Dads and brothers -
this message is for you. What would you do if someone raped your little girl, or your sister? The other day, Rob said to me, “Did you hear the story of the father who killed a man who raped and murdered his daughter and then put him in his trunk?” I said, “No, I have not.” Then my husband said, “If that happened to me, I would have done the same thing.” My first response was, “No you would not. To be a true Christian, we must turn the other cheek.” My first instinct was to extend forgiveness, but my husbands instinct was to seek justice. It made me think of how God’s character is both grace and wrath. But then I thought, what if there were no police? Where would we be if justice did not exist? What would happen if people got away with doing all kinds of violent things? What if men could take a woman or a child and sexually violate them to their hearts content? What if there was no judge or jury to convict people who rape and murder? What would happen if all of these people were walking our streets? What would we do? Remember Leah, the mother of Judah? Well, she had a daughter named Dinah who was minding her own business, and visiting her friends. Then this man named Shechem, son of Hamor who was the ruler in the land, saw Dinah and took her and raped her.” The scripture says, “His heart was drawn to Dinah daughter of Jacob; he loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her. And Shechem said to his father, “Get me this girl as my wife.” Now I don’t know about you - but in my mind, rape does not equate to love at all! In fact, rape is the complete opposite. Rape is about power and control - Using threat or force against another person’s will. Now if you had been Jacob or Leah, and Shechem did this to your daughter, what would you have done? How would you have acted in response to such an attack? Remember, at that time, they were living in a foreign land. They were living in the land of Canaan, a land filled with giants and pagans. There were no police to arrest Shechem. There were no courts to judge him. In fact he was the law of the land. “When Jacob heard that his daughter had been defiled, his sons were in the fields with his livestock; so he did nothing about it until they came home.” Genesis 34:5 Then, “when Jacob’s sons came in from the fields - as soon as they heard what had happened - They were shocked and furious, because Shechem had done an outrageous thing in Israel by sleeping with Jacob’s daughter - a thing that should not be done.” Genesis 34:7 I can’t tell - but it sounds like they were more mad that Shechem defiled Dinah because she was a child of God - a woman who had been set apart to be with a man of circumcision, rather than the fact that she was violated. What is your opinion? And then, Shechem’s stupid father, Hamor caved in! Instead of punishing Shechem for this horrible violation, he went out to talk with Jacob and said, “My son Shechem has his heart set on your daughter. Please give her to him as his wife. Intermarry with us; give us your daughters and take our daughters for yourselves. You can settle among us; the land is open to you. Live in it, trade in it, and acquire property in it.” Can you imagine confusing “love” and using it as an excuse to rape? What a horrific sin! Then Shechem, who was apparently with Hamor, said to Dinah’s father and brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and I will give you whatever you ask. Make the price for the bride and the gift I am to bring as great as you like, and I’ll pay whatever you ask. Only give me the young woman as my wife.” Can you imagine his boldness? He didn’t even think what he did was wrong! The scripture says, “Jacob’s sons replied deceitfully as they spoke to Shechem and his father Hamor. They said to them, “We can’t do such a thing; we can’t give our sister to a man who is not circumcised. That would be a disgrace to us. We will enter into an agreement with you on one condition only: that you become like us by circumcising all your males. Then we will give you our daughters and take your daughters for ourselves. We’ll settle among you and become one people with you. But if you will not agree to be circumcised, we’ll take our sister and go.” It sounds like they were pretty honest to me. Why do you think the scripture says they acted deceitfully? Hamor and his son Shechem approved of the proposal. The scripture says, “The young man, who was the most honored of all his father’s family, lost no time in doing what they said, because he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter. So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate of their city to speak to the men of their city. They announced “These men are friendly toward us, Let them live in our land and trade in it; the land has plenty of room for them. We can marry their daughters and they can marry ours. But the men will agree to live with us as one people only on the condition that our males be circumcised, as they themselves are. Won’t their livestock, their property and all their other animals become ours? So let us agree to their terms, and they will settle among us.” Genesis 34:18-23 All the men who went out of the city gate agreed with Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male in the city was circumcised. This is where the deceit comes in - “Three days later (3 days seems to be a completion timeline) while all of them were still in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, took their swords and attacked the unsuspecting city, killing every male. They put Hamor and his son Shechem to the sword and took Dinah from Shechem’s house and left. The sons of Jacob came upon the dead bodies and looted the city where their sister had been defiled. They seized their flocks and herds and donkeys and everything else of theirs in the city and out in the fields. They carried off all their wealth and all their women and children, taking as plunder everything in the houses.” Genesis 34:25-29 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me obnoxious to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people living in this land. We are few in number, and if they join forces against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed.” But they replied, “Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?” Genesis 34:30-31 You don’t know it yet - but God certainly does step in. Genesis 35 will address what God said to Jacob. But for now, what do you think? Do you think Simeon and Levi should be condemned or were they justified? It seems to me only God is righteous in our eyes!
