Jacob part 10 Jacob leaves the house of Laban by Victor Torres Last time, we saw that Jacob wanted to work for his family. He agreed to work for Laban again after working for him for 14 years for Laban's two daughters, Leah and Rachel. Today, we will see that Jacob worked for Laban for another six years to build a good flock for his family. Before the start of these six years, Laban predicted that he will continue to be blessed through enchantments or divination. Gen 30:27 (KJV) And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry [stay]: for I have learned by experience [enchantments] that the LORD hath blessed [will bless] me for thy sake. Other translations have translated the word experience in the King James Version to divination, which is a more correct translation: Gen 30:27 (ESV) But Laban said to him, "If I have found favor in your sight, I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you. Gen 30:27 (GNB) Laban said to him, "Let me say this: I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you. Here is Merriam-Webster's simple definition of divination: the practice of using signs (such as an arrangement of tea leaves or cards) or special powers to predict the future So divination or fortune telling is using signs or magic spells to predict the future. Divination is just one of the pagan practices that our Lord does not want us to do. It is a great sin against the Lord. 2Ch 33:2 (GNB) Following the disgusting practices of the nations whom the LORD had driven out of the land as his people advanced, Manasseh sinned against the LORD. 2Ch 33:3 He rebuilt the pagan places of worship that his father Hezekiah had destroyed. He built altars for the worship of Baal, made images of the goddess Asherah, and worshiped the stars. 2Ch 33:4 He built pagan altars in the Temple, the place that the LORD had said was where he should be worshiped forever.
2Ch 33:5 In the two courtyards of the Temple he built altars for the worship of the stars. 2Ch 33:6 He sacrificed his sons in Hinnom Valley as burnt offerings. He practiced divination and magic and consulted fortunetellers and mediums. He sinned greatly against the LORD and stirred up his anger. So you see, kids, these practices are closely related to worshiping other gods. In the verses that we read above, Manasseh, who worshiped Baal, Asherah and the stars, also practiced divination and magic. He also asked advice from fortunetellers and mediums. And we are told in a very clear manner that He sinned greatly against the Lord and stirred up his anger. So Laban, by doing this, unknowingly angered the Lord greatly. He doesn't know that the Lord is setting him up, so in his greed, Laban asked Jacob to stay and continue to work for him. Jacob agreed with Laban that his payment would be the spotted goats, and the black and brown goats. After agreeing to this, Laban immediately cheated Jacob. Gen 30:35 (ERV) But that day Laban hid all the male goats that had spots. And he hid all the female goats that had spots on them. He also hid all the black [or brown] sheep. Laban told his sons to watch these sheep. Gen 30:36 So the sons took all the spotted animals and led them to another place. They traveled for three days. Jacob stayed and took care of all the animals that were left. Not only that, in the span of these six years, Laban continued to cheat Jacob. He changed what they agreed would be Jacob's pay ten times. We continue the story with Jacob witnessing against Laban to Leah and Rachel. Gen 31:6 (ERV) You both know that I have worked as hard as I could for your father. Gen 31:7 But he cheated me. He has changed my pay ten times. But during all this time, God protected me from all of Laban's tricks. Gen 31:8 "At one time Laban said, 'You can keep all the goats with spots. This will be your pay.' After he said this, all the animals gave birth to spotted goats, so they were all mine. But then Laban said, 'I will keep the spotted goats. You can have all the striped goats. That will be your pay.' After he said this, all the animals gave birth to striped goats. Laban has done great evil against Jacob. We can see that in this situation, Jacob must now realize how Esau felt when he and his mom Rebekah tricked his dad Isaac to get Isaac's blessings. The very reason Jacob went to Laban was because he was running away from Esau whom he cheated.
