Last week we ended the story of Jacob in Chapter 30 with an agreement made between Jacob and Laban concerning the rightful ownership of sheep and goats depending on their outward markings.  All the animals born with spots or speckles would be given to Jacob as payment for back wages and all the solid colored animals would be Laban’s.  Although both men tried to tip the scales in a favorable direction, God intervened and Jacob’s flock prospered immensely.  Not because of anything Jacob did, but because God keeps His promises and Jacob is now the recipient of the covenant promise made to Abraham and his descendents.

Of course, once Jacob’s flocks begin to prosper, Laban’s sons become disgruntled and complain to their father, Laban.  Laban’s attitude toward Jacob changes and Jacob receives a word from the Lord to return to his homeland and God will be with him.  The first thing Jacob does following this directive is to tell Rachel and Leah.  Once they are told of the changing attitude of Laban and reminded of all the unfair wage practices Jacob has endured, they agree to leave their father’s land with Jacob.  The women also add that their father has treated them as foreigners and they hold no share in their father’s inheritance. Therefore Jacob rounds up all his children, his wives and his livestock and head for his father, Isaac’s, home in Canaan. 

But Rachel carries out an action that I didn’t understand until I did a little digging.  Rachel stole her father’s household idols.  Now, being Jacob’s wife it doesn’t seem sensible for Rachel to steal idols for the journey to Canaan.  After all, Jacob served the one, true God…didn’t he explain playing with idols can be dangerous? 

Rachel had been taught that possession of these household idols implied leadership of the family and they preserved for Jacob the title to her father’s (teraphim) estate.   In her humanness, Rachel discerned these idols to be of great importance to her husband.  Once again, a human act seemingly to help give Jacob and his descendants something that God had ordained was his anyway. 

Once Laban realized Jacob and his entourage was gone, he gathered his men and went after them.  However, in a dream Laban was told not to harm Jacob, or his caravan.  When Laban “overtook” them, the only explanation he had for following them was the unfairness of their sudden departure and not being able to say good-bye to his daughters and his grandchildren, nor giving them a proper send-off.  Laban added that his idols were missing and must have been stolen.

Jacob welcomed a search and added that if Laban found the idols he should put that individual to death.  After searching the tents, Laban came to Rachel’s tent and she was sitting down and apologized for not standing because she was on her time of menstruation and didn’t feel well enough to stand.  Actually she was sitting on top of the idols.  Laban, of course, didn’t find the idols and Jacob became very angry with Laban’s accusation.

Jacob begins to list the ways he feels Laban has mistreated him over the years:

1.     He worked for 14 years for Laban’s daughters

2.    He worked 6 years for Laban’s flocks

3.    Laban changed Jacob’s wages 10 times during his employment

4.    Laban flock (sheep and goats) have always prospered and if any animals were lost by wild beasts, Jacob personally took the loss; in fact many times Jacob was weary and tired with lack of sleep trying to protect Laban’s flock during this twenty year “bondage”?

Laban seems to get the last word reminding Jacob in verses 43-44 that Jacob’s wives are still his daughters and all Jacob’s children are his children, as well as the flocks.  But what can he (Laban) do, but try to make peace.  So Laban asks Jacob to enter into a pact, an agreement.  Ironically, this agreement is to make sure neither man does anything to cheat the other one!  It did include that Jacob was not to mistreat Laban’s daughters or marry other wives.  The pillar of stones erected at this place Laban called “Jegar Sahadutha” (Aramaic) and Jacob called the place “Galeed” (Hebrew).  The meaning of both words was “the heap of witness”.  Neither man was to pass to the other side of the “heap” of stones to attack or go after the other.

After a nice meal shared together that night, the next morning Laban kissed his daughters and grandchildren and each man went in opposite directions.

Father, thank you for another portion of your word proclaimed in Genesis.  May we seek to do more for others than for ourselves.  This is what you have taught us from the beginning, Lord, that we need to love, serve and protect others.  As we emulate your actions we become the body of Christ.   It is then we forget about putting ourselves first and learn to give as you have given to us.  Continue to teach us, Lord.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Assignment for next week:  Please read Chapter 32

This is an exciting chapter for us to study.  Jacob, finally on his way back to his father, Isaac, remembers on his journey that his brother, Esau, wasn’t too happy with him when last they parted.  These are the items I’d like for you to consider this week:

1.     Jacob’s encounter with a band of angels on his way to Canaan resulted in Jacob naming this place Mahanaim.  What is the meaning of this name and why would Jacob use this word?

2.    What actions did Jacob take to check out Esau’s emotional attitude?

3.    What clever action did Jacob employ with his family for safety reasons?

4.    Look closely at Jacob’s prayer in verses 9-12.  What did Jacob really pray for?  Was this finally a turning point in Jacob’s life for total surrender to God with no additional “clever” plans to implement?

5.    What further deeds of good will did Jacob perform to lessen his brother’s anger?

6.    Then the night spent at Peniel.  Look closely at what happened at Peniel and what was the lesson Jacob needed to learn from this encounter?