Gen. 27
Once again, Jacob is involved with some shady dealings. This time, he steals his father's blessing from his brother (Esau). This is the same brother he took the birthright from, taking advantage of his brother's appetite (and his apparent stupidity - see previous post). Once again, however, Jacob is not the only one at fault here. While Jacob clearly goes along with the scheme, and straight up lies multiple times to his father's face, the entire plan was hatched in the mind of his mom (Rebekah). What's with her? What's in it for her? I don't get it. While Isaac and Rebekah enjoyed this fantastic, supernatural and romantic beginnig to their relationship (see chpt. 24), this is not a good ending. She is going against Isaac's wishes while he's on his deathbed!
Also, isn't it just like God to use man's screw-ups and still achieve something God-flavored out of it? As we will see later, the line of Messiah comes through Jacob - which I think was God's intention all along. If this episode (and the birthright episode) doesn't happen, then the line would go through the firstborn son (Esau). How many of us can look back and see terrible decisions on our part or on the part of someone we know, yet we now see that a beautiful thing has come from those dumb, human decisions? God does save us from our sin, but He also saves us from ourselves - and I think He does it more than we realize.
Gen. 29
This is classic Jewish ironic humor (you can almost hear the horn sound - waaah, waaah, waaah, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah). The trickster, Jacob, gets tricked by Laban. He thought he was working 7 years for the pretty daughter (Rachel), but ends up getting the "not-so-easy-on-the-eyes" oldest daughter (Leah). He then has to work another 7 years for Rachel.
On a side note, how's this for romantic (yet mature) love? Check out v. 20: "So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her." This makes me think of 2 Corinthians 5:14 - "For Christ's love compels us..." 2 thoughts here: (A) when we get tired in ministry, we have to ask ourselves, "Am I doing this because I love God? Or is there some other reason (as good sounding as it may be)?" (B) I think we have a mature love for others (especially a spouse) when we serve them and think nothing of it. My wife, LeRay, (did I mention her greatness?) will say, "you don't have to do that," and I sincerely think "that may be true, but I'm glad to do it" - in other words, "it seems like only a few days." If you take time out of your schedule to pick up a friend at the airport (or something like this) and nobody is keeping score of that sacrifice, that seems like a mature love. This HAS to be how God intends His kids to get along because it speaks well of Him (in the same way well-behaved kids cause us to think well of their parents).
I'm somewhat astonished that Jacob confronted Laban about deceiving him in verse 25. Surely, bells went off in his head (or hopefully in his conscience). As the words, "you decieved me" come out of his mouth, does he even stop in mid-sentence to appreciate the irony? Does he sit down after this exchange with Laban and write a letter to his father or his brother, asking for forgiveness? Not so much.
Finally, again we see Providence intervening with this unfortunate situation. Jacob doesn't really like Leah, but Leah is fertile and Rachel isn't. Therefore, Leah bears him some sons, the 4th of which is Judah. Judah is the line through which Messiah is going to come ("the Lion of Judah"). Judah comes from the wife Jacob didn't want. God orchestrates things the way He wants.
Once again, Jacob is involved with some shady dealings. This time, he steals his father's blessing from his brother (Esau). This is the same brother he took the birthright from, taking advantage of his brother's appetite (and his apparent stupidity - see previous post). Once again, however, Jacob is not the only one at fault here. While Jacob clearly goes along with the scheme, and straight up lies multiple times to his father's face, the entire plan was hatched in the mind of his mom (Rebekah). What's with her? What's in it for her? I don't get it. While Isaac and Rebekah enjoyed this fantastic, supernatural and romantic beginnig to their relationship (see chpt. 24), this is not a good ending. She is going against Isaac's wishes while he's on his deathbed!
Also, isn't it just like God to use man's screw-ups and still achieve something God-flavored out of it? As we will see later, the line of Messiah comes through Jacob - which I think was God's intention all along. If this episode (and the birthright episode) doesn't happen, then the line would go through the firstborn son (Esau). How many of us can look back and see terrible decisions on our part or on the part of someone we know, yet we now see that a beautiful thing has come from those dumb, human decisions? God does save us from our sin, but He also saves us from ourselves - and I think He does it more than we realize.
Gen. 29
This is classic Jewish ironic humor (you can almost hear the horn sound - waaah, waaah, waaah, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah). The trickster, Jacob, gets tricked by Laban. He thought he was working 7 years for the pretty daughter (Rachel), but ends up getting the "not-so-easy-on-the-eyes" oldest daughter (Leah). He then has to work another 7 years for Rachel.
On a side note, how's this for romantic (yet mature) love? Check out v. 20: "So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her." This makes me think of 2 Corinthians 5:14 - "For Christ's love compels us..." 2 thoughts here: (A) when we get tired in ministry, we have to ask ourselves, "Am I doing this because I love God? Or is there some other reason (as good sounding as it may be)?" (B) I think we have a mature love for others (especially a spouse) when we serve them and think nothing of it. My wife, LeRay, (did I mention her greatness?) will say, "you don't have to do that," and I sincerely think "that may be true, but I'm glad to do it" - in other words, "it seems like only a few days." If you take time out of your schedule to pick up a friend at the airport (or something like this) and nobody is keeping score of that sacrifice, that seems like a mature love. This HAS to be how God intends His kids to get along because it speaks well of Him (in the same way well-behaved kids cause us to think well of their parents).
I'm somewhat astonished that Jacob confronted Laban about deceiving him in verse 25. Surely, bells went off in his head (or hopefully in his conscience). As the words, "you decieved me" come out of his mouth, does he even stop in mid-sentence to appreciate the irony? Does he sit down after this exchange with Laban and write a letter to his father or his brother, asking for forgiveness? Not so much.
Finally, again we see Providence intervening with this unfortunate situation. Jacob doesn't really like Leah, but Leah is fertile and Rachel isn't. Therefore, Leah bears him some sons, the 4th of which is Judah. Judah is the line through which Messiah is going to come ("the Lion of Judah"). Judah comes from the wife Jacob didn't want. God orchestrates things the way He wants.
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