Genesis 29-31

Notes compiled with my BSF group

JACOB MARRIES RACHEL AND LEAH (Genesis 29:1–30)

Laban deceives Jacob
Did Leah and Rachel willingly join in their father’s plot to deceive Jacob? I don’t know if Rachel willing joined – I don’t think so, because who would want to share her husband? However, Leah definitely knew what was going on and still went ahead with the plan. She knew that Jacob loved Rachel, yet she still chose to deceive Jacob.

An eye for an eye?
Laban promised Jacob the hand of Rachel after he has worked 7 years. However, after 7 years, Laban gave him Leah instead. Is it a coincidence that Jacob was deceived because he deceived his father to give Esau's blessing to him?

God doesn't "allow" anyone to do anything
BSF asked, "Why do you think God allowed Laban to mistreat Jacob?" I do not think God "allows" anyone to do anything. God gave us freedom. We are free to choose to do anything we want. However, we are judged for our decisions. We can choose to do the right thing or the selfish thing -- God leaves that up to us. Come Judgment Day, Laban will be judged for what he has done, just as we all will be judged for what we have done. If God "allowed" anything, He simply allowed Laban to exercise his freedom.

"When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, He enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless" (Genesis 29:31)

God teaches Jacob how selfish favoritism is not the heart of God.

Leah took comfort in God's blessings (Genesis 29:31-35)
Leah knew she was able to bore Jacob sons because of God’s blessings. Although she craved the love of Jacob, she did not mourn what she did not have; instead, she focused on the blessings from God.

Our troubles in this life are temporary. Our life experiences are part of the training that gets us ready for God’s Millennium that is coming. If we get caught up with this life, we may lose sight of God’s future and not be trained in the way God had hoped for us. We would then play no part in God’s future for us. Thus, always keep things in perspective. Always remember that things of this world are only temporary. It is exercise for the soul, events that make us stronger in our faith, events that help us for eternity with God. When we are trouble with things of this world, keep focused on God, because He is eternal, and our future with him is eternal. Do not lose sight of our eternal future for something that is temporary. 



JACOB'S 12 SONS START THE 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL (Genesis 29:31–30:24; 35:16–20)

Reuben
Simeon
Levi
Judah
Dan
Naphtali
Gad
Asher
Issachar
Zebulun
Joseph
Benjamin


JACOB IS A GOOD SERVANT TO LABAN (Genesis 30:25-31:16)

Even though Laban deceived Jacob, Jacob still honored Laban’s rules.

Genesis 30:25-30
Colossians 3:22-25
1 Peter 2:18-20; 3:9; 5:6-7
We are to respect our bosses, because all powers of authorities are placed there by God (Romans 13:1). As Jacob has been a good example for us, even when our bosses are not fair and take advantage of us, we should still be responsible workers. As mentioned above, God will judge us for our choices and behaviors. God will thus one day judge unfair bosses. And if we were irresponsible workers, we, too, will be judged for that. We should focus on being godly men and women ourselves so that when we stand in front of God, we can stand blameless. If we behaved irresponsibly because we felt our bosses were unfair, God will not say, "Okay, I forgive you. I understand." In God's eyes, sin is sin. Any sin is a blemish to perfection. He will judge us for our (irresponsible) behaviors. He will also judge the horrible bosses for their unfairness.

Let us all be inspired by Jacob's attitude: My honesty will testify for me in the future, whenever you check on the wages you have paid me (Genesis 30:33).


JACOB LEAVES LABAN (Genesis 31)

"Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you" (Genesis 31:3)
After serving Laban for 20 years (Genesis 31:38, 41), Jacob was commanded by God to return to Canaan.

Despite the unfairness Laban showed Jacob, Jacob continued to trust God and take comfort in God's blessings

Genesis 31:5
He said to them, "I see that your father’s attitude toward me is not what it was before, but the God of my father has been with me.

Genesis 31:7
... your father has cheated me by changing my wages ten times. However, God has not allowed him to harm me.

Genesis 31:9
... God has taken away your father’s livestock and has given them to me.

Genesis 31:12
Look up and see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.

Genesis 31:42
If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me,you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you.

God disciplines His children
Through these last few chapters, we see that Jacob was not perfect. He started out as a master of deception, but we're beginning to see him change. He has gone through years of hardship under Laban's roof, but because he endured by relying on God and His blessings (as opposed to taking matters into his own hands), Jacob came out a more mature and godly man. Through Jacob's trials, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the following encouragements:

Hebrews 12:7
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as His children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?

Hebrews 12:14-15
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.