Monthly Archives: February 2024

GENESIS 31 LABAN’S ATTEMPT TO PURSUE JACOB

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February 10

GENESIS 31

So Jacob arose and set his sons and his wives on camels. 18 He drove away all his livestock, all his property that he had gained, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac. 19 Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father’s household gods. 20 And Jacob trickedLaban the Aramean, by not telling him that he intended to flee. 21 He fled with all that he had and arose and crossed the Euphrates, and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.

22 When it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled, 23 he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him for seven days and followed close after him into the hill country of Gilead. 24 But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night and said to him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”– Genesis 31:17-24

GENESIS 31 LABAN’S ATTEMPT TO PURSUE JACOB

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

Jacob took his wives and set his sons for the journey to Canaan

He decided to flee and tricked Laban without telling him

Since Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Jacob took that break

His livestock, sons and wives were all crossing the Euphrates

Laban learned that he and his daughters had fled

He pursued them but God came to stop him in a dream.

Perhaps Jacob knew that Laban would find a way to trick him again and stop him from leaving Haran, so he decided to flee when Laban had gone to shear his sheep. It had been on the third day that Laban pursues Jacob for seven days when God stopped Laban and warned him to be wary of what he is going to say to Jacob. We witness once again how God was constantly with Jacob and how he protected him from Laban.

Why Rachel stole her father’s household idols have many different commentaries on it. Some say that idols were used as deeds for property. Since Laban stripped them off their inheritance, that’s her way of getting back at him. Other’s say that she may not want Laban to continue with his idolatry. Other’s say that she may have been idolizing them.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think God himself manifested the warning to Laban in a dream?

GENESIS 31 INSTRUCTION FOR JACOB TO LEAVE HARAN

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February 9

GENESIS 31

10 In the breeding season of the flock I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream that the goats that mated with the flock were striped, spotted, and mottled. 11 Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am!’ 12 And he said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see, all the goats that mate with the flock are striped, spotted, and mottled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred.’” 14 Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there any portion or inheritance left to us in our father’s house? 15 Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and he has indeed devoured our money. 16 All the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do.” – Genesis 31:10-16

GENESIS 31 INSTRUCTION FOR JACOB TO LEAVE HARAN

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

Jacob saw a vision that the goats were striped and spotted

Then the angel of the Lord said in the dream to leave Haran

It was time for him to leave Laban who had constantly cheated him

He called his wives to tell him of his plan to leave their land

Because Laban stripped them off their inheritance

Leah and Rachel agreed to follow wherever God is taking Jacob.

It is interesting how Rachel and Leah’s decisions to go with Jacob’s plan were caused by Laban’s greed and dishonesty. Even though Jacob knew after seven years of serving Laban how deceitful he was, he continued to serve him just so he could marry Rachel whom he loved. Jacob’s patience is remarkable in this story of his journey going to Haran to find his uncle and marry Rachel and Leah. He didn’t devalue Leah even though he loved Rachel more. He honored her as his first wife. He was also very patient with Rachel when she was very frustrated not to have a child. Jacob was clearly operating in the Spirit of the Lord when he endured all these adverse situations. He always did the right thing. His journey there was in obedience to his mother’s request to find a wife from her family and to flee from Esau’s wrath. Jacob was an obedient, patient, honest and hardworking man.

REFLECTION

  • How do you know God was present during Jacob’s challenging life with Laban?

GENESIS 31 LABAN’S SONS’ ENVY ON JACOB

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February 8

GENESIS 31

Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has gained all this wealth.” 2 And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”

4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was 5 and said to them, “I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me. 6 You know that I have served your father with all my strength, 7 yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God did not permit him to harm me. 8 If he said, ‘The spotted shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore spotted; and if he said, ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore striped. 9 Thus God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me. 

                                                                                             – Genesis 31:1-9

GENESIS 31 LABAN’S SONS’ ENVY ON JACOB

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA    

The sons of Laban began to envy Jacob’s prosperity

They slandered Jacob to their father out of jealousy

Because of this, Laban’s mind was poisoned

His regard for Jacob changed and Jacob saw this

He then met with his wives to discuss what’s going on

He explained to them how he honestly served their father.

It becomes a bone of contention when envy enters a person’s heart. The bible says in James 4:1-2 says “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passionsare at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel.” Laban’s heart is not right with the Lord as he has cheated Jacob many times already. It is not surprising that his own sons would have that streak of jealousy as they watch Jacob’s wealth increase. Envy almost always lead to other sins. As James says in the mentioned verses, that it can lead to murder. Slandering Jacob is a form of murdering his good name. It leads to poisoning other people’s view of someone, a form of murdering their identity and character.

REFLECTION

  • How can slander or talking ill of someone be considered murder?

