Return to Me

1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying, 2 “The Lord was very angry with your fathers. 3 Therefore say to them, Thus declares the Lord of hosts: Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. 4 Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the Lord. 5 Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? 6 But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? So they repented and said, ‘As the Lord of hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and deeds, so has he dealt with us.’” – Zechariah 1:1-6 ESV

The year is 520 B.C. and 18 years have passed since the first wave of exiled Hebrews were allowed to leave Babylon and return to the land of Judah. When the Book of Zechariah opens, Darius reigns over the Medo-Persian empire and the book’s author serves as a priest and prophet for Yahweh. His grandfather, Ido, returned to Judah in 536 B.C. His name is listed among the prominent priests who served under Jeshua the high priest.

These are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chiefs of the priests and of their brothers in the days of Jeshua. – Nehemiah 12:1-7 ESV

Because Zechariah was a young man (Zechariah 2:4) when his prophetic ministry started, he likely was born in Babylon during the exile. It would make sense that he returned to Judah in 536 B.C. along with his father, grandfather, and the rest of his family. Over the next 18 years, he received his priestly training and was educated in the Mosaic Law.

At some point, God deemed Zechariah ready for ministry and sent him the following message:

“I, the LORD, was very angry with your ancestors. Therefore, say to the people, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.’ Don’t be like your ancestors who would not listen or pay attention when the earlier prophets said to them, ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Turn from your evil ways, and stop all your evil practices.’” – Zechariah 1:2-4 NLT

Zechariah’s introduction to the prophetic ministry was abrupt and far from encouraging. He was given an assignment that would have made even the most seasoned prophet question his calling. The LORD wastes no time with pleasantries and provides no explanation for His choice of Zechariah. He simply conveys His mood and the message He wants Zechariah to deliver to the people of Judah. God introduces Himself to Zechariah as Yahweh-Sabaoth, the LORD of Hosts. This name is meant to convey God’s sovereign power over the angelic host in heaven. He rules over a vast army of divine beings who operate in the unseen realm. But, as the LORD of Hosts, God’s authority extends to the earth where He rules over every power, kingdom, army, and realm.

Of all people, the Israelites would have understood that God has the power to control any king and kingdom on earth. He had used Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian army to punish their ancestors by invading the city of Jerusalem, destroying the Temple, and sending them into exile in Babylon. God later moved Cyrus king of Persia to issue a decree to send a remnant of the people back to Judah. God wanted Zechariah and the people of Judah to remember that He could use earthly kings and kingdoms to carry out His will – for good or bad.

God’s brief but pointed message to Zechariah conveys His anger with the people of Judah. He had allowed them to return to the land and orchestrated the rebuilding of the Temple. He had sent Ezra the scribe to teach them the Mosaic Law and reestablish the Levitical priesthood and sacrificial system. But despite all He had done to prepare a proper environment for worship and obedience, they had strayed from the path by violating His laws and compromising their convictions.

The final chapter of the Book of Nehemiah reports that by the year 432 B.C., the spiritual state of the people of Judah had reached an all-time low. Nehemiah returned from an extended stay in Babylon to find that the conditions in Judah had degraded beyond anything he could have imagined. When he arrived, Nehemiah was appalled by what he saw. Everywhere he looked, he saw signs that the people had violated the covenant they made with Yahweh. Everywhere he looked he found the “spiritual” walls of Jerusalem had fallen. The covenant had been broken and the people were ripe for spiritual attack.

Zechariah received his calling and message 88 years before Nehemiah returned to find Judah in an appalling state of spiritual decay. But God had seen the handwriting on the wall and chose to deputize young Zechariah as His official spokesman. This still wet-behind-the-ears priest would be tasked with conveying God’s message of repentance to the stubborn people of Judah, and that message was clear and direct.

“Turn from your evil ways, and stop all your evil practices.” – Zechariah 1:4 NLT

It also came with a warning of consequences if they chose to ignore it.

