fruits
of his long toll, Jacobs conscience,
that had gone to sleep during the two
decades in Mesopotamia, woke up with
a start.
An Aroused Conscience.-Some men
seek to quiet their consciences, which
Is Ike buying an alarm clock and then
smothering its sound in i leather pill
low.
1t would be as foolish to pull up all
the danger signals where people are
skating on the ice, or smash all the
red lights in the semaphores.
What a strange thing is an old
dead sin, laid away in secret drawer
of the soul! Must it some time or
other be moistened with tears, unit
il comes to life again, and beg'ns {,
stir in our consciousness, as tn, dry
wheat animalcule looking like a grain
of dust becomes alive If il is wet with
drop of ter?"-Holmes. That is
| just what happened to Jacob.
| WICobiiH9 w FTdyCTs - Ills stTduSe
event is often used as a model for our
prayers, and rightly, if the terrible
earnestness of that midnight struggle
is alone considered. We a.. to come
boldly unto the throne of c.tce," with
all perseverance. re you don't want
thing, don't ask fC. e. Such asking
is the worst mockery of your King you
can insult him with We
are to pray as Luther prayed in great
earnestness by the bedside of the
/ dying Melancthon for an hour, ard re-
! turned home, when the recovery ~ h.
reformer for his splendid latOr y 3ars
was assured, saying To his wife, God
gave me my brother Melancthon back
in answer TO prayer"
/ Jacobs Reconciliation with Esau.-
| Genesis 80. Jacob must have been
wonderfully strengthened in spirit,
though worn in body, by his midnight
| struggle. and his fears must have
| given place TO great peace. Never
| theless, he continued his wise prepare
tions to meet Esau. He arranged his
| family, putting in the rear a. the
safest place, those whom he most
loved, Rachel and Joseph. T.. IN he
manfully went forward alone to meet
his w~nnged brother Seven times he
bowed To the ground before Esau, as II
acknowledging the superiority whit b
he had stolen from him; but u "cat
had come in anger. the sight o. Jacob
seemed to bring back the hs ppser
period of their innocent boyhood. I'm.
petuously the injured brother ran to
meet him, and in an eager embrace as
sured him of forgiveness. EsAu even
offered generously TO return Jacobs
present, but was prevailed upon TO
keep il. He urged Jacob to accept an
armed escort, but this was firmly re
fused, perhaps with a lingering suspic-
ion of his brother, but more likely be
cause Jacob now felt God to be sufs
cient protection. Jacob speedily fou'
a good place for winter quarters, AK
established himself in pe9"o.
| 1. If you fear God arf .elieve tina
i ho 20 With vOu GOd will r,rnonax ,,~.,,