Genesis 43 "The Second Trip to Egypt"

 "Now the famine was still severe in the land. So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, 'Go back and buy us a little more food'" (vv.1-2)

Jacob’s sons had already gone to Egypt once for grain because of the famine, and had left behind their brother Simeon and been told not to return without their younger brother Benjamin. Jacob did not want to send him, but the famine was bad and his family needed food. Jacob was desperate and reluctantly gave it over to God Almighty saying, “If I lose my son, I lose my son.” Severe pressure (famine) forced him to allow God to be God. 

Pessimism had gone even deeper into Jacob’s heart after the loss of his favorite son Joseph. Of course he had no idea that the man in Egypt requiring him to send his youngest son ahead was in fact the son he thought he had lost. Now, God was in the process of restoring everything Jacob had lost and more, but he had become so negative he couldn’t see God’s blessings coming right at him. Even though he’d known the Lord for over 100 years, Jacob was a man who had a lot of trouble walking by faith.

The habits of pessimism, cynicism, doubt, distrust, and negative thinking are perhaps the most difficult habits to change. Here we see that God was in the process of forcing change on Jacob through his circumstances. That’s because God knew Jacob couldn’t become what he needed him to be, by remaining what he was. 

The very same thing is true in our lives. So the lesson for us here is to be careful when we find ourselves resisting change, because we might just be resisting God! 

The Truth: "Know that the LORD, He is God! It is he who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture." (Psalm 100:3)

Genesis 42 "Jacob Forgot God's Past Goodness"

“And Jacob their father said to them, ‘You have bereaved me: Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin. All these things are against me.'” (v.36) 

Jacob sent his sons to Egypt to buy grain during the famine and they came face to face with their brother Joseph, but they didn’t recognize him. Joseph didn’t reveal himself to them, but kept their brother Simeon and sent the other brothers home, telling them to come back with their youngest brother Benjamin. To Jacob, at this moment, everything seemed to be going against him. It appeared that way in the natural, but the reality was just the opposite. All these things that seemed to be hurting him, were actually working for his good. Famine and sons missing in action were but the hand of God once again moving him along the road of life.

We have all had times in our lives when it seemed like everything was going against us. We fall into the same trap Jacob did when we allow ourselves to think the way he was thinking. Notice that there is no mention of God in Jacob’s words. At this moment in his storm, he had forgotten God. How the Lord had led him so many times before in storms. How God had caused him to prosper during his 20 years working for his Uncle Laban. How God had blessed him after the nightlong wrestling at Penuel. How God had protected him in his meeting with his brother Esau. And God was in this new storm just as much as He had been in the past ones, but Jacob had forgotten the past goodness of God toward him.

When we take God out of the picture, there seems to be no hope. Paul reminded the Ephesians that there is no real hope apart from God: “that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12). Without God, there is ultimately no hope; but with God, all things are possible.

The Truth: “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” (Genesis 18:14)

Genesis 41 "Joseph Gives God The Glory"

"Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they hurriedly brought him out of the dungeon; and when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came to Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, but no one can interpret it; and I have heard it said about you, that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” Joseph then answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.””

Here Pharaoh immediately calls to have Joseph brought to him because he had heard from the chief cup bearer that Joseph had accurately interpreted both his dream and the dream of the chief baker. So Joseph was brought out of the ‘dungeon’ (where he had been falsely held for the past thirteen years) that he might interpret the Pharaoh's dream. Now because the Egyptians always kept their faces shaved and wore nice clothes, they immediately had Joseph shaved and gave him appropriate attire to wear, before they brought him to Pharaoh who was anxious to understand his dreams.

As we can see in our text, Pharaoh tells Joseph he has heard of his ability to interpret dreams. However Joseph immediately tells Pharaoh that this ability is not in him, but that it comes from God.  This response shows the humility that now has been worked into his life from the Lord as a result of his thirteen years in prison.  Previously, when just a boy Joseph had dreamed dreams about himself and the fact that one day he would be exalted above his brothers, but at that point in his life, Joseph was a bit haughty and arrogant which got him into trouble.  Now however, time and his many trials have tempered his character and squashed his pride.