“Where are your ancestors now? They and the prophets are long dead.” – Zechariah 1:5 NLT

The people living in Judah were one generation removed from the Babylonian captivity. Most of their parents and grandparents had died in captivity. God’s message carried the force of reality. They knew the LORD of Hosts was fully capable of carrying out His warnings of judgment because their ancestors were the proof.

God was angry with the people of Judah once again and demanded that they repent. He didn’t want this current crop of rebellious children to suffer the same fate as their forefathers. It took the destruction of Jerusalem and exile to bring their ancestors to their knees and to the place of repentance.

“…everything I said through my servants the prophets happened to your ancestors, just as I said. As a result, they repented and said, ‘We have received what we deserved from the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. He has done what he said he would do.’” – Zechariah 1:6 NLT

Was it going to take another disaster to wake up God’s people? Would they force God to deliver devastating judgment just like He did to their ancestors? Zechariah’s job was to deliver God’s good-news-bad-news message to the disobedient people of Judah, and it would not end well for him. Jesus spoke of Zechariah’s fate when addressing the hypocritical religious leaders of His day. He referred to these men as “whitewashed tombs.” According to Jesus’ estimation, they were “beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity” (Matthew 23:27 NLT). In a sense, Jesus was delivering the same basic message as Zechariah.

“Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.” – Matthew 23:28 NLT

The people of Judah were going through the motions. They were still offering sacrifices, observing the Sabbath, attending the annual festivals, and presenting their tithes and offerings. They appeared to be righteous but, according to God, their hearts were far from Him (Isiah 29:13). Zechariah, like Jesus, would have to deliver a less-than-pleasant message to a people who were far from ready to hear it. And, according to Jesus, they eventually rejected the message by killing the messenger.

“Therefore, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers of religious law. But you will kill some by crucifixion, and you will flog others with whips in your synagogues, chasing them from city to city. As a result, you will be held responsible for the murder of all godly people of all time—from the murder of righteous Abel to the murder of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you killed in the Temple between the sanctuary and the altar.” – Matthew 23:34-35 ESV

Jesus would suffer the same fate. He told the Jews of His day, “Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there’s no room in your hearts for my message” (John 8:37 NLT). These self-righteous Jews rejected Jesus’ Messiahship because they didn't like His message. According to Him, their Hebrew heritage was not enough to save them. They proudly claimed Abraham as their father but Jesus said they lacked Abraham’s faith.

“No,” Jesus replied, “for if you were really the children of Abraham, you would follow his example. Instead, you are trying to kill me because I told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing.” – John 8:39-40 NLT

This exchange so infuriated the Jews that they attempted to stone Jesus to death. But His time had not yet come. They would eventually collaborate with the Romans to orchestrate His crucifixion and end His life, but their efforts would fail to derail His ministry or thwart God’s plan of redemption.

Zechariah would faithfully carry out God’s orders and deliver the message he had been given. He would offer the people a choice. They could repent and enjoy God’s forgiveness or reject the message and suffer God’s judgment. It was up to them.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

God Doesn’t Need Man’s Help

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. 22 Because the king's order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. 27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon. – Daniel 3:19-30 ESV

Nebuchadnezzar became enraged when he realized his death threat had not dissuaded Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from refusing to bow down to his idol. He had warned them, “If you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace” (Daniel 3:15 ESV). Then he arrogantly challenged their God to do anything about it.

“And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?” – Daniel 3:15 ESV

But the three young men refused to compromise their convictions. They held their ground and refused to obey the king’s edict, choosing instead to place their faith in God’s power and providential care. They truly believed that Yahweh was fully capable of keeping them from the flames or rescuing them out of them.

“…our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.” – Daniel 3:17 ESV

They had no way of knowing the outcome of the day’s events. God had given them no verbal guarantee that their lives would be spared. They even displayed a willingness to suffer whatever fate God may have in store for them.

