The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1913-04-18
INTERNATIONAL,
(SUNIAYSCIlOOL
LESSON
By Il. o. SELLERS, Director OF Even
ing Department The Moody Bible In
stitute OF Chicago.)
LESSON FOR APRIL 20
JACOBS MEETINe VIII EsAU.
LESSON TEXT-Gen. Ss:1-15.

IL not 30 grand u character db sADfd-
ham nor 80 lovable as Isaac, yet he
Is much more like the average man.
The story Of his days Of willing serv-
Ice for Rachel (29;20); of Laban's
deception and Of his prosperity in
spite of Lahan. can be found in chap
ters 20 and 30, while that of his re-
turn to Canaan Is contained In chap
ters 31-35. Though not included iIf
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 (D Jacobs diplomacy, S2:1-S; (2)
Jacobs prayer, 32:9-12; (3) Jacobs
present to Esau, 32:13-23, and (D
Jacobs wrestling, 32:24-32.
A finger tip Of God disabled Jacob,
yet vanquished he Is victorious for
God-the angel of Jehovah-has TAX
en- from this double-dealing, crafty
child that which Murdered all that
was truest in his life. Not by COM
polling but by yielding was Jacob en-
larged; by submitting he found the
throne of power So much in prepaT
ration for the lesson of today.
Not a Coward.
I. The Approach-W. 1-3. Jacob
had just had vision of God (32: 90);
why, then, should he fear the face of
his brother? Even so, however, he
continued his measures of precaution
and separated his children into Leah
and Rachel and sent the landmarks
and their children ahead. Notice how
he places his most loved in the rear
Of the procession which he himself
led. Jacob was not a coward and, in
deed, with his new-found power he
had no need to be- Before he had
fed from the face of his angry broth
or, now with holiness, and yet with
humility, he enters the presence Of
that same brother even though he
had had no assurance as to the char
acter Of that meeting.
II. The Meetlng-VV. At. Twen-
ty-one years had passed, days Of
great testing but of great blessing,
before Jacob began this homeward
Journey. Jacob had learned the "up-
ward look" ", y and his prevailing
prayer brought Esau to him in haste
but not in anger. Now Esau lifts up
his eyes ". s. and beholds not the
fugitive Of old, but transformed,
prosperous and richly blessed broth
err. "Who are those with thee?" he
asks, and Jacob at once acknowledges
God as the giver and the bIesser.
(See 1926; Jas. IT'D Jacob speaks
Of his children as Gods gracious gifts.
Although this is everywhere the
teaching Of the Bible, yet how often
is 1t the modern view, at least In
many circles Of society. Following
the children came the landmarks and
their children, then Leah and her
children, and last of all Rachel and
Joseph At once Esau Inquiries as to
those gifts Jacob had sent ahead (32:
1920, and Jacob replies, "That l
might find grace in the sight Of my
Lord" 1t is we'll to notice that Esau
refused this gift ". III as purchase
price Of reconciliation.
Jacob Astute.
From the marginal reading we see
that Jacobs words when urging Esau
to accept his gift were: Because I
have ALL" Every child Of God can
truthfully say as much. Il Cor. 1921;
Phil. 4:18, 10; Rom. 1881. 32.) Thus
we see the astute Jacob who had SO
arranged his affairs as to make gifts
or not as might be necessary is sur
prised, not as at Bethel when he met
God, but to find that God had so
moved upon the heart of his brother
as to remove for time at least all
danger.
III. The Separation, wv. 1915. We
infer from study of Esau's life that
Jacob did not deem it safe to make
the proposed journey. Discretion is
the better part of valor." God does
not demand nor desire rashness and
needless danger upon the part of his
children.
There are three main teachings in
this lesson, aside from those Of the
preceding chapter. ~ That in mat
tiers Of supreme Importance in the
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 while
men with anxiety seek to make plans
for the Kingdom 1t is only as they
fully commit themselves to him and
allow him to dominate and to guide
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 iour enemies
towards US but changes our attitude
towards them. from. 1920, 21.)
The Golden Text emphasizes this
last thought. The only way we can
possibly obey Paul's Injunction win
be as we are Sin Christ Jesus" As
we abide in, and recognizing the ex-
ceeding riches Of his grace, as we
recognize Gods forgiveness as mani
fest in Christ Jesus: as we submit to
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