Speaker 1: Previously on the Chosen people.
Speaker 2: I'll serve you for seven more years. That should be
Speaker 2: more than enough for your youngest daughter, Rachel's and in marriage.
Speaker 3: Oh yes, well, I suppose it's better I give her
Speaker 3: to you. A kinsman and another dog from another clan
Speaker 3: wanted to swap rocks and land. You have yourself a deal.
Speaker 1: It had been seven years since his agreement with Larbon.
Speaker 1: He had worked tirelessly, expanding Larbin's flocks sevenfold.
Speaker 2: Leah, what are you doing here?
Speaker 4: I was with you last night, Jacob. Don't you remember
Speaker 4: that treacherous snake They betricked me?
Speaker 3: Jacob, Jacob, you know better. I knew you wouldn't take
Speaker 3: Lee I for a bride price of seven years. I
Speaker 3: did what I had to do. This way, I get
Speaker 3: to marry off my eldest daughter, and you worked my
Speaker 3: fields for far more years than she's war It's a
Speaker 3: win win. Well by that, of course, I mean that
Speaker 3: I win twice.
Speaker 1: Jacob sobered immediately. He understood who he was dealing with.
Speaker 1: Now they were cut from the same cloth. The trickster
Speaker 1: had been tricked. Jacob was angry, but he couldn't avoid
Speaker 1: the irony. Jacob expanded his lineage larger than his forefathers
Speaker 1: could ever imagine eleven sons to bear the promise given
Speaker 1: to Abraham and Isaac. Yet the house of Jacob had
Speaker 1: a foundation built on pettiness, favoritism, and jealousy. Jacob did
Speaker 1: nothing to thwart the coiling weeds of discord choking out
Speaker 1: the life of his wives and children.
Speaker 5: A shepherd in Biblical pastors, He's trying to make life
Speaker 5: for himself despite his flaws and because of his faith.
Speaker 5: His story is the story of us. All shallo, my
Speaker 5: friends from here in the holy Land of Israel i'm
Speaker 5: l Extein with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.
Speaker 5: Welcome to the Chosen People. Each day we'll hear a
Speaker 5: dramatic story inspired by the Bible, stories filled with timeless
Speaker 5: lessons of faith, love, and the meaning of life. Through
Speaker 5: Israel's story, we find this truth that we are all
Speaker 5: chosen for something great. Let's begin. Jacob is a flawed
Speaker 5: man who strives, and he is faithful man who is chosen.
Speaker 5: In Jacob's life, we find a labrinth of choices, each
Speaker 5: one's still echoing through the ages. Let's dive into this
Speaker 5: dramatic story inspired by Genesis thirty twenty five to thirty one.
Speaker 1: Jacob reclined at the table opposite Larban. His father in
Speaker 1: law's voice nearly shook the earth when he spoke. Jacob
Speaker 1: could feel the base of Laban's laughter deep in his chest.
Speaker 1: At first, Laban's charisma was charming to Jacob, but over
Speaker 1: the years and four wives later, Jacob grew tired of
Speaker 1: the show. Larban took up too much space for Jacob
Speaker 1: to truly grow. He longed to be in the land
Speaker 1: of his forefathers and to seize the birthright he won
Speaker 1: from Esau. Leaving Haroon wouldn't be easy. Larban had a
Speaker 1: tight grip on his daughter's even after Jacob had married them. Furthermore,
Speaker 1: Larban's wealth had increased nearly tenfold since Jacob arrived. Larban
Speaker 1: considered him something of a good luck charm. Jacob had
Speaker 1: to be discreet and clever if he was to leave peacefully.
Speaker 3: Jacob, tomorrow, I'd like you to take the flocks past
Speaker 3: the western hills. We have guests coming to Grays from
Speaker 3: the east, and I prefer not to confuse our sheep
Speaker 3: with theirs.
Speaker 2: That sounds reasonable, I'll have the shepherd boys prepare first
Speaker 2: thing in the morning.
Speaker 3: Ah, excellent, my dear boy. Now tell me how are
Speaker 3: my sweet daughters and grandchild?
Speaker 2: Chaotic and unpredictable? As usual?
