If you have studied the Bible, you know the story of Jacob—how he and his mother, Rebekah, deceived his father, Isaac, into giving him the blessing that should have gone to his twin brother, Esau. To save his life, Jacob was sent away to live with his mother’s brother, Laban. Soon after his arrival in Haran, Jacob fell deeply in love with Rachel. After pledging to work seven years for her hand in marriage, Jacob was deceived by Laban, who replaced Rachel at the marriage ceremony with her veiled older sister, Leah. A devastated and disappointed Jacob promised to work an additional seven years in order to marry Rachel.
Although Jacob had played a role in deceiving his nearly blind father, he was still a descendant of a line of godly men Abraham and Isaac—righteous men of honesty and principle. After Jacob had spent a week’s honeymoon with Leah, Laban allowed him to marry Rachel and then serve his seven-year commitment. In seven days, Jacob went from being an enthralled young man enraptured by his beautiful younger cousin to being an overworked, underpaid husband of not one but two wives.
Over the ensuing seven years, Jehovah blessed Jacob with eleven sons and one lone daughter. Laban, too, received the blessings of God and became a very wealthy man because of his son-in-law’s integrity and righteousness. At any time, Jacob could have stealthily gathered Rachel and her two sons, abandoned the covenant he had made based on Laban’s deception with Leah, and could have run from his father-in-law’s demands. Instead, Jacob chose the way of integrity.
Jacob had made his peace with Jehovah, learned a very valuable lesson about deception, and had determined to live a righteous life. He served with honor for seventeen long years before asking Laban to release him and allow him to return home. Jacob became a very wealthy man, despite Laban’s repeated attempts to cheat him (See Genesis 30:9–43). Perhaps it was this story of his ancestors that caused Solomon to write in Proverbs 20:7: “The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him.”
“The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him.”
Proverbs 20:7
Because of his uprightness, Jacob left the home of his father-in-law—not only with his wives and children but with God-given favor with man. That favor would extend to his first meeting with his brother, Esau, since leaving home in disgrace (see Genesis 32). Jacob would again reap favor with man because of his dedication to Jehovah God. Never underestimate God’s abundant blessings and man’s favor bestowed on those who continue to live a righteousness life.