As the story continues in verses 17-32 we see Pharaoh recounting his dreams to Joseph and Joseph interpreting them for him; 7 years of abundance followed by 7 years of famine. Then Joseph says to the Pharaoh, as a result of what God had revealed to him that would happen (7 years of abundance followed by 7 years of famine), he should appoint a discerning and wise man to oversee the storing up of grain for the seven years of abundance, and the distribution of it during the 7 years of famine.  So, not only does Joseph accurately interpret these dreams for Pharaoh, he is also gives him a word of wisdom.  

Pharaoh then tells Joseph that since God had informed him of all of these things, that he realized that there was no one in all of his kingdom who was more ‘discerning and wise’ as Joseph.  He then tells Joseph that he is appointing him over everyone and everything in his kingdom, and that no one will be greater than Joseph, except for Pharaoh himself.

Obviously this dream had been given to Pharaoh for a reason. He was to be used as an instrument of God to spare those in the middle east, the nation of Israel, and "people from all over the earth" from starvation. And in so doing, preserving the Messianic line. And, Joseph's freedom and new position in the Egyptian government were his reward for his great faith. Once again proving His ways are not our ways, nor His thoughts our thoughts.

The Truth: "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

     

 

Genesis 40 “Joseph’s Deeds Forgotten”

“Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him." (v.23)

Do you know something about somebody that would help them? Are you in a position to assist another person? Don't forget them like this cupbearer did - extend a hand of friendship and it's likely you will find a helping hand reaching back to you when you need it most.

The Truth

“Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6:31)

Genesis 39 “God Is With Us”

“And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.” (v.2)

Man may strip us of outward distinctions and ornaments; but wisdom and grace cannot be taken from us. Man may separate us from friends, relatives, and country; but he cannot take from us the presence of the Lord. Man may shut us from outward blessings, rob us of liberty, and even confine us in dungeons; but he cannot shut us out from communion with God, from the throne of grace, or take from us the blessings of salvation.

Joseph was blessed, wonderfully blessed, even in the house where he was a slave. God's presence with us, makes all we do prosperous. Good men are the blessings of the place where they live; good servants may be so, though mean and lightly esteemed. The prosperity of the wicked is, one way or other, for the sake of the godly. Here was a wicked family blessed for the sake of one good servant in it.

The Truth: “But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.” (2 Thessalonians 3:13)

Genesis 37 “The Plan To Kill The Dreamer”

“Now when they saw him afar off, even before he came near them, they conspired against him to kill him. Then they said to one another, “Look, this dreamer is coming! Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, ‘Some wild beast has devoured him.’ Then we shall see what will become of his dreams.” (vv.18-20)

Jacob’s favoritism of Joseph was plain to everyone, including Joseph himself. As an outward display of his favor, he gave Joseph a tunic of many colors. This signified a position of favor, princely standing, and birthright. It was a dramatic way of saying he was the son to receive the birthright. This favoritism of Joseph was an obvious source of conflict in the family. The brothers naturally hated him, because the father favored him and because Joseph also reported their behavior to their father.  

To top it off, Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. At best, Joseph showed a great lack of tact in doing so. Surely he knew how much his brothers hated to hear this dream (the bowing of the sheaves), which set him above his brothers. Therefore, Joseph’s brothers mocked him as the dreamer. In a sense, Joseph brought this upon himself by the foolish way he spoke of his God-given dreams before his brothers. 

So now the stage is set and we can just picture the brothers dreading Joseph’s arrival here. He was coming to inspect their work, and he would not hesitate to report to their father whatever they did wrong. So they began to conspire against him to kill him. They could have conspired to mock him, or tease or bully him a little bit; but no they conspired to kill him. Their plan was so serious that they plotted the excuse they would make to their father; Some wild beast has devoured him, knowing well how it would devastate Jacob. This sin was in their heart long before it was ever acted out. (And that is usually the case with all sin, it begins in the heart and must be dealt with on a heart level. The goal is not only to change our behavior, but to let God change our heart as well. Transformation always works from the inside out.)