Speaker 1: Jacob shrugged. His household was overflowing with tears, broken bones,
Speaker 1: and spilled milk. His twelve children, mostly boys, were all
Speaker 1: under eighteen. The boys fought with their fists, the wives
Speaker 1: fought with their tongues, and his sweet daughter Dinah would
Speaker 1: rarely cease crying because of it all. It was a
Speaker 1: messy life, but it was Jacob's life. Nonetheless, in the
Speaker 1: back of his mind, Jacob blamed Laban for all of it.
Speaker 1: All he had wanted was to marry Rachel, enjoy a
Speaker 1: few years of peace, then returned to Canaan. But Larban's
Speaker 1: tricks created a domino effect of backbiting chaos and an
Speaker 1: endless flow of children. Jacob now had wealth, four wives,
Speaker 1: and twelve children, but no actual property to sustain it. All,
Speaker 1: all orchestrated by jolly old Laban, his dear father in law.
Speaker 3: You should thank me for having so many sons. Without
Speaker 3: our little agreement with Leah, you'd only have one son
Speaker 3: to your name. Look at how blessed you are now.
Speaker 2: Yes, blessed. Indeed, speaking of which, Laban, I have something
Speaker 2: I want to discuss.
Speaker 1: Larban leaned back and sipped his cup. His eyes arrowed
Speaker 1: and his wide smile shrank into a slight smirk.
Speaker 2: I'd like to return home to my home country. Allow
Speaker 2: me to leave with my wives and children. I've served
Speaker 2: you the full fourteen years of our arrangement, and then
Speaker 2: more to build enough of my own wealth here. Now
Speaker 2: that Rachel has borne a child, I feel this season
Speaker 2: of our lives has ended.
Speaker 1: Larban drew a long, deep breath and pondered. Jacob studied
Speaker 1: his eyes. Laban rarely betrayed his inner thoughts, but Jacob
Speaker 1: had become adept at reading him. Jacob knew that Larban
Speaker 1: was calculating the loss. The big man leaned forward, calp
Speaker 1: twirling in hand.
Speaker 3: In the past twenty years, my live stock has increased,
Speaker 3: my family's wealth has double, and the land has been
Speaker 3: rich with crops ha It almost seems too good to
Speaker 3: be true. So I found some gods. I sought to
Speaker 3: know the answer through divination. A seer revealed the answer
Speaker 3: to me in the dark sands and bone.
Speaker 2: And what did this divination reveal to you?
Speaker 3: That your God has blessed me because of your presence.
Speaker 3: All I have gained in these past two decades are
Speaker 3: because of you, My dear Laban.
Speaker 2: You didn't need the occult to show you such things.
Speaker 2: That was the blessing given to my grandfather Abraham. Whoever
Speaker 2: blesses me will be blessed.
Speaker 3: Indeed, it's true. So, dear Jacob, because I owe you
Speaker 3: a debt of gratitude, name your wages and I will
Speaker 3: get it.
Speaker 1: Was it that easy? Jacob wondered at Labin for a moment.
Speaker 1: It was in his nature to be agreeable at first
Speaker 1: and then dastardly in the margins between promises made and
Speaker 1: promises kept. Jacob needed to be sent off with his
Speaker 1: family as peacefully as possible.
Speaker 2: You know, I've put the most effort into your lifestyle.
Speaker 2: You only had a little before I came, but it's
Speaker 2: increased tenfold since then. All I ask is that you
Speaker 2: provide me with enough for my household to start.
Speaker 3: So what's I give you?
Speaker 2: You don't need to give me anything. I will pass
Speaker 2: to your flock and remove all the blemished ones from
Speaker 2: the herd. I'll take the spotted sheep that with the
Speaker 2: black lambs and the speckled ghosts. They'll be my wages.
Speaker 2: This serves you in two ways. First, you'll know I'm
Speaker 2: dealing honestly with you, since the animals will be easy
Speaker 2: to identify. Second, you'll have purer herds left for you
Speaker 2: when I leave. It'll increase the value of your herd tremendously.
Speaker 3: Ah, yes, this is good. Let it be as you
Speaker 3: have said.
Speaker 1: Larbin reached out his arm and linked it with Jacob's.
