That is my destiny is the creed of a foolish fatalism or else the half-hearted excuse of a soul sadly conscious of sin and failure. The full truth respecting a man's or a nation's destiny is that it depends on three factors - circumstance, the Divine will, and character. This is well illustrated here.

I. CIRCUMSTANCE. Mention is made of the birthright (ver. 1). Usually the eldest son enjoyed this, and, with this, dominion and a double share in the division of the estate. Through all the tribes of Israel, for succeeding generations, the authority and the possessions of individual men depended on their birth - whose children they were and whether they were the firstborn or not. In the ease of Joseph's sons (ver. 1), Manasseh and Ephraim had the headship of a most powerful tribe, because they were the sons of the estimable and beloved sons of Joseph. "The sons of Reuben" (ver. 3) took their share of honour and estate, whatever may have been left them by their father, etc. So with us in every age and land. What our fortune and future will be, in what society we shall move, what consideration we shall enjoy, etc., - this depends largely on what men call "the accident of birth," the parentage from which we spring, on the circumstances in which we enter the world and in which we pass our earlier years. Circumstance is one thread of destiny. The fact is a reason why we should not pride ourselves on our good position; also why we should not despise others in positions much lower than our own.

II. THE DIVINE WILL. "Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler" (ver. 2). And how came Judah to prevail? Was it not chiefly, if not wholly, by the distinguishing grace of God? He chose David to be the ruler, to be King of Israel, to be the ancestor of the Messiah (see Genesis 49:8; Judges 1:1, 2; 1 Chronicles 28:4). Our heritage here is, in part, chosen for us of God (Psalm 47:4). He determines our portion by

(1) the mental faculties and moral dispositions with which he endows us;

(2) the providential openings he provides for us;

(3) the direct Divine promptings with which he inspires us.

And since God has so much to do with our fortunes in this world, we should

(1) be humble in prosperity;

(2) be contented in lowliness;

(3) be submissive in adversity.

III. CHARACTER. Reuben might have had a far more honourable and influential position than he and his posterity enjoyed. Circumstances favoured it; God would have been willing to sanction it. But he forfeited it by his sin (ver. 1). His shameful incontinence lowered the level of his fortunes and of those of his children. Had he been a better man he would have held a larger share of prominence and power. Character is a strong thread in the cord of human destiny. What we shall be in the world, to what we shall rise, and what heritage we shall leave to our children, - all this depends in very large part indeed on the character we form in youth;

(1) purity,

(2) sobriety,

(3) honesty,

(4) diligence,

(5) sagacity,

(6) courage,

(7) civility (pleasantness of address), -

these are the constituents of success. When these are absent, life must be a failure; when present, it is almost certain to be a success. But there is one thing not to be overlooked, viz. that we may make sure and must make sure of the destiny of the good and holy - "the heritage of them that fear God's Name." Apart from this, success is short-lived and superficial. With this, temporal misfortunes may be calmly borne, for beyond is an everlasting portion which will make these soon to be forgotten. - C.

This incident is worth dwelling upon, only because it elucidates a special phase of the Divine government. God is not bound by arbitrary laws. Primogeniture can be changed in the court of heaven. Conduct is the only absolute guarantee of real and enduring primogeniture. "Once in grace, always in grace," may be a glorious truth, but everything depends upon what is meant by being "in grace." They are not all Israel that are called Israel. We can only prove that we were once in grace by continually living in grace. Any vital breach in the continuance will throw discredit upon the supposed reality of the origin.

(J. Parker, D. D.)