LESSON 16 - JACOB’S VOW.

April 21, 1888.

  1. RELATE the means by which Jacob secured the blessing.
  2. Was this honorable on the part of Jacob? Gen. 27:35.
  3. What is the meaning of the name “Jacob “? Verse 36, and margin.
  4. How did Esau regard Jacob for his course in securing the birthright? Verse 41, first part.
  5. What did he purpose to do? Verse 41, last part.
  6. What did Jacob’s mother advise him to do? Verses 42-45.
  7. Into how many years did the “few days” expand? Ans. - More than twenty.
  8. What sort of a sleeping-place did Jacob have one night on his journey? Gen. 28:10, 11.
  9. What dream did he have there? Verse 12.
  10. Who stood at the head of the ladder? Verse 13.
  11. What promise did the Lord make to him? Verses 13-15.
  12. What did Jacob say when he awoke? Verse 16.
  13. What did he say of that place? Verse 17.
  14. When the Lord appeared to certain of his servants what did he say to them? Ex. 3:7; Josh. 5:15.
  15. What may we learn from this? Ans. - That the presence of God in any place makes that place holy.
  16. Where has the Lord promised always to be? Matt. 18:20.
  17. What lesson should this teach us? Ans. - That places dedicated to the worship of God are sacred, and should always be entered with reverence.
  18. What did Jacob do in the morning? Gen. 28:18, 19.
  19. What vow did he make? Verses2 0-22.
  20. What was the extent of Jacob’s desire from the Lord? Verse 20.
  21. Could he have asked for less?
  22. Yet what did he purpose to do? Verse 22.
  23. Is it right to make vows or pledges to the Lord? Ps. 76:11.
  24. When a person makes a vow, what should he be careful to do? Eccl. 5:4, 5.
  25. Why should we be se careful to pay our vows? Deut. 23:21.

NOTE.

The question may arise, “If Jacob had received only food to eat and raiment to put on, how could he have paid tithe?” We are not to suppose that when Jacob made his vow, he expected that the Lord would give him his clothes ready made. The idea was that he would give the Lord a tithe of all that he received, and would get his food and raiment out of the remainder, no matter how much or how little it might be. The lesson that we should learn is, that nine-tenths of what we think would support us, with the blessing of the Lord, is better than the entire amount that might seem necessary, without God’s blessing. God is able to make a small amount furnish as good a support as a large sum. See 2 Cor. 9:8; also the case of the widow’s cruse of oil and handful of meal (1 Kings 17:8-16), and the feeding of the multitudes by Christ.

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