Genesis 31:7-55

I’m reading Genesis 31:7

Yet your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not allow him to hurt me. 

Notice that ten times in those twenty years old Laban had changed his wages! Poor Jacob. He’s puzzled and frustrated and doesn’t know where to turn but then, God intervened.

That brings us to Genesis 31 verses 8 and 9 and we read,

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.

Here, Jacob explains to Rachel and Leah that it’s God who’s blessed him, to the extent that Laban and his sons have become very jealous of him; in fact, they hate him.

Now Jacob tells the actual reason why he wants to leave.

Verses 10 to 12,

“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

We see here in these verses the explanation for what had taken place in the breeding of the stock.

So many people have struggled to explain this for so long. How did it happen that the stock became streaked, speckled and grey-spotted? Here we have the answer. God says, “I did it!”

We don’t need to look for natural explanations.

Although we can be sure that God used some natural method that He, being the Creator, was completely aware of and we, being the created, have very little clue about. However, since God didn’t tell us which method He used, we simply don’t know. But we DO know that God did it!

Many explanations have been put forward, and we can take any one we want, but by far the best one is, God says, “I saw what Laban was doing to you, and I blessed you.”

Now to verse 13,

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.’ “

God says, “I am the God of Beth–el.” God goes back to the time He appeared to this bloke when he was running away, that first night away from home which he spent at Bethel.

God wants him to get up and leave Haran. Jacob’s got eleven boys now who’re growing up, and they’re already beginning to learn some things which they shouldn’t be learning. God wants to get Jacob and these boys away from the place of idolatry just as He got Abraham out of a home of idolatry.

This takes us to verses 14 and 15,

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.

You see these women are well aware of their father’s skullduggery. They’re saying that as the daughters of their father, they should receive some inheritance, and that ought to keep Laban from being so dedicated to keeping Jacob under his thumb and preventing him from prospering. But, friends, old Laban’s not motivated by those petty details. it’s always all about him and he can’t be trusted one little bit.

There’s a good lesson here for us today as Christians, and how we handle the blessings that God’s given us. So many believers live as if God’s blessings are an exclusive right to them and them alone. Not so. We’re blessed so that we can be a blessing to others.

Verse 16 reads,

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.”

How sweet it is when a man has a woman by his side who supports him even when he slips and falls. I am personally blessed by God in that area. These women, Rachel and Leah, tell Jacob to do whatever he wants to do. They stand with him, and they’re fully aware that their father, Laban, has robbed them of an inheritance for both them and their children.

Now we come to Genesis 31:17-19,

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. 

Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel had stolen the household idols that were her father’s. 

Now, here, God’s revealing something very interesting.

Jacob rises up and leaves in a hurry again. Remember, this is the same way he left home when he was escaping from his brother.

Now he’s leaving his uncle the same way except but it’s not all his fault this time. It’s obvious that he’s prepared for this. He has all the family, the cattle and the servants ready to march.

The verse states, “Rachel had stolen the images that were her father’s.” We know that they lived in a home of idolatry and God didn’t want Jacob’s boys to be brought up there. But, you see, Rachel had been brought up in idolatry, and she wanted to take her gods with her.

Even Jacob had thought that he could run away from God when he left his home, but at Bethel God appeared to him. He found he couldn’t run away from God. God is simply not a clay figure or some sort of statue or painting that you can leave in a particular place. God is omnipotent, all-knowing and everywhere. He’s in and above all things. This understanding of God’s power and might along with the understanding of His mercy and grace had not yet come upon these people. Even Jacob, who’s now heard from God, is yet to see Him for who He really is.

Many years later David wrote in Psalms 139:7-10,

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 

If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. 

If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 

Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.

That is, even death won’t separate us. You won’t get away from God by going to some other location. You simply can’t run away from Him.

Back to our verses again and we see that “Laban went to shear his sheep.” Jacob waited until Laban went out to shear sheep which was probably quite a few miles away from home. The sheep grazed over a very large area in that land even to this day. Due to the scarcity of good grazing, it takes a large area to feed stock.

While Laban’s away from home, Jacob just conveniently “forgets” to tell him that he’s leaving.

