COVETOUSNESS: Lesson 3–Laban

Posted on by BETH

COVETOUSNESS: Lesson 3– Laban

Laban, “son of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram” and “brother of Rebekah” lived in the city of Nahor (Gen. 25:20). Appearing first when Abraham’s servant come to look for a wife for Isaac, he heard of the servant’s presence, saw the golden jewelry given to Rebekah, and eagerly invited Abraham’s servant into their home (Gen. 24:29-60). Laban’s eagerness to be hospitable (Gen. 24:31), coming immediately after he took inventory of the gifts given to his sister (Gen. 24:30), is commonly regarded as proof of the same covetousness that is his most obvious character trait throughout the remainder of his life.  Making himself equal to their father, Laban played an important role in the marriage arrangements of Isaac and Rebekah. The stubbornness and greed displayed during this occasion also appear to characterize Laban’s later dealings with Rebekah’s son, Jacob.

Approximately ninety years later, Jacob left home to escape death at the hand of his brother Esau (Gen. 27:43; 28:2). At the well of Haran he met Rachel, Laban’s daughter. Promising her to him in return for seven years of labor, he dealt with Jacob with deception and greed. He cunningly devised a plan to give his eldest daughter Leah to Jacob first and then forced him to work seven more years for Rachel. Seeing that the Lord abundantly blessed Jacob’s work, Laban persuaded him to stay longer than the original fourteen years agreed upon, but the wages he promised were changed ten times within the next six years (Gen. 29-30).

Because relationships between Laban and Jacob became tense (Gen. 31:2), Jacob quietly left with his wives, children, and possessions for which he had labored so long.  Hearing the news three days later, Laban pursued Jacob to get back what he considered to be his own (Gen. 31:30; 36, 43). Eventually, after being warned of God not to say anything good or bad to Jacob (Gen 31:24), Laban and Jacob parted on peaceful terms.  Together they heaped stones for an altar to serve as a mutual testimony that they would have no further dealings with one another. They called upon God as their witness that they would never pass beyond the stones to do harm to one another (Gen. 31:43-55).

 

QUESTIONS:  If a specific scripture reference is not provided for each question, give one that shows the best possible response.  Feel free to add more than one to prove the right answer.

1. How did Laban hear that the servant of Abraham had come searching for a wife for Isaac?

2. What was Laban’s reaction to the news?

3. How old was Isaac when he took Rebekah for his wife?

4. How many years was Rebekah barren?

5. How old was Jacob when he came to Laban’s house to find a wife?

6. What gives us the distinct impression that Laban was covetous from the beginning (Gen. 24:30-31)?

7. What verse in chapter 24 tells us that Laban had faith the Lord had sent Abraham’s servant to take his sister Rebekah for Isaac’s wife?

8. Another statement in Genesis 30:27 also shows that Laban had faith in the Lord’s work.  How did that “faith” affect his dealings with Jacob?

9. As Laban’s greed grew, how did it affect his relationship with Jacob and his daughters?

10. What reasons did Laban’s own daughters give for wanting to leave their father (Gen. 31:13-16)?

11. Why did Jacob feel the need to leave quietly without telling Laban he was going to his home?  Was he justified?

12. How did Rachel show that evil communication corrupted good morals (1 Cor 15:33; Gen. 31:19)?

13. Give two reasons why Laban chased after Jacob three days later (Gen. 31:33-34; 31:43).

14. What did God tell Laban in a dream before he went to accuse Jacob (Gen. 31:24-25)?  What would Laban’s covetousness have caused him to do to Jacob and thus even to his own daughters?

15. Through the knowledge of God we are given exceeding great and precious promises: that by these [promises] we “might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Pet. 1:3-4).  What is one of the major things we must escape before we can partake of the divine nature of God and inherit the promises?


COVETOUSNESS: Lesson 2–Lot Covets the Plain of Jordan

Posted on by BETH

COVETOUSNESS

Lesson 2—LOT COVETS THE PLAIN OF JORDAN

Not much information is given about Lot in the Old Testament scriptures.  Genesis, chapter 13 tells the story of Abraham and Lot and how “the land [between Bethel and Hai] was not able to bear them” because their substance was great.  Also the herdsmen of Lot and the herdsmen of Abraham began to quarrel about where their cattle would graze.