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Today we are back
to the story of Jacob, after God named him Israel. Now it’s interesting to me, that the writer continues to use Jacob’s name instead of making the change. When the Lord renamed Abram to Abraham, the writing changed - but not so with Jacob to Israel. I wonder “why not”? The scripture says, “Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and saw Esau coming, and with him were four hundred men. So Jacob divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants. He put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children behind, and Rachel and Joseph last.” Genesis 33:1-2 It's pretty obvious who Jacob loved best. By the way - I am amazed that Jesus came through the line of Judah instead of Joseph or Benjamin - Rachel’s sons. Judah was born to Leah - the child who Israel loved less. Joseph was the favorite. The scripture then says, “Jacob crossed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.” Genesis 33:3-4 This story reminds me of when the Israelites marched around the city of Jericho seven times, and blew their horns, and the walls of Jericho came falling down. But this time, the walls represent the heart. “Now Esau lifted his eyes and saw the women and children, and said, “Who are these with you?” Jacob said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” Then the maidservants came near, they and their children, and bowed down. And Leah also came near with her children, and they bowed down. Afterward Joseph and Rachel came near, and they bowed down. Then Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?” Esau was referring to the livestock that Jacob had sent ahead as a gift. Jacob said, “These are to find favor in the sight of my Lord.” Did you hear that? Jacob called Esau his Lord. What do you think he meant? Was Jacob replacing God - or was this a term of endearment? Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” Esau called Jacob “brother” - he did not call him “Lord.” Esau recognized the relationship, but he did not bow down to Jacob. Jacob said, “No, please, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present from my hand, inasmuch as I have seen your face as though I had seen the face of God, and you were pleased with me.” Jacob acknowledged his brother’s love. Esau’s endearing reception of open arms and tears of joy, was like seeing the face of God. Jacob added, “Please, take my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” Jacob urged Esau, and he took it. Then Esau said, “Let us take our journey; let us go, and I will go before you.” But Jacob said to him, “My Lord knows that the children are weak, and the flocks and herds which are nursing are with me. And if the men should drive them hard one day, all the flock will die. Please let my Lord go on ahead before his servant. I will lead on slowly at a pace which the livestock that go before me, and the children, are able to endure, until I come to my Lord in Seir.” Jacob understood the health of his tribe. The journey this far had been very long. They needed rest. They needed time. Esau said, “Now let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” Esau was willing to help. But Jacob said, “What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my Lord.” So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, built himself a house, and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.” Genesis 33:1-17 Succoth - every name is scripture seems to have some kind of significance. Let me look up Succoth. Succoth means booths or huts - this is the place where Jacob made booths for his livestock and flocks. Another word for Succoth is Sukkot - and it’s used to describe the Feast of Booths - which is related to the pilgrimage of wandering aimlessly lost only to find the magnificent House of God. Genesis 33 reminded me