Verse 20,

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.

They have come within sight of Mt. Gilead. As far as I can tell from bible maps Gilead is east of the Jordan River, in the mountainous northern part of the region of Transjordan which is mostly contained in present-day Jordan. Padam Aram designates the area of Harran in what we know of as upper Mesopotamia today and it’s quite a distance between the two places.

They really have covered a lot of ground.

Now verse 22,

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.

Although Jacob covered a lot of ground very quickly, Laban travelled even faster to overtake him. You may be sure that Laban doesn’t mean any good as far as Jacob is concerned. We can easily imagine that he’s angry enough to kill him. But God intervened.

To verse 24,

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.”

In other words, God tells Laban to be very careful what he says and does.

Verse 25,

So Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountains, and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mountains of Gilead. 

Laban’s a clever rascal, for sure. He’s been coming, breathing out fire and brimstone, and wanting to recover all the possessions which Jacob had taken. He probably wanted to kill Jacob and take back the two daughters and their children.

Now let’s listen to Uncle Laban in verses 26 and 27,

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?  

How diplomatic! Laban tries to make Jacob feel guilty for depriving his family of a wonderful send–off party with celebrations and a fond and warm farewell that he would have bunged on had he known Jacob was leaving. Although that’s what he says, we can be pretty sure that’s the last thing he’d have done. Then he goes on to appeal to sentiment.

Verse 28,

And you did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters. Now you have done foolishly in so doing.

We can easily imagine him putting on the pathetic, “I’ve been so badly treated”, look with puppy eyes and maybe even a few forced-out tears.

These “sons” would be his grandsons. They’re destined to be very prominent as far as the history of this world’s concerned.

Laban’s true character comes out however in verse 29 when he says,

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.’

Laban lets Jacob know that he surely didn’t mean good toward him and in fact, doing him harm was the real intention, but that God had prevented it.

To Verse 30 now,

And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?”

Now he asks about the stolen gods. Actually, Jacob didn’t know that Rachel had stolen the gods. When he answers Laban, he’s answering about his running away without letting him know.

Verse 31,

Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force.’

Jacob knew that Laban wouldn’t have let him take his wives and his family and that which belonged to him.

Now he replies to the charge of the stolen gods.

Verse 32,

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. 

These gods were probably carved stone or wooden figurines or images known as teraphim which were cult objects used as domestic or house gods.

Jacob’s sure no one would have stolen these from Laban. You see, Jacob didn’t believe Laban. He thinks Laban’s lying about the gods being stolen and using it as an excuse to do him harm.

But Laban didn’t believe Jacob either. They had absolutely no confidence and no trust in each other at all. What a nice, pleasant little twenty years these two have spent together.

Now verses 33 to 35 and we’re still in Genesis chapter 31,

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.

Laban really expected one of his daughters to have these idols but Rachel’s quite a clever girl herself. After all, she’s her father’s daughter!

She’d taken them and put them in the camel’s furniture, which is the box that went on the camel’s back. Then she sat down on them and excused herself to her father. She said she couldn’t get up because she didn’t feel well that day. All the while, she’s sitting on them. What a picture we get of this family!

Rachel’s taking of the teraphim from her father was probably much more serious than we imagine. The possession of those household gods implied leadership of the family, which meant that Jacob was going to inherit everything old Laban had! That’s the reason Laban was so wrought up over it.

He surely did not want Jacob to get his estate. He felt Jacob had already got too much.

Jacob gets a little bit confident now. They can’t locate the images, and Jacob’s sure that they aren’t anywhere around. He wants to rebuke his father–in–law who’s come after him.

Verse 37,

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! 

Now Jacob voices his complaint to Laban. He’s come a long way through his schooling in the reality of life and he’s now beginning to put those lessons into practice.

Hear what he says to Laban in verse 38,

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.

All that time and he didn’t even get his meals. He had to pay for them.

Verse 39,

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.

He even bore the cost of any animals that were lost on his watch. When a lamb was stolen or killed by a wild animal, Jacob had to pay for it. Believe me, old Laban’s a hard taskmaster!

Verse 40 reads,

There I was! In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from my eyes.

