Evening star., 1913-04-12

themselves the inevitable punishment OF
sin.
Rebecca's proposal that Jacob be sent to
her brothers house to secure wife
found a ready assent from Isaac, who
| was desirous that his stock be preserved
without sinful taint SO that the blessings
of Jehovah might be bestowed upon his
posterity. Jacob received the birthright
blessing from his father and went forth
alone. toward the ancient home of his
ancestors in Mesopotamia. having been
given the paternal benediction. this time
without fraud. practically a fugitive from
his own home. The separation from his
mother was a heavy punishment for them
both for their double dealing with Esau
and Isaac
Sin brings some recompense even in
this world. Rebecca was never to see
again the fair face she loved because she
| had not reckoned upon her brother Laban
deceiving Jacob, so that many years
would intervene before the fugitive, whose
absence filled her heart with increasing
sorrow because she knew that Jacob
would not have planned to defraud his
brother and deceive his father unless she
had proposed it. The wrongs born in love
upon the weary wanderer, who. after a
days journey. came to the remarkably
cluster of natural. yet appeared like
hand-hewn rocks. covering several acres
that was probably the site of Jacob IS
dream.
He closed the day of his distress look
ing upon the almost perpendicular noun
tain heights, whose fractured rocks ap-
peared like steps of stairs in the gIoam.
ing of the night, full of fear lest Esau
oh
God he sought rest with stone, as is the
frequent practice in the east, for pill
low, and covered his head with his shep-
herds coat. The sleeping fugitive was
naturally disturbed by disquieting dreams
that revealed the presence. promise and
providence Of God. The physical basis
of the dream can be found in the envir-
onment. The cause, circumstances and
conditions of his flight furnish a psyche
logical explanation for his troubled
thoughts, but it was God who selected
the site and spoke to him in the revela-
ton the message Of repentance and re-
newed the great promise.
Revelation, Repentance, Renewal.
The spiritual experience of Jacob COM
menced with his going out from Beer
sheba, but his conversion commenced
with the divine message communicated
IN tne cream tndt TRANSMITTED the objects
last seen by the wanderer into a revela
ton of God that started the spiritual
development OF the sinful selfish sup
planting Jacob into the prince Of God.
Israel. The absorbing religious reyela-
ton showed the close connection between
earth and heaven, demonstrating that
the means Of communication with Je-
hovah was open to the lonely sinner, and
comforting the conscious-stricken one
with the assurance that although he
was fleeing fugitive, God had not cast
him off. but that He was watching over
him by the angels, or messengers that
were coming and going between him and
heaven on his behalf. The revelation
was prophecy of the great ladder that
would in Christ Jesus connect forever
heaven and earth, opening to the weary
wanderer of all ages the way into the
very presence of God. The heart of the
gospel message is found I'm the terms of
this vision, which Jesus used in his con-
versation with Nathaniel, Hereafter We
shall see heaven open, and the angels of
God ascending and descending upon the
Son of Man." who is the revealer of
God to men throughout all the pathway
of life and time.
II was because Jacob was in the right
attitude toward God. because having re-
pented of his sins, that he was prepared
to receive the message of jehovah the
God of his father and grandfather. re-
newing the great promise that had been
bestowed upon him, as the possessor of
the birthrisht blessing. that promised the
se;, TT. - 80 e. s-i--a * hat he need