A Dreamer and His Redeemer

Jacob's father-in-law was determined to keep him dependent. After twenty years Jacob finally obtained enough wealth to follow God’s command to return to his homeland. Jacob's future was in God's hands, but still he managed to create a crisis where only by God's intervention could he be rescued.

          God was at work in Jacob’s life to help him build a bridge to faith in Himself, a God who speaks and does what he says. God spoke to Jacob in dreams and through angels to get his attention. He wanted Jacob to know he was a God who meant business, a God who loved and cared for him and would protect him.

          God told Jacob to "Go back to the land of your father and I will be with you." Still Jacob could not do what God told him without provocation or deception. His wife Rachel followed Jacob’s lead and stole her father's household gods to take on the journey. However, God will never permit deception to go unnoticed because it’s sinful. God’s purpose is to redeem, to set free from bondage all who are willing to be set free. 

Faith: A Bridge to Survival

Jacob had a significant dream when he was running for his life. God promised him he would protect him, bless him, and bring him back to his homeland. Jacob believed God, which gave him confidence to endure the hard times that were to come his way. The power of faith God entrusted to Jacob built a bridge that guaranteed his survival.

Believing in your heart and mind that God is you friend, your redeemer and protector encourages a resilience that withstands defeat.  Laban, Jacob's father-in-law, changed his wages ten times over twenty years.  Each time they agreed on a wage Laban changed the rules, so Jacob was always indebted to him.

Jacob was assured of God’s faithfulness when in his dream God reminded him, "I am the God of Bethel where you built an altar and anointed it with oil in reverence to me and where you made vows to me. Now leave this land and return to your homeland.” God doesn't overlook our flaws, but sin’s penalty is superseded by his grace, his unmerited pardon, and his mercy.

Becoming a Person of Faith

When Jacob left his home to escape the wrath of his brother Esau, his work habits would change dramatically though he would remain a manipulator. For twenty years he managed his father-in-law’s livestock. Now he was ready to make the six hundred-mile trek back home, but he expected to be rewarded for those twenty years of hard work.

As he prepared to leave, he planned to swindle his father-in-law and felt justified to do so. For twenty years he had developed the skill of breeding livestock and had used that skill for his benefit. He proposed to take every specifically colored animal with him back to his homeland as payment for his labor.

Jacob’s plan was to outwit his father-in-law, who had taken advantage of his management skills for twenty years. However, God had placed Jacob in a position where he would be manipulated for someone else's benefit. God’s purpose for Jacob was for him to change, to grow and become a man of faith so he could be a true blessing to others.

Make Me a Blessing to God and Others

Living life so you can be a blessing to others is a treasure of great value. Listen to the prayer of Jabez from 1 Chronicles 4:9 as he asks God for such a blessing. "Oh, that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that your hand would be with me to keep me from evil, so that I might not cause pain to others."

 

Jacob had been a source of pain to his family of origin. Following his forced exodus from his home, he had spent twenty years working for his father-in-law. Perhaps he had matured by facing the responsibilities of work, two wives, two surrogate wives, eleven sons and one daughter.

Jacob would prove to be a blessing to his father-in-law, yet the time came when he was ready to face his past so he could move forward with his life.  Perhaps God communicated to him, "I have plans for you, so get your mind focused on what lies ahead." Jacob's future included being a blessing to God. Is God nudging you onward so you can be a blessing to Him and others?

From the Known to the Unknown

Moving from the known to the unknown takes determination and courage. God asked Abraham to leave all that was familiar and go to a place He would reveal to him as he was on his way. What would you think and feel if God were to ask you to embark on such an outrageous journey at this time in your life?

 

Rare is the person who wants to stay home indefinitely. As a late adolescent, I had it in my heart to get as far away as possible from the small farming community where I grew up. I did not hate my family or community; I just needed to leave. My parents thought this was the worst decision I could possibly make, but it helped me mature and discover God’s purpose for me.

Jacob could have lived out his life in Haran with his father-in-law, but God's plan meant moving from the known to the unknown. God calls us to make this step for a significant purpose. The challenges are great and demand faith; yet God, without exception, equips us with hope and faith for making the journey.

Being a Blessing & Being Blessed

Chapters twenty-nine and thirty of Genesis list the birth order of twelve of Jacob’s thirteen children. Leah gave birth to six boys and one girl. Leah's maidservant Zilpah gave birth to two more sons while Rachel's maidservant Bilhah also had two sons. Rachel had one son she named Joseph.

The jealousy Rachel had for Leah ended with the birth of Joseph. Later Rachel would die immediately after giving birth to Benjamin. Twenty years had passed since Jacob came to live with his uncle. Now it was time to return home and make peace with his brother Esau. He knew that making amends for his deceitful dealings with his brother was a necessity.

Jacob was a source of blessing to his father-in-law by giving him thirteen grandchildren and by increasing his wealth many times over. Of course, the father-in-law wanted Jacob to stay with him because he was such a blessing. The lesson to learn from Jacob’s experience is that as you serve and bless others, God will bless you.

From Jealousy to Generosity

Even the noblest person is subject to jealousy when circumstances become threatening. To be generous and noble toward someone who is the object of jealousy requires sincere acts of generosity to diminish its power. Jealousy is shameful because its objective is another's misery, which violates God’s law to love one another.

          The motivation for overcoming jealousy and envy is to avoid thoughts and acts of malice. Malice is a state of mind that seeks pain, suffering and injury to others. These behaviors result in guilt, and guilt demands pardon and forgiveness. 

          To be liberated from jealousy and envy requires a process of being made new spiritually in one's mind. Only as you permit your mind to be transformed by the saving power of Christ Jesus can you experience being made new. The Apostle Paul instructed us to be imitators of Christ Jesus, meaning to give ourselves to others as Jesus gave himself up for us.