He didn’t get a holiday or any other time off. When the weather grew cold, he still had to stay out with the sheep and with the animals. Through many nights and in all sorts of weather he had to watch and protect the flock. 

Verse 41,

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.

So, this is what has happened to Jacob. Here is this cocky, clever man, who thought that he could get by with sin, but God didn’t let him get by with it because God’s made it very clear that whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap.

Jacob refused to submit to God at home; so he had to submit to his uncle.

Jacob came to receive a wife in dignity, but he was made a servant because God respects the rights of the firstborn. Jacob had deceived his father; so he was deceived by his father–in–law.

Jacob, the younger, became as older. Then he found out that he was given the older when he thought he was getting the younger.

He revealed a mercenary spirit that outworked itself in the way he got the birthright, allowing his mother to cover his hands with the skins of kids of goats.

Later on, we’ll see that his own sons will deceive him in very much the same way. They killed a kid and dipped Joseph’s coat of many colours in its blood. He deceived his father about being the favourite son, and he will be deceived about his favourite son, Joseph.

Yes, friends, whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap.

Genesis 31:42,

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 has had his day in court. He’s vented his grievances and now he’s going to leave Laban. They bid each other goodbye and make a contract.

Verse 43,

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.”

Jacob set up a stone for a pillar, a heap of stones was gathered, and a contract was made.

Verses 48 and 49,

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.

This is a contract made between two rascals that are really as bad as each other. It’s a contract to prevent them from stealing from each other.

May the Lord watch between me and thee. In other words, may the Lord keep his eye on you so you won’t steal from me anymore.

Before we close today and by way of a footnote, lets back up into the story a little and see if we can get a glimpse of the wider picture of the separation of these flocks of sheep and goats.

As we said last time, this part of the story of Jacob is not only part of the recorded history of the line that’ll eventually become God’s chosen people, the nation Israel, but at the same time it’s a picture consisting of an intricate tapestry telling how God is looking at our hearts and our spiritual condition, not external works.

Like the Jews who rejected Jesus, those flocks that have the external mark, but not the true mark are separated. The true marks are the ones that come from God’s provision whle the non true ones are the ones that come from Laban’s flock. They come from the world and are left to the world. The world is depicted by Laban and God’s people by Jacob.

In other words this story depicts the difference between the exterior marking or those who appear genuine believers from their own self righteousness and the interior markings which come only from God’s provision. The mark here is circumcision.

This is what the Apostle Paul speaks about in Romans 2-26. I’m reading from the ERV.

Those who are not Jews are not circumcised. But if they do what the law says, it is as if they were circumcised. 

You have the written law and circumcision, but you break the law. So those who are not circumcised in their bodies, but still obey the law, will show that you are guilty. 

You are not a true Jew if you are only a Jew in your physical body. True circumcision is not only on the outside of the body. 

A true Jew is one who is a Jew inside. True circumcision is done in the heart. It is done by the Spirit, not by the written law. And anyone who is circumcised in the heart by the Spirit gets praise from God, not from people.

What is this circumcision of the heart that Paul’s talking about? Nothing but the belief in the birth, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, the Christ, who was God taking on humanity and suffering in our place to pay the wages of sin which is death. When we believe we’re marked, sealed by the Holy Spirit for eternity, not externally but internally in our very being, our heart. The real us.

Then Paul goes on to say in Romans 3:27-30, and I’m reading from the ERV,

So do we have any reason to boast about ourselves? No reason at all. And why not? Because we are depending on the way of faith, not on what we have done in following the law. 

I mean we are made right with God through faith, not through what we have done to follow the law. This is what we believe. 

God is not only the God of the Jews. He is also the God of those who are not Jews. 

There is only one God. He will make Jews right with him by their faith, and he will also make non-Jews right with him through their faith. 

All of this is being pictured by the separation of these animals. The specially marked flocks come about by God’s grace, the others which are marked, but only outwardly have been removed from the grace of the true flock.

Now Jacob and Laban are going to separate and we’re going to see the great experiences in the life of Jacob in the next chapter Genesis 32.

Until then may God bless you and keep you and make His Word real to you.