As I have written. In the beginning the world was created and it was good. No use of the word JOY until Genesis 31:27, "Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn't you tell me, so I could send you away with JOY and singing to the music of timbrels and harps?
Laban and Jacob, two leaders who want control of their lives. Laban gives two of his daughters to Jacob in marriage. The first was trickery, as Jacob worked seven years to marry Rachel, yet the father, Laban, gives him Leah (Jacob agreed to for Rachel). In fact Jacob did a Hallmark move, he served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her. (What a line from a Hallmark movie). Even though tricked he works another seven years to marry the love of his life, Rachel. On the story goes with Jacob giving up twenty years of his life, full of trickery and all sorts of abuse and lies, God steps in and increase Jacob's skill to obtain wealth, enough for him to go off and start anew with his wives, children, maidservants and menservants, and camels and donkeys.
Then the Lord said to Jacob, "Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you. Genesis 31:3" Truth and confidence in the Lord, God commands, Jacob and his wives agree they must leave. Unity! God ordained order. God's strength, JOY! Jacob's wisdom from the Lord allows him to not let emotion guide him into this decision to leave without a good-bye, but the Lord His God was enough. Heaven Reigns! Enough! A command is a command and Jacob heard and listened.
Laban races after Jacob and family for three days and the Lord appears to him, "Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad. Genesis 31:24" This wasn't Laban's God yet he heeded this advice. Whether he was serious he catches up to the family and states he would have thrown a party filled with JOY!
In the end God does bring Laban and Jacob to a covenant of separation of peace. God did this, He worked it out! JOY!
When I started out writing about the first time JOY appeared in the bible, I didn't know what to expect, but here is what I learned through this story, and it brings me such JOY! God was present through the Abrahamic covenant, the promise of a nation out of his blood line, God watched over Jacob, God gave him strength to work twenty years under abusive situations, God grew him in wisdom enough so that Jacob developed ears to hear. This ability gave him skill to tend to flock (grow strong goats and lambs), and finally to know when to leave. God took the emotion out and replaced it with truth, honor, valor and finally a sense of JOY that gave Jacob the strength to leave.
Jesus is with you and I today, if we have taken the important step to regard the relationship of Jesus Christ sacred and JOY filled life giving.
This is a life situation that could happen today, someone working for a father-in-law in a company or job setting, with cheating, being lied to, deception, abuse. So we can pay attention and learn.
This story expresses what I have been hearing and seeing with my own eyes and ears, God will provide, move in the Spirit and not in the flesh. What comes of that holy obedience! JOY! God's JOY!
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