LastCall: WHY GOD CRIPPLES (pt2) -Chuck Smith
WHY GOD CRIPPLES (pt2)
In the story of Jacob, God not only inflicts pain, but actually cripples a man He loves.
People often ask why God allows a person to be permanently crippled. In order to fully
understand this, we need to take a closer look at Jacob’s story. Look first at Jacob himself. His name means Heel-catcher in Hebrew. He was the second-born of a set of twins.
Because he took hold of his brother’s heel just after he emerged from the womb, his parents called him “Heelcatcher.” This later came to mean supplanter, or “one who overtakes someone by catching his heel.” And that, surely, was the story of Jacob’s life.
He was a shrewd, cunning man who had no qualms about cleverly taking advantage of any situation. Jacob was the kind of fellow no one liked to do business with, because he always managed to give everyone else the short end of any deal.
If he met someone in the desert, dehydrated and dying of thirst, he was the type of person who would be happy to give him a drink from his canteen…for a price, of course!
Look at his relationship with his older brother Esau, who had the birthright. Jacob wanted his brother’s birthright and watched for an opportunity to get it. He waited until a day when his brother Esau had been out hunting, and had come home famished and weary.
Jacob was cooking a stew and Esau smelled the delicious aroma of the stew and asked Jacob to give some of it to him. Jacob said that he could certainly have a bowl of stew, if he would trade his birthright for it.
Esau was hungry and tired and so he agreed to trade his birthright for just a bowl of stew.
That’s the kind of person Jacob was: a supplanter.
He took full advantage of his brother’s weakened condition and got the birthright in an unfair trade.
Jacob finally fled his home, fearing Esau’s wrath for taking the birthright and the blessing away from him. He traveled to the home of his uncle Laban in Haran. He fell in love with his cousin Rachel and wanted to marry her but he lacked the money for a dowry.
When Laban asked Jacob what he’d like to receive as wages for his labor, Jacob offered to work for seven years to earn the chance to marry Rachel.
Uncle Laban okayed this plan, and it seemed that Jacob was finally settling down, and turning from his devious, scheming ways.
But Jacob had not counted on the craftiness of Laban, who proved to be just as conniving as Jacob had ever been.
Jacob worked diligently for the seven years of their agreement.
The day of the wedding came and there was a great feast of celebration that lasted far into the night. It was dark when Jacob went to his tent, saw his veiled bride, and consummated his marriage.
In the morning, when he turned to gaze at his beautiful wife Rachel, he saw that
Laban had substituted Leah, Rachel’s older, ugly sister in her place.
Jacob stormed from the tent and questioned his uncle, angrily demanding to know what had happened. He had served for Rachel and received Leah, and he was very upset.
His uncle explained that the custom of the land dictated that a younger sister cannot marry until her older sister is wed. He told Jacob to work for another seven years, then he could marry Rachel too.
Jacob served the next seven years, married Rachel and stayed on with Laban because the uncle found that God had blessed him with Jacob’s services. They established a regular
wage for Jacob, but within about six years, Jacob had gained greater and stronger flocks than his uncle.
(Continued)
Devotions with Emotion
Fair Use Notice
In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work herein is archived under fair use without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in reviewing the included information for personal use, non-profit research and educational purposes only.
‘Your Devotion with Emotion’
This material was brought to you by Broadcast(B.C.)Christianity. Last Call Digest, is a ministry of Michael James Stone, volunteers, and people dedicated to the Love of God and Salvation of Souls. It is an aggragate of Christian Material selected to Bless you and Prepare you for each and every day you read them. May God Bless You as You Do!! Reading these Devotions will help you to prepare daily for life, living, and your Lord. You will hear God Speak To You thru them.
Jesus is Coming Very Soon.
“the simple format”
Broadcast(B.C.)Christianity, operates by you, with you, and for you. “Freely you have received, freely give” Pass this on, everywhere you can, anytime you can, anyway you can. You will be blessed if you do. mrnetbizness@gmail.com
Last Days of the Last Generation “Last Generation”
The simple format “the prophecy site just about prophecy”
Broadcast(B.C.)Christianity Journalist
This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner.
The material is being made available in an effort to understand scripture, news, technology and society especially as it relates to God and Jesus. It is specifically for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. This is a completely non-commercial site for private personal use. No fee is charged, and no money is made off of the operation of this site. Nor is any implied reciprocal gratuities implied or construed.