In our text Joseph’s brothers are trying to destroy his God-given dreams by destroying him, "Then we shall see what will become of his dreams.” Of course no person can kill God-given dreams, or His will for our lives. He has a plan and a dream for each of us, and no one can thwart His plan despite their best efforts.

The Truth: “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

 

Genesis 36 “The Descendants of Esau”

“And this is the genealogy of Esau the father of the Edomites in Mount Seir.” (v.9)

The Edomite people descended from Esau, the son of Isaac and the twin brother of Jacob (v.1). Esau dwelt in Mount Seir, the land to the south and east of the Dead Sea, which became known as the land of Edom. Edom and the Edomites are mentioned some 130 times in the Bible and were an important group of neighbors to Israel.

When the Israelites came through the wilderness to the Promised Land in the time of Moses, the Edomites refused them passage through their land (Numbers 20:21). This was a source of great discouragement for the nation (Numbers 21:4). Even so, God commanded special regard for the Edomites among Israel: You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother (Deuteronomy 23:7).

In the days of Saul, Edom was made subject to Israel (1 Samuel 14:47), and David established garrisons there (2 Samuel 8:14). The Edomites also held the rock city of Petra, or at least its early version. This city could only be reached through a narrow, winding gorge. Petra was so defensible that it was said that a dozen men could protect it against a whole army. 

But later, in the days of Joram, the son of Ahab, the Edomites became independent of Israel (2 Kings 8:16-22). Several of the prophets then spoke about and against Edom, including Jeremiah (Jeremiah 49:17-18) and Ezekiel (Ezekiel 25:12-14). Then, from the time that Islam conquered the Middle East, the region has been mostly unoccupied (except for a few Bedouins and military outposts). Now it has been brought to nothing, as Obadiah had prophesied (the entire book of Obadiah records an extended prophecy against Edom).

When we look closely at the sons, chiefs, and kings which came from Esau (vv.10-43), we see more clearly what God meant when He said, Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated (Malachi 1:2-3 and Romans 9:13). Notable among this list is Amalek. From him came the Amalekites, a ruthless enemy of Israel (Exodus 17:8-16; Deuteronomy 25:17-19; 1 Samuel 15:1-8). Yet while Esau was obviously a blessed man, he was hated and rejected in regard to being chosen to inherit the covenant God made to Abraham. 

This gives us something to consider, if God blesses so abundantly those who are not chosen, what is the magnitude of His blessings for those who are? 

The Truth: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,” (Ephesians 1:3)

 

Genesis 35 “Jacob Moves To Bethel”

Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and live there, and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods which are among you, and purify yourselves and change your garments; and let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me “wherever I have gone.” (vv.1-3)

When God called Jacob to return to Bethel, I believe it was for two reasons; 1) divine protection for Jacob and his family and 2) a call for rededication and commitment to God. After the brash surprise attack against the men of Succoth by Jacob’s two sons, retaliation was probably just a mater of time. Plus, false worship had begun to enter Jacob’s household in the form of pagan idols and God knew Jacob’s family and all who were with him had begun to stray from His will and righteousness in their life. Therefore, it was time to go!

So we now see an older and wiser Jacob calling on his household and all that were with him to, “put away the foreign gods, purify yourselves, change your garments, and arise and go back to Bethel” (vv.2-3). Jacob is now coming full circle, back to where the LORD first appeared to him. And he responds in much the same way as he had years ago. He set up a stone pillar to commemorate the occasion, consecrated it by anointing it with oil, and poured out a drink offering in worship to the Lord.

Jacob desperately wanted his family to be dedicated to the Lord in every sense of the word. He also wanted to be sure that he fulfilled his calling by God, and that he had God’s blessing on his family - as he knew they had strayed far from God’s will and righteousness in their life. 