Speaker 1: Jacob hid his smile. Larban wrongly assumed that the trick
Speaker 1: with Leo was water under the bridge. It wasn't, and
Speaker 1: Jacob was determined to remind Larviin who the real trickster was.
Speaker 1: Larbin removed all the black, blemished, spotted, and striped livestock
Speaker 1: from his flocks. He counted each of them, insuring none
Speaker 1: were left unaccounted for. He then put them in the
Speaker 1: care of his sons while Jacob led Larban's herd for
Speaker 1: one final graze. He left a three days journey between
Speaker 1: himself and Larban, ensuring there was no chance for the
Speaker 1: flocks to intermingle. Reuben, Simeon, and Levi were with Jacob
Speaker 1: padding behind him like pups. Jacob led them to a
Speaker 1: far off pasture beside a dense forest.
Speaker 2: Boys, I want you to go into the forest and
Speaker 2: retrieve some branches for me. I need fresh sticks from poplar,
Speaker 2: almond and plane trees.
Speaker 1: The boys did as they were told, running deep into
Speaker 1: the forest, tripping each other along the way. They returned
Speaker 1: with the branches. Jacob observed them, nodded in approval, and
Speaker 1: began breaking them into smaller pieces.
Speaker 2: Your grandfather, Layban has been close to this city for
Speaker 2: too long. He's forgotten some of the finer art and husbandry.
Speaker 2: It isn't just about keeping the sheep safe and fed.
Speaker 2: You must be intentional without them bread. You need to
Speaker 2: understand when they're in heat, how they choose mates, and
Speaker 2: what makes them fertile.
Speaker 1: As Jacob explained these things, he tossed the branches into
Speaker 1: the sheep's watering trough.
Speaker 2: I've spent years preparing every sheep in Layban's flock. I
Speaker 2: know which traits skip generations, and how to make certain
Speaker 2: sheep breed with those hidden traits. Soon, this flock will
Speaker 2: multiply with spotted, freckled, and striped sheep, all for us
Speaker 2: to take back home. Currently, our flock back at camp
Speaker 2: is half the size of Layban's. By the time we leave,
Speaker 2: it'll be double.
Speaker 1: The sheep came to drink, and a satisfied grin curled
Speaker 1: on Jacob's face.
Speaker 2: Another thing Laban does not realize is that I have
Speaker 2: the favor of God passed down to me from my
Speaker 2: father and his father. He revealed this plan to me
Speaker 2: in a dream. God's guidance and man's diligence. This is
Speaker 2: the way of our people. Watch and learn myself, Uns
Speaker 2: when we returned to Canaan, you'll need to know all
Speaker 2: these things. Here he's a snake in the grass.
Speaker 3: Jacob's been taking from our father, right under our noses.
Speaker 1: Jacob leaned against the low walls separating him from Lavian's men.
Speaker 1: They were young and fiery, worried that Jacob's increased wealth
Speaker 1: was due to theft.
Speaker 2: I haven't stolen anything. It's Laban's foolishness that's caught him
Speaker 2: into trouble. I can't have the hatred boiling until it's
Speaker 2: too late. It's time to leave now.
Speaker 1: Then everything narrowed, The sounds of the people muted, and
Speaker 1: the smells of fire and filled pots disappeared. Everything was
Speaker 1: silent still. Then in the deep chambers of Jacob's heart.
Speaker 1: The voice of his god echoed, Return to the land
Speaker 1: of your father's and your kin, go, for I will
Speaker 1: be with you. All Jacob's senses returned. Jacob stealed his
Speaker 1: will and slipped back to his camp, unnoticed by Lavin's men.
Speaker 1: He gathered Rachel and Leah to himself, pacing back and
Speaker 1: forth as he worked up the courage to speak.
Speaker 2: Ever since I told your father about my intentions to leave,
Speaker 2: he's grown cold. I fear his men are fueling his
Speaker 2: eye toward me.
Speaker 6: He has grown quite agitated as of late.
Speaker 4: It may have something to do with all those sheep Jacob,
Speaker 4: You've provoked him.
