Best-laid plans of Jacob and Laban often go awry (Genesis 28:10–32:3)

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The Scottish poet Robert Burns said, “The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”  This famous quote summarizes quite nicely the trajectory of Jacob’s life from the time he pretended to be Esau and took Esau’s blessing to the time he returned from Laban’s house 20 years later.

Jacob and Rebecca’s conspiracy to steal the blessing Isaac wanted to give Esau,  and Laban’s various conspiracies against Jacob had eternal consequences, as well study in the Torah reading ויצא Vayetze/Vayetzei (“he went out,” Gen. 28:10–32:2).

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28 NASB)

Isaac, so far as we know, never left the Promised Land, so he had no first hand knowledge of the land which he was sending Jacob. Isaac had no idea the trials and lessons Jacob would encounter in Aram. 

The first place Jacob stops for a nights rest was at the place called Luz. The Scriptures tell us that when God gives a person a dream, it’s prophetic in nature. They are not for the recipient of the dream to keep to themselves, but for the future, too. 

The firs thing Jacob notices is a ladder or stairs and messengers of God traveling up and down this ladder. Angels do not need stairs or ladders, so it’s obvious the dream Jacob sees is prophetic and not literal. 

This dream gave Jacob great comfort during a time when he was starting on his refugee journey from the safety of his home to the new and strange land of his mother’s family in Aram.

Although Jacob and Esau had an agreement regarding the birthright, it had nothing to do with Isaac. It was never God’s intention for Jacob to inherit any physical wealth from Isaac.

At the end of it all, Esau received his wealth from Isaac, while Jacob received his wealth from Laban, which was God’s plan all along.

On the surface, God’s comment, “I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you” seems to imply that God will only be with Jacob until Jacob returns from Aram, but when you read God’s promises, they extend to Jacob’s descendants. It’s open-ended for a reason. At this point, Jacob sees God as the God of Abraham and Isaac but not his own God. The agreement that God and Jacob arranged seems to show that Jacob and God didn’t really trust each other yet. 

Jacob thought that all his schemes from bribing Esau with a bowl of soup to his deception of Isaac to get the blessing were tokens of his success but God upends all of Jacob’s “success” during his time living in Aram. 

Jacob was sent into exile because of his selfishness and sibling rivalry. This happens later to his descendants as well during the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles. 

God, by giving Jacob this vision in Bethel, is telling Jacob and Jacob’s descendants that wherever they live outside the land of Israel, that they will always have a link to the Promised Land. 

“But they said, “We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered, and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.”” (Genesis 29:8 NASB)

When Jacob arrives in Haran, he sees a large well with several shepherds surrounding it. No one was allowed to move the rock covering the well until all the shepherds were there. They didn’t trust each other to share the water fair and square. Jacob didn’t care about their rules. He moved the rock all by himself and watered Laban’s flock and then left the rest of the shepherd’s to their own devices. 

“So when Laban heard the news of Jacob his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Then he related to Laban all these things.” (Genesis 29:13 NASB)

What do you think Jacob told Laban? I think he told Laban everything. I think Jacob laid out all his cards. That is why Laban responds with the comment, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” He thinks Jacob is just like him, a trickster.

“But Laban said, “It is not the practice in our place to marry off the younger before the firstborn.” (Genesis 29:26 NASB)

Laban used that information against Jacob later when it came time for Jacob to marry his daughter. Laban knew how Jacob, the younger brother, tries to usurp his elder brother. Laban doesn’t allow Rachel to usurp Leah in the same way. 

God taught Jacob, through Laban’s deceit, that he will pay for what he did. Jacob’s deception of his father was not successful. Now Jacob knows how Esau and Isaac felt after he deceived them.  

God can use bad events for good things. He uses them as teachable moments. God used a deceitful man to teach Jacob what’s being deceitful does and how much pain it causes. 

“Now it came about when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own place and to my own country. “Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me depart; for you yourself know my service which I have rendered you.” But Laban said to him, “If now it pleases you, stay with me; I have divined that the LORD has blessed me on your account.”” (Genesis 30:25–27 NASB)

Laban wasn’t a wealthy man until Jacob came into his life. Jacob was a much better shepherd than Laban. Not only did Laban switch the wives, he also switched Jacob’s wages. Laban is also testing Jacob’s character. 

No one would put up with a boss who isn’t consistent in paying the wages that were contracted yet Jacob endured that indignity for years. 

“Now Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what belonged to our father he has made all this wealth.” Jacob saw the attitude of Laban, and behold, it was not friendly toward him as formerly.” (Genesis 31:1–2 NASB)

Jacob didn’t inherit any wealth from Isaac, but from Laban. God made sure that Jacob, through his marriage to Laban’s firstborn child, received the first born’s wealth for his household. 

This is why when Jacob finally returned to the Promised Land, he happily showered Esau with gifts. He no longer coveted what belong to the first born of Isaac because he had received the bounty like the first born of Laban. 

Summary: Tammy