Jacob's family
Greetings, friend!
Today, I am discussing Jacob's family.
Jacob was force to flee as his brother Esau wanted to kill him after Jacob and his mother Rebecca's deceit. God guided him to Padan Aram to his mother's family, but his uncle Laban was a deceitful man himself. It seems deceit is running in Rebecca's family. Remember Abraham's family came from an idolatrous household. (Many times idolatry and deceit goes hand in hand.)
His new father-in-law promised him his younger daughter, Rachel, for 7 years labor, but gave him his older daughter, Leah, instead under the pretense that it is the culture. So Jacob had to give him another 7 years labor for his youngest! The same problem that ran in Abraham's family (inability to get children) plagued Jacob as well. So he earned two wives from his wives' slaves, Bilhah for Rachel and Zilpah for Leah. Eventually he had twelve sons and a daughter from this four marriages.
Uncle Laban is so deceitful and canny that he changed Jacob's wages regularly trying to give him the unwanted animals, but the Creator kept increasing Jacob's side of the flocks and wages.The more uncle Laban change the wages, the more Jacob's flocks increase!
Things got so hot between uncle Laban and nephew Jacob that Jacob decided it is better to leave, but Rachel also add her own deceit and stole the house gods! (Imagine this: the gods can't do anything 'cos a woman is sitting on top of them!) After settling with Laban, he got news that he would face his brother Esau soon. So he split his flocks and family up and sent some flocks ahead as a gift to Esau to calm him down...
But you cannot run away from the Creator and Jacob met his Creator at the ford of Jabbok. He came off lightly with a damaged hip, a blessing and a name change. He is now Israel. He is a changed man.
He met his brother thinking he would revenge the previous deceit, but Esau had time to grew out of his anger and they settle on their own places and at peace.
TODAY'S QUESTION:
Are there deceit in your life? Then it is time to cut it out of your life. The Creator don't want deceit. Become a changed man like Jacob that became Israel.
Forgiveness and a new life is waiting for you!
You would know what to do... GO AND DO IT NOW!
Metusalah and Elias
Messengers and warners
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