Genesis 27:41-31:55The reason I have chosen knowledge as one of Jacob’s potential gifts is that he does have spiritual experiences with God, in which God speaks to him. He is given the opportunity to be wise, but he chooses to be otherwise. We are already seeing the beginnings of the “separation” of the Jewish people with the desire to not have Jacob marry a Canaanite woman. On his way to meet Uncle Laban, Jacob, in Genesis 28:10ff sleeps on a rock and has a vision in which the covenant that was given Abraham in Genesis 12, 15 and 17 and to Isaac in Genesis 26 is now given to Jacob. The hymn (spiritual) “Jacob’s Ladder” draws its inspiration from this passage. As was his usual, he built an altar. The interesting life lesson here is that Jacob has holy and even dramatic experiences with God, but he still stays the rascal that he always was. Spiritual experiences do not necessarily make a person truly Christian or holy. What do you think?
Rebekah’s deceptiveness evidently was also a family trait, for Laban tells Jacob he can have Rachel (the one he desires) for seven years work. He then sneaks in his older and less attractive daughter, Leah and requires that Jacob work seven more years. Leah ends up the much healthier of the two, while Rachel has difficulty having children, and eventually dies in giving birth to Benjamin.
The deception continues and after outswindling Laban of his wealth, he is once again on the run. But this time he is caught. After a major altercation, they come to an agreement, which is called “the Mizpah.” Often, today it is used as a blessing.
“May the LORD watch between me and thee, while we are absent one from another.”In the church, where I grew up, we closed every “Youth Club” meeting with that “blessing.” In its context, I now know that it was a warning more than a blessing, that even if they couldn’t see what each other was doing, God could. Once again, Jacob builds (along with Laban) an altar.
Soon, Jacob’s life of deception will come to roost. Take time to look at yourself for a moment. Deception comes naturally to most of us, and if we’re not careful, we will experience the worst of tragedies, self-deception, the very root of a sinful, broken and empty life.
2 comments:
"Spiritual experiences do not necessarily make a person truly Christian or holy." I agree - the Lord shows himself to each of us in experiences that are truly holy - but the experiences don't make US holy. He uses them to draw us to Himself - and also so we can use them as references when we feel isolated from God. But we are still human - with self-will - which prevents us from being holy. The only hope we have is that God sees us through the blood of Jesus - that alone makes us holy in His sight.
Well said, Sherilyn. The problem is that we tend to emphasize the experiential over the real goal of our faith, which is to become Christ-like. I love mountain-top experiences and hope for many more. I don't love the hard work of growing in faith, hope and love as much. It takes both, doesn't it?
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