Genesis 30:1-43

Once again, I must admit that there are several questions that I have about this passage.  I don’t know what mandrakes are nor do I know how they were supposed to aid in reproduction.  I don’t know how poplar branches that are placed before sheep when they drink and mate caused them to have speckled or black lambs.  What I really don’t know is why not all of Abraham’s and Isaac’s children were included as God’s chosen people yet all of Jacob’s children were no matter how many women through which he conceived them.  What I do know is that God is in control of all of these situations and that His choices are according to His sovereign will and wisdom.

GOD BLESSED JACOB’S FAMIY: We certainly cannot say that God blessed Jacob because of his faithfulness and obedience.  The truth is that his household was one that was full of competition and conflict because of his multiple wives.  He further complicates the situation by agreeing to bear children through his wives servants just as Abraham had done.  Yet, even in all of this, there is a tribe of Israel named after each of these sons no matter what wife gave birth to them.  God is free to extend His grace according to His will, but we must never believe that sin is blessed of God.  God chose to bless Jacob despite of his sin but not because of it.  The reality is that even though he had many children all of whom were included as patriarchs in the nation of Israel; Jacob’s family was not a peaceful and happy one; rather there was much discontent and discord between his wives.  This is not how God would have us to live.  God’s plan for the family is that one man and one woman commit their lives to one another as long as they both shall live.  We must be careful not to confuse the blessings of God with the approval of God.  Many godly men and women have experienced very few material blessings.  Many ungodly men and women have received many material blessings.  We must not long for these passing pleasures but seek for God’s approval of every aspect of our lives.

GOD BLESSED JACOB’S FLOCK: Jacob worked for fourteen years to pay the dowry for his wives.  During that time God blessed the flocks of Laban under Jacob’s management.  All that Jacob did prospered and Laban became a very wealthy man because of Jacob’s work.  When his time of service was over, Jacob wanted to start his own herds so he asked to leave but Laban could see that he was being blessed by Jacob’s work so he begged him to stay and any price Jacob named.  The deal was made that the white sheep would stay with Laban while the colored sheep would belong to Jacob.  The first thing that Jacob did was to separate the flocks.  With all the colored sheep together, there was a great likelihood that they would reproduce more colored sheep then if they mated with the white sheep.  Additionally, Jacob seemed to think that placing peeled poplar branches before the sheep would make the white sheep reproduce colored sheep.  I think that God blessed Jacob’s herd because He desired to make Jacob into a great and wealthy man in fulfillment of His promise to Jacob.  We might think that we have done something to earn or merit God’s blessing in our lives, but the reality of our lives is that God extends His blessings to us despite of our efforts not because of them.