GENESIS 30 JACOB’S METHOD OF INCREASING WEALTH

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February 7

GENESIS 30

37 Then Jacob took fresh sticks of poplar and almond and plane trees, and peeled white streaks in them, exposing the white of the sticks. 38 He set the sticks that he had peeled in front of the flocks in the troughs, that is, the watering places, where the flocks came to drink. And since they bred when they came to drink, 39 the flocks bred in front of the sticks and so the flocks brought forth striped, speckled, and spotted. 40 And Jacob separated the lambs and set the faces of the flocks toward the striped and all the black in the flock of Laban. He put his own droves apart and did not put them with Laban’s flock. 41 Whenever the stronger of the flock were breeding, Jacob would lay the sticks in the troughs before the eyes of the flock, that they might breed among the sticks, 42 but for the feebler of the flock he would not lay them there. So the feebler would be Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s. 43 Thus the man increased greatly and had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys. – Genesis 30:37-43

GENESIS 30 JACOB’S METHOD OF INCREASING WEALTH

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

When Laban agreed for him to go back to his country

Jacob continued to increase Laban’s wealth through breeding

He worked hard, dedicating himself to his uncle’s success

By doing so, God blessed him with much increase in his riches.

Jacob’s method of breeding Laban’s and his animals was blessed by God not just because of Jacob’s efforts, but because of God’s faithfulness to fulfill his covenant promise to Abraham. We clearly see how blessed he was with many offspring from his wives and also how the Lord has continually increased his wealth as God’s promise to his grandfather.

At this point, he didn’t yet know how Laban was cheating him with the flock. It shows his dedication and faithfulness to honor his word. He didn’t even want Laban to give him a wage, but he actually asked for what he already had been blessed with. His focus was not on getting rich but to go back to his country and be responsible for his own family. He didn’t want to stay at Laban’s place forever. It just shows how he longed to be back with his own people as well.

REFLECTION

  • How did Jacob manifest God’s blessing and favor on his life in Paddan-Aram?

GENESIS 30 LABAN’S COVETOUSNESS

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February 6

GENESIS 30

As soon as Rachel had borne Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own home and country. 26 Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, that I may go, for you know the service that I have given you.” 27 But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your sight, I have learned by divination thatthe Lord has blessed me because of you. 28 Name your wages, and I will give it.” 29 Jacob said to him, “You yourself know how I have served you, and how your livestock has fared with me. 30 For you had little before I came, and it has increased abundantly, and the Lord has blessed you wherever I turned. But now when shall I provide for my own household also?” 31 He said, “What shall I give you?” Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything. If you will do this for me, I will again pasture your flock and keep it: 32 let me pass through all your flock today, removing from it every speckled and spotted sheep and every black lamb, and the spotted and speckled among the goats, and they shall be my wages. 33 So my honesty will answer for me later, when you come to look into my wages with you. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats and black among the lambs, if found with me, shall be counted stolen.” 34 Laban said, “Good! Let it be as you have said.” 35 But that day Laban removed the male goats that were striped and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white on it, and every lamb that was black, and put them in the charge of his sons. 36 And he set a distance of three days’ journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob pastured the rest of Laban’s flock. – Genesis 30:25-36

GENESIS 30 LABAN’S COVETOUSNESS

In Genesis 25, Jacob was 77 when he got his birthright and left for Paddan-
Aram. He was tricked by Laban for 14 years to serve him. He was about 91 when he married Leah and Rachel and the following years, bore their sons and daughter. When he asked Laban’s permission to go back to his family of origin, he must be close to one hundred years old.  He saw how important it was to provide for his own family so he asked Laban to let him go and go back to his own family. Laban’s covetousness was stirred by the fact that Jacob will leave him as he had been very prosperous those years that Jacob served him. Jacob only wanted the speckled sheep and goat as his wage. Even this, Laban cheated Jacob and manipulated removing those sheep and goat, exposing Laban’s greed.

REFLECTION

  • Contrast the traits of Jacob and Laban in this account.

GENESIS 30 DESIRES FOR MORE CHILDREN

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February 5

GENESIS 30

14 In the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” 15 But she said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes also?” Rachel said, “Then he may lie with you tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes.” 16 When Jacob came from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come in to me, for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he lay with her that night. 17 And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Leah said, “God has given me my wages because I gave my servant to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar. 19 And Leah conceived again, and she bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons.” So she called his name Zebulun. 21 Afterward she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah.22 Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. 23 She conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” 24 And she called his name Joseph, saying, “May the Lord add to me another son!”  – Genesis 30:14-24

GENESIS 30 DESIRES FOR MORE CHILDREN

In this account, Reuben, the eldest son of Jacob found mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. The mandrake is a Mediterranean plant with blue flowers in the winter and yellow, plum-like fruit in the summer. According to a commentary, it has been desired in many cultures because of a belief that it is an aphrodisiac and promotes fertility. These qualities, coupled with the fact it was only rarely found in Paddan-aram where they lived (Gen. 28:5), explains why both Leah and Rachel desired the plant. Rachel herself has not borne any children, Leah has become temporarily infertile (29:31–30:13), and both are seeking a cure in the mandrake.