of loving act of forgiveness. You see, I once lived in poverty. During childhood, I was extremely poor. I often did not have a safe home to call my own. And yet, God would always provide. Someone would be kind, and step up to the plate - there always a person who would give me the shirt off their back. I thought this was love - but then I realized that their behavior was actually an expression of kindness and compassion - which don't get me wrong is totally great! But so many times, things would happen. The kindness that they could give would eventually come to an end. The amount they gave was attached to what little they had, or the impact of my being there effected their own home. You see, from my experience people are willing to give as long as it does not really affect them - I mean - right at their core. If my presence subjected their spouse or their children to having to endure "less" or my "mess" then they did not always open their door. I can’t say I blame them - because I have done the same. But love - I mean true, unadulterated love that is a whole different thing! From my experience, I fully believe that the ultimate form of love can only be obtained from laying your life down for another person’s gain. I mean 100% of giving up every single thing you have for the benefit of them. For me, this concept of love has only been obtained through Jesus - and his unconditional forgiveness to love me right where I am. This has been the way that I have come to understand the purest form of love - this is the way I came face to face with God. There is no greater love that I have ever known than to be fully forgiven for the wrongs that I have done - to God, my husband and to my children. Guilt - it’s an emotion that we often label as “bad,” but the truth is - it’s the proper emotion tied to living in sin and going against God. Guilt is the emotion that springs forth the fear of the Lord. Shame - now that is the emotion I have most struggled with the most - living a life trying to hide behind figs leaves for the humiliation I have caused and the sin of another person's behavior that has stuck onto me. Shame is the companion emotion to those thoughts and behaviors that we are not proud of. Guilt and Shame often trigger Judgment and Blame - because it’s easier to point the finger than to look deep inside. Guilt and shame are natural emotions that were given by God - triggers provided to humans to let us know that something is wrong. It does not matter if the wrong is done by us or someone else. The thought or behavior is outside the will of God. Guilt and shame should trigger a healthy response - to look to Christ, the perfecter of our faith - the author of Life. We must repent for the wrong that has been done (to us or by us) - and seek refuge in God. But instead, many of us look to ourselves and continue to blame and judge instead of repenting to God. This is what I call internalized pride. In my opinion, this form of pride is just as bad as arrogance, but it's been turned inside out - because we stop trusting God and instead believe in ourselves. Can you imagine carrying so much pride? Can you imagine being so overwhelmed by what has happened outside of the will of God? Can you imagine guilt and shame being so strong that they weigh you down? The weight of guilt and shame can become so internalized that they lead to generalized anxiety, major depression and thoughts of suicide. Well my friend, that is where I was, in 2016 when guilt and shame finally caught up with me. I came to a place where I had enough! I finally said, “I am done." I wondered, "How could God love me when I could not love myself?” The passage of “love your neighbor as you love yourself” did not apply to me. How could my husband or my children or those that I love forgive me for all the bad things that I had done? How could I face another day when I had done so many things wrong? This is the moment when I had to trust God. I had to endure. I had to heal. I wondered, “Does he truly love me even though I have sinned against Him?” Does He really love me, the way He loves everyone?" I had a friend say, "Are you so special that you alone can not accept His blood?" Was I going to cast off the most loving thing He did - to love a broken woman for the things she did wrong? During my childhood - He fed me. He clothed me. He showed me so much love. He made a way when there was none. Was it even possible that God could love me after I had abandoned Him? Was I the kind of wife that He wanted to keep around? The real question was, Could I get over the wrong that had been done to me? Could I get over the hurt of being neglected as a child? Could I forgive the men who took advantage of my innocence? Could I forgive my mother for doing so many drugs? Could I stop rationalizing and making excuses for my choices of wrong-hood? Could I stop pointing my finger with judgment and blame? Could I finally come to the cross and lay it all down? Could I trust God enough to throw all my fears and failures at His blood - instead of taking it into my own? Could I pick up my cross and lay my life