Choices have Consequences: An in-depth look at Jacob

Choices have Consequences: An in-depth look at Jacob
Sometimes what is right, isn't always popular. Sometimes what must be done, is something we don't want to do. We all have a choice - a choice to do what is right or to do what we want. When those two things don't align, what we want and what is right, consequences will always follow.
God's plan is the way. We should remember that his will is greater than our desires, if we do not walk with Him, following God's will, we are doomed to lead a life of hardship. 
This very concept is illustrated in the bible story of Jacob.

Is Jacob doomed from the start?
If you recall from our study in chapter 25, Isaac is 40 years old when Rebekah becomes pregnant with twins! She gives birth to twin boys: Esau and Jacob, who the Lord tells her: "Two nations are in your womb, two peoples are quarreling while still within you; But one shall surpass the other, and the older shall serve the younger." Genesis 25:23
Rebekah will favor Jacob, where as their father favors Esau.
We know that Rebekah does NOT allow this to happen...

Why does Jacob fear Esau?
In chapter 27 Jacob deceived his father, Isaac, with the help of mother. His father, Isaac is dying, his eyesight is failing, and he wants to give his oldest son a final blessing. Isaac believes in his final breaths he is blessing his oldest son, Esau, but to the contrary, he is instead speaking to Jacob, who has disguised himself to appear as Esau, getting for himself the special blessing. The blessing that tradition says should go to the oldest son, rather than the youngest.
"Esau bore Jacob a grudge because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, "when the time of mourning for my father comes, I will kill my brother Jacob." Genesis 27:41

Fearing for the life of her beloved son, Rebekah sends Jacob to Laban, his Uncle, to find a wife. There Jacob takes a liking to Laban's youngest daughter, Rachel and offers to work for his Uncle for seven year in order marry her. As custom would have it "it is not the custom of our country, to marry off a younger daughter before an older one." Genesis 29:26
So...Laban deceives Jacob, after seven years of service he present Jacob with a feast, where he gets drunk, then presents his oldest daughter, Leah, to Jacob. They consummate their marriage that night. In the morning Jacob .
Now Jacob is in a bit of a pickle. He is married to the wrong woman, so he offers another seven years of service to Laban, for the hand of Rachel. Laban agrees. Jacob and Rachel are wed and Jacob favors Rachel over Leah.
"When the Lord saw Leah was unloved, he made her fruitful, while Rachel remained barren." Genesis 29:31

Now Jacob is following God's command to return to his home, with his wives and children, and is worried about how Esau will treat him. In fact he's frightened. So frightened at when his fate might be, for havign stolen Esau's brithright, that he divides his own family into several waves to greet Esau.
Jacob calls upon God, stating "I am unworthy of all the acts of kindness that you have loyally performed for your servant." Genesis 32:11

In chapter 33 we learn that Esau means no harm to his brother. No mention of Jacob's previous deceitful actions are made. The brothers meet up, speak for a brief moment, then go their separate ways: Esau back to to Seir and Jacob to Succoth. (Genesis 33:16-17).
What a positive conclusion to what could have been a much different scenario.

Maybe Jacob's luck will change...
Or not...Rachel & Leah are feuding. Jacobs home life is a mess. Leah is fruitful, providing him with multiple sons, but he doesn't really love her, not the way he loves Rachel, who is barren. The inequality of child barring abilities has put the women at odds with each other, making life in Jacobs camp difficult.
Then God hears Rachel, she miraculously gives birth to a son, Joseph!
What a happy wonderful time for this family, or at least it could have been, but history repeats itself once more.
Instead of following custom, following birth right tradition, "Israel [Jacob] loved Joseph best of all his sons, for he was the child of his old age; and he had made him a long tunic." Genesis 37:3
The son's born of Leah, to Jacob take note of their father's unequal love and sell Joseph into slavery, deceiving their father, breaking his heart.

Will history repeat itself with Joseph?

Find out next week, as we study Joseph's bible story, in Genesis, chapters 36-40!

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