Tehillah Generation Chapel
Daily Manna | Wednesday, July 4, 2018 | Topic: Conscience 62
Scripture: And when they saw Joseph afar off, even before he came near to them, they conspired against him to slay him. Genesis 37:18
Note: Joseph’s brothers had managed to put up with him inspite of grave underlying reasons and problems, some dating as far back before their births. These were problems that started out as bitter rivalry between their mothers, that had turned into a complicated transgenerational issue, seemingly beyond the wits, capacity and capability of Jacob to intervene since he was part of the problem. Jacob was aware of the genesis of the problem that began with Laban, Jacob’s father in-law. Laban was a professional con man and a career trickster who served as the perfect man crafted to be able to send Jacob back to God as the one that supplies his needs. Jacob, until his change, was known as the supplanter
Jacob demonstrated his supplanting abilities at birth. Being the junior brother to Esau, he had tried to circumvent the leader’s advantage held by Esau, in taking him by the heel, following right at the heel of Esau at birth. Jacob had tried to seize his senior brother by the heel, in a bid to restrain Esau by holding him back so that he could overtake him. Within the Hebrew culture, the firstborn inheritance entitled Esau to a double portion of the inheritance. He was naturally in line to receive the firstborn blessing and the inheritance that goes with it.
Due to Jacob’s trickeries and con man nature, he coveted his brother’s position. He had always longed for the opportunity to take advantage of his brother’s weakness for gratification of his natural cravings at the expense of the blessings that accompanied the birthright inheritance. Jacob relied heavily on his natural smartness to accomplish his desires in life. His cravings and covetous desire for his brother’s position, planning in connivance with a doting mother, succeeded in crafting out a detailed plot that succeeded in usurping the birthright position of Esau, whose natural weakness and disrespect for spiritual things of value, foolishly sold his birthright to Jacob, treating it with disdain.
Thus, Jacob succeeded in tricking Esau to receive his firstborn blessing from their father Isaac, assisted by his patronising mum, Rebekah. Jacob’s mission to Laban, a senior trickster, succeeded in bringing Jacob to a point in his life, acknowledging that it was always going to take the favour and intervention of God and not his own smartness, if he’s to overcome the Laban hurdle. Laban was a maverick of a person who succeeded in deceiving and changing the wages of Jacob ten times outside the agreed contract, to disadvantage Jacob. In addition, Laban succeeded in deceiving Jacob into taking Leah as his wife; a woman that Jacob never loved. This led to transgenerational rivalry war in his home, threatening to destroy his entire family.
Food for thought: Man crafted structures, outside of the only solid foundation in Christ Jesus, can never stand the test of time.
Declaration: And your father, Laban, had deceived me, and changed my wages ten times: but God suffered him not to hurt me. Genesis 31:7
©Author: Rev Fred Aboe
