Over several chapters in the book of Genesis we see some ironic repetitions. There is an old saying that tells us, “What goes around comes around,” meaning that a person’s actions usually have consequences for that person. Consider how things “come full circle” for these people:
Abraham lies to Abimelech, telling him Sarah is his sister rather than his wife.
Abraham’s son Isaac lies to (possibly the same) Abimelech, telling him Rebekah is his sister rather than his wife.
Jacob deceived his father Isaac in order to get a blessing.
Jacob was deceived by his uncle Laban, who gave him Leah instead of Rachel.
Rachel sent Bilhah to Jacob to make Leah jealous.
Leah sent Zilpah to Jacob to make Rachel jealous.
Jacob used a coat and a slaughtered animal to trick his father into believing he was Esau.
Jacob’s sons used a coat and a slaughtered animal to trick him into believing Joseph was dead.
There is so much childishness in these chapters, and we cringe when reading them. We need to make sure we learn from their many mistakes. Think about the negative consequences for what they did:
Both Abraham and Isaac were scolded and shamed by Abimelech. Rebekah helped Jacob deceive Isaac because Jacob was her favorite son, but he had to run for his life and she never saw her favorite son again. Jacob got the blessing he wanted, but spent the next 20 years hiding so that Esau wouldn’t kill him.
Laban tricked Jacob to marry off Leah, and he trapped his daughter in a loveless marriage where she always felt inadequate. The sisters made each other jealous, and no one had a happy home. Jacob later thought Joseph was killed by an animal, and spent most of the rest of his life mourning his son, who had been sold into slavery.
What goes around comes around. Or as Galatians 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.”
May we learn from the ironic fate of those in the book of Genesis, and avoid the consequences of foolish actions.
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