“…even if he doesn’t [rescue us], we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” – Daniel 3:18 NLT

Nebuchadnezzar couldn’t comprehend their willingness to face death rather than to compromise their convictions. He took their refusal as a personal affront to his power and authority. They weren’t just refusing to bow down to his image, they were rejecting his right to rule their lives. As king of the world’s most powerful nation, Nebuchadnezzar had grown drunk on his own success. He was obsessed with his image and used to getting his way. Nations fell before him. Lesser kings bowed down in front of him. His own citizens feared and revered him. But when these three young Hebrew men dared to question his sovereignty and withhold their allegiance, it was more than he could stand. So, he ordered their immediate executions.

The text makes it clear that Nebuchadnezzar was not simply carrying out his own decree by ordering the deaths of three recalcitrant Hebrews. He was launching a personal attack on the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. This had become a personal battle between him and this dream-inducing, future-predicting God of Daniel and his three friends. Nebuchadnezzar was determined to come out the winner in this war of wills, so he ordered his “mighty men” to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He wasn’t leaving their arrest up to some low-level infantry soldiers who might allow them to escape. Next, he ordered the furnace to be super-heated and the three men to be clothed in layer after layer of flammable fabric. He was taking no chances. Nothing would prevent him from proving his power and asserting his authority over the meddling God of the Hebrews.

Nebuchadnezzar must have felt a perverse sense of joy as he watched his guards get consumed by the flames while throwing the three Hebrews into the furnace. There was no way of escape for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and there was no way their God could come to their aid. But Nebuchadnezzar was in for a shock. As he gazed into the furnace, he saw something that took his breath away.

“Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!” – Daniel 3:25 NLT

This was impossible. There was no way these men could have survived the flames of the furnace. Yet, they were walking about unharmed and accompanied by some kind of celestial being. To Nebuchadnezzar’s polytheistic mind, this fourth individual was “like a son of the gods.” The appearance of this being was not like that of the three men and the king concluded that it must be a divine manifestation.

Shocked and shaken by what he was witnessing, Nebuchadnezzar approached the mouth of the furnace and called out, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” (Daniel 3:26 ESV). The king refers to their God as 'ĕlâ ʿillay – God most high. As a polytheist, Nebuchadnezzar was simply confessing that the Hebrew God was the greatest of all gods. He was not declaring Yahweh to be the one true God; he was admitting that no other gods could compare or compete with the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

To the surprise of Nebuchadnezzar and his royal officials, the three men exited the furnace unharmed and untouched.

The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. – Daniel 3:27 ESV

There was no logical way to explain their miraculous survival. The king’s magicians, sorcerers, and seers were dumbfounded by what they had witnessed. The Chaldeans who had maliciously accused Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego must have been stunned by the unexpected outcome of their efforts. Having hoped to eliminate their competition, they had to stand back and watch the three Hebrews receive further praise and adulation from the king.

“Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.” – Daniel 3:28 NLT

This was not the outcome the Chaldeans had expected. Rather than seeing their enemies burned alive, they watched as the three Hebrews were celebrated and elevated to even higher positions within the king’s administration.

But what happened next should not be overlooked or dismissed. It shouldn’t be misunderstood either. As a result of God’s miraculous deliverance of the Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Nebuchadnezzar issued another rash and unnecessary edict.

“Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!” – Daniel 3:28 NLT

At first glance, this appears to be a positive outcome. The king of a pagan, idol-worshiping nation is commanding that the God of the Hebrews be treated with honor and reverence. But look closely. This edict commands the worship of Yahweh under the penalty of death. It is devotion motivated by the threat of destruction. It was the same tactic Nebuchadnezzar used to coerce the worship of his statue. Bow down or die.

But God does not need men's help. He also does not desire worship that is motivated by abject fear or simply as a means of escaping death. During the days that Israel wandered in the wilderness on their way to the promised land, Moses commanded them, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:4 ESV). "Worshiping" that is coerced or done out of a sense of obligation displeases God. It is meaningless, vain, and hypocritical. 

