He was fearful of Esau all of his life, and his children dishonored him because of his disobedience. God has already determined that Jacob will rise higher than his elder brother, Esau (Genesis 25:23). In addition to this, Laban had taken advantage of him because of his weak position. Every action you take, be it good or bad, will eventually yield an effect. Thank you for your patience and continued support! Just like Jacob, God will humble us and make us realize that we are NOTHING apart from Him. God can forgive the spiritual effects of our bad decisions, but we may never be able to erase its physical effects. ( Log Out /  Thus, he readily agrees to give Jacob these animals in exchange for more service (30:29–34). He immediately falls in love with Rachel which cements his connection to Laban. This was a young man who could have gone anywhere and done anything. (, Had a spiritual awakening through a dream in Bethel which turned his life around. Great is His faithfulness (Lam. ( Log Out /  By this point in time, Jacob has work for Laban for 20 years, and Laban has prospered greatly from the connection. (Genesis 30:31-33) Laban is ecstatic and thinks he just hit the lottery because the spotted, speckled, and striped livestock are very uncommon. What are the best lessons we can learn from Jonah? The things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (I Corinthians 2:9). For this reason, parents must recognize the importance of their good example. 2. We know that something is worth it when it is difficult. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The plan of God for Jacob spans for many generations. Learn about this topic in these articles: association with Jacob. The effect would greatly depend on the actions you take. Between Jacob’s two wives and their maidservants, he had twelve sons and one daughter. Before we can really understand the significance of Jacob’s wrestling match, we should review his life up to that point. (Luke 9:62), 10 DEADLIEST Signs of Self-Righteousness You Probably Don't Know. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night” (Genesis 31:41-42). God blesses Jacob despite Jacob’s strange attempts to increase the spotted, speckled, and striped livestock. He was also a schemer, one who happily toyed with the emotions of his own children (Gen 29.21-30) as well as those of Jacob (Gen 31.7). Jacob sees through Laban and shrewdly makes an offer his father-in-law cannot resist. However, Laban does not want him to go because Jacob has made him very prosperous. Sometimes that means physical protection from harm (like Jacob and Laban) and sometimes it’s spiritual protection from Satan. Nor have entered into the heart of man This shows the character of Jacob. Jacob responded, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” This is where Jacob finally obtain God’s blessings. 2 Jacob was "both in drink and in the dark," concluded Jewish historian Josephus. Little Jacob did know that God is about to start a long process of humbling himself. This has forced Jacob to serve Laban for 14 years. Jacob's Strange Deal (Genesis 30:25-43) Verse 25 of chapter 30 begins a peculiar story that very few seem to understand. 3:22-23). Jun 30, 2018 - Explore Courtney Finkbeiner's board "Jacob and Laban" on Pinterest. ( Log Out /  Over the course of time, Laban has not fairly dealt with Jacob. We can see this in the life of Jacob. 1 Jacob continued on his way and went toward the land of the East. Laban recognizes that all that he has is due to Jacob’s work, so he asks Jacob to stay. I am shocked that he didn’t just walk away. Of course, God promised his presence and blessings for Jacob. You are not an accident. 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. God performed his justice on Jacob for his deception. As payment, he will take only the spotted, speckled and striped livestock. (Genesis 31:13) Jacob does as he is told and heads back to his Isaac’s land in Canaan. Photo Credit: https://unsplash.com/grakozy. God or Jesus Christ wanted to know how bad Jacob wants the blessing. We already know that Laban is a treacherous, deceptive person. However, the point of the whole wrestling match is not about who will win or not, but to test the faith 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. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Change ). Through deceit and trickery, Jacob acquired not only the birthright of Esau but also his blessing. God needs to humble you before He can use you. Laban agrees but then deceives Jacob by giving him Leah instead. Laban believed the payout would be small but that his own prosperity would be … It is a far stretch, but as I pictured myself there, I feel like I learned a few things from this relationship! Jacob Arrives at Laban's Home. 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. God has a plan for you. 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. 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. The brothers of Joseph eventually sold him to the Midianite traders (Genesis 37:28). Laban thought he would reap a great profit by receiving from Jacob the great majority of the flock. For it is written; “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, When Esau found out, he was very angry and he planned to kill his twin brother. He was fearful of Esau all of his life, and his children dishonored him because of his disobedience. Jacob escaped to his uncle Laban’s place. In Genesis 28:10-22, we have seen how God confirmed the Abrahamic covenant to Jacob. But we can be assured that it will be all worth it when we have already finished our Christian race. We can see from these verses that God has a plan for Jacob. Join me now as we explore God’s word and discover what it takes to become a true Christian! Later, we will also read the prayer of Jacob when he was about to meet his brother Esau: “I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant” (Genesis 32:10). 8 “We can’t water the animals until all the flocks have arrived,” they replied. Therefore, we need to realize that God is working with each of us today. ( Log Out /  Thanks for your comments. The number of livestock set aside for Jacob far outweighs the number going to Laban through God’s blessing. Arriving at his uncle Laban’s home in Haran, Jacob fell in love with his cousin Rachel. That’s the plain truth: we will become future spiritual beings who will be part of the family of God. Remember that Jacob was well into his seventies when he left home and he will be in his nine-ties when he returns. Jacob vowed that he will make God his God if God will keep him and give him bread and clothing. The Amazing Meaning of Romans 8:28 No One is Talking About! Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Laban’s son became angry of Jacob’s success and wealth. Jacob means supplanter and God changed his name to Israel, meaning, the prince that prevails with God. We can see later that Jacob was also “blinded” by the darkness of his wedding night. He lied and deceived his blind father Isaac for the birthright. His host had power over him and was dishonest and manipulative. As payment, he will take only the spotted, speckled and striped livestock. Jacob is more interested in taking care of the family business. One of the things that Jacob learned in his 20 years with Laban was to trust God with his whole life. “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. Jacob had spent a month in Laban’s house, tending his uncle’s sheep. It is true that God is merciful and that, at the end of his life, Jacob received the blessings of God. Genesis 31 Christian Standard Bible (CSB) Jacob Separates from Laban. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Basically, Esau was stripped of everything that was important to him. He even sees God as someone whom he can use to become physically blessed. Now, that is dedication. And we can be certain that God has a plan for all of us as well. In today’s world, individuality and the ability to make independent, personal choices are regarded as sacred. As cunning as Jacob was, he met his match in the person of Laban, his mother’s brother. * * * It is good to be tolerance as well and also to sacrifice to achieve in life. The road to Eternal life is not an easy path to take. Laban welcomed his nephew as a young man, and set him the stipulation of seven years' labour before he permitted him to marry his daughter Rachel. He worked for her father, Laban, for seven years to obtain Rachel’s hand in marriage, but then Laban substituted his older daughter, Leah, for Rachel at the wedding ceremony. This vow is conditional. Not only was his family growing, but so were his flocks of sheep. Jacob agrees as long as he is paid a wage, and he propose the following deal. This is truly a strange relationship where Laban calls most of the shots, and Jacob is along for the ride…or so I thought. God bless. These are just some of the instances that Jacob’s earlier actions led to bitter consequences. ( Log Out /  Jacob had a hard life—twenty years serving Laban. Jacob and Laban's Arrangement – 30:24-43. This plan has already been laid out even before the foundation of the world. The flocks were watered from this well, which had a large stone over the opening. Parents must constantly seek God’s wisdom, will, and purpose to really be a man and woman who are equipped with the right character to guide their children. 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. These are some of the lessons we can derive from the life of Jacob. ( Log Out /  I’ll start by giving you a little background on Jacob and Laban. Rather, our unique qualities and abilities can become sacred when they are rooted in something greater than the individual. 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). Untrustworthy and deceptive (seen throughout the story). Jacob is the man popularly known as the man who wrestled with God. Before Jacob realizes what has happened, he is married to Leah but still loves Rachel. Laban recognizes that all that he has is due to Jacob’s work, so he asks Jacob to stay. I am passionate about inspiring people to find their God-given purpose in life. 2 Suddenly he came upon a well out in the fields with three flocks of sheep lying around it. At first, Laban tricked Jacob by giving Leah as his wife, instead of Rachel. Jacob has planted the bad seed that will later yield a bitter and unpleasant crop. We could see that Jacob later repented and had a converted heart. There is hope in Jacob’s transformation. Because of God’s protection and Jacob’s intelligence, Jacob was able to take much of Laban’s herd for himself. 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. Finally, God directs Jacob to return to the land of his father. However, we must also realize that the consequences of our bad decisions would potentially remain in our lives even after we have remorsefully repented and regretted our actions. Jacob was patient! In order to marry the woman he loves, he gives 14 years of his life. This statement’s purpose is not to demean Jacob’s personality, but rather it shows us that Jacob was a more refined and civilized man compared to Esau who was a “skillful hunter, a man of the field” (same verse). Parents possess the great power to mold their children’s future. It was a killer deal he couldn’t refuse. God blessed Jacob and gave him lots of sheep. It is true that following God and keeping His commandments are never easy. I would even venture to say that he was lazy in his younger years. Perhaps such a student cannot learn from the teachers whom we revere, but he can learn and ironically it may be Laban’s lessons that can get him back “on the derech”. We just need to have our spiritual awakening and begin down the path He lays before us. Rachel is herding his flocks which would normally be done by the sons. However, this must not discourage us, but rather inspire us. 5 Powerful and Vital Lessons from the Life of Samson, What Does it Mean to Put your Hand on the Plow and Look Back? In the end, the deceiver is deceived, and God blesses Jacob. Unfortunately Laban deceived him into marrying her sister, Leah, and Jacob had to work seven more years to marry his first love. In two weeks time, he has married Leah, married Rachel, and committed seven more years of his life. As a matter of fact, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). We have seen that Jacob’s parents, Isaac and Rebekah, had their own favorites. There he found out what it is like to be tricked. He stole not only Esau’s birthright but also his blessing…two very important things in that time. THIS WEEK’S STUDY UP CLOSE: We can learn many lessons from Jacob and Rachel. Jacob and Laban’s Relationship While reading my chronological Bible study, I was struck by the relationship between Jacob and Laban.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. With the help of his mother, he is conniving and deceptive and basically steals everything of value from his brother Esau. 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? This fatal error has led to the growing rivalry between Esau and Jacob. (Genesis 29:23-27). I’m going to use some of these in the Sunday School class I teach. You see Jacob was a shepherd, a person who takes care of sheep. He had learned to rely on God instead of relying on … Genesis 31 New King James Version (NKJV) Jacob Flees from Laban. He was the brother of Rebekah, who married Isaac and bore Jacob. I don’t select the ads displayed here but generated by advertising software. Today, the promise of God is fulfilled through the modern-day descendants of Jacob. Have the kids practice making a sheep sound!) At this point in time, Jacob now recognizes that he can’t continue on relying on his own ability and wit to acquire blessings. Back then, wages had to do with cattle. He had learned to rely on God instead of relying on his own abilities. As we examine the life of some of the great characters of the Bible, we find much to learn; from their failures as well as their faith. In every turn of event, little by little, Jacob has eventually humbled himself down in the mighty hand of God. Jacob now saw himself as someone who is entirely dependent on God’s mercy and goodness. 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