The Red Cloud chief., 1913-04-17
INTERNATIONAL,
SUNDGSCHOOL
LESSON
(By n. o. SELLERS, Director OF Even
ing Department Tho Moody Bible In.
stitute of Chisago.)
LESSON FOR APRIL 20
JACOBS MEETING WITH esAU.

LESSON TExT-Gcn Ss:i-1s
GOLDEN TExT-"Be yc kind ono to,
another. tendcrhearted. forgivins each,
other even as God also In Christ forGavel
you" Eph. <:32 II. "
We are about to lose sight Of Jacob,
"a cheat" and we shall hereafter COM
sidT Israel, "a prince" While jacob
is not 30 grand character 40 Abra.!
ham nor 80 lovable as Isaac. yet hel
is much more like the average NAM
The story Of his days Of willing servJ
ice for Rachel (2S:20): Of Laban's
deception and Of his prosperity IN
spite Of Laban. can be found in chap:
ters 70 and 30. while that Of his re@
ters 81.3b. Though not included iri,
the selected portion of Scripture. We,
do not see how anyone can teach this
lesson and omit the consideration Of
chapter 80. We therefore see before
us (1) Jacobs diplomacy. 32:1-s: (2);
Jacobs prayer, S2:S.12; (0 Jacobs
present to Esau. S2:13.2S. and (lO
Jacobs wrestling. 82:24.32.
A finger tip Of God disabled Jacob.
yet vanquished he IL victorious for
God-the angel Of Jehovah-has TAXI
on from this doubledealing. crafty
child that which hindered all that
was truest In his life. Not by cont
pelling but by yielding was Jacob en-.
larged: by submitting he found the
throne Of power. So much in prepaI
ration for the lesson Of today.
Not . Coward.
I. The Approaeh-vv. IS. Jacob
had Just had vision Of God (32:s0):,
why. then, should he fear the face Of
his brother? Even 30. however. hel
continued his measures Of precaution|
and separated his children into Leah
and Rachel and sent tho handmaidE
and their children ahead. Notice how
no places his most loved In the rear
Of the procession which he himself!
l0l. Jacob was not coward and. in,
deed. with his new.f6und power hd
had no need to be. Before he had
fed from the face Of his angry BROTH
er. now with boldness. and yet with!
humility. he enters the presence o6
that same brother even though ha
had had no assurance 40 to the char
acter Of that meeting.
II. The Meetlno-vv. 4-1f. Twen,
ty-one years had passed. days od
great testing but Of great blessing1
before Jacob began this homeward,
Journey. Jacob had learned the up
ward look" ". ~ and his prevailing
prayer brought Esau to him in haste
but not in anger. Now Esau lifts up
his eyes ". 81 and beholds not the
fugitive Of old. but q Transformed
prosperous and richly blessed BROTH
er "Who are those with thee?" hel
asks, and Jacob at once acknowledged
God as the giver and the blesser.
(See 1926: Jas. 1:17.) Jacob speaks
Of his children as Gods gracious gifts,
Although this is everywhere the
teaching Of the Bible. yet how often
10 It the modern view. at least IN
many circles Of society. Following
the children came the handmaids and
their children. then Leah and her
children. and last Of all Rachel and
Joseph. At once Esau inquiries % to-
those gifts Jacob had sent ahead (33:
13.21). and Jacob replies. '"That Z
might find grace in the sight Of my
Lord" II is we'll to notice that Esau'
refused this gift ". ~ ~ purchase
price Of reconciliation.
jacob Astuts.
From the marginal reading we sec,
that Jacobs words when urging Esau.
to accept his gift were: because y
have all" Every child Of God can;
truthfully say 80 much. II Cor. 3:11:!
Phil. l:18, 10: Rom. 1891. 32.) Thus
we see the astute Jacob who had col
arranged his affairs ~ to hake gifts
or not a. might be necessary 10 sur
prised. not as at Bethel when he met
God. but to find that God had col
moved upon the heart Of his brotherl
~ to remove for time at least an
danger.
III. The esparatlon, w. 1915. We,
infer from study Of Esau's life that
Jacob did not deem It safe to make
the proposed Journey. Discretion isl
the better part Of valor." God does|
not demand nor desire rashness and
needless danger upon the part Of hisI
children.
There are three main teachings inI
this lesson. aside from those Of the|
preceding chapter. ~ That In mat!
ters Of supreme importance in theI
life Of any man God is interested and
ready to lend his assistance. Jacob,
ready to lend his assistance.
(2) There is the lesson that whilei
men with anxiety seek to make plans
for the Kingdom It is only as they,
fully commit themselves to him and
allow him to dominate and to guidel
will they spell success in their lives.
(3) And lastly. when God controls,
when he has the victory in our'
hearts and our lives. he not only
changes the attitude Of our enemiesl
towards us but changes our attitudeI
towards them. from. 1920. 21)
The Golden Text emphasizes this,
last thought. The only way we can