down? Could I forgive the wrong done to me? Could I shake off the guilt and the shame that was heaped onto me? Could I expose who I am and patiently wait expectantly? Could I stop running and hiding and accept “come what may?” Could I trust and believe Romans 8:28 - “that all that happens to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into his plans.” Was it even possible that God could take a broken husband and broken wife, and put them back together again - more securely than before? Could a husband forgive his wife’s debauchery? Could a wife forgive her husband’s harsh tongue? Could a marriage survive joint adultery? Could we stop blaming each other for what had gone wrong? Could we take personal responsibility for the things that went wrong? Could we continue to live with accountability? The answer was YES - With God, anything is possible! He heals the broken hearted; He restores the wayward soul; He gives us a new name to begin again. This is my story - and it all started with a heart change based on brave exposure and humble vulnerability. This is my story and how I learned to abide in God, and let Him abide in me. I have learned that God is not looking for perfection. In fact, He knows that human perfection does not exist. If it did, He would not have come. God knows we are living in the valley of the shadow of death. He is sovereign and saves us with His blood. I have learned that love is not what I used to think. Love is actually about sacrifice, unconditional forgiveness, humbleness and vulnerability. Tomorrow I will write about Jacob’s name change. Today I wanted to write a story of my own. Are you ready to hear
a very strange story about a man named Jacob who wrestled with God? In this story, Jacob fights on, all night long, he wrestles with God - he does not let go! The wrestling takes place at the River Jabbok, the boundary separating the territory of Reuben and Gad from that of Ammon. Jacob was on the run from his uncle Laban, and he was heading into the Land of Edom where his twin brother, Esau, lived. Twenty years prior, Jacob was running from Esau because he had used deceit to steal Esau’s birthright and blessing. Esau was so angry that he wanted to kill him. And now, at the River Jabbok, Jacob was about to come face to face with Esau after everything he did. Jacob took his two wives - the sisters, Rachel and Leah, his two female servants, Bilhah and Zilpah, and his eleven sons (the 12 sons of Israel minus Benjamin) and sent them across the stream. Jacob stayed back just for one night to gather all of their possessions and bring them the next day. The scripture says, “Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” Genesis 32:24-30 When I read this story all I could think was “zeal!” Jacob had lived in bondage for way too long! And now he was jumping from the frying pan into the fire - moving from Laban in Harran to Esau in the Land of Edom. And all the while - Jacob knew God! The Lord showed himself and was with Jacob all along! The Lord did not take him away from suffering. The Lord lead him to and through the place where he needed to be. The Lord was transforming him into a man of God who possessed great humility. In this story, we see Jacob wrestling with a man - who many refer to as the angel of the Lord. We see Jacob tossing and turning all night long. We see Jacob holding on tight and demanding His blessing. Jacob knew he was about to face the man who wanted to kill him. He knew he was about to face the brother that he took advantage of. He knew Esau had a great army - 400,000 men accompanied him. Jacob and his whole family and all of his possessions were entering the mouth of hell and there was nothing he could do. He knew that only God could save him from destruction, so he met the angel of the Lord and he wrestled with God to obtain his blessing! Has this ever happened to you? Have you ever needed God more than anything? Have you ever stayed up praying all night long? Have you ever learned that without God you could not make it on your own? Have you learned to swallow your pride and give all the glory back to God? Have you ever come face to face with God, and lived to share that your life was spared? Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.” The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip.” Genesis 32:22-31 This my friend, is how we boast in our weakness. This my friend, is where I am at, where I have been and where I am going. Have you ever wronged a person?