We are told to love our enemies and to not pay evil with evil. But it is perfectly alright to witness against the evil deeds that other people do. That's why if you get bullied at school, the right thing to do is tell a teacher or the principal. If you get bullied outside of school, the right thing to do is to tell the parents of that child. Let's continue the story: Gen 31:11 (GNB) The angel of God spoke to me in the dream and said, 'Jacob!' 'Yes,' I answered. Gen 31:12 'Look,' he continued, 'all the male goats that are mating are striped, spotted, and speckled. I am making this happen because I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. Gen 31:13 I am the God who appeared to you at Bethel, where you dedicated a stone as a memorial by pouring olive oil on it and where you made a vow to me. Now get ready and go back to the land where you were born.' " Gen 31:14 Rachel and Leah answered Jacob, "There is nothing left for us to inherit from our father. Gen 31:15 He treats us like foreigners. He sold us, and now he has spent all the money he was paid for us. Gen 31:16 All this wealth which God has taken from our father belongs to us and to our children. Do whatever God has told you." Here Rachel and Leah are also witnessing against their father's greed. As we learned last time, the elect of God will one day physically leave their churches. They would stop attending those churches and they would stop listening to their false teachings. They would also witness against the evil deeds of their former churches. Gen 31:17 (MKJV) Then Jacob rose up and set his sons and wives upon camels. Gen 31:18 And he drove away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his property, which he had gotten in Padan-aram, in order to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan. Gen 31:19 (GNB) Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and during his absence Rachel stole the household gods that belonged to her father.
These are the false gods worshiped by Laban which are connected to his practice of divination or fortune telling. You will notice though that it was not Leah, but Rachel who stole these household gods of her father. Since Rachel is the symbol for the elect, this shows us that the elect still has false doctrines with them even after they physically left their former churches. I started recognizing the false teachings of my former church when I was 33. I stopped attending it when I was around 37 years old, but I didn't stop celebrating birthdays until after I was 40. Birthday celebration was an idol or false god that I carried for around three years after I stopped attending my former church. It is only through the grace of God that I was able to give up this idol. Gen 31:20 (MKJV) And Jacob deceived the heart of Laban the Syrian, in that he did not tell him that he fled. Gen 31:21 And he fled with all that was his. And he rose up and passed over the river, and set his face toward Mount Gilead. Gen 31:22 It was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled. Gen 31:23 And he took his brothers with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey. And they overtook him in Mount Gilead. It took Laban seven days to catch up to Jacob and his family. Seven is the number of completion. This seven days journey between Laban and Jacob is a symbol of our complete separation from Babylon that God wants to see from us. 2Co 6:15 (ERV) How can there be any unity between Christ and the devil? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 2Co 6:16 God's temple cannot have anything to do with idols, and we are the temple of the living God. As God said, "I will live with them and walk with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people." We shouldn't act as unbelievers do. We shouldn't listen to music that contains bad words and we shouldn't watch shows where kids disrespect their parents and authorities. In the world that we live in, rebels are portrayed as cool, and those who want to be obedient to their parents and the rules of their school or the government are called all sorts of bad names instead of being honored as good models of behavior. Let's continue the story: Gen 31:24 (MKJV) And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, Take heed that you do not speak either good or bad to Jacob. The Lord is warning Laban not to hurt Jacob because He wants to fulfill His
promise to Jacob to bless him. Gen 31:25 (ERV) Jacob had set up his camp on a mountain, and Laban set up his camp with his relatives in the hill country of Gilead. Gen 31:26 Laban said to Jacob, "Why did you deceive me and carry off my daughters like women captured in war? Gen 31:27 Why did you deceive me and slip away without telling me? If you had told me, I would have sent you on your way with rejoicing and singing to the music of tambourines and harps. Laban is lying here. The Lord knows Laban was angry at Jacob for leaving without telling him. That is the reason the Lord warned him not to threaten Jacob in any way. There is no way Laban would have sent Jacob away with rejoicing and singing to the music of tambourines and harps. Gen 31:28 (MKJV) And why have you not allowed me to kiss my sons (grandsons) and my daughters? You have done foolishly in so doing. The churches of Babylon do think that the elect are foolish for leaving them. They are convinced that what they are teaching is right and they do think that they are the chosen people of God. Gen 31:29 (GNB) I have the power to do you harm, but last night the God of your father warned me not to threaten you in any way. Gen 31:30 I know that you left because you were so anxious to get back home, but why did you steal my household gods?" Gen 31:31 Jacob answered, "I was afraid, because I thought that you might take your daughters away from me. Gen 31:32 But if you find that anyone here has your gods, he will be put to death. Here, with our men as witnesses, look for anything that belongs to you and take what is yours." Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen Laban's gods. So Jacob, being the leader of his household, made an impulsive judgment here. He spoke before asking his wives if they knew who stole Laban's gods. Pro 18:13 (BBE) To give an answer before hearing is a foolish thing and a cause of shame. This is what we do when we are not yet given patience; we judge hurriedly and
