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as the elect link in the chain of purpose, Jacob must nevertheless suffer the consequences
of his deception, and the devoted mother must part from her son upon the morrow of his
triumph. David experienced this same dual treatment too; the covenant remained
unaltered, but war never left his house after his great sin. This is the first great crisis in
Jacob's history. Here starts the long discipline which culminates in the change of his
name.
We pause here to consider the folly of all, whoever they may be, who dare attempt by
any means of the flesh even co-operation with the God of electing grace. Such attempt
carries with it nothing but defeat and sorrow. Abraham never forfeited his place in the
purpose of God, yet what a deed was that that gave him Ishmael for a son! Jacob never
forfeited his elect position, yet his deceptions led him straight away to banishment,
servitude, and to be deceived in his turn, first by Laban, Rebecca's brother, and then by
his own sons, in the matter of Joseph.
Whatever our calling may be, and whatever the peculiarities of the dispensation under
which we walk, God's attitude both to His gifts and callings, and also to truth and
righteousness, remain the same. It is not written in Genesis alone, or even in Galatians
with its "justified by faith without law", but throughout Scripture that "whatsoever a man
soweth, that shall he also reap".
#34. Jacob and the God of Bethel (Gen. 28: - 31:).
pp. 104 - 107
There is a statement, several times repeated, that Laban was "Rebekah's brother". If
Rebekah can deceive for her son's gain, possibly her brother can deceive for his own, and
such at any rate is the fact.
"And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba (the well of the oath) and went toward Haran"
(the frontier town of the Babylonian Empire) (Gen. 28: 10).
Somewhere between these two suggestive places Jacob is overtaken by the night. A
stone formed his pillow and in that place Jacob met with God. There God speaks with
him. No word of censure for his sins, no word of bitter disillusion, indicating that the
blessing of Abraham could never be for such as he, but a blessed confirmation of the
purpose according to election, which we learn from Romans is an election of GRACE.
Above the ladder which Jacob saw, the top of which reached heaven (or as some read
"beside him,") stood the Lord, who said:--
"I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon
thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed. And thy seed shall be as the dust of the
earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to
the south, and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed, and behold, I am
with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again
into this land: for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee
of" (Gen. 28: 13-15).