What follows is the first episode of
Wife Swap before it was cool. Through deceptive maneuvering, Jacob unknowingly entered his tent to consummate a marriage to the wrong woman (
v. 23). The next morning, he awoke with a headache and a bride whose name literally means “wild cow.” At least for Jacob, Leah lacked the “beautiful form and face” of Rachel.
Who would do such a thing? How could Laban be so manipulative? We could ask the same questions about Jacob. His question in
verse 25 is telling: “Why then have you deceived me?” The same word is used in
27:35 to describe Jacob’s deception of Esau for his birthright. Despite his obvious frustration, God is clearly using Laban to produce character in Jacob’s life. During his 20 years in Haran, the young deceiver is on the receiving end of his former tactics (
30:14-20), yet he fails to grasp God’s lesson (
31:20).
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(
vv. 26-28)
After an extended seven-year commitment, Jacob finally secures Rachel as his wife, but not without consequence (
v. 28). His deceptive past finally catches up with him and the results are disastrous. Imagine having two sisters for wives (one that is beautiful and another that is not) along with two concubines who are all insecure mothers. Added to this, Jacob pledged seven more years with a conniving father-in-law who selfishly took advantage of him at every opportunity. Unable to break his commitments, Jacob was now living with the continual consequences of his sin.
Several years after inventing radar, Sir Robert Watson Watt became a victim of his own invention. After speeding through a radar trap, Canadian police arrested Watt for speeding. He wrote this poem:
Pity Sir Robert Watson Watt, strange target of his radar plot, and this, with others I could mention, a victim of his own invention. Surely this is how Jacob felt as God used the consequences of his sin so meticulously.
III. God Grants Mercy Even When We Suffer Because of Our SinsDespite the providential suffering Jacob faced, the mercy of God is evident in his house as well. All total, the house of Jacob produced 13 children (12 boys and one girl). Though Leah did not have the heart of her husband, God used her to produce eight of Israel’s 12 tribes, including the messianic line of Judah. The same God who disciplined Jacob for his sin also comforted him with His mercy. With great love and patience, God replaced the young patriarch’s deception with character so that he accurately reflected the name Israel.