Soap operas have nothing on the Bible for plot twists.

Genesis 30 opens in the middle of a baby battle between Rachel and Leah. Leah, of course has been blessed with 3 sons at this point and Rachel is barren. Instead of pleading with God, she pleads with Jacob to give her children. Jacob, in anger, insults Rachel by saying God has withheld children from her. Like her predecessor Sarah before her, Rachel offers a servant to bear children on her behalf.  Unlike Sarah, Rachel believes God has judged her favorably and has given her a son whom she names Dan (“He judged”). Rachel is still Jacob’s favorite and Leah trades some of her son’s harvest for opportunities to lie with Jacob and she becomes pregnant each time. The battle continues between Rachel and Leah, and their maids (some men might say that Jacob got the best rewards out of this battle) until finally God remembers Rachel. He blesses her with the birth of a son, Joseph.

Jacob has been living with his father-in-law Laban all this time. He decides it is now time to go home. This becomes a battle of tricksters. Laban offers to pay Jacob for all of the years he has worked. Jacob says he will take the speckled, spotted and black sheep and goats from Laban’s flocks. Before Jacob goes to the flocks, Laban removes all these animals and gives them to his sons. In a great genetic experiment Jacob proceeds to pasture the flocks, he uses rods to separate the strong and weak sheep and goats. Despite the fact that the original flocks are all white, they continue to produce speckled and striped sheep and goats. Before Laban can get to them Jacob takes them and becomes very wealthy.

In Genesis 31 Laban’s sons are convinced that Jacob has stolen his wealth from their father. God tells Jacob to return to the land of his ancestors.  Jacob takes Rachel, Leah, the children and his possessions and they leave without telling Laban. Rachel also steals her father’s household gods. At this point God does nothing about this.

Laban realizes that Jacob and his family have left without his permission and that his gods are missing. He chases after Jacob. God appears to him in a dream and tells him not to say anything to Jacob neither good nor bad. When Laban catches up with Jacob he confronts him about leaving without telling Laban and that Laban’s gods are missing.  Jacob says he left because he was afraid Laban would take back his daughters and says that if Laban finds his gods, the person who has them will be killed. Laban searches and cannot find the gods, which are in a pouch hidden under Rachel.

Jacob is angered by the search and rehearses a litany of the things that Laban has done to trick Jacob and keep him from leaving. He credits the God of Abraham with protecting him enough to get away now with any possessions at all. Laban replies that at this point everything belongs to him. But instead of forcing Jacob to give it all back Laban makes a covenant with him. As has been done in the past Jacob gathers some stones together to mark the spot of the covenant “The heap of witness.”  At this pillar (Mizpah) Laban says, “The Lord watch between you and me, when we are absent one from the other.” He reminds Jacob that God will be watching what he is doing: if he mistreats Rachel or Leah or if he takes additional wives. The pillar becomes a boundary line which neither man is to cross. Jacob agrees and the next day they part company.

In Matthew 11 John the Baptist has heard about Jesus and is wondering if he is the coming Messiah. Jesus tells his followers the things he has been doing using phrases found in the writings of the prophet Isaiah. As they were leaving Jesus attests to the fact the John was the one coming before him prophesying the coming of the Messiah. John is Elijah returned before the Messiah comes.

He chides all those who have criticized John and then criticized him as well. He reproaches any of the cities that rejected him even after they saw his powerful deeds. He threatens that if they do not repent they will meet a fate worse than Sodom.

Jesus acknowledges in a prayer that the wise, rich and powerful have been left blind to the truth about him. They will only be revealed to those whom Jesus chooses. He then reaches out to those who feel powerless and tired, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Jesus has come to relieve those who recognize their weakness. He saves those who know they need saving. He loves those who feel unloved.