Sun.’s Devo - Jacob’s Split with Laban

Read: Genesis 30:1-31:16: Matthew 10:1-23; Psalm 12:1-8; Proverbs 3:13-15 When Rachael realized she was barren she became envious of Leah and tried to blame it on Jacob. He told her that he was not God who had withheld children from her. Rachel could not be consoled. She gave Jacob her maid, Bilhah to have children bye her. Jacob and Bilhah had Dan and Naphtali. *** Leah got in the race and gave her servant Zilpah to Jacob and they had Gad and Asher. Rueben found some mandrakes and sold them to Rachel for a night with Jacob. They conceived that night and had Issachar. Leah had another son and named him Zebulun. Then she had a daughter and named her Dinah. *** God remembered Rachel and she bore Joseph. At that time, Jacob went to Laban and asked for him to start paying him a wage. When he first came there Laban only had a few sheep and goats but Jacob had worked the animals and they had ended up multiplying making Laban a very prosperous man. *** Jacob came up with a plan that all the spotted and speckled sheep would be his and all the brown lambs would be his. The rest would be Laban’s. Laban was quick to agree since spotted and speckled sheep were rare and he was clearly getting the better end of the deal. Jacob divided his out but still fed Laban’s flocks. Jacob had learned if you put the colors in front of the cows while mating their imaginations would produce what they saw. He put rods the color of the flocks he wanted them to produced. (You become what you behold.) *** When Jacob told Leah and Rachel what he had done, they were glad he had made a split with their father. He told them that an Angel of God spoke to him in a dream and told him to get out of this land and return to the land of his family. Rachel and Leah both wanted to leave and had no ties with their father since he had stolen from them also. They were ready to go with Jacob. *** In Matthew, Jesus sent out his 12 disciples to the cities in Israel. They were instructed not to go to the Gentile cities. They were to preach saying the kingdom of heaven is at hand. They were to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. They were not given money or any supplies. They were to go with the clothes on their backs. If they were received and treated kindly, then they were to bless the house with peace. If they were not received kindly then they were to take their peace with them. God would judge that house later. *** They were being sent out as lambs before wolves. They were told to be wise as serpents but harmless as doves. If they were delivered up to the council, they were not to worry, the Holy Spirit with give them what to say. When they persecute you, go to the next city. *** Lord, may we remember the things you told your disciples as you sent them out. You are with us in every situation. May we be your witnesses that you are the only God.