Every occasion of shearing was connected with something bad that God used to bring about His purpose and to secure His pleasure. God’s sovereignty meets man’s responsibility at the very point where the wickedness of man is at its worst; for example, Christ was “delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God,” but at the same time, He was “taken by lawless hands … crucified, and put to death” (Acts 2:23).

God’s purpose was always to bless Jacob: “Jacob I have loved” (Mal. 1:2). God had made this clearly known to his mother Rebekah: “the older shall serve the younger” (Gen. 25:23). Jacob valued and desired the things that God had promised. Unlike his brother Esau, who was profane, Jacob stayed at home, learning from his father and grandfather (Gen. 25:27; Heb. 11:9). Never neglect meetings where you can learn from older brothers!

But Jacob spent many years away from God’s land. He tried to lay hold of God’s promises using fleshly, selfish methods. After a long time learning hard lessons, God told Jacob to return to the land (Gen. 31:3).

Laban had gone to shear his sheep. What sheep? The sheep he possessed as a result of cheating Jacob! God had used Laban to discipline Jacob. The cheater got cheated.

Laban was in the wrong. Jacob was in the wrong. Leah and Rachel had turned family life into a horrible game. You can hardly think of a single good thing that comes out in this whole story. Rachel even stole Laban’s idols. Sin upon sin upon sin!

Yet all the time, in the background, God is in control. He loves Jacob. His good pleasure is in Jacob. His purpose is to make of Jacob a great nation. So He preserves him. He disciplines him, He makes his life very difficult—but He preserves him. He does this with us too.