Speaker 2: The god of my father has been with me. That
Speaker 2: is why our wealth has increased. While I am shrewd
Speaker 2: with my resources. Your father has exhausted his and spent
Speaker 2: frivolously Hu.
Speaker 6: He's spent a great deal of money on those shrines
Speaker 6: of his. They're his tools for divination. All of the
Speaker 6: inheritance that was owed to Leah and me was wasted
Speaker 6: on those silly statues.
Speaker 2: He's unhinged and unpredictable. You know, I've served your father
Speaker 2: with all my strength, yet he's cheated me ten times over.
Speaker 2: He's changed the terms of our agreement too many times
Speaker 2: to count. Each time I've ended up gaining more.
Speaker 4: How is that exactly? How have you outsmarted our father?
Speaker 2: I haven't out smarted him. God has. And now it's
Speaker 2: time we leave with the land he's promised to me.
Speaker 2: Will you go with me? Are we in this together?
Speaker 1: Leah and Rachel looked at each other. The situation demanded
Speaker 1: they agree for the first time in nearly two decades.
Speaker 1: Rachel and Leah exchange looks of understanding.
Speaker 6: There's nothing left for us here. Our father has regarded
Speaker 6: us as foreigners. He has left us nothing.
Speaker 4: Whatever you've gained is our gain. To whatever God asks
Speaker 4: you to do, we will follow.
Speaker 1: Jacob wanted to hug and kiss them both, but decided
Speaker 1: not to. There were moments when the strangeness of their
Speaker 1: situation dawned on him, and now was one of those moments.
Speaker 1: He shook the awkward feeling, then commanded some men to
Speaker 1: mount their camels. Leah and Rachel prepared the children, while
Speaker 1: Zilpah and Bellah gathered all their belongings. The clouds parted
Speaker 1: like curtains to give moonlight to Jacob's camp, Jacob hustled,
Speaker 1: collapsing every last tent and locking every last chest. Bags
Speaker 1: were loaded onto wagons, and camels were loaded with his
Speaker 1: children's belongings. Every child had a camel, all but Joseph
Speaker 1: tied securely to Rachael's chest. In the flurry of preparation,
Speaker 1: Rachel meandered into her father's room. He had been gone
Speaker 1: for the night for shearing. There, sitting atop a wooden
Speaker 1: shrine with the idols of divination, contempt for her father
Speaker 1: boiled deep within her. Those idols were a symbol of
Speaker 1: Laban's indifference towards his children and the vain cultish beliefs
Speaker 1: he'd become enslaved too. In defiance, Rachel swiped the idols
Speaker 1: from the altar and put them in her bag. With
Speaker 1: a torch in one hand and the reins of his
Speaker 1: camel in another, Jacob turned to his wives, children, servants,
Speaker 1: and men. Looking at all gathered in one place made
Speaker 1: him realize how vast his wealth had become. He had
Speaker 1: a loyal caravan of family and friends ready to follow
Speaker 1: him into the Negev.
Speaker 2: None of you have seen what I have seen. None
Speaker 2: of you know the riches of Canaan or the nectar
Speaker 2: of the Lamb. You've never met my father Eisen, nor
Speaker 2: have you heard of Abraham. But you've seen me. You've
Speaker 2: seen how my God has blessed me. Some of you
Speaker 2: know all too well that my God has blessed me
Speaker 2: despite my own foolishness and pride.
Speaker 1: Jacob stole a glance at his wives, who knew intimately
Speaker 1: Jacob's follies and failures. They had bore witness to his floors,
Speaker 1: but had seen God work despite them, which fueled their trust.
Speaker 2: My grandfather Abraham once left the comforts of these lands
Speaker 2: to Canaan. He embarked on an adventure into the unknown,
Speaker 2: beckoned by a faint promise whispered in stars and tonight,
Speaker 2: we've been given that same call to adventure. We're asked
Speaker 2: to leave this land and step into the unknown. Hear me, Claham, Jacob.
Speaker 2: Here is my declaration that God will be with us,
Speaker 2: just as he was with my father's Isaac and Abraham.
