Daily Devotions
Genesis
"Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore!" Psalm 105:4
Text: Genesis 30:1-43
A QUICK ACCEPTANCE
Laban could hardly believe his ears! The deal sounded too good to be true! Eagerly and without any hesitation, he accepted Jacob’s offer.
“And Laban said, ‘Oh, that it were according to your word!’
So he removed that day the male goats that were speckled
and spotted, all the female goats that were speckled and spotted,
everyone that had some white in it, and all the brown ones
among the lambs, and gave them into the hand of his sons.
Then he put three days’ journey between himself and Jacob,
and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flock.”
GENESIS 30:34-36“Oh, that it were according to your word”
Laban had been a shepherd, perhaps all his life. He must have figured that Jacob had made a horrendous mistake in asking for the spotted and speckled to be his. Firstly, they would be fewer in number. Secondly, they were considered of less value than the normal white or black sheep. Without hesitation, Laban accepted Jacob’s offer.
“So he removed that day, the male goats that were speckled and spotted…”
Laban seized the opportunity to begin the new business arrangement. He separated the speckled and spotted and gave them to Jacob . He took the rest and gave them to his sons. How he must have smirked as he went to his flocks of sheep and goats and separated them.
“Then he put three days’ journey between himself and Jacob…”
How could anyone resist such an offer? Laban had offered to pay any wages that Jacob asked for. His son-in-law refused to take any wages! Instead he asked for the speckled and the spotted sheep and goats to be his! Just in case Jacob changed his mind, he ordered an immediate separation between his flocks and Jacob’s. A three-day journey distance sounded just about right.
There would be no chance for Jacob to take advantage of being in proximity with his flocks. Let Jacob fend for himself, if that was the way he wanted it! Laban’s sense of self-interest prevailed and prevented him inquiring how Jacob was going to be able to provide for his family with his small flock of spotted and speckled sheep and goats!
AN EXERCISE OF FAITH
If ever Jacob needed to exercise his faith in God, this was the moment! He must have recalled all that the Lord had promised him, many years ago at Bethel.
“Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go,
and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you
until I have done what I have spoken to you.”
GENESIS 28:15
The God Jacob trusted must come to his aid or he would fail miserably!