When Jacob left Bethel, he would have often reminisced
the dream of the ladder with the ascending and descending angels of God. He
would have recalled the multifaceted promise God had made him. He was promised
the land of Canaan, and that his people would be as numerous as the dust of the
earth. Furthermore, they would also fan out to all corners of the earth and be
a blessing to all people. For 20 years, his life was driven by that vision and
step by step God was bringing it to pass. What was assuring to him was also the
promise God made to him in Genesis 28:15 “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.”
Jacob would never have imagined that his descendants
becoming a great nation would come through the 12 sons born out of his
polygamous marriage. In the first place, he did not anticipate to be deceived
into a polygamous marriage. He knew that he had promised to give seven years of
his life to get the woman he loved and unwittingly ended up working 14 years for
two wives. This is the contribution made by his crafty uncle Laban. Though not
his making, his polygamous marriage started off unhealthily with the two
sister-wives contesting for his affection and escalated into a war of child
birth. Out of the struggle within his family, came the 12 sons. Due to Rachel’s
barrenness, she must have gotten very low. The Lord was instructing us that He would
come to the rescue of the lowly. And Rachel finally conceived and gave birth to
two sons. This is a kingdom principle that Jesus Himself later would teach: “Blessed
are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.”
Let’s get back to Jacob’s present situation. The
promise of off-springs had rolled itself out but what about the prosperity God
had promised him? So coming to Laban he announced his departure to the next phase
of his journey – the land of promise. So
verses 25-26 read, “…Send me away, that I may go to my own place and to my own
country. Give me my wives and my children for
whom I have served you, and let me depart; for you yourself know my service
which I have rendered you.” All Jacob asked for was his
wives and children. He wanted nothing more from Laban. Between Jacob and Laban
there was no love lost. Here the uncle was caught by surprise that Jacob should
want to leave. Laban knew that his own prosperity was due in
large to the presence of Jacob. God prospered him because of his nephew. He saw how God had increased his livestock because
of Jacob. Unfortunately, what he saw did not lead him to put his trust in God.
All he could see was how to increase his wealth by taking advantage of his
nephew, whom had God loved greatly.
Laban then tried to cut a deal with Jacob asking him to “Name me your wages,
and I will give it.” As far as Laban was concerned, he felt that he did not owe
Jacob anything. The bargain he made with Jacob was for him to work for his wives.
There was no mention of the wages that was due to him. So the uncle must have
felt he owed the nephew nothing. He however, knew that he prospered through Jacob
because God’s hand was upon him. This underscores the truth that God is the
source of all things in life. It is God who will give us all things in life.
Psalm 24 states that “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness there of.”
Everything we have comes from God and we have them because He blesses us with
them. Here we see how wealth can be
blinding. Focusing on wealth, Laban would rather have riches than God, the
source. Here is where foolishness is in full display. Though rich in material,
Laban was poor and wretched. Know that ultimately God is the source of what we
need. Human and others are just the resources and channels He uses to meet our
need.
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