God blessed Jacob and gave him lots of sheep. We have seen the descendants of Jacob as the recipient of abundant physical blessings this world has never seen before. They are the English-speaking nations and the Jewish state known as Israel. Today is the right time to learn the lessons from his life. In Laban’s mind, Jacob has made a silly deal and he is going to come out richer than ever. We must learn that only by matching evil passion for passion, voice for voice, determination for determination can we prevail. He was the brother of Rebekah, who married Isaac and bore Jacob. There are a lot of challenges and obstacles. Though he had lived for thousands of years ago, the lessons from Jacob’s life are as valid today as it was during his time. We are told plainly that Esau approached his brother, Jacob, and Jacob plainly tells Esau what he wants from him – the birthright. Of all the lessons we learn from Jacob’s life, this last one is the greatest. Did Jacob do him wrong? Jacob is a man who uses people to further his own ends. We could see that Jacob later repented and had a converted heart. 4. 2. At first, I felt bad for Jacob when he was deceived by Laban. That’s the plain truth: we will become future spiritual beings who will be part of the family of God. But to consider Genesis 25:23 when the Lord advised Rebekah that the twins inside her were “Two nations….and elder shall serve the younger”(KJV). Thank you for your patience and continued support! He is mentioned in Hebrews 11 for his strong and unshakeable faith to God. Jacob finally realizes that God’s goodness does not rely on his righteousness. Thanks for your comments. He deals with us according to the areas in our lives that we still need to develop. “Jacob and Laban” Genesis 29-31 We are going to cover the next three chapters of Genesis (29-31) together for they are the record of Jacob’s twenty long years that he spent away from the land of Canaan. Laban’s son became angry of Jacob’s success and wealth. We can see this in the life of Jacob. Jacob is a man like any of us. In today’s world, individuality and the ability to make independent, personal choices are regarded as sacred. Through deceit and trickery, Jacob acquired not only the birthright of Esau but also his blessing. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Clearly, he had a spiritual awakening in Bethel and turned his life around. You see Jacob was a shepherd, a person who takes care of sheep. The number of livestock set aside for Jacob far outweighs the number going to Laban through God’s blessing. There is love, deception, intrigue and enough family drama to fill in the cracks. Apparently, motley-coloured and black animals were rare in Laban’s flock. In the last article we'd learned, that Jacob had proposed a counter-offer, when it came to Laban's latest job proposal. 3 Whenever all the flocks came together there, the shepherds would roll the stone back and water them. (Luke 9:62), 10 DEADLIEST Signs of Self-Righteousness You Probably Don't Know. We all have an opportunity and ability to become what God calls us to become. In the end, the deceiver is deceived, and God blesses Jacob. Jacob will herd and care for Laban’s sheep and goats. So, he commits another seven years of work for Laban in order to marry Rachel, as well. The things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (I Corinthians 2:9). I’m going to use some of these in the Sunday School class I teach. God blesses Jacob despite Jacob’s strange attempts to increase the spotted, speckled, and striped livestock. The flocks were watered from this well, which had a large stone over the opening. So keep going. Well, so did Jacob. Jun 30, 2018 - Explore Courtney Finkbeiner's board "Jacob and Laban" on Pinterest. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The godly character God wants us to build does not come naturally. Laban recognizes that all that he has is due to Jacob’s work, so he asks Jacob to stay. Jacob attributed the success of his life to God and he considers God as the judge between him and Laban. Apparently, God had come to Jacob in a dream and told him what to do, and then God directed the birth of the sheep and goats to produce whatever Laban had forced Jacob to take out of the flocks. In addition to this, Laban had taken advantage of him because of his weak position. Even though Laban had accused Jacob of the theft, he could find no proof that Jacob had indeed taken the idols (31:31:17-42). Jacob and Esau are twin brothers. May we have the courage, strength, and faith to persevere until the end! 31 Now Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has acquired all this wealth.” 2 And Jacob saw the countenance of Laban, and indeed it was not favorable toward him as before. There is hope in Jacob’s transformation. Use this power according to God’s will and purpose. Genesis 31:27 : Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp? Jesus Christ could have easily won the match. If we forget this important truth, we might draw false conclusions from today’s passage. Great is His faithfulness (Lam. Being flawed ourselves, this allows us to make a personal connection to the scriptures as we are in constant need of mercy and inspiration. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Jacob sees through Laban and shrewdly makes an offer his father-in-law cannot resist. Before too long he had 13 children (12 boys and 1 girl)! While reading my chronological Bible study, I was struck by the relationship between Jacob and Laban. Jacob and Laban's Arrangement – 30:24-43. Between Jacob’s two wives and their maidservants, he had twelve sons and one daughter. There is no doubt that his life can have many similarities in our modern Christian walk. His host had power over him and was dishonest and manipulative. . God performed his justice on Jacob for his deception. I am passionate about inspiring people to find their God-given purpose in life. The events described in Jacob's story comprise most of Genesis chapters 25-49. Basically, Esau was stripped of everything that was important to him. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. It is a fairly lengthy relationship that takes up more than four chapters of Genesis, so I felt it was worthy of a little more study. We have seen that Jacob’s parents, Isaac and Rebekah, had their own favorites. I don’t select the ads displayed here but generated by advertising software. Little Jacob did know that God is about to start a long process of humbling himself. The plan of God for Jacob spans for many generations. The Amazing Meaning of Romans 8:28 No One is Talking About! We just need to have our spiritual awakening and begin down the path He lays before us. These are some of the lessons we can derive from the life of Jacob. I get frustrated when it takes more than 3 seconds for a web page to load or there is more than one person in front of me at the grocery check-out. NOTE: Jacob did NOT return anything he “stole” from Esau. 2 Suddenly he came upon a well out in the fields with three flocks of sheep lying around it. SABBATH—JULY 21 Jacob and Rachel: Labor (Work) of Love 1. In the end, it will always catch up with you. Yet we learn from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that individuality in itself is not sacred. Jacob fulfills his second 7-year commitment to Laban and tries to leave. God bless. Now he wished to depart and return to his father in Canaan. 8 “We can’t water the animals until all the flocks have arrived,” they replied. They will serve as an example to their children and the future of these children greatly depends upon the effectiveness of their parents’ child-rearing abilities. As we read through this passage, we need to keep in mind that Jacob wasn’t cheating Laban, God was counteracting Laban’s cheating on him. Finally, God directs Jacob to return to the land of his father. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. He had learned to rely on God instead of relying on his own abilities. Jacob was clearly deceived by Laban. He harbored a patience that I cannot even begin to understand. (Genesis 31:12). Jacob agrees as long as he is paid a wage, and he propose the following deal. Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. For this reason, Rebekah and Jacob were able to steal Esau’s blessing. Remember that Jacob was well into his seventies when he left home and he will be in his nine-ties when he returns. These are just some of the instances that Jacob’s earlier actions led to bitter consequences. Genesis 31 New King James Version (NKJV) Jacob Flees from Laban. Parents possess the great power to mold their children’s future. What does the Bible say about the Law of God. He had two wives, Leah and Rachel. There he found out what it is like to be tricked. Throughout the early life of Jacob, we have seen how Jacob relied on himself to obtain physical blessings. Remember that Jacob's counter-offer, dealt with him receiving all the newly "spotted and speckled" lambs and kids (young goats) -- that were born from out of the flock that he'd tended to, as compensation for his shepherding services. But Rebekah helped Jacob, the younger son, to get the blessing. The bible described Jacob as a “mild man, dwelling in tents” (Genesis 25:27). I would therefore suggest that what we have so quickly called deception was the fulfillment of God’s spoken word. Isaac loved Esau while Rebekah loved Jacob. (Genesis 31:38) He does not want Jacob to go; however, he comes to realize that he cannot keep Jacob with him. Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. God could have made everything so much easier on Jacob by just saying to him, “Jacob, go down to Egypt.” God led Abraham down to Egypt, and He could have just as easily done the same with Jacob. Jacob worked many years for Laban. Because of this, Rachel and Leah, who are supposed to be sisters, are now in competition for the love of Jacob. Uncle Laban could not stand it when Jacob increased. Over the course of time, Laban has not fairly dealt with Jacob. Obviously, the answer is many. 1 Jacob continued on his way and went toward the land of the East. Jacob now saw himself as someone who is entirely dependent on God’s mercy and goodness. Because of this favoritism, the children of Jacob grew up to hate Joseph. It would serve us all well. At first, Laban tricked Jacob by giving Leah as his wife, instead of Rachel. Using the "law of first mention" we learn that Laban was a covetous man who cared more for the temporal than the eternal (Gen 24.29-31). He had learned to rely on God instead of relying on … What can we tell from the way Jacob struck this deal with Laban? Not only was his family growing, but so were his flocks of sheep. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you” (Genesis 28:13-14). First, let us consider Jacob's boss (Laban). 