What a turnaround! After a life characterized by deceit, struggle, selfishness, and recently a lack of spiritual leadership in his own house, Jacob now surrenders everything to God. His life story is evidence that God's choosing of us doesn't depend on our own worthiness, for we all fall short in this life. Yet God never fails, He never leaves us. He keeps His promises, and has a sovereign plan both for individual lives and for all man kind. We are the ones that stray, backslide, turn from Him. Yet He waits, patiently for us to come back to Him. 

Do you need to rededicate your life and or your home to God? Are there things that you have been allowing to occur in your home or even condoning which need to be repented of and turned over to God? If so, do it now. Return to that place God would have you to be and rededicate your heart, mind, and soul to Him. Go back to your Bethel, He is waiting and willing to change your garments. Just ask. 

The Truth: "If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and to cleans us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

The Truth: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:1-2) 

Genesis 34 "The Dinah Incident"

"Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the daughters of the land. And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he took her and lay with her by force.” (vv.1-2)

Here Dinah (Jacob's daughter) did something that was dangerous in those days. What seemed like a harmless act, "to visit the daughters of the land,” ended in tragedy. What we are not told in this story is why she went into the city. Maybe she was curious, or maybe she wanted to make some friends. Whatever the reason, for a young women to go unescorted in a unfamiliar city, was not a smart idea. It's unclear whether or not her parents knew that she was gone, but in the rest of the chapter we will see the outcome of her visit.

During Dinah's trip into the city, one of the men there, Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, saw her, took her, and lay with her by force. Then Shechem’s father, Hamor, came with Shechem with a marriage proposal to ask for the hand of Dinah from Jacob. Shechem says that he will pay for a dowry for Dinah, any amount that Jacobs deems is fair. And, being the prince of the city he could afford it. But Jacob deferred answering the man until he discussed the matter with his sons. (vv.1-12)

Something to take note of here is that we do not see Shechem apologizing for raping Dinah.  There is no admission in any sense that he has done anything wrong.  Rape seems to have been something that was accepted and happened often in this community.  This omission is probably also what most enraged the brothers of Dinah to conceive their plan of deception to kill every man in the city, and take all of the wealth of the city as booty, along with the women and children. (vv.25-31).

What had been done to Dinah was terrible in any culture of any time, but the response of Simeon and Levi (sons of Jacob) was simply awful. And nowhere in all this was any real concern expressed for Dinah, their sister. All that had been done was in the name of revenge and done for themselves. This attack by Simeon and Levi was done in anger trying to defend the Lord and His righteousness as well as their sister, but in the end, they just ended up defiling themselves by shedding innocent blood.  Instead of representing the Lord properly they brought shame to the Name of the Lord.

We Christians need to be very careful in our actions. Sometimes in our tactics we can mimic our persecutors and be as wrong as those we oppose. 

The Truth: “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give no place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19) 

Genesis 33 "Restoration of Brothers"

 “Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept." (v.4)

After all those decades, Jacob's past, in the form of his brother Esau, had finally caught up with him! He had done what he could to calm this inevitable meeting, and after a night of prayer in which he had "wrestled" with the Lord (or the Lord's angel) in regard to this very moment, he now went to meet his brother. Walking at the front of his family and limping badly because his hip had been recently dislocated during his night of wrestling with the LORD (or His angel at the end of Chapter 32), the two meet. 

Then, here in our text, something improbable happens that God intends for us all. The two brothers, who had become mortal enemies, now would be reconciled to one another. Reconciliation is rare but wonderful, and is even greater than forgiveness. It takes just one to forgive, but BOTH must forgive to reconcile and this was a moment that God had intended for them since the time they parted three decades before.

The image of this broken and contrite Jacob was enough to touch Esau's heart and so he "embraced" his brother, hugged him around the neck and they kissed. The two openly wept because of renewed love for one another and because of the past they should have had, but was lost to them.

Sometimes family can be stubborn, cold, unforgiving and even hold a grudge for decades. But it is a beautiful thing when the LORD restores that relationship. The walls come down, forgiveness flows and all is restored. My prayer for all is the restoration of any broken relationship in your life today, and as soon as possible. For life will pass by and moments are lost, that can never be regained. 