Gen 13:6-12

6 And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.

7 And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.

8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.

9 Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.

10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.

11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.

12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.

Notice in Gen. 13:8-9 that Abraham was willing to allow Lot to choose the land he wanted and to take whatever was left for himself.  Looking toward the plain of Jordan, before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot saw that it was as well-watered and lush as the Garden of Eden.  Not considering the wickedness of the cities of the plain, Lot chose to dwell near Sodom because his heart coveted the well-watered pasture land where he could feed his cattle (Gen 13:12).  By contrast, we see, “Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD” (Gen. 13:18).  This action on Abraham’s part is even more magnanimous when we consider the custom of that day regarding elder members of a family as patriarchs.

How did Lot’s covetousness ultimately affect him and his family?  Not long after this incident, we see Lot actually living in the city of Sodom when God determined to destroy it for its wickedness.  In Genesis chapter 18, the LORD and two angels visited Abraham and told him what was in store for the wicked cities.  Begging first for the city to be spared for the sake of 50 righteous, then 40, then 20 and finally 10, Abraham was sorely grieved to find there were not even 10 righteous souls in Sodom and that it most certainly would be destroyed.

In Genesis, chapter 19, the scene changed from Abraham to Lot himself, where two angels visited Lot to warn him to flee with his family before the city is destroyed.  Seeing strangers going into Lot’s home, the men of the city demanded to “know” them.  Because Lot could not control the Sodomites who wished to abuse the two visitors carnally, the angels struck the Sodomites blind to save Lot (Gen 19:1-11).  Lot and his family fled the city. Lot’s wife, however, did not follow the angels’ orders and looked back at Sodom. Because of her disobedience she was turned into a “pillar of salt” (Gen 19:26). Jesus warned, “Remember Lot’s wife” (Luke 17:32) as a reminder of the disastrous results of disobedience.  Even today, the perverted sexual orientation of Sodomites derives its name from this wicked city.

Following his escape from Sodom, Lot and his two daughters lived in a cave near Zoar (Gen. 19:30-38). His two daughters made their father drink wine and enticed him into incest. They claimed to do this because “there is no man on the earth to come in to us as is the custom of all the earth” (Gen 19:31). Out of that union came two sons, Moab and Ben-Ammi, the ancestors of the Moabites and the Ammonites, nations that perpetually gave trouble to Israel and Judah.

Lot’s character appears to be revealed by the major decision which he made when Abraham gave him the choice of land. He chose to pitch his tent with the worldly Sodomites, seeking riches and a life of ease.  He prospered for a while, but this decision eventually led to his humiliation and the tragic loss of his wife and daughters.

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QUESTIONS:

1. Who was Lot’s father?  What was the relationship between his father and Abraham?

2. Lot was Abraham’s _____________, who accompanied him from Mesopotamia to Canaan and to and from Egypt (Gen 11:27-31; 12:4-5; 13:1).

3. Why did Abraham not want to quarrel about the pasture land (Gen. 13:8)?

4. What disastrous decision caused Lot to lose his family and everything he had?

5. It would be quite easy for us to condemn Lot totally for his sin of covetousness, but what was God’s view of Lot (2 Pet. 2:6-9)?

6. How does Genesis 19 show Lot was “vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked…vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds” (Gen. 19:7).  What other verses in Genesis 19 show Lot’s displeasure with what went on there?

7. What might cause Lot’s wife to look back toward Sodom?

8. Judging between Lot’s reaction to leaving Sodom and his wife’s reaction, who might have been the one to demand the family “pitch toward Sodom?”

9. The two daughters show such a lack of faith in bearing children by their father.  What worldly wisdom guided their actions (Gen. 19:31)?

10. RESEARCH QUESTION:  Genesis 13:10 speaks of the well watered plain of Jordan.  “And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.”  Since Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire, what change has taken place in the appearance of the land area?

COVETOUSNESS: LESSON 1–Eve Coveted the Forbidden Fruit

Posted on by BETH

COVETOUSNESS

Lesson 1

EVE COVETED THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT

Gen 2:15-18—And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.  And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

Gen 2:21-24—And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.  And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. 

We can easily see in these passages that Adam and Eve were given a specific job to do and that job, although a pleasant one, had restrictions.  Adam and Eve were to dress and keep the garden God had created.  They were given the freedom and the privilege of eating from any tree they chose—except for one.  The LORD showed it to them and very clearly gave the reason for not eating.

