The 31st chapter of Genesis finds Jacob running
from his in-laws. Now the Bible teaches that upon being married, a man shall leave
his father and mother and hold fast to his wife. (Gen.2:24 -cited in Matt.19:5;
Eph. 5:31). But this is not what we see here. We see Jacob fleeing from his
in –laws (31:20,21). Normally men fetch
their brides from their father’s home and then leave, in measured steps, to begin their own homes! Jacob went to fetch his bride from her father’s
house, overstayed his welcome and had to flee. If Jacob had simply fetched
Rachel and returned back to Canaan, it
would have been a very different story. But it was not to be.
20 years have passed since Jacob had left his father and
mother in Canaan (31:38,40-41),
whilst also fleeing from his brother
Esau, and whilst looking for a wife among the people of his uncle Laban
in Haran. He volunteered to serve Laban 7 years for Rachel (30:18), when his uncle Laban had tricked him into marriage with her
sister Leah (30:23). Jacob then
served a further 7 years to get Rachel
also. That is 14 years. Then we read in 30:25-43 that Jacob wanted to go back to his home in Canaan, when Laban tempted him
yet again to stay another 6 years to look after his sheep in return for
all the speckled and spotted sheep that were born of the herd. This
amounts to 20 years that Jacob has been away from his promised land. At the end
of these 20 years Jacob had become prosperous.
“Thus the man increased greatly and had
large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys.” (30:43)
However, at this time, Jacob has truly had it. It was time to
go. The relationship with Laban was no blessing to Jacob. There is no spiritual
growth recorded here. The only thing that had happened in this time is that
Jacob had grown materially prosperous. The sons of Laban, his brothers in law, were
now becoming jealous of him and of his increased wealth. And Jacob saw that
Laban did not regard him with favour as before (31:1,2).
Our text divides into 7
portions:
(i) Jacob thinking of leaving
(ii) Jacob informing and consulting with his wives
(iii) Jacob fleeing
(iv) Laban
pursuing
(v) Laban confronting
(vi)
Jacob responding
(vii) Laban leaving
1. Time to leave! (31:1-3)
The confirmation to leave his in laws came not primarily from the
circumstances. Opposition from family or unfavourable circumstances are not
necessarily a reason to leave, although the increased hostility would have contributed to a loosening of the roots.
However, the ultimate confirmation came
from the LORD: “Then the LORD said to
Jacob, ‘Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, I and I
will be with you’” (31:3). Haran
was never Jacob’s designated home. It can be at best a temporary home, just
like this earth is our temporary home, “for here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come”
(Hebr.13:14). Canaan is the earthly
promise of the heavenly reality. So, Jacob is now reminded by God to move on.
It is a daunting move. His roots have grown deep here, and the future elsewhere
is uncertain. But God’s promise is with him:
“I will be with you”. It is a
repetition of the covenant promise God made to him twenty years ago at Bethel (28:13-15).
How was he to leave? In a sense Jacob is in a sense
imprisoned by his father in law. In many ways his experience under Laban
is like the experience of a future
generation of the Jews in Egypt, held
hostage by Pharaoh (Exod. 1ff). It is also similar to the slavery of sin and Satan in
which we all are kept, until Jesus Christ delivers us by the mercy and free
grace of God. The point is that unaided, Jacob, the Jews, or ourselves would never escape from
our respective prisons if God were not at work for us.
2. Informing and consulting with his wives (31: 4-16)
An important question will be how Jacob’s wives will think
and feel about this. This is, after all their familiar home. How will they
settle in Canaan, 800 kilometres away? Jacob puts the situation before them. He informs them how their father’s attitude to
him has changed (31:5), despite long
and faithful service (31:6). He
reminded them that their father had cheated him so many times (31:7). Three times he draws attention to
God’s blessing and protection in all this (31:5,7,9).
He also tells them concerning his dream (which probably relates to 31:3) in which Jacob shows them that he
did not cheat their father with a clever breeding scheme. It was the God of Bethel who did this. It was the God of Bethel who
is now calling him to return to his country (31:13).
As we pause to reflect upon these 20 years we do need to
commend Jacob for his exemplary patience and for his long suffering. And it
seems that at this point he is
truly begin to see his life and the future, not as in his own hands, nor
the hands of his father in law and the family in Haran. He sees himself as a
man called of God. A new phase is about
to begin.
Having spoken with his wives, they both endorse his decision
to leave. In this matter they were united. Since they had no portion or inheritance left in
their father’s house (the boys probably got that!) (31:14), and since they were now considered foreigners
by their father (31:15) there was now very little attachment left. They
had begun to see that the LORD, the God of their husband Jacob, was the One
who had endowed them with
the material blessings. So they
tell Jacob, “do whatever God has
told you” (31:16).They trusted
their husband and their husband’s God. In that
sense Jacob’s God will be their God and Jacob’s people will be their
people- echoes of Ruth and Naomi.
