The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1913-04-19
LESSON FOR APRIL 20
JACOBS MEETING WITH EsAu.

LESSON IENT-tien. 3:l-l5
GOLDEN TEXT-"Be we kind one n
another. tenderhearted. forgiving each
| other even as God also in Christ forgavs
you" Eph. 4;S2 Il. V.
We are about TO lose sight of Jacob
"a cheat" and We shall hereafter con.
slider Israel. "a prince" While Jacob
Is not so grand a character as Ab,a.
ham nor so lovable as Isaac. yet hs
Is much more like the average man
The story of his days of willing serv.
Ice for Rachel (29:20); Of Labsns
deception and of his prosperity in
spite of Laban, can be found in chan.
ters 90 and 80, while that of his re-.
turn to Canaan Is contained in chan.
tiers 31-35. Though not included IN
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 % Jacobs diplomacy, 32:1-S; (2)
Jacobs prayer. 32:9-12; (3) Jacobs
present to Esau. 32:13-23, and (4)
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-dealng, crafty
child that which hindered 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 prepa.
ration for the lesson of today.
Not Coward.
/. The Approach-vv. 1-3. Jacob
had just had a vision of God (22: 3O);
why. then. should he fear the faceNof
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
er, now with holiness, and yet with
he enters the presence Of
that same brother even though he
had had no assurance as to the char
acter of that meeting.
H. The Meeting-vv. All. Tween.
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" ". II and his prevailing
prayer brought Esau to him in haste
)ut not in anger. Now Esau lifts up
his eyes ". 81 and beholds not the
fugitive of old. but a transformed,
and-richly blessed broth
n. who are those With thee?" he
SKIS, and Jacob at once acknowledges
Tod as the giver and the blesser.
See 1926: Jas. 1:17) Jacob speaks
# his children as Gods gracious gifts
Although this is everywhere the
eaching Of the Bible. yet how often
8 1t the modern view, at least In
many circles Of society. Following
he children came the landmarks and
heir children, then Leah and her
and last of all Rachel and
oseph. At once Esau inquiries as to
hose gifts Jacob had sent ahead (32:
3-2D, and Jacob replies. THAT
night find grace In the sight Of my
ord" 1t is well to notice that Esau
efused this gift ". III as a purchase
rice of reconciliation, though he lat
r did accept when Jacob gave as a
ortion of that bounty with which
Iod had blessed him. No more can
re purchase our salvation though
iod is pleased with our gifts, which
re the expressions of our love. II
as been suggested that Esau was not
verloath to accept Jacobs gift and
hat as we review Esau's character
here is reason to suspect that Jacobs
enerous gift was a matter OF policy.
hat when Esau should reflect upon
acob's former treatment Of him and
erhaps change his mind. this gift
Iould serve to placate him.
Jacob Astute.
From the marginal reading we see
nat Jacobs words when urging Esau
} accept his gift were: Because I
ave all" Every child OF God can
say as much. q Cor. 1921:
hill. 4:1S. 10; Rom. 1871. 32) Thus
'e see the astute Jacob who had so
ranged his affairs as to make gifts
r not as might be necessary is sur
rised, not as at Bethel when he met
cd, but to find that God had SO
loved upon the heart of his brother
3 to remove for time at least all
anger. Let the leaders of the king
ON who are constantly seeking to
range and to manipulate matters In
lie kingdom learn that usually the
lndrance Is within themselves. God
IN only accomplish his purposes
trough submitted souls.
iii. The Separation, w. 1915. We
fer from a study of Esau's life that
acob did not deem 1t safe to make
le proposed journey. Discretion Is
lie better part of valor" God does
ot demand nor desire rashness and
eedless danger upon the part of his
,ildren. Jacob gave a very astute
I'D perfectly truthful reason why
ley should separate. ". ~ Jacob
as, however, considerable of his chill
ZEN and of his flocks. What a sug-
,stion we have in the words 81 will
ad on softly" ". 14) of him who Is
lr true Shepherd Nor did Jacob
led any Of Esau's proffered protec-
On. ". 49, Did he not have Gods
'otecting care?