patriarchs and prophets-第44节

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the　restraining　Spirit　of　God　is　withdrawn　from　the　earth。　As　Jacob　was
threatened　with　death　by　his　angry　brother；　so　the　people　of　God　will　be　in
peril　from　the　wicked　who　are　seeking　to　destroy　them。　And　as　the　patriarch
wrestled　all　night　for　deliverance　from　the　hand　of　Esau；　so　the　righteous
will　cry　to　God　day　and　night　for　deliverance　from　the　enemies　that　surround
them。

Satan　had　accused　Jacob　before　the　angels　of　God；　claiming　the　right　to
destroy　him　because　of　his　sin；　he　had　moved　upon　Esau　to　march　against　him；
and　during　the　patriarch's　long　night　of　wrestling；　Satan　endeavored　to
force　upon　him　a　sense　of　his　guilt；　in　order　to　discourage　him；　and　break
his　hold　upon　God。　When　in　his　distress　Jacob　laid　hold　of　the　Angel；　and
made　supplication　with　tears；　the　heavenly　Messenger；　in　order　to　try　his
faith；　also　reminded　him　of　his　sin；　and　endeavored　to　escape　from　him。　But
Jacob　would　not　be　turned　away。　He　had　learned　that　God　is　merciful；　and　he
cast　himself　upon　His　mercy。　He　pointed

202

back　to　his　repentance　for　his　sin；　and　pleaded　for　deliverance。　As　he
reviewed　his　life；　he　was　driven　almost　to　despair；　but　he　held　fast　the
Angel；　and　with　earnest；　agonizing　cries　urged　his　petition　until　he
prevailed。

Such　will　be　the　experience　of　God's　people　in　their　final　struggle　with　the
powers　of　evil。　God　will　test　their　faith；　their　perseverance；　their
confidence　in　His　power　to　deliver　them。　Satan　will　endeavor　to　terrify　them
with　the　thought　that　their　cases　are　hopeless；　that　their　sins　have　been
too　great　to　receive　pardon。　They　will　have　a　deep　sense　of　their
shortcomings；　and　as　they　review　their　lives　their　hopes　will　sink。　But
remembering　the　greatness　of　God's　mercy；　and　their　own　sincere　repentance；
they　will　plead　His　promises　made　through　Christ　to　helpless；　repenting
sinners。　Their　faith　will　not　fail　because　their　prayers　are　not　immediately
answered。　They　will　lay　hold　of　the　strength　of　God；　as　Jacob　laid　hold　of
the　Angel；　and　the　language　of　their　souls　will　be；　〃I　will　not　let　Thee　go；
except　Thou　bless　me。〃

Had　not　Jacob　previously　repented　of　his　sin　in　obtaining　the　birthright　by
fraud；　God　could　not　have　heard　his　prayer　and　mercifully　preserved　his
life。　So　in　the　time　of　trouble；　if　the　people　of　God　had　unconfessed　sins
to　appear　before　them　while　tortured　with　fear　and　anguish；　they　would　be
overwhelmed；　despair　would　cut　off　their　faith；　and　they　could　not　have
confidence　to　plead　with　God　for　deliverance。　But　while　they　have　a　deep
sense　of　their　unworthiness；　they　will　have　no　concealed　wrongs　to　reveal。
Their　sins　will　have　been　blotted　out　by　the　atoning　blood　of　Christ；　and
they　cannot　bring　them　to　remembrance。

Satan　leads　many　to　believe　that　God　will　overlook　their　unfaithfulness　in
the　minor　affairs　of　life；　but　the　Lord　shows　in　His　dealing　with　Jacob　that
He　can　in　no　wise　sanction　or　tolerate　evil。　All　who　endeavor　to　excuse　or
conceal　their　sins；　and　permit　them　to　remain　upon　the　books　of　heaven；
unconfessed　and　unforgiven；　will　be　overcome　by　Satan。　The　more　exalted
their　profession；　and　the　more　honorable　the　position　which　they　hold；　the
more　grievous　is　their　course　in　the　sight　of　God；　and　the　more　certain　the
triumph　of　the　great　adversary。

Yet　Jacob's　history　is　an　assurance　that　God　will　not　cast　off　those　who
have　been　betrayed　into　sin；　but　who　have　returned

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unto　Him　with　true　repentance。　It　was　by　self…surrender　and　confiding　faith
that　Jacob　gained　what　he　had　failed　to　gain　by　conflict　in　his　own
strength。　God　thus　taught　His　servant　that　divine　power　and　grace　alone
could　give　him　the　blessing　he　craved。　Thus　it　will　be　with　those　who　live
in　the　last　days。　As　dangers　surround　them；　and　despair　seizes　upon　the
soul；　they　must　depend　solely　upon　the　merits　of　the　atonement。　We　can　do
nothing　of　ourselves。　In　all　our　helpless　unworthiness　we　must　trust　in　the
merits　of　the　crucified　and　risen　Saviour。　None　will　ever　perish　while　they
do　this。　The　long；　black　catalogue　of　our　delinquencies　is　before　the　eye　of
the　Infinite。　The　register　is　complete；　none　of　our　offenses　are　forgotten。
But　He　who　listened　to　the　cries　of　His　servants　of　old；　will　hear　the
prayer　of　faith　and　pardon　our　transgressions。　He　has　promised；　and　He　will
fulfill　His　word。

