so what moral lesson can be learned from the story of jacob in genesis?

Question

is there any sort of morality that can be learned from the story of jacob? apparently, the guy has two wives who are both sisters. one of them can't bear children so she gives up her handmaid to jacob to produce children. i'm trying to find what sort of moral message is being taught here. i mean, we know adultery is against what god wants yet, it almost seems as if it is ordained by god that rachel must give jacob her handmaid because she is incapable of bearing children. any clue on what the message here is?

Answer 1

The moral lesson is that double standards are acceptable, as long as you qualify it by stating that it was God approved.

Christians have wrongly attributed the Bible as the text from which all of our modern moral sensibilities stem from. If they are going to make this false assertion, they should at least be honest and also state that the Bible also originates the double standard as well, and nowhere is this better illustrated than in Jacob’s case.

Things that are permissible for God’s chosen prophets are strictly forbidden to anyone else. You are correct that Jacob’s actions are adulterous by any account. Abraham consorting with a concubine, to produce a son, when his wife Sarah could not grant him an heir, was also an act of infidelity. I guess the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. We can create a list a mile long of the various ways in which a different set of standards is applied to God’s prophets as opposed to the more stringent rules that govern the rank and file believer.

It is of course natural for the prophets of God to take advantage of a double standard, after all, they are merely following the example of their God. God prohibits murder, but then partakes in murder copiously. God denounces the enslavement of his own people, but sanctions his people to enslave others. God outlaws stealing in the Ten Commandments, but then orders his chosen people to steal the “Promised Land” from others. God, in the form of Jesus, advocates turning the other cheek, but in Revelations he is predicated to come down from heaven as a vindictive creature, as bloodthirsty as his Old Testament incarnation, but worse because he will condemn you to eternal hellfire.

It is no wonder so many Christian ministers are duplicitous, in effect admonishing their flock not to partake in immorality, and yet behaving more reprobate than most of them can imagine. In their hypocritical ways, I guess men like Ted Haggard, Jimmy Swaggart, Paul Crouch, Pat Robertson, and the late Jerry Falwell are acting in complete harmony with God, Jesus, and the prophets they so adore.

Answer 2

The moral of the story of Jacob is found in Genesis 28:14 "Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth! They will cover the land from east to west from north to south. ll the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants. What s more, I will be with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. I will someday bring you safely back to this land. I will be with you constantly until I have finished giving you everything I have promised. "

God s covenant with Jacob is the key to his whole life, despite all he does to get and live out his blessings, what matters most is that his lineage is where our history dates back to. When God predestines and ordains something it happens according to his plan, and God never breaks his covenant promises, so it is with all us, you and me, we can always believe and trust the promises he has made us. The moral is God has a destiny for everyone

There are other great lessons also in the stories of the women, especially Genesis 30:2 when Jacob tells Rachel that God" is the only one able to give you children". God has predestined everyone for wonderful things.

Answer 3

Yes it's a lesson on contentment. Jacob's name meant "deceiver" before his name was changed by God later, when he wrestled with an angel and prevailed. Laban deceived him as he thought he was working for Rachel, Not Leah ......Laban put Leah in the brideclothes (she was not as attractive) then got more years of Labor out of Jacob for Rachel. Rachel could not bear children. she insisted he "sleep with the handmaiden" to bear her a child (not God's will) then she demanded of God she have a child (apparently not God's will) and she died in Childbirth.......so I'm thinking the whole thing has lessons on "being content with what you have" woven through the whole thing. Many people even Christians can "GET" what they want standing in Faith or pushing their own will but in the end it will not prosper. No wonder Jesus instructed us to pray "thy will be done". :) As for the "Adultery" .....it was common for men to take more than one woman as a wife at the time and I think God overlooked it because he is a God of love and knew women were vulnerable and unprotected without a husband back then. And the Women outnumbered the men. Truly it would not be love to insist at that time they remain unmarried. God knows multiple wives causes Jealousy and Pain, he loves people and wants what is best for them always. The People are always more important to him than his laws. Jesus taught us that when he came to Earth to represent the Father and Clear things up for the Pharisees.

Answer 4

The account of Jacob and Esau has alot of symbolizm thats typtifies that Jewish/Gentile relationship with God. Jacob cherished the blessing and birthright so much so that he was willing to decieve for it. Esau had no such regard and loathed his birthright enough to exchange it for something to satisfy his appitite. It symbolizes how the Isrealites, time and again, exchanged their own God for the ones of Idolotry so that in eventuality the blessing of being the first born would pass to the gentiles..at least for a time. Jacob with regard to Rachel and Leah shows yet another relationship in that God is willing to forebear with us in order to get the "bride" that he loves and the "bride" he loves more. Jacobs struggle with God in the desert is significant because it also shows that He was willing to do whatever it took to recieve that blessing. And he was blessed...blessed with 12 sons by two wives and a handmade. Reuben,Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin,Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher: These became the 12 tribes of Israel.

Answer 5

A lot of prominent Bible characters did not live actually the way God had designed for them. All kind of trouble resulted from that. Like the same kind of thing happened to Abraham too. They could not wait for God to keep His promise and Sarah asked Abraham to have a child with her servant. Oh boy, and since then on there has been a lot of trouble because of this bad decision.

Answer 6

The life of Jacob is an example of early sin (deception), consequences of sin, followed by repentance, forgiveness and redemption based on Jacob committing to follow God (and obey Him).

Cordially,
John
http://www.GodSci.org

Answer 7

We have to realize that is in the OldTestament so much has changed, WE must follow the New Testament now since Jesus Christ has come, we must not try to read something out of Gods Word that simply you cannot understand if your eyes are not open, you cannot look at Gods Word through Wordly eyes, you simply will not understand.

Answer 8

The only one I know of is Jacob reaped what he sowed by deceiving his father of Esau's blessings .So he got deceived by Leah's father

Answer 9

tell the whole stiry not just the part that sounds the worst! Then you can see how God can save even a worm such as I and yourself

Answer 10

I've wondered to. He tricked his dad and all.

It could be that the person who wants to continue tradition should be rewarded rather than someone who leaves behind everything. talking about his brother.