Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/129

 Isaac was  happy  that  his  son  had  returned,  and  lived  after  this about twenty  years. Finally, enfeebled  by  age,  he  died,  one hundred and  eighty  years  old. Esau and  Jacob  buried  him  at Hebron.

All things  come  from  God.  When  Jacob  offered  several  flocks  to his  brother,  he  uttered  these  beautiful  words:  “Take  of  the  blessing which God  hath  given  me.”  He  confessed  thereby  that  it  was  God who had  given,  preserved,  and  increased  his  flocks.

Faithfulness of  God.  This  story  shows  how  God  fulfilled  His promise: “I  will  be  thy  keeper,  and  will  bring  thee  back  into  this  land.”

Keeping vows.  Jacob,  too,  was  faithful,  and  kept  his  vow. After he had  parted  from  Esau,  he  went  to  Bethel,  and  made  there  an altar. Picture to  yourself  how  he  knelt  down  before  the  altar,  with all his  household,  and  thanked  Almighty  God  from  the  bottom  of his  heart.

Necessity makes  people  pray. In  his  great  fear  Jacob  had  recourse to God. We, too,  ought  to  turn  to  God  for  help,  comfort  and  strength in times  of  trial,  fear  and  need. “Our help  is  in  the  name  of  the  Lord who made  heaven  and  earth”  (Ps.  123,  8). The holy  apostle  James says: “Is  any  of  you  sad? Let him  pray”  (James  5,  13).

Prayer does  not  dispense  us  from  helping  ourselves. Jacob  did  not only pray  to  God,  but  he  did  all  that  lay  in  his  own  power  to  propitiate his brother. He sent  messengers  to  beg  his  favour;  he  sent  him presents, and  humbled  himself,  bowing  down  seven  times  before  him. We should  act  as  he  did,  in  our  times  of  need  or  trouble. We should, indeed,  pray,  but  we  should  not  sit  with  our  arms  folded,  but should use  every  lawful  means  to  help  ourselves.

Prayer must  be  persevering. The  holy  patriarch,  wrestling  with  God, is a figure  of  persevering  prayer. As Jacob  wrestled  and  cried  out: “I will  not  let  thee  go,  except  thou  bless  me”;  so  ought  we  never  to give  up  praying,  until  we  have  been  heard. Almighty God  wills  that we should,  as  it  were,  wrestle  with  Him  in  prayer,  do  violence  to  Him, and storm  Him  with  our  petitions. By doing  so,  we  become  more worthy to  obtain  what  we  ask. See the  parable  of  the  importunate friend (New  Test.  XLIX).

The power  of  prayer.  We  can  see  by  Esau’s  conduct  how  powerful and effective  Jacob’s  prayer  was. For Esau  still  bore  his  brother  a grudge,  and  came  with  four  hundred  men  to  seize  him. But, on  account of Jacob’s  prayer,  God  changed  Esau’s  hard  heart,  and  he  became friendly towards  his  brother,  and  fell  on  his  neck  and  kissed  him, weeping with  emotion. See in  what  manner  God  can  change  the  hearts