Jacob　prevailed　because　he　was　persevering　and　determined。　His　experience
testifies　to　the　power　of　importunate　prayer。　It　is　now　that　we　are　to　learn
this　lesson　of　prevailing　prayer；　of　unyielding　faith。　The　greatest
victories　to　the　church　of　Christ　or　to　the　individual　Christian　are　not
those　that　are　gained　by　talent　or　education；　by　wealth　or　the　favor　of　men。
They　are　those　victories　that　are　gained　in　the　audience　chamber　with　God；
when　earnest；　agonizing　faith　lays　hold　upon　the　mighty　arm　of　power。

Those　who　are　unwilling　to　forsake　every　sin　and　to　seek　earnestly　for　God's
blessing；　will　not　obtain　it。　But　all　who　will　lay　hold　of　God's　promises　as
did　Jacob；　and　be　as　earnest　and　persevering　as　he　was；　will　succeed　as　he
succeeded。　〃Shall　not　God　avenge　His　own　elect；　which　cry　day　and　night　unto
Him；　though　He　bear　long　with　them？　I　tell　you　that　He　will　avenge　them
speedily。〃　Luke　18：7；　8。





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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　19

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Return　to　Canaan


Crossing　the　Jordan；　〃Jacob　came　in　peace　to　the　city　of　Shechem；　which　is
in　the　land　of　Canaan。〃　Genesis　33：18；　R。V。　Thus　the　patriarch's　prayer　at
Bethel；　that　God　would　bring　him　again　in　peace　to　his　own　land；　had　been
granted。　For　a　time　he　dwelt　in　the　vale　of　Shechem。　It　was　here　that
Abraham；　more　than　a　hundred　years　before；　had　made　his　first　encampment　and
erected　his　first　altar　in　the　Land　of　Promise。　Here　Jacob　〃bought　the
parcel　of　ground　where　he　had　spread　his　tent；　at　the　hand　of　the　children
of　Hamor；　Shechem's　father；　for　a　hundred　pieces　of　money。　And　he　erected
there　an　altar；　and　called　it　El…elohe…Israel〃　（verses　19；　20）God；　the　God
of　Israel。〃　Like　Abraham；　Jacob　set　up　beside　his　tent　an　altar　unto　the
Lord；　calling　the　members　of　his　household　to　the　morning　and　the　evening
sacrifice。　It　was　here　also　that　he　dug　the　well　to　which；　seventeen
centuries　later；　came　Jacob's　Son　and　Saviour；　and　beside　which；　resting
during　the　noontide　heat；　He　told　His　wondering　hearers　of　that　〃well　of
water　springing　up　into　everlasting　life。〃　John　4：14。

The　tarry　of　Jacob　and　his　sons　at　Shechem　ended　in　violence　and　bloodshed。
The　one　daughter　of　the　household　had　been　brought　to　shame　and　sorrow；　two
brothers　were　involved　in　the　guilt　of　murder；　a　whole　city　had　been　given
to　ruin　and　slaughter；　in　retaliation　for　the　lawless　deed　of　one　rash
youth。　The　beginning　that　led　to　results　so　terrible　was　the　act　of　Jacob's
daughter；　who　〃went　out　to　see　the　daughters　of　the　land；〃　thus　venturing
into　association　with　the　ungodly。　He　who　seeks　pleasure　among　those　that
fear　not　God　is　placing　himself　on　Satan's　ground　and　inviting　his
temptations。

The　treacherous　cruelty　of　Simeon　and　Levi　was　not　unprovoked；　yet　in　their
course　toward　the　Shechemites　they　committed　a　grievous　sin。　They　had
carefully　concealed　from　Jacob　their

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intentions；　and　the　tidings　of　their　revenge　filled　him　with　horror。
Heartsick　at　the　deceit　and　violence　of　his　sons；　he　only　said；　〃Ye　have
troubled　me　to　make　me　to　stink　among　the　inhabitants　of　the　land：　。　。　。　and
I　being　few　in　number；　they　shall　gather　themselves　together　against　me；　and
slay　me；　and　I　shall　be　destroyed；　I　and　my　house。〃　But　the　grief　and
abhorrence　with　which　he　regarded　their　bloody　deed　is　shown　by　the　words　in
which；　nearly　fifty　years　later；　he　referred　to　it；　as　he　lay　upon　his
deathbed　in　Egypt：　Simeon　and　Levi　are　brethren；　instruments　of　cruelty　are
in　their　habitations。　O　my　soul；　come　not　thou　into　their　secret；　unto　their
assembly；　mine　honor；　be　not　thou　united。　。　。　。　Cursed　be　their　anger；　for
it　was　fierce；　and　their　wrath；　for　it　was　cruel。〃　Genesis　49：5…7。

Jacob　felt　that　there　was　cause　for　deep　humiliation。　Cruelty　and　falsehood
were　manifest　in　the　character　of　his　sons。　There　were　false　gods　in　the
camp；　and　idolatry　had　to　some　extent　gained　a　foothold　even　in　his
household。　Should　the　Lord　deal　with　them　according　to　their　deserts；　would
He　not　leave　them　to　the　vengeance　of　the　surrounding　nations？

While　Jacob　was　thus　bowed　down　with　trouble；　the　Lord　directed　him　to
journey　southward　to　Bethel。　The　thought　of　this　place　reminded　the
patriarch　not　only　of　his　vision　of　the　angels　and　of　God's　promises　of
mercy；　but　also　of　the　vow　which　he　had　made　there；　that　the　Lord　should　be
his　God。　He　determined　that　before　going　to　this　sacred　spot　his　household
should　be　freed　from　the　defilement　of　idolatry。　He　therefore　gave　direction
to　all　in　the　encampment；　〃Put　away　the　strange　gods　that　are　among　you；　and
be　clean；　and　change　your　garments：　and　let　us　arise；　and　go　up　to　Bethel；
and　I　will　make　there　an　altar　unto　God；　who　answ