|
Laban |
|
We’re all selfish, but some of us have a real corner on the weakness.
Laban’s whole life was stamped by self-centeredness. His chief goal was
to look out for himself. The way he treated others was controlled by that
goal. He made profitable arrangements for his sister Rebekah’s marriage
to Isaac and used his daughters’ lives as bargaining chips. Jacob
eventually outmaneuvered Laban, but the older man was unwilling to admit
defeat. His hold on Jacob was broken, but he still tried to maintain some
kind of control by getting Jacob to promise to be gone for good. He
realized that Jacob and Jacob’s God were more than he could handle.
On the surface, we may find it difficult to identify with Laban. But his selfishness is one point we have in common. Like him, we often have a strong tendency to control people and events to our benefit. Our "good" reasons for treating others the way we do may simply be a thin cover on our self-centered motives. We may not even recognize our own selfishness. One way to discover it is to examine our willingness to admit we’re wrong. Laban could not bring himself to do this. If you ever amaze yourself by what you say and do to avoid facing up to wrong actions, you are getting a glimpse of your selfishness in action. Recognizing selfishness is painful, but it is the first step on the road back to God. 1- Strengths and accomplishments
2- Weaknesses and mistakes
3- Lessons from his life
4- Vital statistics
5- Key verse "In fact, except for the grace of God—the God of my grandfather Abraham, the awe-inspiring God of my father, Isaac—you would have sent me off without a penny to my name. But God has seen your cruelty and my hard work. That is why he appeared to you last night and vindicated me" (Genesis 31:42). Laban’s story is told in Genesis 24:1—31:55.
|
|
Laban 1. Son of Bethuel, brother of Rebekah, and father of Leah and Rachel. His prompt hospitality towards Abraham’s servant shews a heart disposed by the Lord in answer to prayer; but why he took the lead instead of Bethuel, his father, is not revealed. In his dealings with Jacob, Laban was scheming and unscrupulous. This was met by craft on Jacob’s part, and would doubtless have led to a serious conflict, had not God warned Laban not to speak to Jacob either good or bad. After Jacob had rehearsed all the wrongs and hardships he had endured during the twenty years he had served Laban, they made a covenant together and separated amicably. Laban is called a Syrian, and he dwelt at Haran. #Ge 24:29,50 25:20 27:43 28:2,5 29:5-29 30:25-42 31:1-55. 2. The son of Bethuel, who was the son of Nahor, Abraham’s brother. He lived at Haran in Mesopotamia. His sister Rebekah was Isaac’s wife #Ge 24:1ff. Jacob, one of the sons of this marriage, fled to the house of Laban, whose daughters Leah and Rachel #Ge 29:1-13 he eventually married. See Easton on JACOB 1945 |