God’s Blessing

November 25, 2018 Background Scripture: Genesis 30 Lesson Passage: Genesis 30:22 – 32, 43 As we approach today’s lesson, we note that God had greatly blessed Jacob. By the end of Chapter 30, Jacob had two wives, eleven sons, and one daughter. God had multiplied Jacob since his arrival in Haran as a single young man. Jacob’s stay had not been without controversy. Just as Jacob had lived as a deceiver and con artist, his uncle Laban had deceived him just as he had deceived his brother, Esau. Laban gave Jacob a life lesson in deception. Jacob, the con artist, had met his match. In spite of the deceptions, the increase of Jacob’s family, as well as the increase of Laban’s livestock, gave evidence of God’s presence with Jacob. Nevertheless, God did not keep Jacob from suffering at the hands of his uncle in the same manner in which his brother, Esau, suffered as a result of Jacob’s deceit. Laban was an old deceiver and he pulled all the tricks on Jacob. What Jacob had sown in the flesh, he had now reaped in the flesh. Jacob had sown a little, but he had reaped much. The divine law of “sowing and reaping” was and is in full effect. In today’s text, God began to greatly increase Jacob’s material blessings. Jacob wanted to leave Haran with his family, but his uncle persuaded him to remain. Laban told Jacob that he was aware that he had been blessed by God because of Jacob’s presence. Laban did not want those blessings of God to end, so he asked Jacob to suggest an appropriate wage for his labor while remaining in Haran. Laban was willing to compromise with his nephew, but he was not willing to allow him to leave uncontested. Jacob agreed to stay and suggested that his wages be the offspring of Laban’s flock that were not of a pure white wool. In other words, the less desirable brown and speckled lambs would be Jacob’s and Laban would keep those that were of a pure white wool. Laban agreed to the terms and Jacob separated Laban’s flock by color and markings. Jacob’s initial wages consisted of the sheep and goats in Laban’s flock that were spotted or speckled and the brown lambs. Once those were separated from the flock, Jacob had his sons remove his small flock a distance from Laban’s larger flock. Because this was Jacob’s choice, God greatly multiplied the flock of Jacob by causing the stronger sheep and goats to bear offspring that were brown or speckled. God had promised in a dream that He would be with Jacob and would keep him wherever he went. As noted, Laban had already observed that this was indeed the case. As a result of the hand of God, Jacob became a very wealthy herder. His wealth also included men and women servants and camels and donkeys for transportation. Previously, Laban had seen how he prospered because of Jacob’s presence with him. After Laban negotiated wages with Jacob, he saw how greatly the Lord increased Jacob’s wealth above his. Perhaps the nephew would have the last laugh. Now that they had an understanding as to what belonged to Jacob and what belonged to Laban, the bulk of God’s blessings were bestowed upon Jacob. Robert C. Hudson October 12, 2018