Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-12

Jacob impresses one. as failing to
come up to the predictions that the
Spirit of the Lord had made of him
preceding his birth. While he failed to
measure up to the prophetic words in
the early days of his life, so that he
appeared to be compromising material
out Of which to make a great ancestor
and leader of the chosen people of God. !"
Nevertheless divine grace selected this
worldly minded man to become the
head of His chosen people, and to
whose descendants He would intrust
1.-The oracles of God" and from whose
stock would come the promised Mes
Siah. Although Jacob was the younger
born, 1t had been predicted that he
would obtain and exercise dominion
over his twin brother, Esau, land that
he should be the progenitor of great
and powerful nation, and that they who
Sprang from his loins should be para
| mount to all the descendants of his
| elder brother"
Parental partiality is the source of
the sins of both sons, as it is largely
the cause of the failure of many of our
modern youths. ISaac'S partiality to
Esau and Rebekah'S attitude toward
Jacob caused a family division that de-
veloped finally into a bitter tribal an
tagonism. The suffering, sorrow and
separation from the joys of the home
that this partially caused failed to
teach Jacob to avoid the same blunder.
1t brought to him, as it will bring to
every parent who exercises partially
toward his children, trials, tears and
trouble that could be avoided If par
ents refused to show partiality toward
their own.
The SuppTanter's Sinful Scheme.
Jacob understood the art of cooking.
The pottage that he was making ap-
pealed to ESau when he returned from
one of his hunting expeditions. The
cunning, crafty and cowardly Jacob
took advantage of his brothers hunger
to propose that Esau sell him his rights
of being the first born for a mess OF
pottage. Esau sold his privileges for a
bowl of soup, because in his hour of
hunger its Savory smell appealed to
him. He bartered away his God-given
rights, because he did not consider the
future. The man who thinks only OF
the present moment Is not apt to have
great spiritual development. Probably
both had discussed this matter OF
birthright previously. Jacob took ad-
vantage of his own brothers needs to
secure the privileges by barter that
was far from being just and fair, any
confirm 1t by a holy oath, that was
equivalent to making him sign the dot
ted line. Too many men today are fol-
lowing in the footsteps OF both JACOB
and ESau.
Assisted by his mother, Jacob sue
ceeded in deceiving his father, so that
he obtained from him the parental
blessing that he planned to bestow upon
Esau, who was his favorite son. Re-
bekah, who had suggested and helped
Jacob deceive his aged and blind father,
realized the possible peril that Jacob
would face when the facts were made
known to Esau upon his return, so upon
his mothers suggestion, Jacob started
upon O Journey of 500 miles to Haran.
He realized that he had secured by
treachery rights and blessings that he
desired, but he had not realized the
cost of his sin until he was forced to
leave the presence of his mother. His
iniquity filled his thought and made
his Journey one of melancholy. In a
desolate spot, worn out by the days
travel and with q stone for q pillow,
the young exile tried to sleep and
dreamed. The vision opened up the
presence of the Lord, and he made a
covenant with Jehovah. He r ad given
to him a revelation of Gods program
and he entered into partnership with
Him. He was nlled with the cOnV1c-
ton that "the Lord was in this place
and I knew it not" His fears left him
and he dedicated that place as house
Of God.
Reaping What He SOwed.
When Jacob started to work for
Laban, we see the commencement of
the transformation that God started
in Jacobs life in his love for Rachel.
He had no funds with which to furnish
dowry. He met his match and
reaped what he had sowed at the
hands of Laban, who took advantage
OF Jacob and compelled him to serve
him many long years before he was
entitled to possess Rachel as his wife.
The necessity Of his supporting his
two wives and their children called for
further effort. Finally, after many
years of struggle, sacrifices and serv-
ice, Jacob was filled with the desire
to return to his birthplace and see his
own people once more.
Although Jacob had reaped from
Laban what he had sowed, God was
at work Transforming the selfish man
into loving and devoted husband and
father. On Jacobs return to the
promised land, God met him at Peniel,
where Jacob wrestled one night with an
angel of God at brook Jabbok. That
night marked q complete 'tranSforma-
ton in Jacobs character, for Jehovah
gave him q new name. He had been