Spurgeon Daily Devotional Bible: January 22

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Spurgeon Daily Devotional Bible: January 22

Today is: Thursday, December 26th, 2024 (Show Today's Devotion)

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Morning

“A righteous man hateth lying.”

Gen_27:1-5; Gen_27:17-29

Gen_27:1-5

When Rebekah heard this she determined to obtain the blessing for her favourite son Jacob by a crafty stratagem. She prepared two kids of goats in a savoury manner, dressed Jacob in Esau’s clothes, put skins upon his hands and neck that he might appear to be hairy like his brother, and sent him in to deceive his father.

Gen_27:20

When we begin to sin we go from bad to worse. It was base enough of Jacob to utter so many falsehoods, but to bring in the Lord God of his father to give them the appearance of truth, was much worse.

Gen_27:24

Thus Jacob persisted in his falsehood. This narrative shows us the truthfulness of God’s word, since it does not conceal the faults of its most eminent saints. Had the Old Testament been a cunningly devised fable, it would never have exhibited the great progenitor of the twelve tribes in so sorry a light.

Gen_27:25

Isaac did not seek counsel of the Lord, hence his mistake. By this he was punished for his ill-placed partiality to Esau, for it was very unworthy of the patriarch to prefer his profane son “because he did eat of his venison.”

Gen_27:26-29

Thus the prophecy concerning Esau and Jacob was repeated with enlargements, “the elder shall serve the younger.” God’s purpose was accomplished, but this did not excuse Rebekah and Jacob, or screen them from the chastisements of God, which commenced at once. We ought never to do evil that good may come.

Father, to that firstborn of thine

Thou hast the blessing given,

The power, and dignity divine,

Th’ inheritance of heaven.

O how shall I the younger son,

The Elder’s right obtain?

I’ll put my Brother’s raiment on,

And thus the blessing gain.

Father, I joyfully believe

Thou art well pleased with me;

Thou dost at my approach perceive

A heavenly fragrancy.

Thou dost thy gracious will declare,

Thou dost delight to bless;

And why? My Brother’s garb I wear,

My Saviour’s righteousness.

Evening

“I will not leave thee.”

Gen_28:10-22

Esau vowed to kill Jacob, and therefore Rebekah was obliged to send her favourite son away. This she little expected when she travelled a crooked way to earn him promotion.

Gen_28:10

Alone, without a servant to attend him, or a beast to carry him, with only his staff to lean upon, the heir of the promises set out upon his long journey of about five hundred miles.

Gen_28:11

He had a hard bed and a cold bolster, but he had a sweet sleep, and a sweeter dream. Often when the head lies hardest the heart is lightest. Our times of great trial are times of heavenly visitation.

Gen_28:12

Note the many “beholds” in the passage. They call for our special attention. The patriarch dreamed of Jesus—sweetest of all dreams. He saw how heaven and earth are joined by the Messiah, and how free is the intercourse between God and man by the way of the Mediator.

Gen_28:15

Having seen the Messiah as the ladder, he beheld the glory of Jehovah the covenant God, and received the covenant blessing. Every syllable must have sounded as sweetest music in his ears. Note that choice word, “I will not leave thee.” Whom God loves he never leaves. “Till I have done that which I have spoken to thee of;”—saying and doing are two very different things with men, but not with God.

Gen_28:16-17

He was full of awe, even to trembling. He felt as if he had slept in the temple of Jehovah, and therefore as a sinner he was moved with fear. He had not been afraid of wild beasts or heathen men, but now though filled with holy confidence he is equally filled with sacred awe.

Gen_28:18

We must honour God with our substance. Some set up a stone of remembrance, but they pour no oil on the top of it, for they offer nothing unto the Lord.

Gen_28:19

Beth-el the house of God

Gen_28:22

Here was a little of the bargaining spirit in covenanting for bread to eat and raiment to put on, but still there was genuine faith. He renounces all other trusts, casts himself upon the divine care, and dedicates a tithe unto the Lord. God has dealt so well with each of us, that we ought never to stint his cause. Can we not do something even now to honour the Lord with our substance and with the firstfruits of our increase?

Jesus that ladder is

Th’ incarnate Deity,

Partaker of celestial bliss

And human misery;

Lo! up and down the scale

The angels move! with love!

And God, the Great Invisible,

Himself appears above.