Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Jan 11th Deceived by Laban: The Boomerang Principle of Sowing and Reaping

Listen to Today’s Passage – Genesis 29 – 30 

Follow along on from Blue Letter Bible – Genesis 29

(Second Milers also read – Matthew 21 – 22; Proverbs 11; Psalms 51 – 55)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Isaiah 40:31

Read previous posts from this passage – “Surprise,” and “Moving Forward“

“25 And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?” (Genesis 29:25)

“7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7)

The Story

Today’s passage reveals the principle of sowing and reaping. Jacob, whose name means “supplanter” or “deceiver,” had been guilty of deceiving his father Isaac and his brother Esau back in chapter twenty-seven. Now in chapter twenty-nine, the shoe is on the other foot. In this passage we see that Jacob who had deceived his father is now being deceived himself. He had left Canaan (Israel) and travelled back to the place where his family originated (near Babylon) in order to escape the wrath of his brother and also find a wife. He arrives and meets a beautiful young lady named Rachel who happened to be his cousin (OK back in those days – really wierd today). He falls in love with her and strikes a bargain with her father (his uncle) to work for him for seven years as payment for his daughter. Oh how I wish that we still followed this program today. I have three beutiful daughters and I would have been rich. Anyway, after his seven years of hard labor is completed, Jacob wants his wife. However, when he wakes up in the morning after the wedding celebration the night before, he does not find beautiful Rachel lying next to him in the bed, but instead he sees Leah, Rachel’s older sister. You can imagine the surprise that must have been on his face when he laid eyes on Leah who the Bible describes as “tender-eyed”. That was the phrase you used in Bible days when you wanted to be kind when describing someone who was ugly. Jacob was tricked by his uncle Laban. The deceiver was deceived.

Sowing and Reaping

I have two thoughts regarding this passage of Scripture. The first is the principle of sowing and reaping. Jacob reaped deception because he was a sower of deception. In fact, I think we learn in the coming chapters that Jacob reaps a little more than he sowed regarding deceiving and being deceived. We sure have to be careful in our lives because this principle is certainly in effect today as well. The Bible says be sure your sin will find you out; and the way of the transgressor is hard. It will eventually come back to bite you. I have seen this principle often in my life and ministry. Many of the problems that I have dealt with as a pastor have been areas where I have been guilty in the past. However, the principle works for good things as well as bad. Sow some good things in your life and you will reap some good things back. Sow a little mercy toward others and you will reap a little mercy from others. Sow a little kindness, and reap a little kindness; sow a little compassion, and you will reap a little compassion. You get the idea.

Be Smart When Dealing with the World

The second thought is that you cannot trust the world. Laban was not a saved man, and Jacob was trusting him to be faithful and trustworthy in his dealings with him. Laban is a type of the devil. If you make a deal with the devil or the world for Rachel, you are going to wake up someday with Leah. Satan is a liar, and this world is completely out for itself. Even God’s people can be downright untrustworthy at times, but know this: you can trust God completely. He will always deliver what he promises, and He will always do right. Even when we don’t understand what He is doing, or why, we can be assured that He loves us and that He has our best interests in mind.

Christ Reaped What We Sowed

One added thought regarding sowing and reaping. Praise God, for the Christian, we will never reap in judgement what we sow in our lifetimes in sin. We deserve to reap Hell for eternity, but Jesus took that punishment for us by going to the Cross. So, in the most important sense, Jesus reaped what we sow. What an awesome God we serve!