Day 13 - Genesis 29-30

Jacob Meets his Match (in both Laban and Rachel)

Jacob, awe-struck by Rachel

Jacob arrives in Haran safely and shortly thereafter meets Rachel, the daughter of his uncle, Laban. After Jacob and Rachel share a cinema-worthy romance scene by the well, Laban greets Jacob and invites him into his home. Jacob is utterly smitten by Rachel and offers to work seven years in exchange for her hand in marriage. Laban slyly agrees as he has it in mind to extort additional work out of Jacob. On the night of the wedding, Laban manages to have Leah, his oldest daughter, instead of Rachel sleep with Jacob. Perhaps Jacob was inebriated to the point that he was unaware of what was truly transpiring. Jacob is stunned when he realizes what has been done. On the surface, he accepts Laban's exceedingly lame and insulting excuse and resolves to work seven more years for the right to marry Rachel. In all, Jacob worked fourteen years in exchange for Rachel and Leah and their maidservants Billah and Zilpah. Up until this point, Jacob was known as the crafty deceiver, but in Laban, he meets his match. However, from the point of view of God's sovereignty, perhaps He allowed this, not necessarily to give Jacob a taste of his own medicine, but perhaps it was a form of divine discipline. As we will see, Jacob's circumstances, both self-generated and externally dealt, begin to challenge the idols of his heart so that he may form a faith in God that is genuine enough to pass onto his progeny.

"Look! It's Bridezilla! Run!" (Subtitle: Leah finds true love)

Out of all of the early patriarchs, the details of Jacob's life are perhaps the most convoluted and sordid. Not to sound disrespectful, but his marriage life shares similarities with the Maury Povich television show. But within this crazy story is another story; Leah finds God.

Legally, Jacob is married to both sisters. However, his heart truly belongs to Rachel. God, in His mercy, decides to care for Leah, whom He sees is unloved; He allows her to conceive, whereas Rachel is left barren. Notice the progression in Leah's statements as each successive child is born:

After Reuben - "It is the because the LORD has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now."

After Simeon - "Because the LORD heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too."

After Levi - "Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons."

After Judah - "This time I will praise the LORD."

Leah was lovesick for her husband's affection. But through the process of childbearing, God led Leah to focus on the One who truly loves her. God patiently led her until she could discover that it is God who is worthy of her praise and worship, not Jacob. This is a beautiful story of God's patient love and shepherding towards those that seem abandoned.

After Leah gives birth to four sons, Rachel begins to compete with her. Childbearing was vitally important to a family's survival in those days. But of course, this was no ordinary family. Jacob proceeded to have children through his wives maidservants. In Rachel's self-centered struggle, the names of her children, through her servant, reflected her competitiveness towards her sister. Finally, God listened to Rachel's struggle and allowed her to conceive. She gave birth to Joseph.

What does all of this mean?

This is by far one of the most peculiar events in the Bible. Jacob's behavior does not seem like that of a true patriarch, one who would be heir of the Abrahamic Covenant. But alas, God was definitely working out his purpose even through Jacob's highly dysfunctional family. After all, his children would become the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel. And eventually, Jesus Christ would come through the lineage of Judah. What I gather from this story is that God is revealing that he can work out his purpose even in dark, seemingly man-made, confusing circumstances. Ultimately, God is sovereign over history and his plans will succeed despite man's imperfect actions. We also see that within this over-arching narrative, in parallel, God is working out the salvation of those involved in his plan. For instance, He takes care of the marginalized, as in the case of Leah. He also humbles and eventually brings joy to the proud and demanding Rachel. God is also patiently shepherding Jacob, disciplining him through his marriages. God's love far exceeds what we could ever conceive of. I could not shoulder the task of loving someone as broken as Leah, as demanding as Rachel and as deceptive as Jacob. But God cares for each one of them in his own perfect way. Who can fathom God's heart? He is truly our Creator who knows us, sees our misery and draws us near, that he may love and heal us.

Very Superstitious; Jacob sees the writing on the wall

After many years of service, Jacob decides to leave Laban's estate. He wants to strike out on his own and make a name for himself. But before he leaves he faces a bit of opposition from Laban. Laban seems to think that Jacob is the source of his prosperity. Rather than regarding him as a dear son-in-law, he views him more or less as an object, like some sort of talisman. Eventually he relinquishes Jacob, but not without deceiving him once more. He engineers the separation of his flocks so that Jacob is left with virtually nothing. However, Jacob practices some deception of his own. In the next passages, we learn that God miraculously produces the type of flocks which Jacob can rightfully claim for himself. But here, Jacob resorts to a particularly superstitious act, thinking that his actions are what produced these special flocks. Moreover, he leaves Laban with the weakest animals while he gets the strongest. Jacob seems to get back at Laban, but is this pleasing to God?