The Truth: “Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He comes forth like a flower and fades away; He flees like a shadow and does not continue.” (Job 14:1-3)

Restore us LORD, for our days are few. Amen.

Genesis 32 “Jacob Wrestles With God”

“But Jacob said, 'I will not let you go unless you bless me.'” (v.26)

Back in chapter 31 the LORD said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you” (v.3). On his journey back to the land of his family, Jacob worried what Esau might do to settle old scores, and since patterns are hard to break, he relied on himself to solve the problem. He sent a “test message” to his brother, he strategically divided his people and goods into two groups, and sent gifts ahead to appease Esau's anger (these might be an implied apology as well). 

The pattern may be familiar, but Jacob actually was not the same man as before. He prayed fervently for God to save him, acknowledging his unworthiness, giving God the glory for his protection and success, and claiming His promises (vv. 9-12). 

That night, he wrestled alone with God, though he didn't realize it was God until the end. In this encounter, he learned he couldn't prevail by his own strength. His inability to triumph physically was a metaphor for his inability to solve problems his own way. God left Jacob with a limp, one he would bear for the rest of his life as a reminder of his weakness. 

But He also left him with a blessing, not because Jacob bargained but because he pleaded for it (v.26). In addition, the Lord gave the patriarch a new name, Israel, meaning “he struggles with God” (v. 28). You have to admire Jacob’s tenacity. He wanted his brother’s birthright (Chapter 25) and took it, He wanted his father’s blessing and took that (Chapter 27), but now he wanted the blessing of the Lord. He sought God, found Him, and received the blessing of a new name, "Israel”.

If you have ever wrestled with God in prayer, you know from your experience how it changes you. You may not have a physical limp as a result, but God does use those times to transform our hearts and minds. The application here is simple, hold on to your faith. Never let go no mater what you may wrestle with in life. Seek the Lord and His blessing above all things. 

The Truth: “Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore!” (Psalm 105:4)

Genesis 31 “Jacob Leaves Secretly For Canaan”

"And Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was fleeing. So he fled with all that he had; and he arose and crossed the Euphrates River, and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead. (vv.20-21)

Back in chapter 30 we saw that Jacob, after seven years of working for Rachel, wanted to take his family of 11 sons and a daughter and leave for the land of promise. However Laban talked him into working for cattle, goats, and sheep in a unique business arrangement conceived by Jacob. Jacob’s herds increased under this arrangement and he grew a huge herd of cattle, goats, and sheep. So much so that he had to hire help.

Now here in chapter 31, when Jacob heard Laban’s sons speaking ill of him, and when he saw that Laban’s attitude was not friendly towards him now, and when the Lord spoke to him and told him to return to the land of his fathers and relatives, he called Rachel and Leah in form the field (vv.1-4). 

Jacob, realizing that Rachel and Leah may not really know all that had gone on between him and Laban, explains the many ways in which Laban had deceived him and profited from his hard and sacrificial labor (vv.6-12). He then tells them that the Lord had spoken to him and told him that he needed to leave and return back to the land of Canaan (v.13). 

Rachel and Leah tell Jacob that they have no inheritance with their father and that the wealth God has allowed Jacob to have now belongs to them and their children. Then they say to Jacob, “do whatever God has told you to do” (vv.14-16). So Jacob, “fled with all that he had; and he arose and crossed the Euphrates River, and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead (v.21). 

By not telling Laban that he was fleeing, Jacob robbed him of any chance to say goodbye to any of his descendants (whom he would never see again after this chapter). Jacob had no reason to fear that Laban would prevent his departure, as the Lord proved with His message of protection when He appeared to Laban in a dream (v.24). By leaving in secret, Jacob did the right thing in the wrong way. 

We should never feel ashamed or afraid of doing God's will. When we find ourselves in a hostile situation, we should ask God for the conviction to do the right thing, the courage to do it openly, and the humility to do it in a way that glorifies God rather than ourselves. If the Lord wants us to take a certain action, He will certainly make it possible for us to succeed.