The two wives of Jacob desired more children and we hear their desperation to bear their husband more offspring. It is interesting when we ourselves desire more fruit either in our spiritual walk and sometimes we fall into the trap of finding it somewhere else rather than relying and trusting that everything in its own time is given by our Creator.

REFLECTION

  • How can desires lead to sin as shown in this account?

GENESIS 30 SIBLING RIVALRY BETWEEN LEAH & RACHEL

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February 4

GENESIS 30

When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!” 2 Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” 3 Then she said, “Here is my servant Bilhah; go in to her, so that she may give birth on my behalf, that even I may have children through her.” 4 So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went in to her. 5 And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. 6 Then Rachel said, “God has judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son.” Therefore she called his name Dan. 7 Rachel’s servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Then Rachel said, “With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed.” So she called his name Naphtali. 9 When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 Then Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11 And Leah said, “Good fortune has come!” so she called his name Gad. 12 Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 And Leah said, “Happy am I! For women have called me happy.” So she called his name Asher. – Genesis 30

GENESIS 30 SIBLING RIVALRY BETWEEN LEAH & RACHEL

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

As Leah and Rachel competed who is the better wife for Jacob

They both tried to gain as much offspring for their husband

Because Rachel was barren, she used Bilhah to make children for her

And since Leah stopped bearing, she made Zilpah be her surrogate.

In this account, we see the generational patterns in Abraham’s family passed on to the generation of Jacob. We know that Jacob was Rebekah’s favorite and Esau, Isaac’s favorite son. We also see patterns of deceit in the life of Jacob when his wife’s father tricked him to marry Leah before he got to marry Rachel. Most of us run into issues like sibling rivalry and deceptions in the family.

It is almost hilarious yet dark to watch two women who are siblings be in bondage with their insecurities. Whenever we experience such negative feelings, we must be watchful as this can be an open door for the enemy to work on our hearts. When we feel insecure, we probably are not focusing on what God has already given us.

REFLECTION

  • What makes one insecure and competitive as this account narrates to us?

GENESIS 29 JACOB’S SONS BY LEAH

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February 3

GENESIS 29

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, 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. 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. 35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” Therefore, she called his name Judah. Then she ceased bearing.  – Genesis 29:31-35

GENESIS 29 JACOB’S SONS BY LEAH

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

Rachel was loved more than Leah by Jacob

She was then blessed to have more sons by God

Rachel though loved more by Jacob, was barren

Leah thought that bearing children will get her husband to love her.

What a just God we serve. In this account, we feel so much about Leah’s feelings of rejection. Imagine being in her place, where she is constantly reminded that no matter what she does, Jacob will always love her sister Rachel more than her. Her father, Laban used her to get more years of service from Jacob. She is not as beautiful as her sister. She knew how Jacob loved Rachel so much, so she lives in constant insecurity and envy towards her sister who is the one who is loved, the one who was better looking than her.

Could you blame her for being so depressed and distressed by her predicament? When the Lord gave her blessings to have children, she finally has an edge on her sister who hasn’t had children. She thought that Jacob would begin to love her more now that she bore Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah.

Sometimes, we begin to stress over things that we can’t have and we do things or pray for things that may eventually lead to more distress. If only we humans can learn to let go and accept things that we don’t have control over, we would be more content.

REFLECTION

·       How has God blessed you in your adverse situations and displayed his grace?

GENESIS 29 THE TRICKSTER GOT TRICKED

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February 2

GENESIS 29

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 gavehis 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.

                                                                   – Genesis 29:21-30

GENESIS 29 THE TRICKSTER GOT TRICKED

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

After Jacob served 7 years to get Rachel as his wife

Laban tricked him and gave Leah the eldest instead

The deceiver Jacob was also cheated by his uncle

What we usually bring comes around us

Laban wanted Jacob to serve another 7 years for Rachel

And Jacob served that term again in order to have her.

In Galatians 6, God gave us the concept of sowing and reaping. What we plant is definitely what we will harvest. In this account, we see Laban treacherously cheating Jacob of another seven years of service so he could take advantage of the benefits of having Jacob around in his household. It must have reminded Jacob what he had done to Esau once he himself was tricked. He sowed deceit and he reaped it too.

There is a good trait that came out of it though: Jacob continued to pursue to have Rachel as his wife because of his love for her. Out of the faithfulness and perseverance, he also reaped that love he worked for to be with Rachel.

REFLECTION

  • How is the law of sowing and reaping almost synonymous to the golden rule?