we marvel as we learn our real position, and see that God really places us at the gate of heaven.

ii. Jacob's vow of dedication is very interesting. He had been stript of all earthly possessions, and, probably, now for the first time recognizes God's hand in providing for him even bread and raiment. "If God will be with me," etc., "then shall the Lord be my God." Jacob's faith was yet weak: there was an "if." He had not learnt to cast himself entirely upon, and to surrender himself unconditionally unto, the Lord. We are slow learners, and we cling much to earthly ties. How patient and long-suffering is our heavenly Father! How slow to anger! "For He knoweth our frame: He remembereth we are dust." (Psa. ciii. 13, 14.)

We have but touched upon the many interesting points in this chapter. Will you read over again, by yourselves, this story of Jacob's dream? Will you make this your earnest prayer: 'Lord, reveal Thyself to me, as Thou did'st to Thy servant of old; through Jesus Christ, Amen.'

V.

JACOB'S RETURN.

GENESIS XXXII.

JACOB was on his way home again, after an absence of many years. God had appeared to him in a dream (Gen. xxxi. 13), and told him to "return to the land of his kindred."

By the way the "angels of God met him." There was danger before Jacob, and it was most probably to strengthen his faith that God's host appeared to him. We are told in Heb. i. 14 that "the angels are ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to the heirs of salvation." So also Psalm xxxiv. 7 speaks of "the angel of the Lord encamping round them that fear Him." In some way, therefore, to minister to Jacob and to help him, did God send these heavenly beings.

I. THERE WAS DANGER BEFORE JACOB.

Years before, as you may remember, Jacob having displeased his brother Esau, fled from his fury, and sought a new home in the land of Padan-aram. The wound in Esau's heart had never healed, no recon

ciliation had taken place between the brothers: the old feud remained.

A quarrel between brothers is a very serious thing: the nearer the relationship the more bitter are the feelings, generally speaking. "A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle." (Prov. xviii. 19.) And when Jacob remembered that, in their quarrel, he had been the offender, he might justly dread that when they met, revenge would be the uppermost feeling in his brother's heart.

Nor was he mistaken: Esau came armed against him. It was a real and not an imaginary danger. Jacob had sent a notice of his coming, with a petition that he might find grace in his sight (ver. 5), but this had only revived the old bitterness in Esau's mind, and with no peaceable intentions did he advance to meet his brother.

II. JACOB'S RESOURCE WAS IN PRAYER TO GOD.

This prayer is so very instructive that I want to look minutely into it. It may be a help to us, and a model for us to copy. When a prayer is recorded in Scripture as being accepted and answered, we may be encouraged both to pray in the same way about our own affairs, and also to look for an answer; and is not the God of Jacob our God also ?

i. Whom does he address? The God of his fathers, Abraham and Isaac, the Lord who had spoken to him by the way, and whose commands he was now obeying. Jacob "knew in whom he believed."

(2 Tim. i. 12.) He was speaking, not to a stranger, but to One who had promised to "deal well with him." He approached Him therefore with confidence; he felt that what God had been to his father before him, He would be to himself. It is this spirit of loving confidence that is dear to God; and there is a name we may plead He loves to hear, even the name of the Lord Jesus. None who come before Him in that name will plead in vain.

ii. Jacob confesses his own unworthiness.

When he looked back at what he was when he left his father's house, a poor lonely wanderer "with only a staff," and viewed his present condition, he was filled with gratitude and humility. All had been the gifts of God's grace; and the wives and children and possessions had been to him tokens not only of God's goodness and mercy, but of His truth : they were a part of God's covenant of mercy, and in proportion as he apprehended this truth would be his humility. It is when we know what God is, that we learn the humbling lessons of what we ourselves are; when we have learnt that we are poor lonely wanderers, and that all that we have and all that we may become, is entirely of grace, the effect upon us is to teach us to say, "I am not worthy."

It was when Isaiah saw the glory of God, he said, Woe is me! for I am a man of unclean lips." (Isaiah vi. 5.) When Peter felt the power of Jesus, he said, "Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord." (Luke v. 8.)

iii. His petition is very simple.

He goes straight to the point: it was a definite prayer for a definite object. "Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother Esau." (Ver. 11.) It is a great thing to be simple in our prayers; to tell out our trouble and to ask for what we want, and not to feel constrained, or that we must of necessity only ask for spiritual things. Our heavenly Father knows beforehand all out wants (Matt. vi. 8), but He likes to hear the voice of His children, and He likes them to trust Him. (Ps. ii. 12.)

iv. Jacob cares for his family.

"The mother with the children " were dear to him, and his fears were more for them than for himself. He names them before God. The love of God increases our love for our families; far more unselfish and more true is our love for our friends when it springs out of the love of God. The best way too of showing love to our friends is to pray for them.

Specially should parents bring their children before the Lord in prayer, asking Him to provide for them for time and for eternity.

v. Jacob pleads God's promises. (Ver. 12.)

God never makes a promise but He means to fulfil it, and He means us to take Him at His word. We shall often find in prayer that it is the greatest comfort to look for a promise and plead it before God; it strengthens our faith, comforts our heart, and gives us subject for prayer.