Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries
Strong impressions are made by the eye.
Wednesday, August 14, 2002
1. Laban shows his own selfish, crafty nature as well as his distrust of Jacob, when, without letting Jacob know, Laban took out all the goats that would have belonged to Jacob and put them in the care of his sons.
2. He showed further distrust by putting a distance of three days journey between his sons and Jacob.
3. Jacob fails when Labans actions of mistrust came to light; then Jacob resorted to tricky devices in order to be assured of success.
4. It was a proven fact in the ancient world that whenever flocks are mating whatever gets their attention in copulation determines the color of their young.
5. It was also believed that water treated by certain trees served as an aphrodisiac and promoted sexual intercourse among the cattle.
6. He made the flocks face toward the striped and black ones because lambs especially are susceptible to things seen at the time of copulation or during the period of gestation; the effects of such sight are passed on to the offspring.
7. Strong impressions are made by the eye.
JOB 31:1 “I have made a covenant with my eyes; How then could I gaze at a virgin?”
JOB 31:7 If my step has turned from the way, Or my heart followed my eyes,
PRO 4:25 Let your eyes look directly ahead, And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.
If there is something that is enticing to you, do not even look at it.
A. The pupil of the eye is an anthropomorphism used to describe Gods love and protection for His people especially Israel.
B. The pupil of the eye is analogous to the wall of fire around Israel. ZEC 2:5 “For I,” declares the Lord, “will be a wall of fire around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.”
C. The pupil of the eye passages emphasize the fact that anti-Semitism will be punished by God, and kindness to the Jew will result in blessing from God, DEU 32:9-10.
PSA 17:8 Keep me as the apple of the eye; Hide me in the shadow of Thy wings,
PRO 7:2 “Keep my commandments and live, and my doctrine as the pupil of your eye.”
ZEC 2:8 For thus says the Lord of the Armies, “After the glory He has Me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the pupil of My eye.”
The laws of heredity were unknown until the Austrian scientist, Gregor Mendel, made his experiments in the latter part of the nineteenth century.
Jacob did not receive all the spotted, speckled, and striped; he could only received what Laban said; thats why he kept changing his wages ten times.
God did not need Jacobs help just like God does not need your help.
God did not need Jacobs scheming just like God does not need your or my scheming.
God did not need Jacob to get even just like God does not need you to get even with someone who has wronged you.
God did not need Jacobs little plots and plans just like God does not need your little plots and plans.
What Laban had done to Jacob in cheating him had not escaped Gods notice.
1CO 6:7 Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?
PRO 20:22 Do not say, “I will repay evil”; Wait for the Lord, and He will deliver you.
1TH 5:15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil,
Robert R. McLaughlin All Rights Reserved 2002