(Genesis) Genesis 29 Introduction — J. Vernon McGee

Genesis 29 and Jacob's Departure

And now, friends, today we come to the 29th chapter of Genesis, and if you have your Bible, you'll want to turn there. And we left off in the 28th chapter. You remember this man, Jacob, had to leave home post-haste.

In fact, he took French leave. He had to go because his brother was going to kill him. And his mother sent him, together with the father, Isaac, back to Uncle Laban that he might get a wife back there.

That's where Isaac had gotten his wife, Rebecca, and so they are sending Jacob back there. And he's on his own, and he's a clever boy, and he's demonstrated that cleverness. And even that night he was so homesick, God appeared to him to comfort him and made these wonderful promises to him, transferred them, the ones he'd given to Abraham, Isaac, and to Jacob, now they're already given to Jacob.

And then, lo and behold, the next day, if he doesn't make a vow with God and trades with him, and he says, if you'll take care of me and do this for me and bring me back here, then I'll do this for you.

God's Grace Despite Jacob's Conditional Vow

Well, believe me, friends, God already told him that. And if it depended on Jacob's faithfulness, I'm afraid he'd never receive very much from the Lord. After all, isn't it all by grace, and that's the way you and I got saved?

We never deserved it. If we did, none of us would ever be saved. Now, over chapter 29, I'd like to write Galatians 6, 7, and 8. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. For whatsoever man soweth, that shall he also reap.

For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption. But he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And probably the popular title that we ought to put over this chapter is, Chickens Come Home to Roots.

The Universal Law of Sowing and Reaping

Now, you'll see, beginning in this chapter, Jacob begins to reap the harvest of his evil doing. And you will also find that this is a universal law of God, that whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap.

Now, if the Bible teaches anything, it teaches that this is true, and it's true in any area of life. You sow corn, you get corn. You sow cotton, you get cotton. You sow wheat, you'll reap wheat. You sow tares, you'll reap tares.

And you'll find out that that runs all the way through scripture in every field. For instance, Pharaoh slew the male children of the Hebrews. And what happened? Well, his own son was slain by the death angel.

Ahab slew Naboth in cold blood, and the dogs licked the blood of Naboth. And Elijah came to Ahab and said, Look, the very same place that dogs lick the blood of Naboth, the dogs are going to lick your blood.

And Ahab, I think, rather smiled at that and said, Well, I'll keep away from that place. But it just happened to be literally fulfilled. You remember, David found that this was an inexorable law that was applicable to his own life in reference to his sin.

He committed a sin, a terrible sin. God forgave him, yes, but may I say to you, chickens come home to roost. What you sow, you reap. And his own daughter was raped and his son slain. Even Paul the Apostle, he felt the weight of this law.

Jacob's Deceitful Character Sets the Stage

He gave his consent to the stoning of Stephen. And what happened? Well, Paul was taken outside the city of Lystra and stoned and left for dead. But this man Jacob is really the classic example, and we're going to see that.

And I mention all of this at the beginning of this chapter. Now, will you notice this man Jacob is rather cocky. He has practiced deceit. He would stoop to use methods that were just a little shady to accomplish his purpose.

He was proud of his cleverness and.