God despises heartless worship that is motivated by fear rather than true faith. The whole reason Daniel and his friends were in Babylon to begin with is because their forefathers had failed to worship God is spirit and in truth.

“I hate all your show and pretense—
    the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies.
I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings.
    I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings.
Away with your noisy hymns of praise!
    I will not listen to the music of your harps.
Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice,
    an endless river of righteous living.” – Amos 5:21-24 NLT

Nebuchadnezzar was trying to manufacture worship, just as he had done with his statue. He thought he could force his people to have faith in Israel’s God. But that is not the kind of worship God requires or desires. God did not need Nebuchadnezzar’s help, and He did not desire the worship of those whose hearts were not in it. Worship done for the wrong reason and with an improper motivation is an affront to God.

Nebuchadnezzar’s edict was not going to produce true worshipers. It would only create the same kind of shallow, fear-induced worship that God accused the Israelites of displaying.

“…this people draw near with their mouth
    and honor me with their lips,
    while their hearts are far from me,
and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men…” – Isaiah 29:3 NLT

God didn’t want or need Nebuchadnezzar’s help. Manufactured worship is not worship at all. Faithfulness that is the fruit of fear and the byproduct of threats is a sham. It won’t last and it can’t withstand the heat of the furnace. The faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego wasn’t forced, it was from the heart.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Serving God.

1 Chronicles 23-24, 1 Thessalonians 1

For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God… – 1 Thessalonians 1:9 ESV

Serving and worshiping God should be our primary objectives as His people. The Westminster Shorter Catechism states that the chief end of man, or his primary purpose in life is “to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” As David's grew older, he began to prepare his son to carry out his dream of building a temple for God. David had a desire to provide a place of worship for his God, in which sacrifices could be made. David divided up the Levites and gave them specific responsibilities, one of which was to “stand every morning, thanking and praising the Lord, and likewise at evening” (1 Chronicles 23:30 ESV). Their praise and thanksgivings were also to be regularly offered to the Lord on “Sabbaths, new moons, and feast days” (1 Chronicles 23:31 ESV). A big part of what was to go on in the temple was the worship of God, expressed in praise and thanksgiving to Him for all that He had done for His people. David desired to build a temple in which His God would dwell and in which the people of Israel would honor their God through obedient sacrifice and ongoing praise.

What does this passage reveal about God?

Over in Psalm 145, we have the words of David written concerning his God: “I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable” (Psalm 145:1-3 ESV). David went on to write of God's graciousness, mercy, patience, kindness, and steadfast love. He declared that “One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts” (Psalm 145:4 ESV). They were to talk about God's majesty. They were to meditate on His wondrous works performed on their behalf. They were to speak of His might and declare His greatness. They were to sing of His righteousness. For David, serving God was not just about doing things for God. It was recognition of His glory, majesty, holiness and greatness; and a outward expression of that recognition in praise and worship. David said, “My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever” (Psalm 145:21 ESV).

In the old hymn, When We All Get To Heaven, Eliza Hewitt wrote the following lyrics: “Sing the wondrous love of Jesus, Sing His mercy and His grace; In the mansions bright and blessed He’ll prepare for us a place. When we all get to heaven, What a day of rejoicing that will be! When we all see Jesus, We’ll sing and shout the victory!” Even in heaven, we will find ourselves praising, singing, rejoicing, and worshiping God for His greatness, goodness, and glory. But David knew that the praise of God was not something to be reserved for heaven, but was to be the regular lifestyle of those who understood and had experienced God's amazing grace and mercy in this lifetime.

What does this passage reveal about man?

