_God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there_ JACOB’S SECOND JOURNEY TO BETHEL I. IT WAS UNDERTAKEN AT THE CALL OF GOD. II. IT WAS ACCOMPLISHED IN THE SPIRIT OF OBEDIENCE AND CONSECRATION. III. IT WAS ACCOMPANIED BY THE DIVINE PROTECTION. IV. IT WAS FOLLOWED BY INCREASED SPIRIT... [ Continue Reading ]
_Put away the strange gods that are among you_ THE PUTTING AWAY OF IDOLS I. MANY CHRISTIANS ARE SUFFERING FROM SPIRITUAL DECLENSION. They hardly realize it, it has crept on them so quietly; but they have drifted far away from their Bethel and Penuel. Gray hairs are on a man before he knows. Summer... [ Continue Reading ]
_So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is, Bethel, he and all the people that were with him._ And he built there an altar, and called the place El-beth-el; because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother THE OBITUARY OF A NAME “Jacob” is dead; “... [ Continue Reading ]
_Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died_ LESSONS 1. Sad providences in the loss of dearest friends may befall the saints when they are in duty with God. 2. Parents’ friends should be dear unto, and accepted with their children also, especially gracious ones (Proverbs 27:10). 3. Death and burial are the... [ Continue Reading ]
_God appeared unto Jacob again_ LESSONS 1_._ God useth to knit comforts unto griefs for His saints. When creature comforts go out of sight, God cometh in. 2. God’s appearance is enough to countervail the disappearance of any comfort. 3. In various ways God hath appeared to His saints, but now o... [ Continue Reading ]
_I am God Almighty_ GOD’S ARM SUFFICIENT In like manner God has spoken to Abraham: He had said, “I am the Almighty God; walk before Me and be thou upright. ” The declaration of almightiness is, according to the sacred narrative, the first declaration of God concerning Himself. A sense of power is... [ Continue Reading ]
_Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem_ THE DEATH OF RACHEL I. IN ITS SOLEMN AND MELANCHOLY ASPECT. 1. It was death upon a journey. 2. It was death in the time of travail. 3. It was death just when his old fond desire was accomplished. II. IN ITS HOPEFUL AND PRO... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ben-oni_ THE MARKS OF A BEN-ONI These words were spoken of Rachel, Jacob’s wife. Her youngest child had just been born: she was very sick, and was going to die. The little child was lying by her. She called to see it; she kissed it, and called his name Ben-oni. Ben-oni means, “the son of my sorro... [ Continue Reading ]
_The sons of Jacob_ I. SIGNIFICANCE OF NAMES. Proper names had among them (the Hebrews) a deeper meaning, and were more closely connected in men’s thoughts with character and condition, than among any other ancient nation with the history and character of which we are acquainted. This is apparent... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the days of Isaac were a hundred and fourscore years._ And Isaac gave up the ghost THE CHARACTER OF ISAAC The lives of Abraham and Jacob are as attractive as the life of Isaac is apparently unattractive. Isaac’s character had few salient features. It had no great faults, no striking virtues;... [ Continue Reading ]