Chronological Reading Plan for Jan 21

Today's readings are Gen 27-29. tomorrow's are Gen 30 & 31.

In Gen 25:23, God promised Rebekah that Esau would serve Jacob. Jacob gave up his birthright in Gen 25:31-33. In ch 27, this promise comes full circle when, through deception, Rebekah and Jacob conspire for Jacob instead of Esau to receive Isaac's blessing. This is a tough passage to reconcile. It makes no determination or judgment on the motives of Jacob and his mother, only depicts the outcome. It neither endorses nor condemns the deception and manipulation. It only shows that God uses all circumstances to work for our good and His glory. Keep in mind, Esau has already married foreign women, disqualifying him from producing the offspring God promised. It is left to Jacob to maintain the bloodline. With all this in mind, Jacob receives the blessing of Isaac. 

Jacob travels to Paddan-Aram to find an appropriate wife among his uncle's tribe. Along the way, he has a vision of a ladder to heaven. This will later prove to have been a Christophony, a manifestation of the pre-incarnate Christ (John 1:51). Man cannot, of his own power ascend into heaven (Gen 11). But, God can and will come to earth. This is revealed to Jacob because  he is, in spite of his flaws, part of that plan. 

There, Jacob, the deceiver, is deceived. He is tricked by Laban into marrying Leah, a girl no one seems to want, instead of Rachel. Jacob remains and marries Rachel too. But Rachel is barren. Only Leah is able to provide children for Jacob, at first. Zilpah and Bilhah, servants of Leah and Rachel,  are mentioned, they will play important parts in the narrative. 

Leah produces four sons; Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah. God is using the outcast girl to begin fulfilling His promise to Abraham and Isaac. He does it through a seriously flawed man and a woman that no one wanted. God loves and uses both! The plan of redemption is moving along quite nicely even though those whom God is using have their private and public struggles.  

Amid all this, there is tremendous tension in Jacob's household. God even uses flawed, dysfunctional families!