Levi: It’s In His Genes

Introduction

What actually determines things in life? Is it just luck? Is it karma? Is it fate? Does everything happen simply by chance or coincidence?

Herbert Asquith was prime minister of England from 1908 to 1916. On one occasion he spent a weekend at an estate owned by the wealthy Rothschild family.

The butler of the house had this conversation with him. The butler: "Tea, coffee, or a peach from off the wall, sir?" Asquith answered: "Tea, please," The butler: "China, India, or Ceylon, sir?" Asquith answered: "China, please." The butler: "Lemon, milk, or cream, sir?" Asquith answered: "Milk, please," The butler: "Jersey, Hereford, or Shorthorn, sir?"

Aren’t you glad that for most of us life is not that complicated. But we all have plenty of choices to make each day.

There was this man who’s afraid of telephone poles.

Why is he afraid of telephone poles?

Because when he was at a bus stop a car accident occurred right in front of him while he was standing next to a telephone pole. When he heard the crash of the accident, he felt his life was in danger. He comes away from there not being afraid of accidents but being afraid of telephone poles.

So here’s the question: to what extent can I choose my own destiny?

Today I would like for us to consider one of the biographies of the Bible. Let us take a few minutes and develop a sketch of the life of Levi, third son of Jacob. The biographies of the Bible were written for our admonition and encouragement. All of these biographies are important. Some personalities receive chapter after chapter of attention, others (like Levi) are very sketchy, very brief, and almost never referred to.

How much do you know about the Bible personality? Do you think that we could learn something by studying his life this morning? The Apostle Paul in II Timothy wrote that – All Scripture is given by inspiration by God is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, and instruction in righteousness. In the few details the Bible gives on the life of Levi, this morning let us discover those lessons from which we may learn and profit.

Levi's life is going to be the central theme of our study this morning. We are going to see in Levi's life evidence that everyone, even those who are born with spiritual and environmental handicaps can be transformed by God's power.

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I. Levi’s Background

First, let us look at Levi's background. Turn to Genesis 27:41. What kind of a home situation was Levi born into? What was the environment he grew up in. We all know that the environment a child grows up in places a very definite stamp on that child's character.

Let's look at his environmental handicap. Levi had a tremendous handicap because of the environment he grew up in. Levi grew up in a home of cheating, fighting, jealous relatives. Gen. 27:41:

Esau hated.... Jacob vs. 43.... So, Levi's mother and father met as Levi's father was fleeing in terror from a brother who hated him because he had cheated him out of his inheritance. That's not exactly the best situation to meet under, but that's not all of it.

Genesis 29:20, it says: Jacob served seven years for who?

Jacob got over there and he met this beautiful young lady and he fell in love with her, her name was Rachel. Now, how much money do you think Jacob had with him? Money for a dowry or to set up a home somewhere for a family.

Exodus 32:20 – And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.

Levi grew up in a home where his parents were married as a result of his grandpa's cheating and trickery.

Not only that, notice 29:31...Leah was unloved. Jacob held a grudge against Leah.

He had served seven hard years for the girl he loved. Lo and behold, he woke up in the morning and he looked, but it wasn't Rachel at all---it was Leah. And she was party to this. From then on, for the rest of his life, Jacob held a grudge against her.

Little Levi grew up in a home where from his very inception his mom and dad had a grudge against each other. That's no fun.

Little Levi grew up in a home where he was a pawn in a power struggle. Jacob's last years brought an evening of tranquillity and repose after a troubled and weary life. Jacob had sinned and had deeply suffered.

Many years of toil, care and sorrow had been his since his great sin caused him to flee his father's tent. A homeless fugitive separated from his mother whom he never saw again, laboring seven years for whom he loved only to be basely cheated, toiling twenty years in the service of a covetous and grasping kinsmen, seeing his wealth increasing and sons rising around him, but finding little joy in a contentious and divided home.