In his letter to the Thessalonian believers, Paul spoke of their “work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 1:3 ESV). He said that their “faith in God has gone forth everywhere” (1 Thessalonians 1:8 ESV) and how they had “turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven” (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 ESV). Their lives had become living expressions of their belief in and worship of God. They were serving God, not just through doing good things and living right kind of live, but by expressing unfailing hope in Jesus and faithfully waiting for His return from heaven. Rather than put all their stock in this world, they were counting on the promise of God for eternal life made possible through Jesus, “who delivers us from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10 ESV).

We see in the Thessalonians an example of what it looks like to serve God faithfully. They had “received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 1:6 ESV). Their faith in God had become visible and well-known to all those around them. It was not secret, hidden, or some kind of personal, internal thing, but an outward manifestation of their faith in God that was easily seen and acknowledged by all those around them. Their lives were different than they had been before. Others could see that they had turned away from idols and were now worshiping the one true God. They were serving Him and it showed in how they lived their lives. It was evident in how they talked about God and placed their hope and trust in God. They were waiting on the return of Jesus and living with an eternal mindset. But in the meantime, like David, they were singing of the wondrous love of Jesus. They were telling of His mercy and grace. In the midst of all their troubles on this earth, they were counting on the reality of heaven and the promised return of Jesus Christ.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

My service for God needs to be more than just outward acts of goodness and righteousness. It must stem from a desire to praise and worship Him for who He is and for all He has done. Too often I can become just like the Pharisees, of whom Jesus said, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me” (Matthew 15:8 ESV). Like David, I want to be able to say, “My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord” (Psalm 145:121 ESV), and I want to mean it. It begins with a recognition of just how great He is. Then it shows up in verbal expressions of praise and thanksgiving. I must learn to tell of His greatness, goodness, graciousness and ongoing love. I must place my hope in His Son's eminent return. I must live my live in faithful obedience to His will and in loving submission to His Word. That is true service to God.

Father, I want to serve You with all my heart. I want all my devotion to be focused on You, but so often I find myself in love with the things of this world. I find it so easy to praise temporal things and find satisfaction in objects that have no lasting value. Teach me to sing of Your wonder and grace, to talk of Your glory and majesty, and to praise You for all Your incredible activity in and around my life. Amen

A Dangerous Trend.

Genesis 29-30, Matthew 15

But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.  – Matthew 15:18-20 ESV

The pattern of deceit and deception found in the story of Jacob and Esau will follow him as he attempts to escape the wrath of his brother Esau. Jacob's arrival in the land of his uncle, Laban, would appear to be a positive turn in the story of Abraham's descendants. But we continue to see the sin of man polluting the stream of God's divine plan. And yet, in spite of it all, God remains faithful to His covenant promise, providing blessings on and through Jacob.

What does this passage reveal about God?

While God seems to be silent throughout much of this portion of the story, He is always there, behind the scenes, orchestrating the outcomes of Jacob's relationships and circumstances. The men and women in these passages continue to sin, acting selfishly and treating one another contemptuously. Their actions, for the most part, are unrighteous and far from godly. Everyone is looking out for themselves. And yet, in the midst of this competitive and conflict-saturated atmosphere, God is there.

God orchestrates the arrival of Jacob at the well at just the same time that Rachel arrives with her father's sheep. Jacob, whose very name means "trickster" or "deceiver" is himself deceived by his own uncle. It seems that Laban and Jacob were cut from the same cloth, a detail that had not escaped God's plans for Jacob. God would use Laban's deception to bring about the birth of the twelve sons who would make up the future tribes of Israel. All the bickering, bartering, deceit and deception would be redeemed by God for His divine purposes. The passage tells us that "When the Lord saw that Leah was 'hated,' he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren" (Genesis 29:31 ESV). God was in control. Even the very names of the children reflect this fact. Reuben means "sees" and refers to God's recognition of Leah's situation. Simeon means "hears" and speaks of God's awareness of Rachel's hatred for Leah. Judah means "praise" as a reminder of Leah's gratefulness to God for all He had done for her. Each of the names of each of the children in some way reflect a character quality or attribute of God. God "remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb" (Genesis 30:22 ESV).