Speaker 1: The crowd erupted in cheers. Jacob raised his torch high
Speaker 1: into the air. Chills covered his body. He finally felt
Speaker 1: like a leader. He felt like he had the potential
Speaker 1: for greatness. He pulled at the reins of his camel
Speaker 1: and turned toward the Euphrates. His course was set toward
Speaker 1: the hill country of Gilead. Larban was only a day's
Speaker 1: journey behind Jacob, breathing threats of death into the cold
Speaker 1: as he galloped over the sands with a small army
Speaker 1: behind him.
Speaker 3: I'll have that trader's head. On a hike, he took
Speaker 3: my tarters, I will and my gods.
Speaker 1: His men were gaining on them, and settled for one
Speaker 1: more night in the desert.
Speaker 3: Tomorrow, I'll have my revenge.
Speaker 1: Larban fell asleep under the stars, head heavy on his pillow,
Speaker 1: fantasizing about driving a spear through Jacob's throat. However, in
Speaker 1: the dead of night, the god of Jacob appeared to
Speaker 1: Laban in a dream. Laban saw visions of Jacob and
Speaker 1: his grandchildren huddled in a circle, and Laban's men closed
Speaker 1: in with spears. Then the stars in the sky fell
Speaker 1: upon Laban, and a voice that sounded like thunder boomed.
Speaker 3: Be careful how you deal with Jacob. Mind your words,
Speaker 3: whether good or bad.
Speaker 1: Laban awoke in fright.
Speaker 3: It lay up and around him.
Speaker 1: It was only a dream, but Labin realized that harming
Speaker 1: Jacob would come at a great cost to him. Jacob
Speaker 1: woke in a panic. The braying of camels and the
Speaker 1: clamoring of men caused Jacob to leap out of his
Speaker 1: tent with his sword drawn. His men were awake as well,
Speaker 1: swords of the ready dawns. Candescent glare beamed behind the intruders,
Speaker 1: hiding their faces, but Jacob could see the glimmering of
Speaker 1: their spears. He squinted, straining to get a gauge on
Speaker 1: the situation, but everything became clear when he heard a
Speaker 1: shouting voice, Jacob, you.
Speaker 2: Ah lay been, keep your swords drawn.
Speaker 1: Laban dismounted his camel. His broad chest was puffed out
Speaker 1: in rage, he postured himself as he skulked forward. Jacob
Speaker 1: returned the posture, standing straight with his shoulders back. People
Speaker 1: rarely thought of Jacob as a large man, but he
Speaker 1: was a man of wit first, but when push came
Speaker 1: to shove, he'd fight. His grandfather had taught him that
Speaker 1: there were moments when you couldn't run, you had to
Speaker 1: face your enemy's head on. When Jacob was younger, he
Speaker 1: would have shifted his feet to flee, but now with
Speaker 1: his family behind him. Jacob readied himself.
Speaker 2: Leave Laban.
Speaker 3: Now, why have you done this to me? After all
Speaker 3: I have done for you? This is how you repay me.
Speaker 3: You've tricked me.
Speaker 2: It's no more than you deserve.
Speaker 3: Laban, you denied me a chance to kiss my daughters
Speaker 3: and grandchildren goodbye. I could have sent you away with
Speaker 3: songs and feasts. You were a fool to leave the
Speaker 3: way you did. It is my right to do your
Speaker 3: harm for what you've done.
Speaker 1: Laban stepped forward, and all of Jacob's men readied themselves.
Speaker 1: Jacob gripped his sword tightly and planted his feet and
Speaker 1: looked around. His brow was furrowed with a mixture of
Speaker 1: rage and heart.
Speaker 3: I should cure you, Jacob, but the god of your
Speaker 3: father spoke to me last night in a dream.
Speaker 2: She warned me not to harm you, so I won't.
Speaker 2: That's a wise choice.
Speaker 3: I understand why you fled the way you do, but
Speaker 3: why take my household? Gods, what are they to you?
Speaker 3: Why steal from me more than you already have.
Speaker 1: Jacob cocked his head to the side in confusion. He
Speaker 1: looked around, scanning the faces of his men. He turned
Speaker 1: back to Laban with a confused.
Speaker 2: Look, Laban, I fled because I was afraid you would
Speaker 2: take your daughter's back by folks. Judging by the spears
Speaker 2: pointed at me, it seems my fears were warranted. But
Speaker 2: as for your idols, I don't know what you're talking about.
