Was Jacob Doing Evil?

Rachel was pledged to Jacob, so he did right by marrying her.

Even though he was already married?

dear reader, i'm going to assume you know the story of Jacob, named Israel, and how he came to have both Leah & Rachel as wives, and through them and their two servant women which they gave him as concubines, the 12 tribes of Israel were born. no need to quote all of Genesis 29 and the surrounding chapters to you and go on to recount everything written concerning him in this post.



i'd like to ask -- was Jacob wrong to marry Rachel?
he was already married to Leah - albeit through being deceived - so if it is practically the unanimous agreement among all the churches that polygamy is sinful, was it evil for Jacob to marry Rachel, whom he loved?



i'd like to discuss this both in terms of the practical aspect of Jacob's life and of righteous doings, and also in terms of what these things represent in their Christology ((Jacob is a picture of Christ; the events in his life recorded in scripture are there to teach about Christ; all of this is about Christ, about some spiritual revelation of Him. find Christ in this. find how this speaks of Him.))

i have always assumed that because God blessed him with the 12 sons that became the 12 tribes, God approved. the blessing given in Ruth 4:11 reaffirmed that to me. but maybe i am wrong.

also please don't just give the reply, "well the culture was different then blah blah blah" -- that is not useful at all as an answer.
i'm not talking about what is/was allowed under common law in some specific country at some specific time period. i'm talking about what is righteous in God's eyes.

It is little taught in Local Churches, but the title, "God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" holds multiple revelations. One of them is that these three men are a picture of God's full salvation. Briefly, Abraham, Syrian idol-worshiper is "called" to leave his past and beliefs and to journey to another place in faith. We Christians have a "heavenly calling" (Heb.3:1). We are called from our earthly origin to become part of a heavenly plan and conclusion. Isaac has to do nothing. He is "HEIR" to Abraham's goods. His life closes with him blind, but he inherits. We are heirs with Christ (i) of God, and (ii) of the world. This inheritance is our birthright. We are elieble for it even if we do not understand it, or "see" it. Jacob is of the "heavenly calling" and is "heir", but he is a picture of God's transforming work.

Being "called" is wonderful, and being made co-heirs of the world with Christ is profound, but God cannot have men and women as heirs who are called "supplanter". "Supplanter", or "crook" is the meaning of Jacob's name. God cannot give Christ's inheritance to a crook. So God begins a transforming work in Jacob so that he can no longer be called "supplanter", but Israel. Jacob, unlike the macho Esau, gains what he wants by "crookery". He is forced to flee because hs brother wants to kill him for his crookery. But God loves Jacob because Jaob was zealous for the birthright. The birthright that Esau was entitled to was (i) a double portion of the inheritance, (ii) he would have been the forefather of Jesus. But Esau, manly as he was, was inwardly indifferent to his inheritance and sold it for the sake of the flesh. He was a man of prowess, but had no faith. He was also a rebel and despised his parents. So God hated him.

Jacob, on the other hand, was zealous for the inheritance, but he gained it by craftiness. It was this trait that God wanted to deal with. So God set Jacob on a path where he would be dealt with. And craftiness is dealt with by more craftiness. Instead of the "Crook" dealing slyly, he was dealt slyly with. Instead of Jacob "supplanting", Laban did the supplanting. The "Crook" got his own medicine. This is the reason that Jacob ended how he did - being cheated by Laban. But God is above men's crookery. God can use everything to His favor, and your favor. Jacob goes through a process of suffering, starting with having to leave his mother and father, and ending with his death - not in the promised Land, but Egypt.

But through all his suffering, Jacob gained a new character. He is no longer "Supplanter", but his name is Israel - "prince or prevailer with God". At his death, he was not blind like Isaac. He was fully enlightened and could accurately bless his sons and require his bones to be carried to his inheritance (Heb.11). Jacob is a picture of Christ dealing with us to make us like Him (Rom.8:29; 2nd Cor.3:18). His life is a very practical example for our lives. Lots of things do not work out like we planned, or even what we worked for. But we will receive a new name and be co-inheritors with Christ.

In closing, how do you readers think that Jacob got Leah instead of Rachel? It reads in Genesis 29:23, "And it came to pass in the evening, that he (Laban) took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he (Jacob) went in unto her." The grammar shows Jacob making love to Leah without protest. How is it possible that he didn't know who he was copulating with? Was he "blind drunk" - or what? I think that there is a a profound truth hidden in this matter that I have no seen yet. Was it to show, in Type, that Jacob was still "blind" spiritually? Any one got an explanation?

Nice analogy.....Did it not say that Jacob did not realize until the morning that he had been tricked<--reaping what he had sown?

Just a thought....and....fairly confident they did not have 100 watt light J but a smokey, dimly lit tent and probably some wine at the wedding feast??? Several possibilities.

