patriarchs and prophets-第45节

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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　answered　me　in　the　day　of　my
distress；　and　was　with　me　in　the　way　which　I　went。〃

With　deep　emotion　Jacob　repeated　the　story　of　his　first　visit　to　Bethel；
when　he　left　his　father's　tent　a　lonely　wanderer；　fleeing　for　his　life；　and
how　the　Lord　had　appeared　to　him　in　the　night　vision。　As　he　reviewed　the
wonderful　dealings　of　God　with　him；　his　own　heart　was　softened；　his　children
also　were　touched　by　a　subduing　power；　he　had　taken　the　most　effectual　way
to　prepare　them　to　join　in　the　worship　of　God　when　they　should　arrive　at
Bethel。　〃And　they　gave　unto　Jacob　all　the　strange　gods　which

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were　in　their　hand；　and　all　their　earrings　which　were　in　their　ears；　and
Jacob　hid　them　under　the　oak　which　was　by　Shechem。〃

God　caused　a　fear　to　rest　upon　the　inhabitants　of　the　land；　so　that　they
made　no　attempt　to　avenge　the　slaughter　at　Shechem。　The　travelers　reached
Bethel　unmolested。　Here　the　Lord　again　appeared　to　Jacob　and　renewed　to　him
the　covenant　promise。　〃And　Jacob　set　up　a　pillar　in　the　place　where　He
talked　with　him；　even　a　pillar　of　stone。〃

At　Bethel；　Jacob　was　called　to　mourn　the　loss　of　one　who　had　long　been　an
honored　member　of　his　father's　familyRebekah's　nurse；　Deborah；　who　had
accompanied　her　mistress　from　Mesopotamia　to　the　land　of　Canaan。　The
presence　of　this　aged　woman　had　been　to　Jacob　a　precious　tie　that　bound　him
to　his　early　life；　and　especially　to　the　mother　whose　love　for　him　had　been
so　strong　and　tender。　Deborah　was　buried　with　expressions　of　so　great　sorrow
that　the　oak　under　which　her　grave　was　made；　was　called　〃the　oak　of
weeping。〃　It　should　not　be　passed　unnoticed　that　the　memory　of　her　life　of
faithful　service　and　of　the　mourning　over　this　household　friend　has　been
accounted　worthy　to　be　preserved　in　the　word　of　God。

From　Bethel　it　was　only　a　two　days'　journey　to　Hebron；　but　it　brought　to
Jacob　a　heavy　grief　in　the　death　of　Rachel。　Twice　seven　years'　service　he
had　rendered　for　her　sake；　and　his　love　had　made　the　toil　but　light。　How
deep　and　abiding　that　love　had　been；　was　shown　when　long　afterward；　as　Jacob
in　Egypt　lay　near　his　death；　Joseph　came　to　visit　his　father；　and　the　aged
patriarch；　glancing　back　upon　his　own　life；　said；　〃As　for　me；　when　I　came
from　Padan；　Rachel　died　by　me　in　the　land　of　Canaan　in　the　way；　when　yet
there　was　but　a　little　way　to　come　unto　Ephrath：　and　I　buried　her　there　in
the　way　of　Ephrath。〃　Genesis　48：7。　In　the　family　history　of　his　long　and
troubled　life　the　loss　of　Rachel　was　alone　recalled。

Before　her　death　Rachel　gave　birth　to　a　second　son。　With　her　parting　breath
she　named　the　child　Benoni；　〃son　of　my　sorrow。〃　But　his　father　called　him
Benjamin；　〃son　of　my　right　hand；〃　or　〃my　strength。〃　Rachel　was　buried　where
she　died；　and　a　pillar　was　raised　upon　the　spot　to　perpetuate　her　memory。

On　the　way　to　Ephrath　another　dark　crime　stained　the　family　of　Jacob；
causing　Reuben；　the　first…born　son；　to　be　denied　the　privileges　and　honors
of　the　birthright。

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At　last　Jacob　came　to　his　journey's　end；　〃unto　Isaac　his　father　unto　Mamre；
。　。　。　which　is　Hebron；　where　Abraham　and　Isaac　sojourned。〃　Here　he　remained
during　the　closing　years　of　his　father's　life。　To　Isaac；　infirm　and　blind；
the　kind　attentions　of　this　long…absent　son　were　a　comfort　during　years　of
loneliness　and　bereavement。

Jacob　and　Esau　met　at　the　deathbed　of　their　father。　Once　the　elder　brother
had　looked　forward　to　this　event　as　an　opportunity　for　revenge；　but　his
feelings　had　since　greatly　changed。　And　Jacob；　well　content　with　the
spiritual　blessings　of　the　birthright；　resigned　to　the　elder　brother　the
inheritance　of　their　father's　wealththe　only　inheritance　that　Esau　sought
or　valued。　They　were　no　longer　estranged　by　jealousy　or　hatred；　yet　they
parted；　Esau　removing　to　Mount　Seir。　God；　who　is　rich　in　blessing；　had
granted　to　Jacob　worldly　wealth；　in　addition　to　the　higher　good　that　he　had
sought。　The　possessions　of　the　two　brothers　〃were　more　than　that　they　might
dwell　together；　and　the　land　wherein　they　were　strangers　could　not　bear　them
because　of　their　cattle。〃　This　separation　was　in　accordance　with　the　divine
purpose　concerning　Jacob。　Since　the　brothers　differed　so　greatly　in　regard
to　religious　faith；　it　was　better　for　them　to　dwell　apart。

