Genesis
30:43 Thus the man increased greatly and had large flocks, female servants and
male servants, and camels and donkeys.
On Monday we looked at Genesis 28 and
the God-given dream that Jacob had. This dream taught Jacob that God was a God
of providence, thus even though Jacob was going all the way back to Haran, with
almost nothing to his name, God would watch over, protect, provide for and
prosper Jacob. Yesterday, we saw the long standing promise of God made to
Abraham, Isaac and now Jacob begin to blossom. Jacob, even though he was
deceived my Laban, is prospered by God and given many children, eleven sons and
one daughter. Here in Genesis 30 we continue to see how God upholds His promise
to Jacob and proves Himself to be a God of providence.
Jacob over the past twenty or so years
has been caring for Laban’s flocks and because God’s hand was upon Jacob,
Laban’s flocks have prospered and greatly increased in number. The time for
Jacob to now depart and return to Canaan has come, he and Laban come to an
agreement as to what Jacob’s wages should be for the many years of labour that
he has given to Laban. Laban agrees to give to Jacob every striped, spotted,
speckled and black lamb and goat, leaving Laban with the best of the flock,
that which would gain the most profit at the market. Whilst the agreement is
made, Laban has no intention of honouring it, he will not allow Jacob to take
away from his wealth, thus Laban deceives Jacob again. Laban instructs his sons
to remove all the striped, spotted, speckled and black lambs and goats and then
travelling for three days, putting a great distance between themselves and
Jacob. How frustrated, angry and aggrieved Jacob must have been when he learnt
of Laban’s deceit.
As sinful as Laban’s actions were, they
become the means through which God will work. God will prosper Jacob, not
Laban! Even though Jacob is now tending a flock of pure
white sheep and goats, God gives Jacob insight and wisdom, the result
of which is that these pure white sheep and goats are now giving birth to
spotted, speckled, striped and black offspring. Laban’s deceitful plans fail
and God prospers Jacob. At the end of Genesis 30 we see that God has kept His
promise, Jacob entered Haran with very little and now he has a large family and
great wealth.
Is it not remarkable to think that we
have a God who is faithful and who is able to keep His promises to us, even
when man mistreats and deceives us! This shows us that God’s power and God’s
promises are greater than man, than man’s desires and man’s efforts. We see
this greatest of all in the life of Christ, for whilst man was bent on
destroying Christ and thought he had succeeded, God displays the infinite
greatness of His power and sovereign will, when Christ rises from the dead and
fulfils all the promises of God. God has made a promise not only save us, but
to keep us throughout this life, to bring us into His kingdom and to give us
eternal life. He gives us this promise in His infinite power and sovereign
will, therefore no matter how much man may mistreat, deceive or persecute us;
these promises will come to pass! We like Jacob shall know the providence of
God, and though we brought nothing into our relationship with God through Christ,
we shall receive from God a great and eternal inheritance.
Almighty
Father we worship and adore You today, for You are a God who doesn’t make empty
promises, You make promises and You bring them to pass in Your great and
infinite power. We thank You that by Your grace we are now children of the
promise, the promises received through the Lord Jesus Christ. We thank You that
we have a hope and future to look forward to, and the assurance that it will be
a hope and future that we will receive and know for all eternity. Amen.
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