Joseph's brothers repeat the hatred and murderous anger they displayed against Hamor and his son Shechem, in the same area where the mass murder of all the men of the city took place. But their envy and jealousy could not kill the dream of God, and God works out this evil to strategically place Joseph in Egypt to later save the lineage through which our Savior and Messiah would come. God's good plans are stronger than men's evil plots.

The genealogy of Esau–the Edomite or ‘red’ one–is charged with rancor, hatred, and cruelty against the lineage of Jacob. Jealousy and bitterness dominate their behavior against the Israelites through history, blocking their passage through their land during the exodus their Israelites from Egypt and betraying them to the Babylonians during the fall of Jerusalem. A glimmer of hope can be seen through the rise of a ruler by the name of Jobab–who could be the Biblical Job from the book of Job, the most righteous man alive on earth at the time. Hatred can be broken off our heritage, but we must commit to renounce hatred against our relatives no matter what they have done.

After feeling ruined by the decision of his sons to kill every man at Shechem as vengeance for the raping of their sister Dinah, Jacob is directed by God to return to Bethel and remember the one who called Him when he was running from his brother Esau. This is a moment of renewal, of casting down all idols and resuming Godly authority in his household. God reveals Himself to him again and reinforces his new identity, not as Jacob the deceiver but as Israel, the one for whom God fights!

Jacob has never confronted the pagan idols in his home, causing the family to be out of touch with the Lord. This impairs their judgment and causes them to make dumb decisions that lead to catastrophic consequences, such as the raping of Dinah by the local prince of Canaan and the mass murder of all males in Shechem by the sons of Jacob. Living away from Bethel–the house of God–as God intended, has brought disastrous effects to the entire family.

Jacob lowers his guard in a season of peace and calm from the Lord. He takes it easy and makes a devastating decision to build a house for himself in Succoth when God called him to build an altar in Bethel. This led to the raping of his daughter in chapter 34 which triggered a series of violent events that bring a new level of tension and danger to the household of the patriarch. Beware of seasons of peace lest you begin to walk in your own understanding and not the Lord’s guidance.

Jacob faces the struggle of his life as he is terrified about the possibility of being him and his entire household being murdered by Esau, as a result of something he did 20 years ago. His past is catching up with him; he now needs to decide whether to believe the future God said He would have or the future his eyes are telling him will have. He wrestles God and wins through surrender. He is blessed by seeing the face of God so he can face his past and embrace his future.

God has enrolled Jacob on a full scholarship to Laban’s character university. He wants to deepen his character to prepare him for the next chapter of his life. This was not a 4 year bachelor's in science program or a two-year master’s degree, but a 20-year heart-wrenching test that exposed Jacob’s flaws and refined him to become an honest man, a weighty man who would lead the charge for the 12 tribes of Israel.

A pregnancy tournament in the bedroom and a cheating spree in the workplace. This is Laban’s family’s dysfunction in full disclosure for the world to see, the fruit of an incomplete devotion to the one true God. Worshipers of Teraphim–Laban and his daughters fall prey of envy, jealousy and cheating, the result of having your value and worth linked to what you don’t have or fear losing to someone else. Yet we see Jacob’s dawn of character as he begins to submit to the supernatural guidance of God for His increase, and not his human effort.

Chapter 26 is a blockbuster movie saga. Romance at the well, hard work to pay for the bride, a master switcharoo pulled on Jacob by his uncle Laban, and finally the destitute and unwanted Leah–the one without sparkle in her eye is chosen by God to deliver Levi and Judah into the world, the pillars of the Old and New Covenant. Only God can forge destiny from the destitute!

Jacob’s place of hopelessness, barrenness and distress becomes a sacred altar of praise to God. Every promise comes with a process that prunes and prepares us to receive God’s blessing. He may give us a rock for a pillow and a desert for our bed, but in these uncomfortable places God does His best work to upgrade our character and promote His plan. Your misery moment in God’s hands becomes a holy moment.