Let us now consider Laban's squeeze (30:25-43; 31:1-16, 38-42). In chapter twenty-nine Laban received Jacob for hospitality (29:14). After a while, Laban might have discovered that Jacob was quite smart and that he could be very profitable to him. Appearing to be kind, Laban said to Jacob, "Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?" (29:15). Laban seemed to be saying, "Jacob, it is not fair for you to stay with me without being paid. Tell me what you want." Laban might have perceived that Jacob had fallen in love with his daughter Rachel, and he might have said within himself, "Jacob, I will not let you have my daughter cheaply. You love her, and I will give her to you, but you must pay the price." Laban was wise and did not say this to Jacob, but he knew Jacob's heart. When Laban asked him about wages, Jacob said, "I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter" (29:18). As we have pointed out, love blinds people and makes them foolish. Because his love for Rachel had made him foolish, Jacob pledged himself to work for seven years to get her. If I had been Jacob, I would not have worked longer than twelve months. Laban was satisfied with Jacob's offer. When these seven years were expired, however, Laban did nothing concerning Jacob's marriage to Rachel. This shows that he had no heart. Thus, Jacob was forced to say, "Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her" (29:21). But Laban gave Jacob Leah instead of Rachel. When Jacob realized this, Laban justified himself by saying that it was not the custom in their country to give the younger daughter before the firstborn (29:26). Regarding Rachel, Laban said, "Fulfill her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years" (29:27). Here we see Laban's squeeze. If you recall your past, you will see that you also have been squeezed, perhaps by your husband or wife.
Laban was crafty and cunning, and Jacob could not defeat him. Twice Jacob said that Laban had changed his wages ten times (31:7, 41). Jacob complained to Laban, saying, "Thus have I been twenty years in thy house: I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle; and thou hast changed my wages ten times" (31:41). Furthermore, Jacob said to him, "Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty" (31:42). Jacob seemed to be saying, "Laban, not only have I worked fourteen years for your daughters and six years for your cattle, but you were not even willing to let me have my wives, children, and flocks. You have tried to detain them all." What sufferings Jacob passed through under Laban's squeezing hand!
Laban squeezed Jacob in many ways. He trapped Jacob to labor for him fourteen years for his two daughters and then he charged him to labor six years for his flock (31:41). As we have seen, he changed Jacob's wages ten times, probably reducing them every time he changed them. The more Laban demanded of Jacob, the less he paid him. Laban also required Jacob to bear the loss of any cattle which had been torn by beasts or stolen (31:39). How unfair this was! But Laban thought that it was absolutely fair and seemed to say, "Be careful about my cattle. You must replace any that are torn by beasts or any that are stolen." Could you tolerate working under such a squeezing hand? Jacob, however, was patient and endured Laban's squeeze for twenty years. At times, Laban might have threatened Jacob, saying, "If you do not want to work for me according to my demand, then you may leave. I shall keep my daughters, my grandchildren, and my flocks." Jacob was frightened at the prospect of this. Although he had been greatly enlarged, Jacob was still fearful of Laban. When he did escape, he was afraid to tell Laban that he was leaving, fearing that Laban would rob him of his wives, children, and flocks. Laban was a native and Jacob was a stranger. It is always easy for a native to deal with a stranger. Laban must have threatened Jacob with the loss of everything. Nevertheless, Jacob endured it. Besides all this, Laban caused Jacob to be consumed by heat in the day and by frost in the night (31:40). Because Laban treated him in this way, Jacob could say, "My sleep departed from mine eyes" (31:40). As Jacob was shepherding Laban's flock, he was in the open air and had no place to sleep. There was no shade from the heat during the day and no protection from the frost at night. In that region the temperature is hot during the day and cold at night. As Jacob suffered the heat and the cold, his sleep fled away because he was under the pressure of Laban. Finally, as we have already pointed out, Laban tried to detain Jacob's wives, children, and flocks (30:26; 31:14-15, 42). While none of us would be willing to work for someone like Laban, Jacob worked for Laban for twenty years. During this time, he was under Laban's squeezing hand.
If we read the record in this light, we shall say, "Lord, how I worship You. Since the day I began to love You, things have happened to me in the same way and according to the same principle." Look back upon your years in the church life and recall the times you have been squeezed. Just as the natural Jacob needed a squeezing Laban, so our natural disposition also needs the squeezing. Laban's squeezing hand was no accident; it had been prearranged by the sovereign God. Isaac, Rebekah, and Esau were used by God to put Jacob into the transformation oven, and Laban was the fire burning in this oven. All these people were used by God for Jacob's transformation. Do not complain about your situation. Sometimes, as I was complaining, I suddenly saw the light, and God seemed to say, "Why do you complain? Don't you know that this is My arrangement? Your wife, your children, and all your brothers in the church have been prearranged by Me. It is foolish for you to complain." Your wife, husband, and children are exactly what your disposition needs. We may be mistaken, but God can never make a mistake. Everything is of the Lord's hand, and there is no need to complain. Instead of complaining, we should simply say, "Thank You, Lord, for such a good Laban."