Last week I wrote about the fake obedience in the family of
Isaac, which centered on the deception of Jacob; the younger son pretended to
be his big brother in order to receive the blessing his father meant to give
him.
Jacob’s brother Esau was furious and sought to kill him, so
Jacob fled to his mother’s hometown. There he met Laban and arranged a deal: he
would work seven years on his farm for the right to marry Laban’s daughter
Rachel. The seven years flew by because of the love Jacob had for Laban’s
younger daughter. The morning after the wedding, however, Jacob realized he had
been tricked.
Laban instructed his older daughter Leah to pretend to be
her sister (the custom was that the younger daughter could not be married until
the older daughter was). Veiled during the ceremony and hidden by darkness in
the bedchamber, Leah tricked Jacob into fulfilling the marriage with her.
Note the irony: Jacob tricked his father, but now was
tricked by his father-in-law. Jacob pretended to be the firstborn, and now accidentally married the firstborn.
Jacob, assisted by his mother, once dressed like his brother in order to
deceive; Leah, assisted by her father, dressed in her sister’s bridal gown in
order to deceive Jacob.
Jacob’s deception and subsequent victimization provide a
perfect example that we reap what we sow. Jesus told Peter that he who lives by
the sword will die by the sword; we may add to that, “He who lives by deception
will also be deceived.” Lying, scheming, and manipulation are no way to live;
honesty is always the best policy.
So it came to pass
in the morning, that behold, it was
Leah. And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not
for Rachel that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?”
Genesis 29:25