Speaker 2: If any of my men have stolen your gods, their lives,
Speaker 2: are yours to take? Search all our tents.
Speaker 1: Rachel's eyes widened. The idols were in her pack, right
Speaker 1: underneath her. Larban stepped forward, face to face with Jacob,
Speaker 1: his nostrils flared like a bull's.
Speaker 3: Very well, let's have a look.
Speaker 1: Then Larban started with Jacob's tent. He rummaged through all
Speaker 1: his belongings, paying little attention to putting things back where
Speaker 1: they belonged. No idols. He went into Lea's tent and
Speaker 1: found nothing. He did the same with Rachel's and all
Speaker 1: the others. When he passed by Rachel, she was sitting,
Speaker 1: not standing. He grunted, you.
Speaker 3: Won't even stand for your own father.
Speaker 6: Forgive me, father, the way of the woman is upon me.
Speaker 6: I fear if I stand to greet you, it would
Speaker 6: be a mess. If you'd like, I can stand here, let.
Speaker 3: Me ah, I know my gods are somewhere around your Jacob,
Speaker 3: You're a thief and a coward.
Speaker 1: Larban pushed Judorous to get into his tent, but Jacob
Speaker 1: stopped him and shouted.
Speaker 2: Enough, Layban, you surround me like I'm a criminal, but
Speaker 2: I want you to list an actual offense against me.
Speaker 2: What is my sin? You felt through all my goods
Speaker 2: and found nothing?
Speaker 3: Yes, but don't interrupt me.
Speaker 2: You're in my camp and I will speak.
Speaker 1: Everyone fell silent. Jacob's voice suddenly seemed deeper and more palpable.
Speaker 1: He was tired of being underestimated and pushed around by Larban.
Speaker 1: For years, he had endured Larban's nonsense on behalf of
Speaker 1: his family, but no longer.
Speaker 2: For nearly twenty years, I've been with you, your yous
Speaker 2: and female ghats, have never miscarried, and I haven't eaten
Speaker 2: a single ram from your flock. I never told you
Speaker 2: when a predator took one of your flock. Instead, I
Speaker 2: took from my own flock to replace what you lost.
Speaker 1: Did you know that, Layman Larban was silent, simmering in
Speaker 1: a mixture of embarrassment and rage. Jacob continued, now circling Laban.
Speaker 2: Gave no mercy while I was working under you. If
Speaker 2: something was stolen from me, day and night, you required
Speaker 2: me to pay it back. So there I stood, day
Speaker 2: and night, ever watchful for you. The heat of the day,
Speaker 2: consumably the cold of the night, shook my bones. I
Speaker 2: served you for fourteen years, for your two daughters, six
Speaker 2: years for your flock. You changed my wages six times
Speaker 2: because you were in mountains of debt. If the God
Speaker 2: of my fathers had not been on my side, you
Speaker 2: would have already sent me away with nothing. But God
Speaker 2: is with me.
Speaker 1: Amen.
Speaker 2: You know this because he rebuked you last night. If
Speaker 2: he can carve his way into your dreams and make
Speaker 2: me rich despite your cruelty, what else do you think
Speaker 2: he's capable of.
Speaker 1: Laban looked around. His men had lowered their spears in
Speaker 1: submission to Jacob. His daughters were behind him, looking at
Speaker 1: him like a monster. Laban's body uncoiled, and he rolled
Speaker 1: his shoulders back with an unclenched jaw. Laban threw his
Speaker 1: spear onto the ground and extended an arm to Jacob.
Speaker 3: We have ward you and I. We've struggled against each other,
Speaker 3: but but now I see that we have everything in common.
Speaker 3: Your wives, my daughters. Your children are my grandchildren. Your
Speaker 3: flocks came from my flocks. Our lives have grown intertwined. Ah,
Speaker 3: I propose a covenant between us. Let everyone bear witness
Speaker 3: that we can be unified and at peace.
Speaker 1: Jacob peered at Larban, searching his eyes for his true intentions.
