How Yahweh deals with his creations (series 31)

Bible Texts (Concordant Version of the Old Testament and Concordant Literal New Testament with keywords Concordance (Main text: Genesis 30:26-43 & chapter 31)

Hello my dear blog readers. It is another week to be blessed as you take the journey with me into scriptures to learn about how Yahweh has been dealing with his creations. He has been dealing with us in relative and absolute ways. This week blog is another example for you to learn.

To remind you of last week blog, there were contests between Jacob's two wives. The lesson was very intense and educative. Please, take time to read it if you have not.

I stopped at Genesis 30:1-25 last week. Yahweh eventually gave Rachel her first son. It was a huge victory for Rachael. Jacob requested Laban to go back to his parents with all his belongings including his two wives and their children (verse 26). Laban began to play tricks on Jacob. First of all, he stated that he had practiced augury and knew that Yahweh had blessed him through Jacob. What does this mean?

It simply means that Laban had consulted his gods to know the kind of person Jacob was. He conducted a divination without Jacob's knowledge on Jacob's "star". He was a cruel man! He found that Jacob was the blessing conduit from Jacob's God (verse 27). So, Laban played all his tricks on Jacob to keep him to himself for as long as he could. No wonder, he was eager to give Jacob his two daughters to marry. Please, note that Laban also had male children but he let Jacob did all dirty work for him  not only for 14 years but for additional 6 years! So, Jacob spent 20 years with Laban. When I was meditating on the kind of live Jacob lived in Laban's house, I felt a deep pity for him. What a kind of selfish scamming man would let a man marry his two daughters and still tie him down for another 6 years simply because he brought him good fortune? This is very absurd! Jacob agreed with Laban to serve him  for 6 years after 14 years of hell on earth. Jacob's wages were changed by Laban for 10 times. What a scammer (verse 3-13).  His wage this time would be the speckled or flecked and every brown flock among all flocks of Laban. In other words, Laban would take non-spotted skin animals. Yahweh put wisdom into Jacob's mind on how to make profit off Laban's scam. Thus, Laban's flocks began to be weary and dwindle while Jacob's flocks were increasing and were healthier (verse 37-43).

In chapter 31, Laban's sons observed all these things and Jacob heard them saying that he had taken all that belonged to their father and from all that their father had established with his wealth. Did you see the above picture of Jacob's exodus from Padan-Syria where he had served under a cruel slave master called Laban?  Jacob found that the happy face of Laban had turned sad. He knew his life was in danger.  Yahweh informed him to leave Laban and go to back to his parent's land. He informed his two wives on this matter . Their responses implied that they cared less for their father who sold them to Jacob as foreigners (verse 14). Wait a second on this verse. First of all, he changed Jacob's wages for 10 times to keep him close to him. He sold his two daughters to Jacob in exchange for Jacob's services. What a scammer. I pray that Yahweh never puts anyone under a master like Laban. Such master or boss will feed you, cloth you, but will never have interest in your personal growth and development. What a jerk this Laban was. In verse 22, the trouble of labor pain rained on Jacob as the news of his unceremonious exit from Padan-Syria was disclosed to Laban. There went a starve raging screwed king scammer hunting for Jacob. He went after him with some people. He found Jacob at the hill country of Gilead (verse 25).

Laban began to raise serious accusation against Jacob for acting in such a stupid way. He ranted and shot fiery darts of unpleasant words at Jacob. His bitter-sweet words of seeing Jacob and his belongings off with tambourine and harps were probably smoke-screens (verse 27-28). His words were not up to snuff. The bottom line is that he wanted to keep Jacob for as long as he wanted. However, Laban stated in verse 29 that Yahweh had informed him not to say well or evil words at Jacob. Otherwise, Laban might have sent him back to himself or let him go back to his parents empty handed! What a bad father-in law! It was Yahweh that stopped Laban from the evil intentions he had towards Jacob.

 Jacob busted into anger and asked Laban to state what offense he had committed against him. He confessed to Laban that he was afraid that Laban might take the two daughters away from him that was why he left without further notice (verse 31). I believe Jacob was correct because that is what Laban could do. He could not hide his feelings when Laban accused him of stealing his idols (carved image of deities). What shocked me most was when Jacob stated that whoever stole the missing idols should not live (verse 32). Jacob was that furious. Be careful of what you say when you are angry. Do you know who stole these idols? It was Rachel (verse 33-34)! So unknowingly, Jacob called death for his dearest wife. Death and life lie in the grip of the tongue and they who love it shall eat its fruit (Proverbs 18:22). You will see how this thing happened in the nearest future.

Laban could not find the missing idols because Rachel had put them in the basket that she sat upon (verse 34). She pretended to be menstruating to Laban (verse 35). This Rachel is something else. I could speak on another topic on this woman.  So, Laban did not find the missing idols and Jacob felt being embarrassed.  He recounted how long he had suffered while serving Laban. He shepherded Laban's flocks under scorching heats and icing nights. Sometimes, he skipped sleep to watch over the flocks for Laban. He paid dearly for any of Laban's animals that was stolen or killed by wild animals or by any other means.  He condemned the idea of letting him leave empty handed (verse 36-43).

Laban would not back down at Jacob's retort. He "sermonize" Jacob by telling him that Jacob's wives belonged to him as well as the maidservants, the children and the flocks! My question here is what about the services rendered by Jacob in return for all that this scammer was claiming? Can you see the ordeal Jacob found himself? Who would have helped Jacob out if not the same Yahweh that assured him that he would be with him in Laban's place? I felt sorry for this poor Jacob. What a horrible situation he found himself! I bet Esau would not have a glimpse of Jacob's ordeal.

                                                 

                                                 

Laban requested to have a contract with Jacob (verse 44). They set a stone between them and covenanted not to pass the stone towards each other to cause harm. Laban also made Jacob promise not to marry another wife beside his two daughters. What a jerk. Why should he be telling Jacob on what to do with his life? He just wanted to make sure his words tied Jacob down for the rest of his life.

                                            

In conclusion, Jacob went through hell in Laban's place. He spent his agile ages (starting from 40 to 60 years old). He was probably not as strong as he was anymore. He was used up in Laban's place. Most bible scholars do say Jacob was punished for cheating on his brother. I used to think so too. However, this is not so. Yahweh intended Jacob to go to Laban's house to learn, gain experiences and become a great man. Indeed, Yahweh blessed Jacob in Laban's place. These blessings comforted Jacob during his spell in king of scammer's place. This is why Laban and his sons were jealous with passion over Jacob because they did not expect him to thrive in the deep blue sea of troubles they threw him into. Jacob was not sent there to be a slave but to marry. 

I pray that none of us will drown in any ocean of trouble. In case we find ourselves there, may Yahweh's hand save us from it like he saved Jacob. Our future will not be dampened by the system or government that appear to be good but is selfish, scamming and arrogant in Yeshua name. Jacob still had to scale another big hurdle when he would need to meet with his brother. In all that Jacob went through, Yahweh was with him even though it appeared he was not (Isaiah 43:1-2).

I do hope you are blessed with this week's blog.

Please, leave your comments and be nice with them. I pray Yahweh brings more understanding as I review next chapter for next week.

Shalom!