Christ-Light Connections: Jacob and Laban & Jacob Returns Home

The theme this week is sinful self-reliance needs to be changed to reliance on God. What a great theme for the life of Jacob!

Self-reliance was his default.

He had the gift of scheming, calculating and manipulating. It is so easy for me to see myself struggling with the same problem and in need of the same redirection.

God’s grace is sprinkled throughout Jacob’s life. Even though it took Jacob a long time to believe he could trust in God, God continued to keep his promises to him and bless him. What a comfort it is to know that as I continually struggle with unhealthy self-reliance, God will not abandon me. He will mold me and teach me throughout my whole life.

OT Set 1 8A

Jacob and Laban– Genesis 29:1-31:55

Context

Jacob has traveled 500 miles to his mother’s home with the purpose of finding a wife and to hide from his brother Esau.

He has begun to experience the natural consequences of relying on himself.

In a sense, Jacob is in exile. He arrives with only his staff and the promises given to him by God on his journey.

Big Themes

Jacob’s arrival in Haran (Genesis 29:1-12)

Haran is the former home of Jacob’s grandfather, Abraham, and his mother Rebekah. It has been a long journey. I can’t help but giggle a bit as Jacob meets Rachael and tries to impress her by rolling away the stone from in front of the well to water the sheep. Was this the moment they fell in love?

It never would have occurred to me to give any theological significance to this passage if I hadn’t come across this art by Chris Powers. You can click on the caption to learn more about it. It just goes to show that Jesus is all over the pages of the Old Testament.

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Jacob’s relationship with Laban (Genesis 29:13-30)

Think back to the marriage contract made between Abraham’s servant and Bethuel for Rebekah. Abraham had sent an impressive dowery, and Laban was right there to help his father’s family accept it. It must have seemed suspicious that Isaac’s son had arrived looking for a wife empty-handed. Since Jacob was in love with Rebekah, it was not difficult for Laban to take advantage of the situation.

Leah

The story of Leah is heartbreaking. Here is a girl that has so little value, her father has to trick someone to marry her. The Hebrew phrase, “weak eyes” is an idiom (Genesis 29:17). We could translate it to our idiom. She was not “easy on the eyes.” Even the name “Leah” holds the unflattering meaning of “weary” or “cow.” If you track her relationship with Jacob, her marriage is only the beginning of her heartbreak and devaluation. She bears Jacob multiple sons, hoping with each child that her husband would notice her and love her. Would she ever be worth anything to anyone?

Now, go back and track God’s relationship with Leah. After Leah’s first three sons were born, she gave them names related to her misery. When her fourth son, Judah, was born, she proclaimed, “This time I will praise the LORD!”(Genesis29:35) God gave Leah a precious gift! Through Leah’s child, Judah would come the Savior of the world. This Savior would find Leah, and all of us, so infinitely valuable that he was willing to suffer and die. This Savior would cherish Leah, and us, so much that he would come back as a groom to take her, and us, his bride, to live in his love forever.

Conversation Starters:

• Can you see how Leah’s identity changed and she named her children? (You can also see her struggle continued as she named her next children. Her faith went through hills and valleys just like ours.)
• Does our society value women for their appearance? Does our society value women based on how many children she has?
• For mature girls only: Even as a happily married adult, I struggle with how much to care about my appearance. Satan constantly whispers lies in my ear such as, “Your husband will love you more if you look better.” “You will be more successful in your career if you’re beautiful.” What do Satan’s lies sound like to a girl your age?

Polygamy

Many heroes of the faith have multiple wives. (Abraham, Jacob, King David to name a few.) Some commentators will go so far as to say God does not forbid it. Whoa! That sounds like a fun conversation.

Conversation starters:

• Read about the creation of marriage (Genesis 2:24). How does God describe the partners in marriage?
• Can you name any biblical examples of healthy, happy, polygamous marriages?
• How did God use this family, in spite of its extreme disfunction?

Jacob vs. Laban (Genesis 30:25 – 31:55 )

The relationship between Jacob and Laban has become a cycle of greed, trickery and subtle revenge. It’s obvious that Laban is trying to take advantage of Jacob, but I’m not so sure that all of Jacob’s actions were pure either. It seems that Jacob is trying to manipulate his wages at the expense of his relationship with Laban and Laban’s sons. Instead of manipulating the breeding of the flocks, could not God have blessed him in other ways? In spite of it all, God wanted to bless Jacob and allowed his wealth to increase.

