Scripture to Read: Genesis 29:13–30:24
Laban received Jacob into his house, and Jacob lived with Laban for a month. In Genesis 29:14, God reveals to us that Jacob had served Laban without wages. Laban finally asked Jacob, in Genesis 29:15, “What shall your wages be?” God also shows us, in Genesis 29:16–18, that Laban had two daughters, Leah (the older, described as having “weak eyes”) and Rachel (the younger, described as “beautiful”). Jacob wanted Rachel as his wife and willingly served Laban for seven years to marry Rachel. Laban agreed with Jacob’s proposal. But then, God shows us in Genesis 29:20–30 that at the end of the seven years, Laban deceived Jacob and gave him Leah as his wife, not Rachel. Jacob then had to serve an additional seven years for receiving Rachel as his bride. Also, remember how Jacob had deceived his brother Esau, and then we see how Jacob was deceived by Laban. We don’t know for sure, but God may have used this to help Jacob reach a point of humbling himself before God, dying to his own deceptive ways. God gives us this warning in Romans 16:18, “For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.” God does not want us to be deceptive nor to be deceived. Deception is of the Enemy. He deceived Eve by his craftiness, so we must guard our minds from being led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ (2 Corinthians 11:3).
Challenge & Application
What were some of the consequences that Jacob walked through due to his deceptive ways and Laban’s deception?
How should we live, and how do we stay guarded from being deceptive or from being deceived?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!