Revenge movies are a genre that seems quite popular with the general, American population: Taken, The Count of Montecristo, Gran Torino, True Grit, Gladiator, Man On Fire, and I'm sure you could name more. We seem to enjoy seeing the bad guy get what's coming to him.
Genesis 29, gives us that kind of satisfaction.
In this chapter, Jacob comes to the end of his 500-mile journey and arrives in the land of Haran. He comes to a well with a large stone over it. A beautiful shepherdess arrives with her father's sheep. Her name is Rachel and her father is Jacob's mother's brother, Laban. Jacob is overtaken with his good fortune and introduces himself. He rolled the stone away from the well and watered his uncle's sheep.
Rachel ran to tell her father the good news and he came to warmly greet Jacob. After a month of Laban's hospitality, they strike a deal. Jacob will work for Laban for seven years; in return, he'll be allowed to marry Rachel.
So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her. [29:20]
Laban prepared a feast of marriage and that evening,
...he took his daughter, Leah and gave her to Jacob, and Jacob lay with her...When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, 'What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn't I? Why have you deceived me? [29:23,25]
There it is! The moment we've been waiting for. The deceiver is deceived! Justice is served. Jacob got what was coming to him. Ahhhh - how sweet it is!
Laban explains to Jacob that it is not the custom of his people to marry the younger daughter before the older. He tells Jacob to fulfill the marriage week with Leah and THEN he can have Rachel as his wife. BUT, he must agree to work for Laban for another seven years! This is the point in the movie where the audience is in the aisles high-fiving one another!
____________________________________________
God ALWAYS evens the scales! He is a just God! He may not do it in the way we desire or according to our time-frame, but He does do it!
In the last chapter of Job, we see that Job got back twice what he had earlier lost.
After a horribly painful and humiliating death on a cross - there was a magnificent resurrection!
Paul suffered innumerable sufferings [II Corinthians 11:21-30], but he was also given a tour of Heaven while still alive on this earth that no one else (except perhaps John) has seen [II Corinthians 12:2-4].
Listen, if you have suffered - and I know many of you have - keep trusting Jesus and He will balance the scales and see you through! Don't abandon your faith! Your faith in Him is the key that unlocks His promise of deliverance!
In her classic novel, Hinds' Feet On High Places, Hannah Hurhard persistently reminds us that God will come to us in a moment's notice when we are in trouble [If you haven't read this classic - you might want to].
Pour out your heart to Him in your grief, pain and injustice. This just God NEVER LEAVES YOUR SIDE!
No comments:
Post a Comment