Love & Marriage Series

We continue our series, My Crazy Family, only it is the Tailgate edition. It gets even crazier today. Great things can come from broken families. Jacob is a complex character – he’s truly a piece of work. For much of his life, this much was true of Jacob – Jacob always put Jacob first in every area of his life. Jacob didn’t love people, instead he used people.

Jacob’s family life is almost continual strife. As great Jacob became, he will see him transform before our eyes in the weeks to come. From a scheming manipulator to a humbled man, Jacob transforms by the grace of God. Fresh off seeing a vision of angels ascending and descending a stairway from heaven, Jacob returns back to the land of his grandfather, Abraham. Fleeing for his life, he finds love. But we are seeing a work in progress and God is going to use the school of suffering to humble Jacob.

Today’s Scripture

“Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast. But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her. (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years. When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because the LORD has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.” She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon. Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi. And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she ceased bearing.” (Genesis 29:15–35)

The book of Genesis hovers over this family because this is the one family that God has chosen to change all humanity through. The first part of Genesis teaches how humanity spirals downward. But as you approach Genesis 12, the remainder of the book focuses on this family. God pours out tremendous blessing on this family. This family is the hope of the world.

There is a lot here and I won’t be able to touch on everything. This is the first time Jacob is away from home. Jacob spend twenty years working for his cheating uncle Laban – fourteen years for marry the love of his life and another six years to obtain a flock (Genesis 31:41).

If you think running a crossing pattern is tough and being “lit-up” by a lurking safety, you’ve never been married to two scheming sisters. Remember these words of wisdom: “It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife” (Proverbs 21:9). If you were to place a steel guitar in the hands of Jacob, he would have pioneered Country and Western long before anyone founded Nashville. Long before George Straight and George Jones, Jacob feels the pain. Did you hear the one where Jacob and George Straight got together? You know George Straight’s “All my ex’es live in Texas,” right? Jacob says to George, “If only my mates had lived in different states then I wouldn’t have hives just thinking about my wives. I’ve learned that brides will always take different sides and that’s why your house should have only one spouse.”