Thursday Night Bible Study

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Genesis 30:25-Genesis 31 

Calling Home • 6.3.10 • Thursday Night Bible Study

Intro.

- Jacob has worked for Laban for 14 years as we come to verse 25 tonight. We have examined Jacob's home life and have seen the chaos there.

- It seems that his work environment was just as frustrating. Many of us come into Christianity believing that everything just sort of begins to work out for us. Not so.

- Christians come with a blessing and are often cursed. They come in with joy and are treated with contempt. That is often the norm. Jacob is caught in just such a story.

Text

• Genesis 30:25-28 : "And it came to pass, when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, 'Send me away, that I may go to my own place and to my country. Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me go; for you know my service which I have done for you.' And Laban said to him, 'Please stay, if I have found favor in your eyes, for I have learned by experience that the Lord has blessed me for your sake.' Then he said, 'Name me your wages, and I will give it.'" : Jacob seeks to give Laban his 2 week's notice. Physically, the children were Jacob's, but legally, the wives and the children belonged to Laban.

- Laban says something to Jacob that each Christian should pray that their employers would say of them: "I have learned by experience that the Lord has blessed me for your sake."

- That is what it sounds like in English and it's good to hear that from your employer.

- However, when Laban says that he "learned by experience," the idea is that he came to this knowledge about Jacob through divination or occultic activiity!

- Laban has to acknowledge God's presence with Jacob and he wants to keep him in his service, not for Jacob's betterment, but so that he could use him.

- Laban is the banker on Deal or No Deal: He wants Jacob to leave with as little as possible!

• Genesis 30:29-33 : "So Jacob said to him, 'You know how I have served you and how your livestock has been with me. For what you had before I came was little, and it has increased to a great amount; the Lord has blessed you since my coming. And now, when shall I also provide for my own house?' So he said, 'What shall I give you?' And Jacob said, 'You shall not give me anything. If you will do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep your flocks: Let me pass through all your flock today, removing from there all the speckled and spotted sheep, and all the brown ones among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and these shall be my wages. So my righteousness will answer for me in time to come, when the subject of my wages comes before you: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the lambs, will be considered stolen, if it is with me.'" : Jacob names his wages. He is willing to take the speckled and spotted sheep.

- The dominant gene for sheep is white or solid colored. Jacob is asking for the sheep with the recessive gene, which would be the minority.

- What is Jacob doing? Jacob is showing that he is trusting the Lord to be His strength and provision. In a real sense, Jacob is throwing the gauntlet down between His God and Laban's gods.

- Jacob is betting that God will stand for Him.

- After that day, any white livestock would be considered stolen.

• Genesis 30:34-36 : "And Laban said, 'Oh, that it were according to your word!' So he removed that day the male goats that were speckled and spotted, all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had some white in it, and all the brown ones among the lambs, and gave them into the hand of his sons. Then he put three days’ journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks." : You can almost see a gleam in Laban's eyes when he said, "Oh, that it were according to your word." Laban was licking his lips!

- He agreed to Jacob's proposal, but then went and removed all that would've belonged to him!

- He made sure that Jacob would not have access to this flock, putting a great distance between that flock and Jacob's location.

- What a treachery! Laban on the one hand acknowledges God's favor over Jacob, but then makes a very risky move: He moves against God's person! Bad move Laban!

- Remember that God promised Abraham and his descendants that He would bless those who blessed them and curse those who cursed them.

- He took this position and now Laban, who seems to be winning at this point, is about to lose everything.

- These are especially important words to remember today in the midst of this current crisis. The sides are lining up against Israel today, including Israel's long time ally, the United States.

- We need to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and a covering over God's land!

- Turn over to Zechariah 2. Zechariah was a Jewish prophet in Babylon, calling God's people to return to Jerusalem. God had used Babylon to chasten them, but Babylon was cruel in doing so.

• Zechariah 2:8,9 : "For thus says the Lord of hosts: 'He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye. For surely I will shake My hand against them, and they shall become spoil for their servants. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me."

- When you mess with God's people, God is going to mess with you! Laban put himself on the wrong side of that equation with his actions!

• Genesis 30:37-40 : "Now Jacob took for himself rods of green poplar and of the almond and chestnut trees, peeled white strips in them, and exposed the white which was in the rods. And the rods which he had peeled, he set before the flocks in the gutters, in the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink, so that they should conceive when they came to drink. So the flocks conceived before the rods, and the flocks brought forth streaked, speckled, and spotted. Then Jacob separated the lambs, and made the flocks face toward the streaked and all the brown in the flock of Laban; but he put his own flocks by themselves and did not put them with Laban’s flock." : There are three explanations for this.

