Jacob and Laban
June 15, 2009
Genesis 30:25-31:55 (The Message)
First, lets look at Laban. He reminds me of a few people in my life, one in particular. He is out for what is best for him. He has a young guy come and offer to work on his land. He tells Jacob that for seven years of work he will give him his daughter Rachel. Then Jacob finds out that Laban cheated him by giving him Leah instead. Laban tells Jacob that he needs to work another seven years to get Rachel.
Finally those fourteen years are over and now Laban asks Jacob what he wants. Jacob asks for the speckled and spotted livestock. Laban immediately takes all what Jacob asked for and gives those animals to his own children.
Jacob proceeds to mate animals in front of sticks to create a strong herd for himself. He then notices that Laban changes towards him.
Have you ever worked for someone like Laban? I know I have. Look at this passage where Jacob describes what it has been like to work for Laban.
Genesis 31:38-42
I almost had to laugh at that, because I could identify so well with it. How many times have I worked for someone and given my all and it is never appreciated or commended. I have felt my talents and personality used to better the business, but at the end of the day I have nothing to show for it but a measly paycheck.
Yet God gives Jacob assurance in his frustration. He reminds Jacob that even though Laban has changed towards him, He never changes. He stays the same and he loves Jacob and his family.
What an assurance! In the midst of everything in life changing around us, people, jobs, economy, presidents, health, etc. GOD STAYS THE SAME!
I do have a few questions about this passage:
- Why did Jacob use those particular branches? Is there some significance there?
- Was it magic or a Miracle from God that made the babies speckled or spotted?
- What gods did Rachel steal? Why wasn’t she honest?
I really hope I get some more feedback soon. I would love for you to leave a comment. Thanks.
Entry Filed under: Bible, Devotional, Devotions, Uncategorized. Tags: Genesis, Jacob, Laban, Work Ethic, Rachel, Leah.
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1.
spatulahandle | June 16, 2009 at 11:20 am
sorry I’ve been a little busy with the birthday’s…I am back now and will look at your posts later on.
2.
brahnamin | June 16, 2009 at 9:37 pm
The stripped branches are the first example of sympathetic magic in the bible.
Sympathetic magic, by definition, is where you take a real-world object to affect something similar in the real world via spiritual means. Like stuffing a lock of hair into a voodoo doll or poppet to make it representative of a particular person.
If you want to take the ooga booga out of the equation and drop the word magic, then call it a faith-focus. The stripped branches were an anchor, if you will, for Jacob’s faith, something tangible for him to focus on so he could believe strongly enough to fuel his faith and bring about the desired result.
As for the terraphim, the clay household gods that Rachel stole, there were probably many of them and they were plainly small enough to sit on. Despite marrying a monotheist, she was still attached to the idols of her childhood and unwilling to give them up along with her home.