without mercy. We judge harshly as if we haven't committed any sin ourselves. Gen 31:33 (GNB) Laban went and searched Jacob's tent; then he went into Leah's tent, and the tent of the two slave women, but he did not find his gods. Then he went into Rachel's tent. Gen 31:34 Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in a camel's saddlebag and was sitting on them. Laban searched through the whole tent, but did not find them. Gen 31:35 Rachel said to her father, "Do not be angry with me, sir, but I am not able to stand up in your presence; I am having my monthly period." Laban searched but did not find his household gods. In the law of Moses, a woman and anything she sits on or lies on are considered unclean during her monthly period. Lev 15:19 (GNB) When a woman has her monthly period, she remains unclean for seven days. Anyone who touches her is unclean until evening. Lev 15:20 Anything on which she sits or lies during her monthly period is unclean. Spiritually, this means that everything that we do when we rely on our own strength and understanding [where we sit or lie spiritually] is considered unclean by God. This includes idols of the heart. Idols of the heart are anything that we give more importance than our obedience to God. Gen 31:36 (ERV) Then Jacob became very angry and said, "What wrong have I done? What law have I broken? What right do you have to chase me and stop me? Gen 31:37 You looked through everything I own and found nothing that belongs to you. If you found something, show it to me. Put it here where our men can see it. Let our men decide which one of us is right. Gen 31:38 I have worked 20 years for you. During all that time none of the baby sheep and goats died during birth. And I have not eaten any of the rams from your flocks. Gen 31:39 Whenever a sheep was killed by wild animals, I always bore the loss myself. I didn't take it to you to show that it was not my fault. You demanded that I make good anything that was stolen during the day or during the night. Gen 31:40 Many times I suffered from the heat during the day and from the cold at night. I was not able to sleep. Jacob is now describing the qualities of a good shepherd. A good shepherd is
there to feed the sheep and goats when they are hungry. A good shepherd is there to protect the flock from predators. Jacob is a symbol of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the Good Shepherd. Joh 10:11 (ERV) "I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. Jacob continues to witness against Laban. Gen 31:41 (GNB) It was like that for the whole twenty years I was with you. For fourteen years I worked to win your two daughters---and six years for your flocks. And even then, you changed my wages ten times. Gen 31:42 If the God of my fathers, the God of Abraham and Isaac, had not been with me, you would have already sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my trouble and the work I have done, and last night he gave his judgment." Jacob acknowledges that he did work hard for Leah and Rachel and for everything that he has, but at the same time, he did admit that everything that he has all came from God. Gen 31:43 (GNB) Laban answered Jacob, "These young women are my daughters; their children belong to me, and these flocks are mine. In fact, everything you see here belongs to me. But since I can do nothing to keep my daughters and their children, Gen 31:44 I am ready to make an agreement with you. Let us make a pile of stones to remind us of our agreement." Laban, on the other hand, does not see it that way. He still thinks that everything Jacob has belongs to him. But Laban was afraid enough of the God of Jacob that he did not hurt Jacob and was willing to make an agreement with Jacob. Gen 31:45 (GNB) So Jacob got a stone and set it up as a memorial. Gen 31:46 He told his men to gather some rocks and pile them up. Then they ate a meal beside the pile of rocks. Gen 31:47 Laban named it Jegar Sahadutha, while Jacob named it Galeed. Laban used a Babylonian language while Jacob used the Hebrew language to name this memorial between the two of them. This points to the different languages or how differently we understand God's words depending on what church we are in. If we are in a false church, the teachings of Christ are mixed in with man's traditions and teachings. If we are in the church of the living God, then the teachings of Christ are presented to us in a way that will lead us to a life
that is acceptable to God. 2Ti 3:16 (KJV) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. So let's review the lessons we learned today: 1. It is evil to practice divination or fortune telling. 2. The practice of divination and enchantments (magic spells) are closely related to the worship of other gods. 3. The elect are called by God to come out of their false churches. 4. The elect still believe in some of the false teachings of their former church even after we stop attending them. 5. We should not hate our former church or take revenge on them, but we are told to witness against them. 6. The false churches think the elect are foolish to leave them. 7. Everything that we do, when we rely on our own strength and understanding, are considered unclean to God. 8. The Lord is in total control of everything, and He will bless and protect us (like Jacob), if we continue to obey Him.