Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/263

Rh God is

is

everywhere and with

all

With Us children

his

even with His sinning children

He

is

for their repentance, seeking to turn

His great depart from

their evil ways,

And

righteousness. sinner's

prayer

The Lord

To

all

is

He

ever

all

them again

and walk again is

forgiveness

for

Psalmist's w^ords

at

times,

but

ever present, yearning to

Himself

longing for their regeneration, that they

love,

in

245

ready to

and

His path of hearken unto the

help.

in

Again,

in

the

•



nigh unto

that call

upon

all

Him

them

that call

upon Him,

in truth.

came like the dawn of hope; he was Though no human being might accompany him, yet God was with him, and would be ever with him, whithersoever he might go, and would at last bring him back to this land, and fulfil through him His Yes, it was God's very promise to promise to Abraham. Abraham, that through him and his" descendants all mankind should be blessed, which had been renewed to Jacob. God had confirmed the birthright to him. But now, purified and with vision made clear by this long day and night of suffering and fear and sorrow, he had come to perceive what this

To Jacob

this

truth

not alone in the world.

In this vision by night the gate of heaven had opened for Jacob, through which he might once more rise up to God. The way of repentance, atonement, and pardon had been shown him, whereby true peace and blessing might once more become his. It was not to be an birthright really was.

easy

many trial.

night,

way nor

short.

years and bring

It

must be long and hard, must take additional suffering and bitter

much

True repentance can not come

speedily,

nor can perfect righteousness be attained

in

a

single

in a passing

moment. As the sage of old said, ''For gold is tried by and acceptable man in the furnace of adversity". All this Jacob now realized fully. But with this realization came the comforting and inspiring thought that God had not for-

fire, \n