
This was rather unworthy of the man who, the night before, had seen the face of  God, and learned to prevail. The man who had seen God, and prevailed, was  doubtful of His newly-given blessing! He did not realize that it would carry him  through the difficulty that threatened him. tie had not as yet learned to apply  it to every emergency. It is a solemn lesson to those who have passed through  some rapturous experience.
After blessing, often trial. - When the fair  colors have been laid on, the vessel is plunged into the furnace, that they may  be burned in.
The trial frequently presents itself in the home or  ordinary life. - Some are led into the wilderness to be tempted; but more often  it is the contact with our Esaus that furnishes us with the supreme test of the  worth of what we have received.
Failure comes from not reckoning on God.  - Jacob looked at Esau's four hundred armed men, and compared his own following  with despair. So Peter looked at the winds and waves. At such times we must  fail, if we rely on schemes or plans, instead of saying, God is.
Oh for  the peace that floweth as a river.
Making life's desert places bloom anti  smile;
Oh for the faith to grasp Heaven's bright "forever"
And the shadow  of earth's "little while."
We must act faith. - If Jacob had refused to  use this subterfuge, and had spoken simply and manfully, he would have found  that Esau would have acquiesced and left him. The angels who had gone forward to  deal with him (Genesis 32:2) had done their work effectively, and God had  changed his purpose.