3. Jacob and his family flee
from Laban (31:17-21)
Taking everything he legally owned (31:18) Jacob fled at a time when Laban had gone out to shear the sheep (31:19). He crossed the great river Euphrates, heading for the hill
country of Gilead (31:21). Now whilst Jacob took that which was legally his, we are told that Rachel stole her father’s household gods (Hebr. teraphim) (31:19). In this we see that Rachel’s
heart is not yet attached to the LORD. She represents those who cannot fully
embrace the promises of God. She still has to rely on her familiar idols. She
still must rely on other things. In this regard she is like Lot’s wife, who
whilst fleeing from Sodom and Gomorrah longs back and looks back. Sadly this
kind of attitude will define the nation of Israel at many times. Israel was always
divided in their hearts. Whilst they partly desired God, they also flirted with
the world. This was to be a continual
snare to Israel throughout her history. It is the greatest trouble with the
church. So many in the church want the favour of God, but they also want the
favour of the world. Well, you cannot have both. Choose this day whom you will serve, said Joshua to the Israelites
(Josh. 24:15). This tension will not be resolved until the
true church, the true Israel will be assembled in heaven. Until then we must
wrestle and struggle with sin.
There is a magnificent play on words here in 31:20, which is lost in translation. While Rachel had stolen her father’s
household gods, Jacob tricked, (lit.) stole away, unknown to Laban (lit.
stole the heart of Laban – see margin of ESV; see also 31: 26,27)
4. Laban pursues Jacob 31:22-25
Three days after the fact Laban hears what has happened and
he is furious. It takes him a week to catch up with Jacob’s slow moving trek.
But again, God is at work in this situation. Laban is warned in a dream. Thank
God for His interventions. We have no idea how many times God may have worked
in the heart of those who meant to do us evil, but were prevented from doing so
by Divine intervention. Isn’t it strange
that Laban will listen to God in his
dream at night and yet still cling to useless household gods that can do nothing? Oh the mystery of the hardness of the human heart.
5. Laban confronts Jacob (31:26—35)
Upon catching up, the
questions come fast and furiously: “What have you done? And driven away my daughters like captives of the sword?”.
Well, that's not true. They actually went voluntarily. (31:26).
Why did you flee secretly (31:27)? Why did you not permit me to say goodbye
(31:28)? Why did you steal my household gods? (31:30). But he does keep in
mind the fact that God had warned him (31:29) and so his fury is contained. But
note the final irony. The true God has spoken to him in a dream, but he is more
concerned about the loss of his deaf and
mute idols who cannot utter a word. The irrationality of fallen human beings!
6. Jacob responds (31: 36-42)
Jacob does not know about
Rachel’s deceit in terms of the household
gods, and they were never found by Laban. This is the moment in which
Jacob feels himself justified to
go on the counter offensive. He reminds him of the injustice that he has
suffered for 20 years. Jacob knew that
had he not taken this course of action he would never have left Laban. The man was just too strong and possessive. It is really the first time
that wesee Jacob standing up to his father in law (31:42).
This is a wonderful turning point in Jacob’s life: The God of Abraham and the
fear of Isaac is his strength. Oh how we need this truth to
stand up against the fearful Laban’s of
this world.
7. Laban leaves (31:43-55)
Laban now knew that the best thing was reconciliation in the form of making a solemn,
binding covenant (31:44). Jacob set up two witnesses to this agreement- a stone heap
(31:45,46), as well as a sacrifice in the context of a fellowship meal (31:54). They parted peacefully, but we
never hear of Laban again. He had plenty opportunities to lay aside his foolish
idolatry and trust in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But he did not, and that is how he left.
CONCLUSION
We need to conclude our meditation with a word of
perspective. Jacob points us to the true Israel, the true God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ. He points us to our true country- which is heaven, our
heavenly Bethel, the place where Christ rules and reigns for evermore.
At Bethel Jacob had first seen God, standing at the top of a
stairway into heaven. Here God had sworn to be with him. Jesus, in identifying
with Jacob’s dream at Bethel identifies Himself as the stairway to heaven (John 1:51). This journey that Jacob begins
here has been finished by Christ.
Remember then that you are on a journey. Your journey is to heaven via your stairway who is Christ. Heaven is where your
inheritance is located. Therefore lay aside your idols, whether it be the things and people you idolize, or whether it is your own abilities that you rely on. They are a hindrance and they are useless on this journey.
Put your trust in God alone. Let your confidence not rest in any man, and not in your
in-laws.
Run to God, run home and rest in Him alone.
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