And God blessed Laban. Even though this man had lied to and cheated his nephew, God blessed him because of Jacob's very presence. God had promised Abraham that all the nations of the earth would be blessed through him, and this was a partial fulfillment of that promise. And God blessed Jacob. He prospered him and caused his flocks to increase. Jacob thought his unique attempt at genetic engineering was the cause of his success, but in reality, it was all the work of God. And while Laban once again tried to cheat Jacob, God was blessing him. "Thus the man increased greatly and had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys" (Genesis 30:43 ESV). God was at work. And while the cast of characters in this story bring little in the way of virtue or redeeming qualities, God is still able to accomplish His divine will – for His glory and the ultimate good of man.

What does this passage reveal about man?

Once again, it is not a pretty picture. In Laban, Jacob met his match. He ends up looking in the mirror and sees himself. This entire story is a virtual repeat of what has happened before. Jacob gets cheated by Laban just as Jacob had cheated Esau. Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah, just as his mother had loved him more than his brother Esau. God opened Leah's womb just as He had Sarah's. Both Leah and Rachel follow the example of Sarah and give their maid servants to their husband in an attempt to provide him with children. Throughout the story there is an unhealthy competition that results in increasing conflict. Leah bargains with Rachel for the rights to have sexual relations with Jacob, using fruit as the currency of the day. Just as Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of stew, Rachel sells her "rights" to have sexual relations with Jacob – for a handful of fruit.

All throughout this story, we see men and women who are controlled by their flesh or sin natures. They respond to one another selfishly and sinfully, with very little regard for the name of God. You see little in the way of remorse, let alone repentance. They acknowledge the hand of God when it works out in their favor, but respond in anger and resentment when things don't turn out well. They fight, feud, deceive, cheat, and constantly strive to make sure that everything works out for their own selfish advantage – all the while, unaware of God's greater plan and the bigger picture He is painting for all mankind.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

Like Jacob, Rachel, Leah and Laban, I can become so myopic and short-sighted, that I fail to recognize all that God is doing behind the scenes in my life. I can become so self-consumed that I no longer see God's bigger plan for the human race. I want to make it all about me, but it's not. It's all about God and His divine plan for mankind. I find it fascinating that the companion New Testament passage for today's reading is Matthew 15. In it, we read these sobering words from Jesus Himself. "But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person" (Matthew 15:18-20 ESV).

That's the story of Genesis. That's the story of man. What we see happening in chapters 29-30 of Genesis is the effects of heart disease. As Isaiah wrote and Jesus quoted, "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me" (Matthew 15:8 ESV). Jacob may have been a descendant of Abraham and heir of the promises of God, but at this point in his life, his heart was far from God. He was in self-preservation mode. His lived by the code: "every man for himself." And far too often, I can find myself living that very same way. The amazing thing is that God continues to bless me in spite of me. He continues to fulfill His promises to me, not because I deserve it or have earned the favor, but out of His amazing grace. Leah, Rachel, Laban and Jacob all gave God lip service. They tipped their hats to His obvious influence in and around their lives. They gave their children names that reflected God's involvement in their lives. Laban acknowledged God's influence over his life. But their hearts were far from Him. They failed to truly worship and fear Him. They were incapable of seeing His sovereign plan at work among them. I want to learn from their mistakes and recognize my own spiritual shortcomings as I read about theirs. So that I might become a willing participant in God's divine plan, not just an unknowing passenger who is along for the ride.

Father, I see myself in this story. I share so many of the qualities and characteristics of Jacob, Rachel, Leah and Laban. I don't want to be guilty of honoring you with my lips but having a heart that is far from You. Open my eyes and let me see the reality of my own sin nature and my ongoing need for Your Son's saving and sanctifying work in my life. Amen.