Day 12 (Through the Bible in a year readings for today: Genesis 29,30; Matt. 10:1-23)
DECEIT AND ENVY
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?” (Genesis 29:25 ESV)
When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. (Genesis 30:1 ESV)
Just as Jacob and his mother Rebekah had deceived his father, Isaac, now Jacob’s father-in-law, Laban, deceives him. Jacob has worked for seven years for the hand of Laban’s younger daughter, Rachel. But Laban deceives him and gives him Leah instead. The result is that Jacob soon has two wives and another seven years of work for his father-in-law.
Two sisters, one husband, and one sister blessed with children and the other not; this is a perfect situation for the sin of envy. Both Rachel and Leah will be guilty of envy and jealousy and will use their servants as surrogate mothers. There is much in this story that is not good and wholesome.
Once again we see that God can work in the lives of imperfect human beings to carry out His purposes. Jacob has 12 sons born to four women--his two wives and their two servants. From these sons will come the 12 tribes of Israel.
How comforting to know that, while God does not condone sin of any kind, He still works in and through the lives of sinners. How comforting to know that the perfect, holy, sinless Son of God died in our place on the cross to pay for our deceit, our envy, and all of our other sins!
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for paying for all of my sins on the cross. Please protect me from deceit and envy. Please use me to share Your love and mercy with others. Amen.
Pastor David Paape
LINK to St. Paul’s 9 am online Sunday Worship Service:
Password: 843774
IN CHURCH SUNDAY SERVICE and Parking Lot Worship Service 9 am
both with Holy Communion
IN CHURCH WEDNESDAY SERVICE 7 pm with Holy Communion
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Daily Bible Reading Chart covering the entire Bible in one year.
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