HOMILIES BY V.A.RIOUS AUTHORS. Cb. Diliii.-The fruus of prayer. The "prince" who has been lifted by the grace of God out of the humiliation of his fear and shame to the height of his favour at the throne of the Most High now reveals his princely power. He takes captive Esau's heart; he blesses him in the no.me of God, he bestows his gifts upon him. Notice the fmits of Divine discipline i1i the patriarch. J. THE THEOCRATIC l!'EELINO IS ALIVE IN JACOB'B HEART. He puts the l1andmai,Is first, Leah next, Rachel and Joseph hindennost. He placed them in the order of his own affection; but it represented also the Divine order, for it was in Joseph that the kingdom of God was about to be especially manifested. "I have seen thy face," ho said to Esau, " as though I had seen the face of God." He saw the favour of Gofl going on before him, and like the sunshine it·rested on the face of the enemy, and cast out the darkness and turned it into light. II. Jacob's entire STEADFASTNESS AS ASERVANT OF Goo and believer in the covenant. Seen in his refusal to mingle his family and paople with those of Esau. III. SPECIAL GRACE MEETS THE TRUE SERVANT. 11 Succoth" is better than" Seir;" and it is on the way to" Shalem," peace. There it is that the patriarch finds rest, and builds an altar, calling it "El-elohe-Israel." Not merely an altar to God, but to him who had reveaJed himself as the faithful God, the God of Israel, the Godo/ his people.-R. Ver. 12.-Worldly companionship. ".A.nd he said, Let us tnke our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee." The offer probably made with kindly inten- tion. No sign of bitterness in Esau's feelings; but ignorance of the necessities of Jacob's march. Jacob knew it was not possible with safety (cf. Ps. cxxxvii. 4; 1 Pet. iv. 4). Reminds us of the attitude of many worldly persons towards Christinns. "The carnal mind is enmity ogainst God." Yet worldly men may havo sincere regard for Christian men; bear unconscious testimony to excellence of Christianity. And here a danger to Christions. Let us journey together. I like you ; you are unselfish, trustworthy. And why not? Because in journeying with Esau ho must be leader, or he would cease to be Esau. The world's good-will does not mean a chnnged heart. Without any pronounced dislike to higher aims, it shares them not, and knows not anything more real than earth. Thero is a journey wo all t,ike in company: in the thousand ways in which men are dependent on each other ; in tl1e courtesies nnd good offices of life ; in what belongs to our position as citizens or hmily men, But in wh:\t constitutes the rof\l\ of life-its stamp am! ,lircl'lion, ih D D2 404 THE BOOK OF GENESIS. [cu. XXXIV. 1-81.
motives and aims-no union. We have another Leader (Hel,. xit 2), The pillar of fire led Israelites not according to human judgment. I. TH1s DOES NOT IMPLY KEEPING ALOOF FROM MEN, OR FROM RUMAN INTERESTB. Wo are called to be the salt of the earth. It is an error to shrink from contact with the world as dangerous to us. This of old led to monasticism. But there may be a 6piritual solitude even when living in the throng of a city. In secular matters refu~ing to take_an interest in_ wha~ ?Ccupie~ others (c~. Luke yi._ 31), as if God had nothmg to do with these; or m spmtual tlungs avo1dmg Chnst1an intercourse with those who do not in all points agree with us ; or being engrossed with our own spiritu~ 1 welfare, and turning a,vay from all concern for the welfare of others ( cf. I Cor. 1x. 20-22). II_. IT DOES IMPLY A REAL CONSCIOUSNESS OF BEING REDEEMED, set free, bought with 8 pnce; OF HAVING A DEFINITE WORK TO DO FOR Goo, WITH WHICH NOTHING MUST INTERFERE; a real way to walk in, from which nothing must make us turn aside. And in order to this, watchfulness over self, that in seeking to help others wo our- sch·es are not ensnared. III. SOME WAYS IN WHICH TRE WORLD IN ITS FRIENDSHIP TEMPTS CHRISTIANS, 1. By the plea, there is no harm in this or that. We must not think that all actions can he brought to an absolute standard of right and wrong. This is the spirit of legality, the spirit of bondage, and leads to partial service instead of entire dedication ( cf. Luke xv. 29). Loyalty to Christ must direct the Christian's life; desire not merely 1o 11\'oid direct disobedience, but to use our time and powers for him who loved us and gave himself for us. 2. By the display of good feelings as the equivalent of Christian gnces. Esau 's kindliness and frankness are very attractive. Yet he was a " profane person ; "not because of his anger or any sinful act, but because he thought little of God's blessing. 3. By making Christians familiar with worldly aims and maxims, and thus insensibly blunting their spiritual aspirations. The way of safety is through prayer for the Holy Spirit's help, to maintain the consciousness of Christ's presence.-M.
EXPOSITION.