As a final insult to Laban, Rachal steals the household idols before they run away. I found a few commentaries that believe she stole them because in that culture they could be used to claim that Jacob’s was the designated heir of Laban’s fortune. No wonder Laban was ticked off when Jacob left!

Conversation Starter:

• How did Laban show he loved himself the most in this passage?
• How did Jacob show he loved himself the most in this passage?
• Do you feel a bit uncomfortable knowing that God blessed Jacob and his family in spite of the greed, envy, and rivalry? (God’s grace can be rather shocking.)

Digging Deeper

The Seeds of Faith resource provides context and deeper connections.

In 40 Minutes in the Old Testament, two episodes cover the content.

• Episode 40: picks up the story about halfway through. Honestly, I felt uncomfortable with the way the sins of Jacob were described. I usually appreciate the honest character sketches these teachers give us, but I felt that they may have taken some of their jokes about Jacob’s sin too far. You’ll have to decide for yourself.
• Episode 41:Jacob’s multiple wives and the miracle of the spotted animals.

OT Set 1 8B

Jacob’s Return Home —Genesis 32:1-33:4;35:1,6,7,27-29

Context

Jacob has worn out his welcome in Laban’s home and it is time to return to the land of his father, Isaac. This story bookends Jacob’s exile from Canaan. He left alone and returns with four wives and twelve sons. He departed with only his staff in his hand and now is rich with cattle. He began his journey with a miraculous vision from God and now he meets God again in a very different way.

Big Themes

Jacob prepares to meet Esau (Genesis 32:1-23)

If Jacob is anything, he is a man of strategy. Here his self-reliance comes to a head. He sends a gift ahead to Esau hoping to pacify him. When Esau sends back no answer in fear, Jacob calculates how to preserve his life. He sends two more waves of gifts and splits his family into two camps. And where is Jacob? Behind all of it! Finally, realizing that he could not save himself, Jacob turns to God!

Jacob wrestles with God (Genesis 32:24-32)

Many believers can say they have figuratively wrestled with God, but Jacob did so literally! Again, God meets Jacob in an unexpected way. He condescends and becomes a man that is just a bit weaker than Jacob. Jacob actually beats God in a wrestling match. Why does it bother me that God let Jacob win?

Then I consider how God condescended to become a fetus, a baby, a pimply teenager, and then a man. But this man was also beaten and defeated by humanity on the cross. Because God condescends, I am glorified.

Conversation Starter:

• Why do you think God chose to wrestle with Jacob instead of a nice calm face to face conversation?

Another new name (Genesis 32:28)

Any time God changes a name it comes with great significance. No longer would Jacob have to go by the name “heel grabber” or “deceiver.” No longer would Jacob have to struggle to make his own name great. God has given him a new name, Israel. Israel would be the name of God’s chosen nation. Knowing the history of the nation, Israel, I find it interesting that Israel means “one who struggles with God.”

That fact that God did not change his name to something like “peace or compliance with God” highlights the fact that God loved Jacob as he was, not for who he would become. It is a comfort to know I can safely struggle in my faith and God will meet me and fight with me.

Conversation Starters:

• Why is “One who Struggles with God” a good name for Jacob?
• Why is “One who Struggles with God a good name for the nation of Israel?”
• Jacob struggled to turn from self-reliance to trusting in God. How do you share his struggles?

Jacob meets Esau (Genesis 33:1-19)

Finally after a long worrisome journey, multiple costly gifts and a long night of wrestling, Jacob and Esau meet. Jacob positions himself in front of his family now. He bows down in humility before his brother and seems to be ready to accept anything that happens next.

His wrestling match with God and blessing from him has helped Jacob to rely on God.

Miraculously, twenty years of resentment and anger melt away. Esau forgives his brother and welcomes him home.

Conversation Starter:

• Parents, do you have any life stories that highlight having no option but to trust God?

Digging Deeper

The Seeds of Faith resource provides context and deeper connections about Jacob’s flight and dream.

In the 40 Minutes in the Old Testament Podcast, multiple episodes cover these chapters. Lots of listening, but interesting if you have the time.

• Episode 40: The events leading up to Jacob finally meeting his match in the art of deception. The house of God, more women at wells, rock moving, drunkenness and trickery abound.
• Episode 41: Childbearing competitions, mandrakes, sacramental sticks and the remembering of God. It’s all a little weird… but God wrote what He wrote.
• Episode 42: Jacob bailing out on Laban, Rachel stealing her father’s idols and how getting what you don’t deserve offends everyone
• Episode 43: Praying badly, assuming the worst about someone and the God who lets you beat Him
• Episode 44: Brothers being reconciled and how it looks like God