Speaker 1: He seemed genuine, and, although Jacob loath to admit it,
Speaker 1: their lives were indeed bound to each other. Jacob turned
Speaker 1: to his men and shouted.
Speaker 2: Gather stones. My people establish monuments to remember events like these.
Speaker 2: Will gather stones as a testament to our covenant.
Speaker 1: Jacob's men and his oldest sons gathered and stacked stones
Speaker 1: between Jacob and Labin. With each stone, the anger between
Speaker 1: the two quelled.
Speaker 3: My people call this place jaigar sahadutha.
Speaker 2: My people call this place killiad. It's new names shall
Speaker 2: be the lead and misper May God most High judge
Speaker 2: between us today.
Speaker 3: If you abuse my daughters or take wives besides my daughters,
Speaker 3: God will be a witness between us, and I vow
Speaker 3: to not cross the threshold of this pillar to pursue
Speaker 3: or harm you.
Speaker 1: The two placed their hands on the pillars and swore
Speaker 1: by the God of Abraham. They made a sacrifice on
Speaker 1: the hill and enjoyed a meal together. In the morning,
Speaker 1: Laban kissed his grandchildren goodbye and went his way. Jacob
Speaker 1: watched Laban disappear into the sun soaked horizon, his face
Speaker 1: aglow from dawn's light. Jacob nodded and turned back to Canaan.
Speaker 1: He wasn't sure what the future held, no doubt Esau
Speaker 1: was somewhere out there, stronger and more vengeful. Jacob chose
Speaker 1: to step forward in faith that the God of his
Speaker 1: forefathers would protect him.
Speaker 2: Wow.
Speaker 5: What an incredible story, an ancient tale from a time
Speaker 5: when livestock and labor were the currency of life. There's
Speaker 5: Jacob trying to carve out a living and a future
Speaker 5: amid the chaos. And there's his father in law, Laban,
Speaker 5: holding on to power and control, reluctant let go of
Speaker 5: the man who brought him from prosperity. And then there's God,
Speaker 5: the silent architect, behind the scenes, guiding, providing, shaping destinies.
Speaker 5: I can't help but see myself in Jacob, striving, struggling
Speaker 5: and always hoping. His ingenuity and his resourcefulness are a
Speaker 5: mix of human cunning and divine blessing. Don't you think
Speaker 5: it's a story we've heard before and that we'll hear again.
Speaker 5: It's a story of flawed humans and a faithful God
Speaker 5: who loves them. Is about a God who chose flawed humans.
Speaker 5: It's our story. Let's look into Jacob's story a little
Speaker 5: bit deeper. Let's leave the bustling world of ancient transactions
Speaker 5: and step into the serene pastors of shepherds. In Jacob's time,
Speaker 5: shepherding was more than an occupation. It was a symbol
Speaker 5: of leadership, of provision, and of our responsibility to care
Speaker 5: for others. When Jacob cleverly influenced the breeding of his flocks,
Speaker 5: he wasn't just doing a job, and he wasn't even
Speaker 5: just securing his future. He was engaging in an act
Speaker 5: that balances human effort and divine blessing. In the worldview
Speaker 5: of the Bible, shepherding and body's leadership that cares and
Speaker 5: guides and nurtures. Can you think of someone else in
Speaker 5: the Bible who as a shepherd? Well, soon we'll talk
Speaker 5: about the shepherd King David, whose early experiences in the
Speaker 5: fields shaped his heart for his people. You see, our
Speaker 5: modern perspectives can often miss the depth of the Bible's
Speaker 5: pastoral imagery. We see shepherding through a quaint, nostalgic lens
Speaker 5: instead of as a dynamic, spiritual calling of the Bible,
Speaker 5: which asks us this, do we lead with integrity or
Speaker 5: do we let deceit corrode the trust that binds us?
Speaker 5: You see, Jacob's story isn't just about Jeffarding. It's once
Speaker 5: again a story of human schemes and divine favor. And
Speaker 5: we might ask ourselves, just why does God bless Jacob
Speaker 5: when Jacob has been a bit deceitful. Here's the thing.
