Thus Jacob became exceedingly prosperous. He owned large flocks, maidservants and menservants, and camels and donkeys. Sermons
I. The PROMISE TO GUIDE, protect, and bless fulfilled in connection with the employment of ordinary faculties and instrumentalities. Jacob's craft partly natural, but in this instance specially assisted that he might be helped in an emergency. The "supplanter" in this case represented the better cause. II. HUMAN DEVICES only apparently, and not really, thwart the purposes of God. Jacob represents the people of God. The victory is appointed them. Their interests must be served by the kingdoms of this world, though for a season the advantage appears on the side of the mere calculating, selfish policy. The true wisdom is that which cometh from above. III. INCREASE in the best sense is God's promise. It will be sent as he wills and when he wills, but will be found the true answer to prayer and the true manifestation of love. On all that belongs to us the blessing rests. Spiritual prosperity carries with it all other. Though the individual may be called to suffer for the sake of the community, the promise to the Church must be fulfilled. "It is our Father's good pleasure to give us the kingdom." "The meek shall inherit the earth." - R.
Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it. I. IT WAS ENTERED UPON IN OPPOSITION TO HIS BETTER FEELINGS AND CONVICTIONS.II. IT WAS MARKED BY WORLDLY PRUDENCE. 1. The prudence which calculates. 2. The prudence which takes advantage of superior knowledge. (T. H. Leale.) (Fuller.) (Franklin.) God has given us precepts of such a holiness and such a purity, such a meekness and such humility, as hath no pattern but Christ, no precedent but the purities of God; and, therefore, it is intended we should live with a life whose actions are not chequered with white and black, half sin and half virtue. God's sheep are not like Jacob's flock, "streaked and spotted," it is an entire holiness that God requires, and will not endure to have a holy course interrupted by the dishonour of a base and ignoble action. I do not mean that a man's life can be as pure as the sun, or the rays of celestial Jerusalem; but like the moon, in which there are spots, but they are no deformity; a lessening only and an abatement of light, no cloud to hinder and draw a veil before its face, but sometimes it is not so severe and bright as at other times. Every man hath his indiscretions and infirmities, but no good man ever commits one act of adultery; no godly man will at any time be drunk; or if he be he ceases to be a godly man, and is run into the confines of death, and is sick at heart, and may die of the sickness — die eternally.(Jeremy Taylor.). People Asher, Bilhah, Dan, Dinah, Gad, Issachar, Jacob, Joseph, Laban, Leah, Naphtali, Rachel, Reuben, Zebulun, ZilpahPlaces Paddan-aramTopics Asses, Bondmen, Bondwomen, Camels, Cattle, Donkeys, Exceedingly, Female, Flocks, Greatly, Grew, Increased, Increaseth, Jacob's, Large, Maidservants, Maid-servants, Male, Menservants, Men-servants, Prosperous, Rich, Servants, Thus, Wealth, Women-servantsOutline 1. Rachel, in grief for her barrenness, gives Bilhah her maid unto Jacob.5. Bilhah bears Dan and Naphtali. 9. Leah gives Zilpah her maid, who bears Gad and Asher. 14. Reuben finds mandrakes, 15. with which Leah buys her husband's company of Rachel. 17. Leah bears Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah. 22. Rachel bears Joseph. 25. Jacob desires to depart. 27. Laban detains him on a new agreement. 37. Jacob's policy, whereby he becomes rich. Dictionary of Bible Themes Genesis 30:43 4035 abundance Library Meditations for Household Piety. 1. If thou be called to the government of a family, thou must not hold it sufficient to serve God and live uprightly in thy own person, unless thou cause all under thy charge to do the same with thee. For the performance of this duty God was so well pleased with Abraham, that he would not hide from him his counsel: "For," saith God, "I know him that he will command his sons and his household after him that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon … Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety Genesis Links Genesis 30:43 NIVGenesis 30:43 NLT Genesis 30:43 ESV Genesis 30:43 NASB Genesis 30:43 KJV Genesis 30:43 Bible Apps Genesis 30:43 Parallel Genesis 30:43 Biblia Paralela Genesis 30:43 Chinese Bible Genesis 30:43 French Bible Genesis 30:43 German Bible Genesis 30:43 Commentaries Bible Hub |
    |