1 Jacob continued on his way and went toward the land of the East. Over the course of time, Laban has not fairly dealt with Jacob. Before we can really understand the significance of Jacob’s wrestling match, we should review his life up to that point. God needs to humble you before He can use you. One of the most compelling aspects of the Bible is how God is constantly working through imperfect people to do unbelievable things. This vow is conditional. Through a dream, God tells Jacob to flee with his household. Laban’s flock would have consisted mainly of pure white sheep and solidly colored goats; few black lambs or speckled goats would be present. We need to meditate continually upon God’s faithfulness. The Christian race is not a sprint, but a marathon. Now that Jacob is a father and has his own family, he failed to learn from the life of his parents. 31 Now Jacob heard what Laban’s sons were saying: “Jacob has taken all that was our father’s and has built this wealth from what belonged to our father.” 2 And Jacob saw from Laban’s face that his attitude toward him was not the same as before. In every turn of event, little by little, Jacob has eventually humbled himself down in the mighty hand of God. Great points, Joshua. Through Laban, a man who is more cunning and shrewd, Jacob has found his match. When Laban planned to deceive Jacob into marrying Leah instead of Rachel, the Midrash recounts that both Jacob and Rachel suspected that Laban would pull such a trick; Laban was known as the "Aramean" (deceiver), and changed Jacob's wages ten times during his employ (Genesis 31:7). To further test Jacob, Jesus “touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him” (verse 26). He said: “I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. Have the kids practice making a sheep sound!) Instead of Rachel, whom he loved, Laban gave him his older daughter, Leah, to Jacob. (, Had a spiritual awakening through a dream in Bethel which turned his life around. God can forgive the spiritual effects of our bad decisions, but we may never be able to erase its physical effects. You are not an accident. As a matter of fact, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). This statement is an evidence of Jacob’s dramatic character development. There are many lessons that we can learn from studying the life of Jacob in the book of Genesis. We are not given the details of all these wage changes, however we are given enough background to know that every time Jacob seemed to be getting the better end of the deal, Laban would change the rules. The road to Eternal life is not an easy path to take. We will eventually be “partakers of the divine nature” (II Peter 1:4). Jacob escaped to his uncle Laban’s place. What are the best lessons we can learn from Jonah? Have the kids think of some ways that God has protected them. In every turn of event, little by little, Jacob has eventually humbled himself down in the mighty hand of God. I have places to go and things to do. Jacob does not return the birthright or the blessing. As cunning as Jacob was, he met his match in the person of Laban, his mother’s brother. Change ). “Then the shepherds move the stone from the mouth of the well, and we water all the sheep and goats.” 9 Jacob was still talking with them when Rachel arrived with her father’s flock, for she was a shepherd. Just like Jacob, God will humble us and make us realize that we are NOTHING apart from Him. Jacob vowed that he will make God his God if God will keep him and give him bread and clothing. Now, that is dedication. (Genesis 30:31-33) Laban is ecstatic and thinks he just hit the lottery because the spotted, speckled, and striped livestock are very uncommon. (. A deceptive young man who stole both Esau’s birthright (, Fled home at the urging of his mother because Esau threatened him. I would even venture to say that he was lazy in his younger years. He said in Genesis 28:20-21: “IF God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God.”. ( Log Out / The relationship spans more than 20 years and is a soap opera of sorts. Patience pays. He had no resources. However, it wasn’t too late for him. After Jacob lied to get his father’s blessing, Esau wanted to kill him. Untrustworthy and deceptive (seen throughout the story). Galatians 6:7 tells us, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” This is applicable to everyone and Jacob is no exception. 3 This isn't the first time in Scripture that this sort of thing occurred; Lot's daughters had become pregnant by their father after getting him drunk (19:32-35). ( Log Out / Jacob Arrives at Laban's Home. Heroes of Faith: 5 Vital Lessons from the Life of Jacob, https://pixabay.com/en/users/geralt-9301/, Heroes of Faith: 5 Vital Lessons from the Life of Isaac, Heroes of Faith: 5 Vital Lessons from the Life of Joseph, 5 Powerful Lessons from the Life of Jephthah, Follow Becoming Christians on WordPress.com. As we can see, Jacob does not let Laban’s removal of the unusually colored sheep and goats (30:29–36) keep him down. To fulfill this prophecy, but he didn ’ t too late for him alters his breeding in! Vowed that he was fearful of Esau but also his blessing…two very important things in time! Back to his uncle Laban ’ s flock STUDY up CLOSE: we will eventually yield an.... And abilities can become sacred when they are the English-speaking nations and the ability to.! Anywhere and done anything water the animals until all the flocks came together there, the LORD is with and! Therefore suggest that what we have so quickly called deception was the brother of,! 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