- First, Jacob knew something from his experience that modern biologists don't know today. That is not crazy, as often science catches up to scripture.

- The second explanation regards Jacob believing in pre-natal influence, sort of akin to the concept of letting kids listen to classical music in the womb, so that they will be brilliant musicians.

- The third explanation is most likely the case: Jacob peeled these shepherd rods in response to God's command and as a physical representation of his faith in the Lord.

- One commentator just believes that Jacob was just being superstitious!

- What happened was nothing short of miraculous, as the Lord allowed Jacob to be enlarged.

• Genesis 30:41-43 : "And it came to pass, whenever the stronger livestock conceived, that Jacob placed the rods before the eyes of the livestock in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods. But when the flocks were feeble, he did not put them in; so the feebler were Laban’s and the stronger Jacob’s. Thus the man became exceedingly prosperous, and had large flocks, female and male servants, and camels and donkeys." : What Jacob does here is called "selective breeding." This still done today, letting the strong mix with the strong.

- Jacob without any head start, without any help from Laban, became exceedingly prosperous.

˚ "The ancient Hebrew says, 'the man burst out exceedingly exceedingly.'"

- God blessed Jacob with strong flocks, while at the same time, causing Laban's flocks to dwindle in health. Laban was about to see that you should not cross God's man!

• Genesis 31:1-9 : "Now Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, 'Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has acquired all this wealth.' And Jacob saw the countenance of Laban, and indeed it was not favorable toward him as before. Then the Lord said to Jacob, 'Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you.'
So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field, to his flock, and said to them, 'I see your father’s countenance, that it is not favorable toward me as before; but the God of my father has been with me. And you know that with all my might I have served your father. Yet your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not allow him to hurt me. If he said thus: ‘The speckled shall be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore speckled. And if he said thus: ‘The streaked shall be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore streaked. So God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me." : When God's person is blessed, the envy of the world will surface.

- God comes and tells Jacob, "It is time to leave!" God is not running from a fight. He is confirming to Jacob that He will be his guard as he returns home.

- He will be with Jacob, a promise of protection. No matter what Jacob has been, God has been faithful to keep him and to promise His protection.

- Jacob brings his wives out into the field and lets them know what God has been speaking to him. This is an excellent plan: When you are about to make a major decision, involve your wife!

- Or in this case, your wives! Jacob wanted to be sure that this was a private meeting. And for the first time in their marriage, they all agreed!

- Laban had continued to deceive and changed his wages over and over again, not literally 10 times. This was a Hebrew idiom referring to over and over again.

- Jacob acknowledges that the Lord has been with him, that God was protecting him and that God has given him Laban's flock.

• Genesis 31:10-13 : "And it happened, at the time when the flocks conceived, that I lifted my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the rams which leaped upon the flocks were streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted. Then the Angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying, ‘Jacob.’ And I said, ‘Here I am.’ And He said, ‘Lift your eyes now and see, all the rams which leap on the flocks are streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted; for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family.'" : Jacob explains his methods here. God had directed him to make the moves that he had. This explains why Jacob had asked for the recessive sheep.

- God identifies Himself as the God of Bethel. To Jacob, in the middle of difficult circumstances, going back to that special place where He met with God, must have been very attractive now. God is calling Him back to a consecrated relationship with Him.

• Genesis 31:14-18 : "Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, 'Is there still any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house? Are we not considered strangers by him? For he has sold us, and also completely consumed our money. For all these riches which God has taken from our father are really ours and our children’s; now then, whatever God has said to you, do it.' Then Jacob rose and set his sons and his wives on camels. And he carried away all his livestock and all his possessions which he had gained, his acquired livestock which he had gained in Padan Aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan." : Laban's children have seen the actions of their Father. They have seen his lack of honorable, Fatherly actions. This fuels their vigorous admonition to obey the Lord.

• Genesis 31:19-24 : "Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel had stolen the household idols that were her father’s. And Jacob stole away, unknown to Laban the Syrian, in that he did not tell him that he intended to flee. So he fled with all that he had. He arose and crossed the river, and headed toward the mountains of Gilead. And Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled. Then he took his brethren with him and pursued him for seven days journey, and he overtook him in the mountains of Gilead. But God had come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, 'Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.'" : Laban is deep in celebration, partying and enjoying the sheep shear. Meanwhile, Jacob decides to sneak off. He decides to trust in his own resources.

˚ "He could have announced his departure and gone in the glory of an army with banners. But fear made it impossible to reap the full measure of blessing. He sneaked away into the will of God instead of departing in triumph." D. Barnhouse

- Jacob got a three day jumpstart on Laban, though Laban, without children and wives, moved quick enough to head him off.

