GENESIS, TYPICALLY CONSIDERED, CHAPTER 36
[p. 152] GENESIS, TYPICALLY CONSIDERED, CHAPTER 36
Esau’s royal and ducal strength — his family greatness before there was any king in Israel — for God reserves His own time, man’s time is always — Jacob being but a poor shepherd, a plain man; this closes this part.
The counsels of God are now to be developed more, in the Person of the Lord Jesus; so it is indeed in Isaiah. When Joseph was born, Jacob thought already to pass out of Padan-aram, but all was not then accomplished — the inheritance not yet served for. The power of life and faith with God is however most wonderfully shown in Jacob’s wrestling — and even in the wrestling, though not peaceful communion; yet more, this wrestling may be in intercession, as in Epaphroditus, it may be — but perhaps the Lord alone had it purely so — in the conflict of bearing; for in us, though this may be, it is corrective also, but there is prayer that we may not enter, and so passing through the trial with God.