Devotional: Genesis 30:25-43

Today’s passage: Genesis 30:25-43

Helpful thoughts:

• All of Jacob’s children (Expect for Benjamin) were born outside of the Promised Land.
• When it came time for Jacob and his household to leave, he made a deal with Laban.
  • Both men sought to trick the other to their own advantage.
    • Laban removed the sheep that would be prone to reproduce to Jacob’s advantage before entrusting any additional sheep to his care (Verses 35-36).
    • Jacob sought to use an old tradition to produce more and healthier striped, speckled and spotted sheep.
• God had chosen to bless Jacob (The real reason his trick “worked”).  Jacob left the Promised Land with just the promise of an inheritance.  Now, he would return home to his inheritance already independently wealthy.

Questions to consider:

1. Those striped sticks didn’t do anything to cause the sheep to reproduce to Jacob’s advantage…  Why did the sheep keep bearing lambs that were to Jacob’s advantage?  What was God doing?  Why was God doing this?
2. Why didn’t Laban have any reason to be upset with how many sheep Jacob would end up taking?  Why was Laban going to be upset anyway?  What did Laban want most?
3. What has God promised to us, his children?  How does wanting our own inheritance in Christ compel us to pursue the best things (No trickery needed!)?