Gen. 30:25-31:13

It has been quite obvious that while Jacob has been blessed with many sons, still things are not particularly happy at home.  Often when men are unhappy at home they will seek to find fulfillment at work.  What about Jacob?  

One thing must be recognized about Jacob: he was good at what he did!  He knew “sheep”.  His father and grandfather were sheep “ranchers”.  Jacob showed his expertise when he first arrived at Padan Aram (29:7-8).  He had used his skills to bring great riches to Laban (30:25-27), something Laban recognized.  

You may wonder about Jacob’s skills from the account in today’s reading about using peeled sticks to increase his type of sheep at the expense of Laban.  Jacob made a 3^rd bargain with Laban (the first resulted in Jacob being given Leah, by the second he worked for Rachel).  Likely Jacob thought this would give him an opportunity to get back at Laban for his deceitfulness in the first bargain.  Jacob’s plan is to garner the larger part of the flock by use of knowledge he had that Laban did not have.  

The question is: did this use of the sticks really work?  Modern zoology denies any truth in the matter of “pre-natal influence” such as this.  But on the other hand there are a lot of unanswered questions in how heredity is passed on.  It is possible that the peeled sticks might have served as an aphrodisiac (Henry Morris mentions this).  However one understands this question keep in mind that Jacob is not stupid.  Perhaps this involves ancient superstitions.  Perhaps it involves things science has not been able to explain.  Certainly Jacob is right in v39-43 in his actions which have some merit from a genetic point of view.

My view is that Jacob THINKS this helps, but in fact it is God Who is blessing Jacob.  God is fulfilling His promise that He made to Jacob at Bethel (28:13-15).  That is seen in 31:1-13.  For the first time Jacob begins to recognize God’s work in his situation.  The Lord again speaks with Jacob giving him directions but also explaining what has been going on.  “The God of my father has been with me” (v5).  “God did not allow him to hurt me” (v7).  “God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me” (v9).  Jacob has been scheming to get rich at Laban’s expense.  But he has been made aware that it is not his effort and skill but the blessing of God.

Let us come back to the question: while Jacob was tricking Laban (he thought) did it bring him happiness at work?  The opening verses of Ch. 31 indicate that things were not going that well.  Laban and his sons saw what was happening and were blaming Jacob.  Jacob got what he thought he wanted (riches at Laban’s expense) but the result was that Laban and his sons were upset and now Jacob lived in fear.  

This is life according to the flesh.  Seeking to live life in our own strength and ingenuity, as Jacob did, reaps the works of the flesh (Gal. 5:19-21): contentions, jealousies, dissensions, envy and murders.  Jacob must come to know God personally as the God Who can be trusted to keep His word.  So must we!