![]() ![]() Perhaps he did so in this case but, at the same time, he was a man of faith, and therefore he betook himself to prayer. He was a man of plans and arrangements, a man of considerable craftiness, which some people nowadays call “prudence.” He used means, and he sometimes used them a little too much. And he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands and said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape. Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed:Īnd well he might be, for an angry brother, with four hundred fierce followers, must mean mischief. And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him. But there is good hope of things going right when Jacob, who is the better of the two brothers, is also the humbler of the two. There are some proud people who, when they know that they have done wrong, yet will not own it, and it is very hard to end a quarrel when one will not yield, and the other feels that he will not either. This is very respectful language, and rather obsequious, too but when a man knows that he has done wrong to another, he ought to be prepared to humble himself to the injured individual and, though it happened long ago, yet Jacob really had injured his brother Esau, and it was but right that, in meeting him again, he should put himself into a humble position before him. And he commanded them, saying, Then shall ye speak unto my lord Esau Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have adjourned with Laban, and stayed there until now: and I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight. When one trouble’s gone, another doth him seize.” He is out of one trouble with Laban now he is into another with Esau. And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom. He gave it a name to commemorate God’s having sent the angels, and called it “two camps” or “two hosts.” And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim. Paul tells us that the woman ought to have her head covered in the assembly “because of the angels,” that is, because they are there to see that all things are done decently and in order. They do come into the assemblies of the saints. ![]() As in the old classic story, the poor man said, “This is a plain hut, but God has been here,” so we may say of every Christian’s cottage, “Though it be poor, an angel has come here,” for David says, “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.” As the angels of God met Jacob, I trust that, if you have come here after some stern battle, and trial, and difficulty, you may find the angels of God meeting you here. What an encouragement the visit of these angels must have been to Jacob after the strife which he had had with Laban! But, dear friends, angels often come to meet us, though we know it not. ![]() And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. Sproul went home to be with the Lord in 2017.Genesis 32:1. He also served as general editor of the Reformation Study Bible. Sproul contributed dozens of articles to national evangelical publications, spoke at conferences, churches, and schools around the world, and wrote more than one hundred books, including The Holiness of God, Chosen by God, and Everyone’s a Theologian. His radio program, Renewing Your Mind, is still broadcast daily on hundreds of radio stations around the world and can also be heard online. ![]() He was also copastor of Saint Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Fla., first president of Reformation Bible College, and executive editor of Tabletalk magazine. Sproul was founder of Ligonier Ministries, an international Christian discipleship organization located near Orlando, Fla. His radio program, Renewing Your Mind, is still broadcast daily on hundreds of. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |