TURNING THE TABLES (37 OF 54)
by Keith Krell
Scripture: Genesis 30:25-43
This content is part of a series.
Turning the Tables (37 of 54)
Series: The Book of Beginnings
Keith Krell
Genesis 30:25-43
Coming home from work, a woman stopped at the corner deli to buy a chicken for supper. The butcher reached into a barrel, grabbed the last chicken he had, flung it on the scales behind the counter, and told the woman its weight. She thought for a moment. ''I really need a bit more chicken than that,'' she said. ''Do you have any larger ones?'' Without a word, the butcher put the chicken back into the barrel, groped around as though finding another, pulled the same chicken out, and placed it on the scales. ''This chicken weighs one pound more,'' he announced. The woman pondered her options and then said, ''Okay. I'll take them both.''
This humorous account reminds us that honesty is still the best policy. Unfortunately, in our world there are very few truly honest people. In Gen 30:25-43, we are going to read a story about Laban dishonestly turning the tables on Jacob. Fortunately, God has Jacob's back and He is able to protect and provide for Jacob in the midst of challenging times. The narrative can be divided into two sections. The first section (30:25-34) is entirely dialogue; the second section (30:35-43) is entirely narrative report.
Our story begins in 30:25-26: ''Now it came about when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, 'Send me away, that I may go to my own place and to my own country. Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me depart; for you yourself know my service which I have rendered you.''' After the birth of Joseph, Jacob recognized that it was time to leave town. So Jacob called up all his courage and approached Laban, asking to be released from his authority. Unlike today, Jacob could not simply pack his bags and leave. The authority structure in this Eastern, extended family was far more complex and restrictive-as it is even today, some places in the Eastern culture. There was a shared ownership ev ...
Series: The Book of Beginnings
Keith Krell
Genesis 30:25-43
Coming home from work, a woman stopped at the corner deli to buy a chicken for supper. The butcher reached into a barrel, grabbed the last chicken he had, flung it on the scales behind the counter, and told the woman its weight. She thought for a moment. ''I really need a bit more chicken than that,'' she said. ''Do you have any larger ones?'' Without a word, the butcher put the chicken back into the barrel, groped around as though finding another, pulled the same chicken out, and placed it on the scales. ''This chicken weighs one pound more,'' he announced. The woman pondered her options and then said, ''Okay. I'll take them both.''
This humorous account reminds us that honesty is still the best policy. Unfortunately, in our world there are very few truly honest people. In Gen 30:25-43, we are going to read a story about Laban dishonestly turning the tables on Jacob. Fortunately, God has Jacob's back and He is able to protect and provide for Jacob in the midst of challenging times. The narrative can be divided into two sections. The first section (30:25-34) is entirely dialogue; the second section (30:35-43) is entirely narrative report.
Our story begins in 30:25-26: ''Now it came about when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, 'Send me away, that I may go to my own place and to my own country. Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me depart; for you yourself know my service which I have rendered you.''' After the birth of Joseph, Jacob recognized that it was time to leave town. So Jacob called up all his courage and approached Laban, asking to be released from his authority. Unlike today, Jacob could not simply pack his bags and leave. The authority structure in this Eastern, extended family was far more complex and restrictive-as it is even today, some places in the Eastern culture. There was a shared ownership ev ...
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