Esau　and　Jacob　had　alike　been　instructed　in　the　knowledge　of　God；　and　both
were　free　to　walk　in　His　commandments　and　to　receive　His　favor；　but　they　had
not　both　chosen　to　do　this。　The　two　brothers　had　walked　in　different　ways；
and　their　paths　would　continue　to　diverge　more　and　more　widely。

There　was　no　arbitrary　choice　on　the　part　of　God　by　which　Esau　was　shut　out
from　the　blessings　of　salvation。　The　gifts　of　His　grace　through　Christ　are
free　to　all。　There　is　no　election　but　one's　own　by　which　any　may　perish。　God
has　set　forth　in　His　word　the　conditions　upon　which　every　soul　will　be
elected　to　eternal　lifeobedience　to　His　commandments；　through　faith　in
Christ。　God　has　elected　a　character　in　harmony　with　His　law；　and　anyone　who
shall　reach　the　standard　of　His　requirement　will　have　an　entrance　into　the
kingdom　of　glory。　Christ　Himself　said；　〃He　that　believeth　on　the　Son　hath
everlasting　life：　and　he　that　believeth　not　the　Son　shall　not　see　life。〃
John　3：36。　〃Not　everyone　that　saith　unto　Me；　Lord；　Lord；　shall　enter　into
the　kingdom　of　heaven；　but　he　that　doeth　the　will　of　My　Father　which　is　in
heaven。〃　Matthew　7：21。　And　in　the　Revelation　He　declares；

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〃Blessed　are　they　that　do　His　commandments；　that　they　may　have　right　to　the
tree　of　life；　and　may　enter　in　through　the　gates　into　the　city。〃　Revelation
22：14。　As　regards　man's　final　salvation；　this　is　the　only　election　brought
to　view　in　the　word　of　God。

Every　soul　is　elected　who　will　work　out　his　own　salvation　with　fear　and
trembling。　He　is　elected　who　will　put　on　the　armor　and　fight　the　good　fight
of　faith。　He　is　elected　who　will　watch　unto　prayer；　who　will　search　the
Scriptures；　and　flee　from　temptation　He　is　elected　who　will　have　faith
continually；　and　who　will　be　obedient　to　every　word　that　proceedeth　out　of
the　mouth　of　God。　The　provisions　of　redemption　are　free　to　all；　the　results
of　redemption　will　be　enjoyed　by　those　who　have　complied　with　the
conditions。

Esau　had　despised　the　blessings　of　the　covenant。　He　had　valued　temporal
above　spiritual　good；　and　he　had　received　that　which　he　desired。　It　was　by
his　own　deliberate　choice　that　he　was　separated　from　the　people　of　God。
Jacob　had　chosen　the　inheritance　of　faith。　He　had　endeavored　to　obtain　it　by
craft；　treachery；　and　falsehood；　but　God　had　permitted　his　sin　to　work　out
its　correction。　Yet　through　all　the　bitter　experience　of　his　later　years；
Jacob　had　never　swerved　from　his　purpose　or　renounced　his　choice。　He　had
learned　that　in　resorting　to　human　skill　and　craft　to　secure　the　blessing；
he　had　been　warring　against　God。　From　that　night　of　wrestling　beside　the
Jabbok；　Jacob　had　come　forth　a　different　man。　Self…confidence　had　been
uprooted。　Henceforth　the　early　cunning　was　no　longer　seen。　In　place　of　craft
and　deception；　his　life　was　marked　by　simplicity　and　truth。　He　had　learned
the　lesson　of　simple　reliance　upon　the　Almighty　Arm；　and　amid　trial　and
affliction　he　bowed　in　humble　submission　to　the　will　of　God。　The　baser
elements　of　character　were　consumed　in　the　furnace　fire；　the　true　gold　was
refined；　until　the　faith　of　Abraham　and　Isaac　appeared　undimmed　in　Jacob。

The　sin　of　Jacob；　and　the　train　of　events　to　which　it　led；　had　not　failed　to
exert　an　influence　for　evilan　influence　that　revealed　its　bitter　fruit　in
the　character　and　life　of　his　sons。　As　these　sons　arrived　at　manhood　they
developed　serious　faults。　The　results　of　polygamy　were　manifest　in　the
household。　This　terrible　evil　tends　to　dry　up　the　very　springs　of　love；　and
its　influence　weakens　the　most　sacred　ties。　The　jealousy　of　the　several
mothers　had

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embittered　the　family　relation；　the　children　had　grown　up　contentious　and
impatient　of　control；　and　the　father's　life　was　darkened　with　anxiety　and
grief。

There　was　one；　however；　of　a　widely　different　characterthe　elder　son　of
Rachel；　Joseph；　whose　rare　personal　beauty　seemed　but　to　reflect　an　inward
beauty　of　mind　and　heart。　Pure；　active；　and　joyous；　the　lad　gave　evidence
also　of　moral　earnestness　and　firmness。　He　listened　to　his　father's
instructions；　and　loved　to　obey　God。　The　qualities　that　afterward
distinguished　him　in　Egyptgentleness；　fidelity；　and　truthfulnesswere
already　manifest　in　his　daily　life。　His　mother　being　dead；　his　affections
clung　the　more　closely　to　the　father；　and　Jacob's　heart　was　bound　up　in　this
child　of　his　old　age。　He　〃loved　Joseph　more　than　all　his　children。〃

But　even　this　affection　was　to　become　a　cause　of　trouble　and　sorrow。　Jacob
unwisely　manifested　his　preference　for　Joseph；　and　this　excited　the　jealousy
of　his　other　sons。　As　Joseph　witnessed　the　evil　conduct　of　his　brothers；　he
was　greatly　troubled；　he　ventured　ge