Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1907-04-10
cHR,sr,AN wNDEAvoR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
Beginning April IA.


sons Of Isaac and Rebekah, the older
being Esau. Though the twin sons of
the same parents, Jacob and Esau were
very different in appearance. in their
methods of living. in their characters
and their ambitions and aspirations.
Jacob was born probably ut the well
Of Lahai-roi about 1887 B. C. He bought
the birthright from Esau and after
ward received the blessing from his
father Isaac which should have been
Esau's by practicing a well known de-
ceit upon his father, who was practi-
tcally blind from old age. God severely
punished him for his deceit, for He
had promised him the special blessing
and its superior advantages and would
have fulfilled His promise had Jacob
but waited. Because Of this treachery
he was compelled to flee from Canaan.
as the wrath Of Esau was great against
him. He was now Seyenty-eight years
old and went to his Uncle Laban's. in
Padan-Aram, in Mesopotamia. Here
he lived for twenty-one years and then
returned to Canaan with Leah and
Rachel, his wives. eleven sons and
large property. Benjamin, his young
est son, was born between Bethel and
Bethlehem. Rachel, his mother, died
at his birth and was buried at Bethle-'
hem. Jac.,D and Esau We're reconeiled
upon Jacobs return to Canaan. but
parted and never met again except
when they buried Isaac, their father
Joseph was later sold into Egvpt.
When Jacob was 1870 years of age. he
also went thither and spent the last
seventeen years of his life there, dying
at the age of 147. His body was EN-
back to Canaan and buried in the
cave of Machpelah, where Abraham.
ERebekah and Leah had already been
buried. In all his wanderings and
'misf0rtunes God had been with him
and cared for him, and his life is I'M
usually filed with lessons of the great
est importance.
l. Jacobs life teaches that God cal
mot be deceived with impunity. Jacob
means ''supplanter" and his early life
proved the applicability of his name
TO his character. He supplanted Esau.
deceived his aged father and later de
ceived his uncle Laban. In his plan
ming and scheming for the birthrighi
NE even tried to supplant Gods meta
ods Of working. God had promised
him the birthright, but Jacob could not
wait, and, assisted by Rebekah, his
mother, he took the matter into III
own hands. He received the blessing
due to Esau not because of his decei;
but In spite of it. And then he pai,
for his folly. The mutual love of Re
bekah and Jacob was great He was
compelled to flee from Esaus wrath.
but his mother and he thought it would
be but short separation, yet God kent
him twenty-one years in Mesopotania,
and Laban deceived him in giving him
Leah instead of Rachel. whom he
thought he was marrying. No man
can successfully deceive God. No man
can successfully force the hand Of God
BE not deceived. God is not Knocked.
''Wait on the Lord, and He will brin.:
1t to pass
2. Jacobs life teaches the power o.
God to degenerate and save. Up T. !,
certain time in Jacobs life he wa
about as great a rascal as a man coul
be. His heart must have been .des-
perately wicked" But in a night God
changed him from Jacob. 'supplanter,'
10 Israel, ''prince of God" 1t was on
Ais return to Canaan. He was about
10 meet Esau. He sent the peopls
across q stream of water, and be re-
nained al night alone. His persist
Nncy IL here illustrated ard his pre-
Nailing power in prayer. But that
night God gave Jacob a new heart. He
Mvas born again, converted. God gave
Inn q new name, Israel, and hence
Apeward be lived clean, g0dlike life,
. At representative Of one through
whom the Saviour was to come. Wit,
God all things are possible. He can
Ntin change the hardest heart and
save to the utt@most" all who come
- Him.
h 8. jacobs life teaches us a lesson
n Gods providential care over His
people. While ON his way to bis un.
GDe's Jacob had his well known vision.
Go6 promised to go with him and 10
heing him safely back. He kept His
word to the letter. He had a mission
for this Maynard son of Isaac. In the
great trials Of his life God kept him.
He despaired when Joseph was sold
into Egypt, but he lived not only to see
the face Of Joseph, but his sons Ephra-
i'm and Manasseh, and died blessing
them. His body was returned to the
land Of promise and buried there. and
Joseph, his best beloved son. took MP
the divine mission of ''the God Of
Abraham. Isaac and Jacob" God is
the same Interchangeable God. He still
takes special care Of His own. Fear
not. but keen up heart. Commit thy
way unto the Lord and trust also in
Him. and He will bring 1t to pass"
DIBLE READINGS.
Gen. XIV, 1874; xvii. 21-29; xviii