Genesis 28 – 31
This section is the story of Jacob and his quest for a marrying his love Rachael. Verse 28:15 though brings an ominous message today:
Know I am with you, and I will watch over you no matter where you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done all I have promised you.
This is ominous today, because most of the prophecies have been fulfilled and the ones that haven’t appear to be cueing up on the horizon. So I take this as once it’s over … it’s over. Now is this because it will be God and “redeemed” man in paradise or God will be fed up? Now don’t worry, there is enough in scripture to support the first option, but out of context this could be a worry.
Now back to Jacob’s story and his adventure. After this dream he realizes his purpose with God and is instructed to go to Laban and marry one of his daughters. As you read the story notice how the tables get turned on Jacob. Remember the one who took advantage of his brothers hunger to gain the birthright and then deceived his father to get the blessing. Well for 20 years Laban takes advantage of Jacob because his love for Rachel, but he gets deceived and taken advantage of over and over.
Even as he is leaving, he had to work to get what was promised to him. Funny how God takes the one who took advantage of his brother only to be taken advantage of himself. Remember this story as you read the story of Joseph and see how God corrects his problems. A common theme in most of these stories is God’s selected person has some personal issues to deal with and it is masterful how it’s done.
Here Jacob sees the latter in a dream that indicates that he is God’s chosen one and then summarily spends 20 years as an indentured servant all while building the heads of the 12 tribes of Israel. Now when you have spent many years in a difficult situation, know what the end result may be. Also, don’t expect it either, since that seems to cause problems with God.