February 22

Ilis bow abode in strnfn, and the amis of his hands were made atrong by the haiu-f oj the vii<(hty God of Jacob.” — Gen. xlix. 24.

‘HAT strcn/rth which God gives to His Josephs is

f(!v rea, strength is not a boasted valor, a a thing of Tf’hith men talk, but which ends in smoke; it is irue — divint strength. Why does Joseph stand against temptation? Because God giles him aid. There is nought that we can do without the power of God. All true strength comes from “the mighty God of Jacob.” Notice in what a blessedly familiar tvay God gives this strength to Joseph — “The arm? of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob.” Thus God is represented as putting His hands on Joseph’s hands, placing His arms on Joseph’s arms. Like as a father teaches his children, so the Lord teaches them that fear Plim. He pui3 Hi 5 arms upon them. Marvellous condescension! God Eternal, Omnipotent, stoops from His throne and His hand upon the child’s hand, stretching His arm upon tho a.*m of Joseph, that he may be made strong! This strength was also covenant strength, for it is ascribed to “the mightj Ood of Jacob.” Now, wherever you read of the God of Jacob in the Bible, you should remember the covenant with Jacob. Chrisiians love to think of God’s covenant. All the power, all the giace, all the blessings, all the mercies, all the comforts, all the things we have, flow to us from the well-head, through the If there were no covenant, then we shoidd fail indeed; lor all grace proceeds from it, as light and heat from the sur.. No angels ascend or descend, save upon that ladder whic Jacob saw, at the top of which stood a covenant God Christian, it may be that the archers have sorely grieved you and shot at you, and wounded you, but still your bow abidoi in strength; be sure, then, to ascribe all the glory to Jacob’i