The Truth: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean to your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5)

Genesis 30 “Rachel Bears a Son To Jacob”

“Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb.” (v.22)

In Rachel’s day it was a great disgrace and sorrow for a woman not to be able to bear children, and being childless to this point had brought Rachel to the point of desperation. In her frustration Rachel tells Jacob to either giver her a child or she would die (v.1).

Rachel’s desperate and irrational request of Jacob caused him to be angry because he knew that he was not able to do what only God is able to do, to cause a child to be conceived (v.2). Jacob fires back in anger at Rachel asking her if she thought that he was God that he could do such a thing. Then, he heaps judgment upon Rachel inferring that there must be some sort of sin in her life that has caused God to curse her womb and keep her from having children. (v.2).

This situation can cause great frustration between husbands and wives. However, judging and condemning each other is something that husbands and wives and people in general should never do. We are not God and thus we cannot be someone else’s judge, nor do we know why God has done or not done something in someone’s life.

The idea of God’s sovereignty over the womb is a repeated theme in the Bible. God granted twins to Rebekah (Genesis 25:21), He opened the womb of Leah (Genesis 29:31), and He closed the womb of Hannah, for a time (1 Samuel 1:5). The purposes of God in opening one and closing the other may be completely unknowable, but God has His purposes. In Rachel’s case, He wanted her to believe the promise, to remain faithful, to trust in Him, and not in all her scheming. 

After reading about all that Rachel endured, and what she herself did in order to give her husband a child,  we finally learn from verse 22 that Rachel has indeed now gone to the Lord and waited on Him in prayer “for the Lord remembers her and opens her womb,” and she gives birth to Joseph. Oh that we all may learn this great truth to wait upon the LORD in prayer, rather than to trust in our own schemes. It will save us a great deal of grief and develop a strong unwavering faith, that will endure anything life can throw at us.    

The Truth: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

 

Genesis 29 “Jacob Deceived”

So it came about in the morning that, behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served with you? Why then have you deceived me?” (v.25)

Wow! Jacob discovering he had married a different woman than he though had to be quite the “wake-up call.” Jacob was fine with "mistaken identity" when he tricked his father for Esau's blessing. But now felt differently when he was the one being tricked.

The story begins with Jacob in an unfamiliar position of servitude. If Isaac would have given Jacob some valuables for a dowry—or sent a servant to find him a wife as his father Abraham had done—Jacob would not have owed Laban a debt of service. But Jacob had not yet received any inheritance from Isaac's considerable wealth, and Laban took full advantage of the opportunity by striking an arrangement with Jacob to work seven years for him to earn Rachel’s hand in marriage…or so he thought.

When the days of the contract were completed, Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife (Rachel), for my time is completed, that I may ago in to her” (v.21). But in Laban he met his devious match. On the wedding night, Laban slipped Rachel's sister Leah into the bed. The bride was veiled, it was dark, the groom may have had too much wine, and the trick worked. After Jacob's angry reaction and a week's wedding celebration, Laban allowed Jacob to marry Rachel in exchange for his promise to serve another seven years. The second seven-year stretch probably didn't pass nearly as quickly as the first.

There’s an old saying, “What goes around comes around” and Jacob was experiencing just that. It’s always easy to see the improper actions of another, never quit as easy to see them in ourselves. Yet when Jacob saw a mirror of himself in Laban's words and actions, his self-confidence must have been shaken - all part of God's plan. 

May the LORD help us to be people of integrity, not selfish deceivers. 

The Truth: “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick. Who can understand it? I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” (Jeremiah 17:9-10) 

Genesis 28 “Jacob’s Protection”

“Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” (v.15)

The words of this verse were extremely important for Jacob to hear. He was on his way to Syria, apparently to obtain a wife from his mother Rebekah's family in that place; but the real reason was because his twin brother, Esau, had sworn to kill him. And Jacob knew that Esau was the kind of man who could and would do it!

