Boomerang Time

Read Genesis 28:10–30:43

16. Now Laban had two daughters. The older daughter was named Leah, and the younger one was Rachel. . . .
18. Since Jacob was in love with Rachel, he told her father, “I’ll work for you for seven years if you’ll give me Rachel, your younger daughter, as my wife.”
19. “Agreed!” Laban replied. “I’d rather give her to you than to anyone else. . . .”
20. So Jacob worked seven years to pay for Rachel. . . .
21. Finally, the time came for him to marry her. “I have fulfilled my agreement,” Jacob said to Laban. “Now give me my wife so I can marry her.”
22. So Laban . . . prepared a wedding feast.
23. But that night, when it was dark, Laban took Leah to Jacob, and he slept with her. . . .
25. When Jacob woke up in the morning—it was Leah! “What have you done to me?” Jacob raged at Laban. “I worked seven years for Rachel! Why have you tricked me?” Genesis 29:16, 18-23, 25

Have you ever had a bad choice come back to haunt you? Who hasn’t? No medicine goes down more bitterly than your own.

Here begins the story of Jacob, two generations after Abraham. Through no merit of Jacob’s, God renews his covenant with Abraham’s descendants to him in a dream, and Jacob heads for his uncle Laban’s home. This is a forced move, one that he has brought on himself. Jacob is shrewd, and he has proved it. Now he has to prove that he’s resourceful as well.

As you read, look for these themes: personalizing faith; being patient; dealing with injustice; struggling with childlessness; resolving sibling rivalry; and taking matters into your own hands.

Laban could scheme just like Jacob. It was the custom of the day for a man to present a dowry, or substantial gift, to the family of his future wife (Genesis 29:18-27). Jacob’s dowry was not a material possession, for he had none to offer. Instead, he agreed to work seven years for Laban. But there was another custom of the land that Laban did not tell Jacob: the older daughter had to be married first. By giving Jacob Leah and not Rachel, Laban tricked him into promising another seven years of hard work.

Jacob was enraged when he learned that Laban had tricked him (Genesis 29:23-25). The one who had deceived Esau was now deceived himself. We quickly become upset at an injustice done to us, yet we excuse, justify, or ignore the injustices that we do to others. Be careful how you treat others, because poor choices have a way of coming back to haunt you.

Think of a recent time when you felt cheated. How would God have you respond to the person who cheated you? And think of how you might have acted unjustly toward someone else. What should you do to make that situation right?