Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east. Genesis 29:1
The land of the people of the east was not included in the territory that God had promised to give to Abraham and to Isaac. It was not part of the land that God had spoken of when He made his great promises to Jacob at Beth-el. It was a country where he was to spend some time, and occupy until God would bring him back to the land of promise. There was a life to live and business to be done in the land of the people of the east, and Jacob would dwell there in the good of the promises that God had made to him. Everything he did in the land of the people of the east was done with his return home in view. He was like today’s people of God, living in a stranger’s land until we are called Home.
Jacob’s time in the land of the people of the east was filled with adventure, with problems, with opportunities, and with joys. So too is our life, as we put in our time in this world. We do so like Jacob, in the knowledge that our sojourn is tiny compared to the vast house of blessing into which God will bring us some day. As we study Jacob’s time in the service of his uncle Laban, we see ourselves, with family and business situations arising, with daily encouragements and sorrows, with challenges and disappointments. We have times of excitement and days or boredom, occasions of weeping and seasons of satisfaction. But as the recipients of God’s promises of a great heritage in God’s house, our lives should be lived with that heritage in view.
Laban was made to understand that God was blessing Jacob as he built his flocks and herds. The world will often see how the Christians have God’s blessing upon us, if we live as we should for the Lord. Even though we are living in the stranger’s land, we receive bounty from the Lord. He gives us precious promises and guides and protects us, supplies our needs and grants our prayers.
Living in the land of the people of the east was necessary for Jacob for awhile. Living in this old sinful world is also our lot for a time. While we are here, let us rejoice that we are within God’s blessing, and recipients of His goodness, until the time of our arrival in His fair eternal dwelling. -Jim MacIntosh