We are introduced to Abram (Abraham) and Sari (Sarah) in Genesis 11. God told Abram to leave his homeland and go to a land God would show him. Abram obeyed and took Sarai, his people, and all his possessions and migrated to Canaan. Abram and Sarai were an elderly couple completely devoted one to the other. Their only glitch: they had no children. However, eventually, Sari had a son and they named him Isaac
Things were good.
When Isaac was of age to marry, Abraham sent his servant back to his homeland in search for a woman for Isaac. The servant sat down by a well to rest as the women of the city came to draw water from the well. The servant said to the Lord, “Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your pitcher that I may drink, and she also offers to water my camels,’ let her be the one You have appointed for Isaac.” Rebekah gave the servant a drink and offered to water his camels.
She was the chosen one.
Rebekah agreed to return with the servant to marry Isaac.
In time Rebekah became pregnant with twin boys, Esau and Jacob. The boys grew up but never got along. Isaac favored Esau because he hunted and loved the outdoors, but Rebekah loved Jacob who was mild and enjoyed life around the tent. Esau, born a few minutes before Jacob, was entitled to the birthright which granted the first-born son a double portion of the family estate.
When Isaac was old and about to die, it was time to bless his sons.
That’s when things got bad.
Rebekah wanted Jacob to receive the blessing, and concocted an elaborate scheme to deceive old and nearly-blind Isaac, and she convinced Jacob to go along with her scheme. Esau had already sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew, but the blessing was left to give. Isaac was deceived and indeed, gave the blessing to Jacob. Rebekah taught her son how to deceive another to get what was wanted. And she taught him well.
Esau was infuriated! He threatened to kill Jacob, but Rebekah heard the threat, so she sent Jacob to her brother’s place in Haran. Rebekah never saw her favorite son again.
Jacob fled to Haran where Laban lived. Now Laban had two daughters, Leah and Rachel, the younger sister. When Jacob lived there for a month, Laban hired Jacob to work for him. Jacob fell in love with Rachel and made an agreement with Laban to work for him for seven years to have Rachel’s hand in marriage.
Seven years passed. Jacob reminded Laban of their agreement, and so, Laban made extravagant arrangements for the wedding. Jacob and Rachel were ecstatic!
Then things got ugly. Really ugly.
Tradition of the Jews said the older daughter had to be given first in marriage, and Laban was a stickler to observe tradition – especially if he could benefit, So, on Jacob and Rachel’s wedding night, Laban brought Leah to Jacob’s tent to be his wife, while Rachel waited the entire night for her father to come to take her to Jacob.
In the morning, Jacob realized he had been deceived and betrayed. He was enraged! Rachel was devastated! Jacob, the deceiver, was himself deceivd and betrayed. Instead of threatening to kill Laban, the defeated Jacob agreed to work for Laban another seven years for Rachel. Laban got what he wanted, but he had to use deception, trickery, and betrayal to do so.
From Genesis 11 to Genesis 29, we saw sin’s progression from righteous Abraham to deceiver Jacob who had to flee for his life from the potential murderer, Esau. Things only got worse with Laban. The good, bad, and ugly. Man’s sin nature is terribly flawed and continually corrupt.
If God had not been faithful to His word from creation to now, all of mankind would perish with no hope of escaping God’s wrath against sin.
But praise be to the Lord God Almighty for His faithfulness, His sovereignty, and His grace!