Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Genesis 30
Genesis 30
“The Penalties of Sin”
Last chapter we saw that Jacob had been taken advantage of by Laban. He had worked and been promised things, and then the promises were not kept correctly. We definitely see the beginnings of dysfunction in this family of Jacob’s. Jacob now has two wives, Leah and Rachel, and this is going to become a problem.
Vs. 1-8
Whenever the “one man and one woman” plan of God is not honored, you can guarantee problems. This is no exception. Rachel, even though she is the one who is obviously Jacob’s favorite according to the last chapter, suffers from jealousy and comparison. She is loved by Jacob, but is not able to have children, and this tears at her. So, she gives her servant girl Bilhah to Jacob (reminiscent of his father and mother!!!) and Jacob sleeps with her, and has children.
Rachel never does feel loved, she just feels that she has kept up with her sister. Rachel shows this by saying, “I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won.” Obviously, this is not going to solve anything.
Vs. 9-16
Leah now feels that she has lost her “edge”. She also follows suit, and gives her servant Zilpah to Jacob to sleep with. And, of course, he does. He then has children with Zilpah, that Leah names. The names show she shares in the struggle for Jacob’s love with her sister.
In the time of harvest, the battle moves on between the two women. Unfortunately, they include the children in the conflict. Then it escalates to a new level. They begin to trade favors for the ability to sleep with Jacob. Leah actually tells Jacob that she has “hired him”.
Vs. 17-24
There are two interesting verses that stand out. Vs. 17 says, “God listened to Leah”, and vs. 22, “Then God remembered Rachel”. These verses give hope. Even though the two women were not living very faith filled lives, God blessed them anyhow.
Vs. 25-28
Jacob asks to be able to take his family and leave, but Laban petitions him to stay. He agrees to pay Jacob whatever he asks.
Vs. 29-36
Jacob makes a deal to separate all the speckled animals from the flock and keep them as his own. You have to love that Jacob says “and my honesty will testify for me in the future”!!! Anyhow, the deal is made.
Vs. 37-43
The wind up of the rest of this passage is that Jacob spends all his effort on scheming and deceiving. He dishonestly begins to create his own flock by insuring that the healthy mate, and the young all come out speckled. This way all the healthy of the flocks are his, and the un-healthy are Laban’s.
So does Laban deserve it? Yes, of course he does. But, does that give Jacob any justification in God’s eyes? No, it is still sin.
The greatest part of the whole story is that God continues to bless Jacob anyhow. Many might ask why God would honor and bless Jacob while he is still in sin. The answer is that God is sovereign and has a plan to use Jacob. Jacob will have to deal with his sins, and the penalties of his sin.
Just as he is no longer living with his own family, but living far from home because of his sin, he will have to pay for these things as well. The good news is that God is still in charge, and Jacob will end up a changed man.
Remember:
God doesn’t save good people; God saves wicked people because He is a good God!
“The Penalties of Sin”
Last chapter we saw that Jacob had been taken advantage of by Laban. He had worked and been promised things, and then the promises were not kept correctly. We definitely see the beginnings of dysfunction in this family of Jacob’s. Jacob now has two wives, Leah and Rachel, and this is going to become a problem.
Vs. 1-8
Whenever the “one man and one woman” plan of God is not honored, you can guarantee problems. This is no exception. Rachel, even though she is the one who is obviously Jacob’s favorite according to the last chapter, suffers from jealousy and comparison. She is loved by Jacob, but is not able to have children, and this tears at her. So, she gives her servant girl Bilhah to Jacob (reminiscent of his father and mother!!!) and Jacob sleeps with her, and has children.
Rachel never does feel loved, she just feels that she has kept up with her sister. Rachel shows this by saying, “I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won.” Obviously, this is not going to solve anything.
Vs. 9-16
Leah now feels that she has lost her “edge”. She also follows suit, and gives her servant Zilpah to Jacob to sleep with. And, of course, he does. He then has children with Zilpah, that Leah names. The names show she shares in the struggle for Jacob’s love with her sister.
In the time of harvest, the battle moves on between the two women. Unfortunately, they include the children in the conflict. Then it escalates to a new level. They begin to trade favors for the ability to sleep with Jacob. Leah actually tells Jacob that she has “hired him”.
Vs. 17-24
There are two interesting verses that stand out. Vs. 17 says, “God listened to Leah”, and vs. 22, “Then God remembered Rachel”. These verses give hope. Even though the two women were not living very faith filled lives, God blessed them anyhow.
Vs. 25-28
Jacob asks to be able to take his family and leave, but Laban petitions him to stay. He agrees to pay Jacob whatever he asks.
Vs. 29-36
Jacob makes a deal to separate all the speckled animals from the flock and keep them as his own. You have to love that Jacob says “and my honesty will testify for me in the future”!!! Anyhow, the deal is made.
Vs. 37-43
The wind up of the rest of this passage is that Jacob spends all his effort on scheming and deceiving. He dishonestly begins to create his own flock by insuring that the healthy mate, and the young all come out speckled. This way all the healthy of the flocks are his, and the un-healthy are Laban’s.
So does Laban deserve it? Yes, of course he does. But, does that give Jacob any justification in God’s eyes? No, it is still sin.
The greatest part of the whole story is that God continues to bless Jacob anyhow. Many might ask why God would honor and bless Jacob while he is still in sin. The answer is that God is sovereign and has a plan to use Jacob. Jacob will have to deal with his sins, and the penalties of his sin.
Just as he is no longer living with his own family, but living far from home because of his sin, he will have to pay for these things as well. The good news is that God is still in charge, and Jacob will end up a changed man.
Remember:
God doesn’t save good people; God saves wicked people because He is a good God!