- Moses comments that Rachel stole Laban's gods. We'll get to why in a moment, but had she not done so, this whole chase might not have even taken place.

- Laban is fairly angry, but God is Jacob's rear guard. He directs Jacob on one end and deflects Laban on the other.

• Genesis 31:25-32 : "So Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountains, and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mountains of Gilead. And Laban said to Jacob: 'What have you done, that you have stolen away unknown to me, and carried away my daughters like captives taken with the sword? Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away from me, and not tell me; for I might have sent you away with joy and songs, with timbrel and harp? And you did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters. Now you have done foolishly in so doing. It is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.’ And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?' Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, 'Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force.’ With whomever you find your gods, do not let him live. In the presence of our brethren, identify what I have of yours and take it with you.' For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them." : Here is Jacob and Laban at the mountain.

- Laban's words are incredibly hollow given his pursuit of Jacob to this point.

- Also a little funny is the line, "why did you steal my gods?" It's sad when your gods can be stolen! There is actually a lot behind this.

- These gods, called "teraphim" were used by pagans like Laban to seek direction. The other important aspect regarding these gods, was that whoever had possession, had the inheritance!

- When Laban died, this meant that Jacob would get all of Laban's stuff. No wonder Laban and his sons came in such hot pursuit.

- Jacob was a liar and Rachel was a liar as well! They were a regular Bonnie and Clyde!

- It's sad what we will do when we don't trust the Lord, ie. running away and being in fear.

• Genesis 31:33-42 : "And Laban went into Jacob’s tent, into Leah’s tent, and into the two maids’ tents, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent. Now Rachel had taken the household idols, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. And Laban searched all about the tent but did not find them. And she said to her father, 'Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise before you, for the manner of women is with me.' And he searched but did not find the household idols. Then Jacob was angry and rebuked Laban, and Jacob answered and said to Laban: 'What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have so hotly pursued me? Although you have searched all my things, what part of your household things have you found? Set it here before my brethren and your brethren, that they may judge between us both! These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young, and I have not eaten the rams of your flock. That which was torn by beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it. You required it from my hand, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. There I was! In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from my eyes. Thus I have been in your house twenty years; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times. Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.'" : Jacob was an invaluable employee. Note these characteristics: Laban's flocks were well bred. They did not miscarry during Jacob's service.

- Jacob, as an employee, did not take from his employers flock, though it was his right to do so. Every shepherd was alloted a certain number of sheep for "Lamb Chop night!"

- Jacob took ownership of that which was loss. When one died, he took that loss himself. Usually a shepherd was not responsible for loss at night if he had taken proper precautions.

- Jacob was as faithful in the day as he was in the night!

- All this being said, Jacob was blessed by God, simply because God wanted to bless Him!

- Jacob makes it sound like God was blessing him because of his work ethic! That's not the case at all.

- Laban would have rewarded him with evil had it not been for the Lord.

• Genesis 31:43-50 : "And Laban answered and said to Jacob, 'These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and this flock is my flock; all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these my daughters or to their children whom they have borne? Now therefore, come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me.' So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. Then Jacob said to his brethren, 'Gather stones.' And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there on the heap. Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed. And Laban said, 'This heap is a witness between you and me this day.' Therefore its name was called Galeed, also Mizpah, because he said, 'May the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent one from another. If you afflict my daughters, or if you take other wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us—see, God is witness between you and me!'" : While this sounds like a nice little covenant, what really happens here is a pact of non-aggression. "Don't come back this way, and if you do, the Lord better be with you!"

• Genesis 31:51-55 : "Then Laban said to Jacob, 'Here is this heap and here is this pillar, which I have placed between you and me. This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not pass beyond this heap to you, and you will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. The God of Abraham, the God of Nahor, and the God of their father judge between us.' And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac. Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his brethren to eat bread. And they ate bread and stayed all night on the mountain. And early in the morning Laban arose, and kissed his sons and daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place." : This heap of stones was a line of demarcation. Don't cross here and I won't cross here! Laban kissed everyone, including the livestock, but would not kiss Jacob!

- This parting is the exact opposite of how they began their relationship. Then, they embraced and thanked God for each other. Here, they cannot stand one another and have nothing good to say!

- The big story here is that God has provided a test that has given Jacob the opportunity to grow in trust. Instead, Jacob relies upon his own perceived strengths.

- God is not done with Jacob yet and this situation is allowed so that Jacob might get into a position where he would HAVE to trust the Lord.

Conclusion

- Jacob was a fine employee, who did things right. He was blessed because God wanted Him to be blessed.

- Laban was a horrible employer, who in spite of having a good employee, sought to serve his own greed and was cursed. God will always bless and cover His people.