It is little taught in Local Churches, but the title, "God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" holds multiple revelations. One of them is that these three men are a picture of God's full salvation. Briefly, Abraham, Syrian idol-worshiper is "called" to leave his past and beliefs and to journey to another place in faith. We Christians have a "heavenly calling" (Heb.3:1). We are called from our earthly origin to become part of a heavenly plan and conclusion. Isaac has to do nothing. He is "HEIR" to Abraham's goods. His life closes with him blind, but he inherits. We are heirs with Christ (i) of God, and (ii) of the world. This inheritance is our birthright. We are elieble for it even if we do not understand it, or "see" it. Jacob is of the "heavenly calling" and is "heir", but he is a picture of God's transforming work.

Being "called" is wonderful, and being made co-heirs of the world with Christ is profound, but God cannot have men and women as heirs who are called "supplanter". "Supplanter", or "crook" is the meaning of Jacob's name. God cannot give Christ's inheritance to a crook. So God begins a transforming work in Jacob so that he can no longer be called "supplanter", but Israel. Jacob, unlike the macho Esau, gains what he wants by "crookery". He is forced to flee because hs brother wants to kill him for his crookery. But God loves Jacob because Jaob was zealous for the birthright. The birthright that Esau was entitled to was (i) a double portion of the inheritance, (ii) he would have been the forefather of Jesus. But Esau, manly as he was, was inwardly indifferent to his inheritance and sold it for the sake of the flesh. He was a man of prowess, but had no faith. He was also a rebel and despised his parents. So God hated him.

Jacob, on the other hand, was zealous for the inheritance, but he gained it by craftiness. It was this trait that God wanted to deal with. So God set Jacob on a path where he would be dealt with. And craftiness is dealt with by more craftiness. Instead of the "Crook" dealing slyly, he was dealt slyly with. Instead of Jacob "supplanting", Laban did the supplanting. The "Crook" got his own medicine. This is the reason that Jacob ended how he did - being cheated by Laban. But God is above men's crookery. God can use everything to His favor, and your favor. Jacob goes through a process of suffering, starting with having to leave his mother and father, and ending with his death - not in the promised Land, but Egypt.

But through all his suffering, Jacob gained a new character. He is no longer "Supplanter", but his name is Israel - "prince or prevailer with God". At his death, he was not blind like Isaac. He was fully enlightened and could accurately bless his sons and require his bones to be carried to his inheritance (Heb.11). Jacob is a picture of Christ dealing with us to make us like Him (Rom.8:29; 2nd Cor.3:18). His life is a very practical example for our lives. Lots of things do not work out like we planned, or even what we worked for. But we will receive a new name and be co-inheritors with Christ.

In closing, how do you readers think that Jacob got Leah instead of Rachel? It reads in Genesis 29:23, "And it came to pass in the evening, that he (Laban) took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he (Jacob) went in unto her." The grammar shows Jacob making love to Leah without protest. How is it possible that he didn't know who he was copulating with? Was he "blind drunk" - or what? I think that there is a a profound truth hidden in this matter that I have no seen yet. Was it to show, in Type, that Jacob was still "blind" spiritually? Any one got an explanation?

"Adultery is the PUTTING AWAY of wives, not the TAKING OF WIVES"

I think you mean to say the putting away of wives and marrying yet other wives again. If these cast off wives remarry, they commit adultery, as do their husbands.

Question: how prevalent was actual polygamy in Jesus's day in Israel?

Amen.

I would offer in a hope of adding. The work was in keeping the idea of the "first born" to represent Jesus the spiritual seed (one) who is signified as our bloody husband because of circummsion .

The literal first born is used to represent in Adam all die. Cain like Esau sold their birth rite seeing no value in the unseen things of God.

Jacob the deceiver signified by those who do wrestle against flesh and blood the things seen. Jacob at birth grasped the heel of Esau desiring to be first. *the things seen .

In a dream had a vision he did "wrestle against flesh and blood" having no power he was overcome .He had no strength coming from within . Israel is the born again name of all who believe having the power of faith within. Today she Christ's bride is called called Christian . It shows us Jacob then did have power to over come .Christ working in his earthen body of death

And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.Genisis 32: 24-28

Jacob was given the faith that comes form hearing God. it worked in him with him to perform the good will of His God Just as it works in us making our burden lighter..

God would not have blessed Jacob as He did had Jacob been evil in the eyes of God.

God would not have blessed Jacob as He did had Jacob been evil in the eyes of God.

i'd like to ask -- was Jacob wrong to marry Rachel?
he was already married to Leah - albeit through being deceived - so if it is practically the unanimous agreement among all the churches that polygamy is sinful, was it evil for Jacob to marry Rachel, whom he loved?