II. Now secondly, let me say a word on THE PERSONS TO WHOM THIS UNCHANGEABLE
GOD IS A BENEFIT. “I am God, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not
consumed.” Now, who are “the sons of Jacob,” who can rejoice in an immutable
God?
1. First, they are the sons of God’s election; for it is written, “Jacob have
I loved, and Esau have I hated, the children being not yet born neither
having done good nor evil.” It was written, “The elder shall serve the
younger.” “The sons of Jacob”-
“Are the sons of God’s election,
Who through sovereign grace believe;
Be eternal destination
Grace and glory they receive.”
God’s elect are here meant by “the sons of Jacob,”-those whom he foreknew and
fore-ordained to everlasting salvation.
2. By “the sons of Jacob” are meant, in the second place, persons who enjoy
peculiar rights and titles. Jacob, you know, had no rights by birth; but he
soon acquired them. He changed a mess of pottage with his brother Esau, and
thus gained the birthright. I do not justify the means; but he did also
obtain the blessing, and so acquired peculiar rights. By ‘the sons of Jacob”
here, are meant persons who have peculiar rights and titles. Unto them that
believe, he hath given the right and power to become sons of God. They have
an interest in the blood of Christ; they have a right to “enter in through
the gates into the city;” they have a title to eternal honors; they have a
promise to everlasting glory; they have a right to call themselves sons of
God. Oh! there are peculiar rights and privileges belonging to the “sons of
Jacob.
3. But, then next, these “sons of Jacob” were men of peculiar manifestations.
Jacob had peculiar manifestations from his God, and thus he was highly
honored. Once at night-time he lay down and slept; he had the hedges for his
curtains, the sky for his canopy, a stone for his pillow, and the earth for
his bed. Oh! then he had a peculiar manifestation. There was a ladder, and he
saw the angels of God ascending and descending. He thus had a manifestation
of Christ Jesus, as the ladder which reaches from earth to heaven, up and
down which angels came to bring us mercies. Then what a manifestation there
was at Mahanaim, when the angels of God met him; and again at Peniel, when he
wrestled with God, and saw him face to face. Those were peculiar
manifestations; and this passage refers to those who, like Jacob, have had
peculiar manifestations.
Now then, how many of you have had personal manifestations? “Oh!” you say
“that is enthusiasm; that is fanaticism.” Well, it is a blessed enthusiasm,
too, for the sons of Jacob have had peculiar manifestations. They have talked
with God as a man talketh with his friend; they have whispered in the ear of
Jehovah; Christ hath been with them to sup with them, and they with Christ;
and the Holy Spirit hath shone into their souls with such a mighty radiance,
that they could not doubt about special manifestations. The “sons of Jacob”
are the men, who enjoy these manifestations.
4. Then again, they are men of peculiar trials. Ah! poor Jacob! I should not
choose Jacob’s lot if I had not the prospect of Jacob’s blessing; for a hard
lot his was. He had to run away from his father’s house to Laban’s; and then
that surly old Laban cheated him all the years he was there-cheated him of
his wife, cheated him in his wages, cheated him in his flocks, and cheated
him all through the story. By-and-bye he had to run away from Laban, who
pursued him and overtook him. Next came Esau with four hundred men to cut him
up root and branch. Then there was a season of prayer, and afterwards he
wrestled, and had to go all his life with his thigh out of joint. But a
little further on, Rachael, his dear beloved, died. Then his daughter Dinah
is led astray, and the sons murder the Shechemites. Anon there is dear Joseph
sold into Egypt, and a famine comes. Then Reuben goes up to his couch and
pollutes it; Judah commits incest with his own daughter-in-law; and all his
sons become a plague to him. At last Benjamin is taken away; and the old man,
almost broken-hearted, cries, “Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will
take Benjamin away.” Never was man more tried than Jacob, all through the one
sin of cheating his brother. All through his life God chastised him. But I
believe there are many who can sympathize with dear old Jacob. They have had
to pass through trials very much like his. Well, cross-bearers! God says, “I
change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” Poor tried souls!
ye are not consumed because of the unchanging nature of your God. Now do not
get fretting, and say, with the self-conceit of misery, “I am the man who
hath seen affliction.” Why “the Man of Sorrows” was afflicted more than you;
Jesus was indeed a mourner. You only see the skirts of the garments of
affliction. You never have trials like his. You do not understand what
troubles means; you have hardly sipped the cup of trouble; you have only had
a drop or two, but Jesus drunk the dregs. Fear not saith God, “I am the Lord,
I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob,” men of peculiar trials, “are not
consumed.”
“This article originally appeared here at Bible Bulletin Board.”
