Laban

Jacob, having tricked Isaac his father into giving him Esau's rightful blessing (Genesis 27:22), had to flee for his life. So, Isaac and Rebekah decided to send him to Laban in Haran until Esau's anger cooled. While he was there, Jacob took two wives, both Laban's daughters, Rachel and Leah. He worked seven years for each of them, and six additional years for his own livestock--a total of twenty years.

During this time, both Jacob and Laban seem intent on besting the other in their dealings with each other. But no matter what else happens, God is with Jacob and continues to bless him, a fact to which even Laban concedes (Genesis 30:30). But after the deal with the "spotted, speckled, and ringstraked" cattle (Genesis 30:31-34), Laban and his sons feel that Jacob is cheating them, and stealing what is rightfully theirs. Jacob takes his wives and children and all the livestock rightfully his as per the agreement and slips away quietly and is gone three days before Laban notices his absence and begins to pursue him.

James 2:1-9 tells Christians that we must not give special treatment to the rich. In fact partiality in this regard is sinful, according to verse 4. The young preacher was admonished to warn the church not to "trust in uncertain riches" (1 Timothy 6:17). Riches are also called a snare in 1 Timothy 6:9-12:

But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

Jacob also worked an additional six years for a portion of Laban's livestock. The deal that was struck was one that Laban felt he could not lose. Jacob offered to take only the spotted and speckled from the herds for his wages, an infrequent if not rare variation. Laban no doubt felt that he would emerge on top of this deal, but there was a God in heaven on the side of Jacob that he failed to consider. (For the full account see Genesis 30:31-43.)

There was no power in the "pilled rods" to cause the cattle and sheep to produce speckled offspring, but the God of heaven caused it to turn out this way. It is entirely possible that God commanded Jacob to do such as a test of faith. This would be similar to the command to Naaman to dip seven times in the Jordan River (2 Kings 5:10) or to our command to be baptized today (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38 etc.).

Yet, even though Jacob's acquisition of Laban's livestock was perfectly legal with regard to the agreement the two men made, Laban and his sons were angered, and felt as though Jacob had stolen their possessions from them (Genesis 31:1-2). After slipping away from Laban, and then later being overtaken by him, Jacob accuses his father-in-law of changing his wages "ten times" (Genesis 31:41). Such deception and dishonesty is to be expected of a man caught up in materialism.

It is possible that God used Laban to reveal Jacob's own treacherous faults. By seeing Laban's materialistic tendencies and the results of them, Jacob may have been persuaded to be a better person, one more suited to following Jehovah God.

And to be fair, Laban did show generosity at Mizpah when he finally parts ways with his son-in-law and his daughters. He also showed reverence to God by obeying the voice of the angel who warned him not to harm Jacob. This may be, perhaps, due to Jacob's influence during the past twenty years he was with Laban's household.

At any rate, what distinguished Jacob from Laban was his dedication to God. He had made up his mind at Bethel before even meeting Laban that God would be revered.

And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God: And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee (Genesis 28:20-22).