February 15, 2013
JACOB, THE CON ARTIST, GETS DOUBLE-CROSSED -- "IN THE MORNING, BEHOLD, IT WAS LEAH!"
Genesis 29
Hunter Wood
Central Truth
"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap." (Galatians 6:7, NKJV) Sin always takes us further than we want to go, keeps us longer than we want to stay, and costs us more than we want to pay.
Key Verse | Genesis 29:25
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?" (Genesis 29:25)
Genesis 29
Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel
1 Then Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east. 2 As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep lying beside it, for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well's mouth was large, 3 and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place over the mouth of the well.
4 Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where do you come from?” They said, “We are from Haran.” 5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.” 6 He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well; and see, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep!” 7 He said, “Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered together. Water the sheep and go, pasture them.” 8 But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.”
9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 Now as soon as Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, Jacob came near and rolled the stone from the well's mouth and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. 12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's kinsman, and that he was Rebekah's son, and she ran and told her father.
13 As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister's son, he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things, 14 and Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month.
15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah's eyes were weak, 1 29:17 Or soft but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. 18 Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” 19 Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” 22 So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast. 23 But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her. 24 (Laban gave 2 29:24 Or had given; also verse 29 his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) 25 And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” 26 Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” 28 Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29 (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) 30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years.
Jacob's Children
31 When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32 And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, 3 29:32 Reuben means See, a son for she said, “Because the LORD has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.” 33 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon. 4 29:33 Simeon sounds like the Hebrew for heard 34 Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi. 5 29:34 Levi sounds like the Hebrew for attached 35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” Therefore she called his name Judah. 6 29:35 Judah sounds like the Hebrew for praise Then she ceased bearing.
Dive Deeper | Genesis 29
To this point in Jacob's life, his con-artist maneuvers had gained him Esau's birthright and first-born blessing. But in Genesis 29, God sovereignly arranges for Jacob to suffer loss and be double-crossed by his more experienced con-artist uncle, Laban. Jacob now feels the pain that his own sin has inflicted upon others. Jacob sowed deception; now he will reap being deceived (Galatians 6:7). Jacob will eventually learn, through pain, that sin always takes us further than we want to go, keeps us longer than we want to stay, and costs us more than we want to pay.
Jacob sets his full desire on Laban's younger daughter, Rachel, and agrees to work for Laban for seven years in order to marry Rachel. Jacob thinks Rachel will finally bring him happiness, fulfill his desires, and help him realize his dreams. Laban arranges a wedding feast with excessive wine and a fully veiled bride, allowing Laban to implement a bait-and-switch scheme marrying off Leah, not Rachel. Jacob, the con artist, has himself been double-crossed! Jacob expected Rachel, but "in the morning, behold, it was Leah!" (Genesis 29:25) Jacob's expectation is dashed, his desire unfulfilled, his dreams and his hope for Rachel are shattered.
This story is an illustration of the double-cross whereby our sin and false idols damage our lives. Disappointment is always, in time, the end result when we tie our individual happiness and fulfillment to people and material things instead of finding our identity, security, and satisfaction in Christ alone. No matter what our hopes are for love, romance, marriage, children, career, or success, when these good things are elevated to the point of becoming false idols, "in the morning, BEHOLD, they will always be the disappointment of Leah!"
On the contrary, Jesus said in John 10:10 (HCSB), "I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance." Jesus promises abundant life to disciples who trust Him, obey Him, love Him, and deal honestly in battling the false idols that our human hearts manufacture. God created us for an eternal relationship with Him, and Jesus will not take second place to the false idols manufactured by mankind (Philippians 2:9-11).
Discussion Questions
1. Can you remember a time in your life when, like Jacob with Laban, you sowed deception and later a similar deception happened to you?
2. What is an example in your life in which "sin took you further than you wanted to go, kept you longer than you wanted to stay, and cost you more than you wanted to pay?"
3. What are examples of false idols in your life that compete against God for your trust and love?
4. How are you practically battling those false idols?
5. Romans 6:23 teaches, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." How does this verse explain the "cost of sin" and God's "payment for our sin"?