Speaker 5: God's favor isn't tied to our perfection. In Jacob's story
Speaker 5: and throughout the Bible, we see a God who blesses
Speaker 5: humans not because of our schemes, but often in spite
Speaker 5: of them. Jacob, with all of his trickery, well, maybe
Speaker 5: I should say despite all of his trickery, becomes a
Speaker 5: part of God's grand plan. Jacob deceives and he manipulates,
Speaker 5: and yet God's promise to him stands firm. Isn't that amazing?
Speaker 5: God's plans are so resilient and so unshakable that they
Speaker 5: even incorporate our mistakes. But Let's not be mistaken. Jacob's
Speaker 5: actions bring significant consequences. Jacob doesn't walk away unscathed. His
Speaker 5: life is marred by tension and strife, from his complicated
Speaker 5: relationship with his brother Esau to the conflicts with his
Speaker 5: father in law Laban. He flees his home, He lives
Speaker 5: in fear of retribution. He endures years of hard labor
Speaker 5: under Laban's manipulation. It's not easy. His family life is
Speaker 5: frau with discord, rivalry, and sorrow. Jacob's story reminds us
Speaker 5: that while God's grace can work through our flaws, it
Speaker 5: doesn't actually take away the consequences of our actions. Jacob's
Speaker 5: journey is one of learning, often the hard way, about
Speaker 5: the importance of integrity and trust in God. It's the
Speaker 5: story of Jacob, a shepherd among the Bible's many shepherds
Speaker 5: who learn to trust in God, his shepherd above a shepherd,
Speaker 5: a flawed human, a patriarch. Jacob is so many things,
Speaker 5: and as I mentioned earlier, he's also Laban's manipulated and
Speaker 5: tormented son in law. And there's a lesson right there
Speaker 5: in that story that I want to leave you with
Speaker 5: you see, in all the years that Laban deceived and
Speaker 5: cheated Jacob. Jacob never once reacted in anger, and then,
Speaker 5: of course, finally twenty years of pent up feelings about
Speaker 5: Laban's underhanded dealings found their outlet in Jacob's outburst. But
Speaker 5: in those two decades of Jacob tmpering his anger, we
Speaker 5: see the importance that God places and self control. Anger
Speaker 5: should be deferred until the last possible moment, until there's
Speaker 5: no other alternative. If there there's another way to deal
Speaker 5: with a hard situation, deal with it that way. Anger
Speaker 5: is a last resort. This kind of thinking seems to
Speaker 5: go against what society tries to tell us, doesn't it.
Speaker 5: The world tells us to get angry, to get vengeful,
Speaker 5: and anything that we are upset about, we should let
Speaker 5: it out. That we have a right to express our
Speaker 5: rage at every imagined slight. But Jacob's ability to hold
Speaker 5: back should be a blessing and an inspiration and a
Speaker 5: teaching to us all to be as the Psalmist rights
Speaker 5: quote slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness end quote.
Speaker 5: And so with love, I send you off with a
Speaker 5: final blessing. Yeva hashem vishmerechra Yeah heer hashempanave ele Ysa Hashempanavelera, Yes, Salon.
Speaker 5: May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the
Speaker 5: Lord make his face shine upon you. May he be
Speaker 5: gracious to you. May the Lord turn his face towards
Speaker 5: you and give you peace.
Speaker 2: Amen.
Speaker 1: You can listen to the Chosen People with the Isle
Speaker 1: Eckstein add free by downloading and subscribing to the prey
Speaker 1: dot Com app today. This Prey dog comproduction is only
Speaker 1: made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina,
Speaker 1: Max Bard, Zach Shellabarger and Ben Gammon are the executive
Speaker 1: producers of the Chosen People with Yaile Eckstein, Edited by
Speaker 1: Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Caltefianu. Characters are voiced by
Speaker 1: Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold,
Speaker 1: Sylvia Zaradoc and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore.
Speaker 1: Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Bree Rosalie and
Speaker 1: Aaron Salvato. Special thanks to Bishop Paulineer, Robin van Ettin,
Speaker 1: kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team at International Fellowship
Speaker 1: of Christians and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot
Speaker 1: com productions on the Prey dot Com app, available on
Speaker 1: the Apple App Store and Google play Store. If you
Speaker 1: enjoyed The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, please rate and
Speaker 1: leave a review.