Divine Strategy Revealed
Genesis 31:1–13 (NASB95)
1Now Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what belonged to our father he has made all this wealth.” 2Jacob saw the attitude of Laban, and behold, it was not friendly toward him as formerly. 3Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” 4So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to his flock in the field, 5and said to them, “I see your father’s attitude, that it is not friendly toward me as formerly, but the God of my father has been with me. 6“You know that I have served your father with all my strength. 7“Yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times; however, God did not allow him to hurt me. 8“If he spoke thus, ‘The speckled shall be your wages,’ then all the flock brought forth speckled; and if he spoke thus, ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock brought forth striped. 9“Thus God has taken away your father’s livestock and given them to me. 10“And it came about at the time when the flock were mating that I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the male goats which were mating were striped, speckled, and mottled. 11“Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am.’ 12“He said, ‘Lift up now your eyes and see that all the male goats which are mating are striped, speckled, and mottled; for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you. 13‘I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you made a vow to Me; now arise, leave this land, and return to the land of your birth.’ ”
God alone brings true success. Human schemes cannot outdo His sovereign will.
Jacob’s life with Laban reached a breaking point. Laban’s sons accused Jacob of stealing their father’s wealth. Laban’s attitude shifted from favor to suspicion. In the midst of this tension, God spoke to Jacob. God said, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” Jacob obeyed, but he did not rely on his own cleverness. He trusted God’s word.
Perhaps you were wondering about the meaning of the colored rods Jacob used to breed the flock. Well, the Bible now explains those to us. Jacob peeled branches and placed them before the animals during mating. Ancient people believed such methods could influence the outcome. The Bible now explains the real meaning behind these rods. Jacob’s success did not come from superstition or human technique. God revealed the true strategy in a dream. In the dream, the Angel of God called Jacob by name and said, “Look up and see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled, or spotted, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you. I am the God of Bethel.” God made it clear: He saw the injustice. He would ensure Jacob’s flocks multiplied, no matter how Laban tried to cheat him.
Jacob’s prosperity was not the result of his own skill. God orchestrated every detail. When Laban changed the agreement to favor spotted animals, God made the flock produce spotted young. When Laban switched to streaked, God delivered streaked offspring. Jacob’s testimony to his wives was simple: “God has taken away your father’s livestock and has given them to me.” The Hebrew word used here means God “plucked” the animals from Laban’s control. God delivered Jacob from harm and provided for his family.
Jacob learned a vital lesson. His security did not rest in his own plans. It rested in the Lord. After twenty years of hardship and deception, Jacob returned to Canaan as a changed man. He saw that God’s faithfulness always overcomes human schemes. The patriarchs often failed, but God’s promises never failed.
When we face people who may treat us unfairly, we might be tempted to rely on our own strategies or cleverness, but God calls us to trust Him instead. He sees every injustice and knows every scheme. We must wait for His direction and follow His guidance. God’s justice is perfect, and His provision is complete. When we face our own “Labans,” we pray for God’s intervention and for true success.