But now Jacob had heard the reassuring words, "Behold, I am with you" and knew that they were from God. Jacob was now receiving God's promise that he would not be killed by robbers, wild animals or his brother, during the two hundred mile trip he had embarked upon. Instead, God was with him and would bring him back to the very land of Canaan he was departing from. The land called "Canaan" would be his, just as it was his father's and grandfather's, but even more important, God would be with him.

And note that when God says, "I am with you and will keep you wherever you go," He is speaking not only to Jacob, but He is also reassuring you and I. He is with those who place their trust, and their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Truth: “But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You. For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield.” (Psalm 5:11-12)

Genesis 27 "Lies and Deception"

 “And he said, ‘Are you really my son Esau?’ And he said, ‘I am.’" (v.24)

Isaac, who was growing old and not knowing when he might die, wanted to give his blessing to his son Esau, whom he loved (Genesis 25:28). But here in our text, Isaac was deceived by his son Jacob's lies and his wife Rebekah's planning. Isaac was no stranger to lies because, as we saw in Genesis Chapter 26, Isaac had told at least one major lie in his own life. And that lie jeopardized not only his life, but also his marriage and the lives of everyone in his large encampment. 

But now he was being lied to and Jacob does his very best to impersonate his brother. He knew the words that Esau might say, the manner in which he would approach his father, etc. Since Isaac was now blind Jacob knew he didn’t need to worry about his father recognizing him. The only hurdle to overcome for Jacob was the fact that his voice did not exactly match that of his brother Esau.

Isaac is initially surprised that his son Esau would return so fast from a kill with a dish to eat. But Jacob tells his father a lie saying that the Lord had had ‘caused it to happen to me.’ Isaac immediately senses that Jacob’s voice does not exactly match that of Esau but when he feels the hairy pelts on Jacob’s hands he believes that this must indeed be his son Esau. However, his suspicion eventually leads him to ask (and this really is sad when you consider the circumstances), “Are you really my son Esau?” And Jacob replied by telling the biggest lie yet: “(Yes) I am.”

Yes, Jacob received the blessing through deception, but as a result, much trouble would come to him through a deceiving family. Remember, if you model the telling of lies, don’t be too surprised when your children do also. Therefore, be truthful and do not lie, it is not worth making people angry and bitter for no good reason, nor perpetuating the characteristic to your children. 

In the ensuing chapters we will find out that in Laban, whom Isaac sends Jacob to in order to find his match, will deceive Jacob many times over.  The “heel-catcher” will meet the master “heel-catcher.”

The Truth: “Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit.” (Psalm 34:13)

Genesis 26 “God Proclaims The Covenant to Isaac”

Then the LORD appeared to him and said: “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” (vv.2-5)

Though Isaac lived in the land God promised to his father Abraham and his descendants, it did not mean that life in the land would be without trouble or challenge. For just as there was a famine in the days of Abram (Genesis 12:10), now there was a famine in Isaac’s day. So Isaac began to go south towards Egypt just as his father Abram did. Then LORD appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. Dwell in this land, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.” The Son of Promise was always to live in the land of promise; if Isaac did that, then God promised to be with him and to bless him. 

The Abrahamic Covenant, in theory, could have ended with the passing of Abraham, but God was true to His Word. The covenant God made with Abraham was not only to Abraham, but unto his descendants as well (Genesis 17:7-8). This formal repetition of the covenant to Isaac made that clear and included the three essential aspects: 1) A land (all these lands), 2) A nation (your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven), and 3) A blessing (in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed). God therefore, extended the promise to Isaac because of Abraham’s obedience; “Because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge.” 

Now the promise will fall on Isaac. And as we shall see in the body of the text, although Isaac is not a perfect man (who is?), Isaac obeyed God’s warning and stayed in the land of Gerar (v.6), and did not go down to Egypt. Consequently, despite his failures, the LORD blessed him and kept His covenant with Isaac for Abraham’s sake. After this same pattern, God keeps His covenant with us for Jesus’ sake. 

Thank God we stand in His (Jesus) righteousness and not our own.

The Truth: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes on Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)