The Deceiver Deceived: Jacob’s Marriages, Mistakes, and God’s Mercy in Genesis 29–30

Genesis is the first book in the Bible. The book holds stories about the first people, who committed a host of Sins. Foremost among these is the sin of promiscuity, which in these chapters Jacob displayed well. One has to ask again, is this God’s chosen family? The family of Jesus?

In these chapters of Genesis, we find that Jacob continues his journey to Harran. He got there, met his uncle, and then wed the Uncle’s (Laban) two daughters, Rachel and Leah. And when Rachel and Leah were past the fertile age, Jacob had sex with their servants. Is this how holy people are supposed to act?

Genesis Chapters 29 and 30 Summary

Jacob began a journey to Harran in Genesis 28. He arrived there in chapter 29, and boy, did he arrive. When he gets to Harran, he meets his Uncle Laban and agrees to marry his daughter Rachel. Rachel was beautiful, and Genesis says the seven years seemed short to him because of his love for her.

After they were wed, Laban deceived him and gave him Leah on the wedding night. Rachel was infertile, but God “opened [Leah’s] womb. She bears him several children, but she also becomes infertile. When that happens, Jacob takes the servants of Rachel and Leah, Bilhah and Zilpah, as surrogate wives. As maidservants, it was their duty to bear him children.

In chapter 30 of Genesis, the Bible shows us something rather than telling us. Jacob is a great deceiver. If you remember, he swindled his brother out of his inheritance and then fooled his father by passing himself off as his brother.

Jacob was a shepherd of sheep. While he was in Harran, he had unbelievably, time to accumulate a large flock. When he was getting ready to leave with his wives and children, he asked Laban for the sheep as well. He removed the speckled and spotted sheep and goats so Jacob could not breed them. Jacob then used selective breeding to outmaneuver Laban. The deceiver was deceived.

Core Teaching

What can we learn about life from such a sordid period of time? We learn in Genesis, through Jacob’s actions, how broken he is. His brokenness mirrors our own brokenness. Yet, God forgives him and tells him he will have many descendants. If God treats him with such foregiveness, what will he do with us?

Another thing we learn is that Jesus comes from this family. God was born into a highly dysfunctional outfit. That means, no matter how troubled our families are, they are capable of great things.

Modern Relevance

The story of forgiveness found in these two chapters of Genesis is very relevant to contemporary life. We know, from reading this story from the book of Genesis, that though it may seem far removed from our lives, God will forgive us, no matter what we do. We are often in the church of God’s mercy, and we are told His mercy is endless. Here we have a concrete example of this forgiveness.

Parting Shots

The story of Jacob, as written in the books of Genesis, is interesting because he commits so many sins. Because of these sins and the forgiveness shown to him by God, the story of Jacob is an example for us. What is incredible is that Jesus came from this family.