The Green Forest tribune., 1913-04-04
INTERNATIONAL SUNMS([lOOL
 LESSON
LESSON FOR APRIL 6
JACOB AND ESAU.
lBy E. o. SELLERS, Director of Even ing Department The Moody Bible In- stitute of Chicago)

presented to us in the book Of Gene sis. His birth and purchase of the birthright are recorded in Chapter 70, and in chapter 27 we have presented his great sin.
 It is absolutely necessary to read carefully all of this chapter before we can properly present this lesson, Moses did not record Jacobs decep- ton because he commended it, but rather as a warning to all who read and ponder thereon. The Bible spreads before us the sins of Gods people as well as their virtues, which ought to be a comforting thought to us all, who are sinners saved by grace"
 I. The Deceit, w. 22-29. Lying, du, plieity, profanity, and compounded felony, are presented in the prelimi' nary verses to that section selected for our study. Jacobs conscience re- belled (v. 12), yet he gladly listened to the voice of his unwise mother who thought she knew best how to circumvent Gods will; see oh. 25;23, 25. 2S. This mothers foolish amb1- tion and teaching had developed a self-seeking, deceitful son. By nature Jacob was unlovely and the greatest lesson we can learn from his life IS that he, a 'cheater," should by the grace of God be transformed into Israel" a prince, he that hath power with God
 A Rough Man.
 We first have presented the tenn peramental difference between these two brothers, then the story of the birthright, and lastly the stolen bless ing. Esau was a rough man of the chase, cunning, clever and slxillful as hunter. Jacob was plain man, viz, one who inclined to the conven- tionalities He loved settled quiet home life, for he "dwelt in tents" " Again when we consider the episode of the birthright we have set before us another illustration of the great contrast of these brothers. We do not value birthrights as do the Orien- tals, and further, we must remember this is the story of Gods develop ment of a chosen race. Esau, mas tered by his appetite, governed by selfish instincts, gladly and fippantly spurns-" "despised''-h right He denied his responsibility to the flu. ture of that race of whom Abraham was the first, and virtually said that nothing was of value that did not serve this present lifetime. Jacob, on the other hand, estimated this the highest importance, but his man. ner of securing the same was the way of the scheming, self-seeking world. It was not Gods way.
 From Bad Stock.
 Subject as Jacob was to the rule of seeking, scheming, mother, yet we must remember that she, too, was actuated by the same high estimate of the value and the importance of the birthright Her mean manner of seeking to accomplish her purpose did not succeed, but, in fact, delayed the desired end for Jacob had to fly for his life. Let us look at Rebekah. She came from the same stock as liar. She taught her son to follow those same methods and had to smart for it, for she lost his companionship through long years, and never saw him again. Is it ever right to do wrong? Gods word tells us no, see cerned with her partiality than with the purposes of God (Ch. 25:2S) Jacobs conscience was aroused as we see from V. 12, though it was prob ably not so much fear of the error of the act, but rather fear of being caught. This we infer by the readi- ness with which he stilled his con- science, w. 13, 14. Then to cover up his deceit Jacob cloaked it under a pious fraud, V. 20. The meanest fraud on this earth Is the man who hides his evil deeds behind the mask of assumed piety. The Savior's fierc- est anathemas were directed against the hypocrite Attention has been directed to Isaac in this instance, that though he recognized the voice as that of Jacob, he allowed himself to be governed by his feelings, V. 22, and bestowed the blessing, as he thought, upon the wrong person. Feelings, emotions, certainly have an important place in our religious lives, but not to the extent of allowing them to absolutely govern our ac- tions. If we do, we will surely smart for it. Conscience and the word of God will never lead us astray.
 God would in his way and in his own time have given Jacob the prom ised blessing without the aid of his deceit. As it was Jacob engendered his brothers hatred, was separated from his home and endured multiplied suffering.
 Isaac's words of prophecy w. 2S. 29 have literally been fulfilled, though of course rot in their largest and fullest meanings. No one can read history without being impressed with this fact.
 II. Esau's Sorrow, w. 3o-34. Esau mad sold his birthright and sought to regain it. Now he is too late to se- cure the blessing that should accom- pany his birthright. The brothers bartered for the birthright One brother secured the blessing and with
 1t. banishment. The other brother
 lost both birthright and blessing and yava yapt to a hitter crv (Jah 10.