OVERCOMING THE DYSFUNCTIONS OF ISRAEL’S PATRIARCHS

XIV. Paying The Price For Deception

(Genesis 29:15-30)

I. Introduction

A. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Israel’s patriarchs and their respective wives and families, though blessed of God, were imperfect people who at times made huge mistakes that led to serious marital and family dysfunction.

B. Thankfully, Romans 15:4 states that we can learn from whatsoever things were written in the Old Testament for our edification, and that includes our learning how to overcome the dysfunctions of Israel’s patriarchs.

C. We view Genesis 29:15-30 on God’s causing us to pay the price for deception for our insight and application:

II. Paying The Price For Deception, Genesis 29:15-30.

A. Just before fleeing from his home in Canaan to his relative Laban up north in Padam-Aram, Jacob had cheated his brother Esau out of the older son’s coveted blessing from his father, Genesis 27:1-29. Jacob had deceived his father Isaac who had poor eyesight in his old age by wearing the clothing of Esau and by having his hands and neck covered with the skins of baby goats so Isaac could smell and feel what seemed to be Esau’s body to him. Thus, Isaac was deceived into giving Jacob the blessing Isaac had intended for Esau, Genesis 27:11-28.

B. This visual deception disrespected Jacob’s older brother Esau and Jacob’s father Isaac, so the Lord let Jacob pay the price for his deception by causing Jacob to be visually deceived by his relative Laban, Gen. 29:15-30:

1. Laban explained that since Jacob was his relative, he should not have to serve Laban for nothing, so Laban asked Jacob what he desired for his wages, Genesis 29:15.

2. Laban had two daughters, the older one was Leah whose eyes lacked luster, a bad defect with people of the era who “admired sparkling eyes,” Gen. 29:16-17; Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to Gen. 29:17. The name of the younger was Rachel, and she was “beautiful in form and appearance,” Genesis 29:17 ESV.

3. Jacob loved Rachel, so he offered to serve Laban seven years for Laban’s younger daughter Rachel that he might marry her, and Laban agreed, Genesis 29:18-19.

4. When Jacob served Laban for Rachel, those seven years seemed like a few days for the love he had for her, and when the years were ended, Jacob asked Laban for Rachel’s hand in marriage, Genesis 29:20-21.

5. Laban gathered the men of that area together and threw a great feast, but in the evening when it was dark and Jacob could not see well like his father Isaac had been unable to see well, Laban took is older daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he had his honeymoon with Leah, Genesis 29:22-23.

6. Laban also gave his maid Zilpah to Leah at her wedding as a typical wedding gift, Genesis 29:24.

7. However, when it was bright daylight, Jacob was stunned to find that he’d spent the night with Leah, not with Rachel! (Genesis 29:25a) He complained to Laban about this deception, that he had served seven years for Rachel but Laban had switched daughters and given him Leah instead when it was dark and he could not distinguish one girl from the other, Genesis 29:25b.

8. Laban gave the excuse that in his country it was not customary to give the younger daughter before giving the older daughter in marriage, Genesis 29:26. Laban told Jacob to fulfill the week of festivities for his marriage to Leah and he would give Jacob Rachel providing Jacob agreed to work for another seven years after that for her hand in marriage, Genesis 29:27; Ryrie, op. cit., ftn. to Genesis 29:30.

9. Accordingly, after fulfilling the week of festivities for Leah, Laban gave his daughter Rachel to Jacob in a second week of festivities, and Jacob then worked seven more years after that for Rachel, Genesis 29:28.

10. Laban gave Rachel his maid Bilhah as a wedding gift to her, and Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah and served another seven years for her hand, Genesis 29:29-30.

C. Thus, just as Jacob had used deception to take advantage of his father Isaac’s poor eyesight, God allowed Jacob’s relative Laban to use the deception of darkness to take advantage of Jacob’s limited eyesight in passing of his older, less attractive daughter to Jabob before giving him his younger daughter Rachel! God let Jacob face the consequences of his similar visual deception that he might learn not to deceive other people!

Lesson: Since Jacob had dishonorably deceived his father Isaac by taking advantage of Isaac’s poor eyesight to steal Esau’s blessing, God let Laban take advantage of Jacob’s limited eyesight at night to make him believe he was being given Laban’s younger daughter Rachel when he was actually being given the less attractive Leah!

Application: (1) May we not take unfair, deceptive advantage of another person lest God discipline us by letting us be taken unfair advantage of by another party! (2) May we treat other people the way we want to be treated.