Today we get the story of the stolen blessing. Before Esau and Jacob were born, Rebekah knew that she was carrying two rival nations, and that the descendants of Esau would serve the descendants of Jacob. But I guess she didn't trust God to work all of that out. Inside, she decided to trick her husband to bring about what God was going to do. That's what I call meddling.
She cooked the goat to taste like wild game, she took the hair and put it on Jacob's hands and neck, and she took some of Esau's clothing for Jacob to wear so he would have the right smell. Her plan worked. Isaac blessed Jacob. But at what cost? Jacob had to run away and never saw his mother again. His brother wanted to kill him. His family was torn apart. He was exiled from his family for a long time. Yeah, wrongdoing always leads to problems. These could have been avoided if Rebekah and Jacob had simply waited on God. How many of my problems can be avoided the same way?
Jacob went to his uncle's and fell in love with Rachel. He worked 7 years for his bride, only to be tricked when he woke up the next morning and the veil was off. To get his true love, it was 7 more years of work. And the two sisters were as divided as Jacob and his brother. I always felt sympathetic for Leah. Don't you think she always felt second-best? Everyone knew how much Jacob loved Rachel. Her dad had to trick someone into marrying her. I'm guessing she felt like nothing she did was ever right. She was always looking for love, except from God, the only one who can fill that hole. She had children, but those didn't bring her husband any closer. And in naming those kids, she gives us some insight into her pain. Biblical names held a lot of meaning -- either something the parents wanted the child to live up to or something that was going on in their lives at the time. Reuban "He has seen my misery." Simeon "one who hears." Levi " being attached" Judah "praise" Only by the fourth child was she able to offer praise to God. Interesting that Jacob's name mean "he grasps the heel" or "the deceiver." How appropriate!
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Here are my thoughts from today's reading:
Gen 28
Ironic that in Jacob getting his father’s blessing he would actually flee his fathers lands. Typically the son with the blessing I am sure would stay in the land. I wonder if his mother regretted her choice to deceive Isaac with Jacob when he left and was gone for 20 years.
Gen 29
And the deceiver (Jacob) gets deceived himself (by Laban giving him Leah instead for Rachel)…very interesting. My study bible says that Jacob who did everything to get the benefits of a first born now is married to a first born. How ironic that he wanted all the benefits of a first born for himself, but then didn’t want to follow the customs that gave these benefits. I also wonder about Laban – where Jacob had to work 7 years BEFORE he got Leah he got Rachel before he has worked his 7 years. Did Laban trust Jacob (who’s name means deceiver) now or did he feel 7 years was enough for both daughters and any more work Jacob did would be a bonus?
I always figured Jacob would have walked if he had had to wait 7 more years. He was angry enough. But maybe that's just my tendencies.
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