Gen 3:1-6—Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Appealing to Eve’s desire to be better and to her weakness in desiring a shortcut to get it, Satan subtly pointed out to Eve the advantages of disobeying the Creator of all to gain something for herself.  He turned her attention away from her responsibility to serve and obey her Creator to things that she could get.  Notice what Satan said would be the benefits and what Eve ultimately concluded.

• In direct contradiction to the LORD, Satan said, “You shall NOT surely die.” Using the same word with a different meaning, Satan turned Eve’s attention away from God’s statement that she would die spiritually in the day she sinned by disobeying His command.  Or, he could have simply contradicted God’s statement.  He could also have indicated that God meant physical death—that she would not die physically the day she ate of it.  In any case, Eve lacked faith and believed Satan’s word above God’s word.  Eve was thus deceived.  She no longer believed that she would die.

• Then Satan attributed an evil motive to the Lord by saying, “God knows you will become like gods, knowing good and evil.”

By this means, Satan subtly turned Eve’s attention to God’s wisdom with the hope she could get it by simply eating some fruit.  Every person wants to be wise, so Satan appealed to a natural desire in all men.  Satan’s words were at least partially correct.  Eve was not deceived by this statement for she did learn what good and evil was.  False teachers, like Satan, many times quote scripture and speak the truth, but only with the distinct intention of turning souls to their false doctrines.  We should not be deceived into believing that just because a teacher gives some parts of truth that everything he teaches is truth. Like Satan, false teachers may impart much good for they are Satan’s ministers and follow his pattern to tell enough truth to turn God’s children to evil.

Being a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44), Satan first caused Eve to covet the ability to be as gods with the knowledge of good and evil.  In doing this, she appeared to forget the warning about death coming to her the day she ate.  Possibly Eve did not know what spiritual death was.  If she believed God spoke about physical death, she had to reject God’s truth and believe Satan’s lie.  In either case she was certainly deceived by Satan’s half truths and lies. Her response was consider her own personal desires and judgment rather than to trust her Creator.. 

• It was good for food.

• It was pleasant to the eyes.

• It was desired to make one wise.

Benevolent lady that she was, she shared the coveted fruit with her husband who obviously let her lead him into rejecting the command of God.  Thus, sin came into the world because Eve coveted wisdom, beauty and food.  Eve’s covetousness led to Adam’s and her spiritual death by sin (Rom 7:7-9).  We see the LORD’s view of what took place in the Garden of Eden through His words in 1 Timothy 2:13-15. “For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.”

No mention is made of the incident after Genesis 3:24 until Paul, in defense of his apostleship in 2 Corinthians 11:3 says, “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”  Paul was concerned that the Corinthians had left the pathway (job they had been given to do) to follow after “another Jesus” and “another gospel.”

QUESTIONS:

1. What/who caused Eve to covet the forbidden fruit?  How was this brought about?

2. Was Eve exonerated because she was enticed and lied to (Gen. 3:16)?

3. What did the Lord do to punish Adam and Eve for their sin (Gen. 3:14-24)?

4. What happened to the young prophet who believed an old prophet’s lie (1 Kings 13:1-34)?  

5. What should the young prophet have said when the old prophet contradicted what God had told him?  What should Eve have said to Satan?

6. Notice Satan’s twist of the words “surely die” in Genesis 3:4.  Did Satan give Eve the right understanding of God’s promise of death (1 Tim. 2:14)?

7. Which kind of death was Paul speaking of in Romans 7:7-9?

8. Which kind of death came to Eve in the Garden of Eden and how do you know (Rom. 7:7-9; 8:2)?

9. Decisions bring consequences.  Tell what decision(s) Eve made and what the consequences were.

10. Research Question:  Study about two kinds of death spoken of in the scriptures.  Explain which one comes as the result of sin.  What is the “second death (Rev. 2:11; 20:6, 14; 21:8) ?”


COVETOUSNESS–Introduction

Posted on by BETH

We all know that discipline of unrighteous members should be carried out within the body of Christ. There are certain things that a man may do which not only make him repugnant to God but which also would corrupt the body of Christ, the church. We will often hear of members being “disfellowshipped for bringing reproach on the church” (covers all, huh?), teaching false doctrine or for such things as unscriptural marriages, but how many do you know of that have ever been disciplined for covetousness? Would any of us recognize a covetous person if we saw one?

“Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person” (1 Cor. 5:10-13).

“But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God” (Eph. 5:3-5).

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (2 Tim. 3:1-5).

During this course, we will consider several examples from scripture which show how covetousness affected the work and ultimately the destiny of specific men and women. We will study these accounts to find out how we compare and how we can avoid being caught up in the same traps. Take a quick look at the various names to see how many you recognize from your previous studies.

EXAMPLES OF COVETOUSNESS

1.Eve, in desiring the forbidden fruit
2.Lot, in choosing the plain of the Jordan

3.Laban
a.In giving Rebekah to be Isaac’s wife
b.In deceiving Jacob when he served him seven years for Rachel
c.In deceiving Jacob in wages

4.Esau
a.Coveted food
b.Gave away his birthright
5.Pharaoh and the Egyptians
a.Coveted slaves (human bodies to serve them)
b.Coveted their property during the famine

6. Ahab coveted the vineyard that belonged to Naboth

7.Gehazi, the servant of Elisha coveted clothing and money (2 Kings 5)

8.Ahaz in coveting an altar of a heathen (conquered) nation (2 Kings 16:9-20)
a.Required Urijah to build one like it before the temple in Jerusalem
b.Worshipped at the new altar every evening

9. Balaam, in loving the wages of unrighteousness

10.Achan, in hiding the treasure

11.Eli’s sons, in taking the flesh of the sacrifice

12.Samuel’s sons, in taking bribes

13.Saul, in sparing, Agag and the booty

14.David coveted Bathsheba

15.Solomon (Deut. 17:15-17)
a.Brought 666 talents of gold to Jerusalem each year
b.Married 700 wives
c.Brought horses from Egypt

16.Romans coveted land and nations
a.Harsh treatment of those they conquered
b.Required service from Jews and others

17.The man whose brother would not divide the inheritance (Luke 12:13-15)

18.Judas
a.Coveted the money in the bag (treasury)
b.Coveted the price of the alabaster box of ointment
c.Coveted bribe money to betray Jesus

19.Rich fool (Luke 12: )

20.Pharisees (Luke 16:14)
a.Coveted the people’s allegiance
b.Coveted the money disciples gave to Jesus
c.Coveted power over the crowds that followed Jesus
d.Coveted the material Jesus said was mammon

21.Paul died spiritually because of covetousness (Rom. 7:7 [Strong’s to set the heart upon; as in Acts 20:23])

22.Simon the sorcerer coveted the power to give the gifts

23.Ananias and Sapphira ().

24.False teachers (2 Cor.  ;2 Pet. 2:3)
a.Coveted the money from the churches
b.Coveted the praise of men
c.Coveted the power over souls

Some obviously coveted money, while others coveted food, clothing, treasures, idols or simply the praise of men.

GENERAL QUESTIONS:

  1. Looking at the list of names we plan to study, see if you can add any other accounts of men or women who lost their souls because of the covetousness.
  2. Where does any form of the word covet first appear in scripture, either Old Testament or New? To do a search, type the word covet with a star after it (e.g. covet*) so all forms of the word will show in the search. WORD STUDY: COVET, COVETOUS, COVETOUSNESS, COVETED, etc. ***See also GREED, GREEDY, GREEDILY, etc.
    Online sources for word studies:

  3. Is there ever a good kind of covetousness (1 Cor. 12:31; 1 Cor. 14:39; 1 Tim. 3:1)?
  4. What sin caused Paul to die spiritually (Rom. 7:7)?
  5. Is it right to delight in increase (Job 31:25; Eccl. 5:10-11)?
  6. Why could the Pharisees not accept Jesus’ teaching about not loving the world (Luke 16:14)?
  7. With what does God equate covetousness (Col. 3:5)?
  8. What is a primary motive of false teachers for making converts (2 Pet. 2:3)?
  9. What does God think of those who give their hearts to coveting (2 Pet. 2:14)?
  10. Would Judas have done all the evil he did if he had not been covetous (John 12:6)?
  11. Why do young children often quarrel with each other? Do they understand what they are doing when they wish for something someone else has? How should parents handle those situations?
  12. What is a major reason people charge too much on a credit card?