Have you ever intentionally made a decision that you knew would hurt someone that you love? I am ashamed to say it, but I have. Have you ever stole something? Have you ever taken something that was not yours? I am ashamed to say it, but this is something that I have done. Have you ever been convicted by the Holy Spirit? Have you ever had to wrestle with God? I am thankful to say it - I have been corrected by God. That is why my life chapter is Hebrews 12. Genesis 32 tells the story of Jacob returning to Canaan, after 20 years of living in bondage to his uncle Laban; after 20 years of being separated from his mom and his dad, and from Esau - his fraternal twin. In Genesis Chapter 27, Jacob deceived Esau and took his blessing from God. The blessing that was delivered through Isaac, Jacob and Esau's dad. In his old age, Isaac said to Jacob, “May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be Lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed.” Genesis 27:29 Esau was super mad! He said, “Isn’t he rightly named Jacob? This is the second time he has taken advantage of me: He took my birthright, and now he’s taken my blessing!” Genesis 27:36 Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given to him. He said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” Genesis 27:41 And when Esau asked his father if he had reserved any blessing for him, Isaac said, “Your dwelling will be away from the earth’s richness, away from the dew of heaven above. You will live by the sword and you will serve your brother. But when you grow restless, you will throw his yoke from off your neck.” Genesis 27:39-40 What do you think Isaac meant? If I had to guess, I think Isaac meant that the descendants of Esau would grow tired of Jacob’s blessing and favor - they would become so distraught that they would throw off the yoke of God’s sovereign rule - to bless whomever He chooses. There will come a day when the nations against Zion will rise up and rip the yoke of Jacob’s God off their necks. Their hearts will be full of wickedness. We will see a people not willing to take responsibility for giving away their birthright and for being in a position to lose favor from God. We will see a people who are so hungry that they will choose to trade their birthright for earthly food. As for Jacob’s descendants - the ones who are born with deception in their hearts - they will absolutely wrestle with God. They will not be perfect. They will have flesh desires and overbearing moms. They will endure hardship, and take on the mobs. But the promise of the Lord will stand. The angel of the Lord will meet them on the road when they are running away from demonic strongholds. God himself will open closed doors - He will provide a way - when they are seeking refuge. The Holy Spirit will give God's children bold attitudes to break free from oppression. God himself will deliver His children from enemy hands - He will enable them when they are ready to face their giants. For some reason, Jacob was traveling through Edom, on his way to Canaan. Edom was south of the Dead Sea, in the southwest region of Jordan. Jacob was coming from Paddam Aram - there was no real reason to have taken such a long and winding road! His journey back to Canaan reminds me of the Israelites going around the same immovable mountain. But we can trust that God had a reason. Jacob needed to come face to face with his demons. He had to face his brother - he need to grow a humble and soft heart! Jacob needed to take responsibility for what he had done. He had to face the consequences of his sin. Just like you and I, Jacob had to wrestle with God. Jacob was not sure what to expect from Esau. In great fear and distress, Jacob divided his people. He thought, “If Esau comes and attacks one group, the group that is left may escape.” Jacob prayed to the God of Abraham and Isaac, and asked for refuge. He said. Lord, you who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,’ I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two camps. Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children. But you have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.’ ” Then Jacob selected a gift for his brother Esau: two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys.” He was willing to give all that he had. Jacob put this extravagant gift in the care of his servants, each herd by itself, and said, “Go ahead of me, and keep some space between the herds.” Genesis 32:9-16 Oh, isn’t Jacob smart? He did not give his full gift to Esau all at once! He offered His gift in pieces, reminding Esau that Jacob was coming in love. Jacob had grown a heart of humility. Jacob instructed the one in the lead: “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, “Who do you belong to, and where are you going, and who owns all these animals in front of you?’ then you are to say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift sent to my Lord Esau, and he is coming behind us.’ ” He also instructed the second, the third and all the others who followed the herds: “You are to say the same thing to Esau when you meet him. And be sure to say, “Your servant Jacob is coming behind us.’ ” For he thought, “I will pacify him with these gifts I am sending on ahead; later, when I see him, perhaps he will receive me.” Genesis 32:17-21 I wonder - are you like Jacob, or are you like Esau? Which is the better heart to have - in the long run? “Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him. When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim. Genesis 32:1-2 As I read this passage I thought to myself, were these the same angels that appeared as men to Jacob’s grandfather Abraham in Genesis 18? Are these the angels that Jacob saw in his dream, descending up and down the ladder between earth and Heaven in Genesis 28? It seems that in the beginning, the angels that appeared, were not as frightening as those described in later biblical scenes. While there was reverence, and an understanding of the difference - the heavenly host seemed to commune more easily with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob then later on in scripture when we see people like Daniel and Ezekiel growing pale and falling facedown. Jacob named the place Mahanaim. The Hebrew meaning for mahanaim is “Two Camps” or "Two Companies.” Jacob named this place accordingly to memorialize the revelation of his own company sharing the place with God's hosts from Heaven. Can you imagine two types of God’s children sharing the same space and living in the same location? I often imagine this is how it was in the Garden of Eden - and what we have to look forward to in the New Jerusalem. Humans and angels living together worshipping God. Humans and angels living together as God’s children. And at the center of it all "is the Throne of God, and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.” Revelation 22:3-5 On the third day,
after Jacob left Paddam Aram, Laban was told that Jacob had fled. “Taking his relatives with him, he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead. Then God came to Laban in a night dream and said, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.” Genesis 31:24 This reminds me of what happened to the king of Gerar, when he took Sarah to be his concubine. “God came to Abimelek in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.” Genesis 20:3 God does not play when something he loves is being threatened. Jacob had made it to the hill country of Gilead when Laban overtook him. Instead of fighting, Laban and his relatives camped there and pitched their tents. Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? You’ve deceived me, and you’ve carried off my daughters like captives in war. Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn’t you tell me, so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of timbrels and harps? You didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye. You have done a foolish thing. I have the power to harm you; but last night the God of your father said to me, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’ Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father’s household. But why did you steal my gods?” Genesis 31:22-30 First, I find it amazing that Laban was able to use effective interpersonal skills. This would mean he would have had to be thinking of someone else other than himself. Instead of responding emotionally dysregulated, Laban used his words and expressed emotions that totally made sense - he honored God. But why put the focus on his household god? Let’s read on… “Jacob answered Laban, “I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force. But if you find anyone who has your gods, that person shall not live. In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself whether there is anything of yours here with me; and if so, take it.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the gods.” Genesis 31:31-32 Without even knowing, Jacob just gave Laban the right to take what is his. If the false god was found, then Rachel would have been taken back by her dad. “So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent and into the tent of the two female servants, but he found nothing. After he came out of Leah’s tent, he entered Rachel’s tent. Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them inside her camel’s saddle and was sitting on them. Laban searched through everything in the tent but found nothing. Rachel said to her father, “Don’t be angry, my Lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence; I’m having my period.” So he searched but could not find the household gods.” Genesis 31:33-35 Have you noticed all the deception committed by God’s people? Deception that was used to fight evil with good. Now the roles were reversed. Jacob got angry with Laban, and took him to task. "What is my crime?” he asked. “How have I wronged you that you hunt me down? Now that you have searched through all my goods, what have you found that belongs to your household? Put it here - in front of your relatives and mine, and let them judge between the two of us.” Genesis 31:36-37 Can you imagine if Rachel had fell, Laban would have produced the false god - and Jacob would have been wrongly judged! Instead, Jacob stood firm and spoke with confident hope - He said, “I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for whatever was stolen by day or night. This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes. It was like this for the twenty years I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times. If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you.” Genesis 31:38-42 I love this response! Laban was upset and let Jacob have it - telling him how hurt he was that Jacob had took his daughters and grandchildren away - but Jacob did not let him get away with it! Jacob did not play! He put his hardship and patient endurance in Laban’s face! 20 years - Jacob served as Laban’s slave! Laban, the Armenian uncle, that was supposed to love and keep Jacob safe - was the one who used Jacob for his own good. So Laban and Jacob decided to make an oath - a covenant to rectify their relationship and forgive the past. “They took stones and piled them in a heap, and they ate there by the heap. Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.” Genesis 31:44-47 It seems “Gilead" and “Galeed” appear to be the same word - and both means “hill of testimony or mound of witness,” and Jegar Sahadutha, also appears to mean the same thing. Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me today.” That is why it was called Galeed. It was also called Mizpah, because he said, “May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. If you mistreat my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me.” Genesis 31:48-50 Now Mizpah will be a region I have to pay attention to - because it will also be a witness between Laban and Jacob. But what does that mean in the context of today? I believe the answer is in verse 53, “May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob took an oath in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac.” Genesis 31:53 Let’s zoom in. The God of Abraham is the Great I Am. He is the Great Elohim! The god of Nahor (Abraham’s brother) is a pagan, household god. He is some minor elohim. The god of their father, (Abraham and Nahor’s father was born in Chaldea, his name was Terah) which probably represents another pagan god - another minor elohim. You see, in Genesis 30:27 Laban said to Jacob, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you." You see, each “elohim" carries a different meaning. Jacob took an oath by the One, whom his father Isaac feared; and like Jacob, no other god will do for me. My only Elohim is the One who died for me. My only Elohim gave His blood to set me free. My only Elohim is the Holy of Holies. There comes a time
when the condition of the heart and the thoughts of the mind catch up with the outward expression and the behavior of a person - this is often called “having an attitude.” “Having an attitude” is like the outpouring of the soul - and you can typically tell a person’s internal position by their facial expression, their outward emotion, and the influence they have on other people’s points of view. In Genesis 31, we see Laban’s heart exploding with fruit - but not the kind of fruit that brings glory to God. This kind of heart extends from evil roots, one that is grown from selfish pursuits. The passage says, ‘Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were saying, “Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.” And Jacob noticed that Laban’s attitude toward him was not what it had been.’ Genesis 31:1-2 It is true. In the last chapter we saw Jacob deceive Laban, when he had asked Laban to let him go home. But Laban was only interested in how Jacob could bless him - he kept throwing a snare to hold Jacob down. And just like God had to work through Moses and Aaron, through so many plagues to let his people go, Jacob enacted a duplicity scheme to make his way out of Laban's slavery. And just like Pharaoh, who was beginning to lose everything, this was the condition of Laban’s heart when the evil attitude began to pour out. The Lord said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” So Jacob acted, and sent word to Rachel and Leah to come out. Notice - he knew not to leave his flocks in the field by themselves. Can you imagine what would have happened if Jacob had walked away from his wealth - to go get his wives? He would have lost his future - Laban and his sons would have taken everything out! Instead, Jacob was smart! He stayed with the flock and he called for his wives. When they arrived Jacob said, “I see that your father’s attitude toward me is not what it was before, but the God of my father has been with me. You know that I’ve worked for your father with all my strength, yet your father has cheated me by changing my wages ten times. However, God has not allowed him to harm me. If he said, ‘The speckled ones will be your wages,’ then all the flocks gave birth to speckled young; and if he said, ‘The streaked ones will be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore streaked young. So God has taken away your father’s livestock and has given them to me. In breeding season I once had a dream in which I looked up and saw that the male goats mating with the flock that were streaked, speckled or spotted. The angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob.’ I answered, ‘Here I am.’ And he said, ‘Look up and see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you. I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and where you made a vow to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land.’ ” Genesis 31:5-13 So here we see again, that Jacob did not act on his own, when he used deception to fight off evil with good. The Lord directed him in everything he did - God's sole intention is to take out the enemy’s plan. Just read Ephesians 3:10! God is good! He was with Jacob all along. Then Rachel and Leah said to Jacob, “Do we still have any share in the inheritance of our father’s estate? Does he not regard us as foreigners? Not only has he sold us, but he has used up what was paid for us. Surely all the wealth that God took away from our father belongs to us and our children. So do whatever God has told you.” The daughters saw the condition of Laban’s heart; and they recognized that God was with Jacob all along. Jacob put his children and his wives on camels, and he drove all his livestock ahead of him, along with all the goods he had accumulated in Paddan Aram, to return to his father in the land of Canaan. But before they left, Rachel took her father’s household gods. Why she did this - I do not know. Perhaps she was still tied to her old gods and their ways? Giving up habits can be hard to take! The scripture says, Jacob deceived Laban again, by not telling him he was running away. "Jacob fled with all he had, crossed the Euphrates River, and headed for the hill country of Gilead.” Genesis 31:20-21 It’s odd to me that scripture would say that Jacob used deception to run away. It seems to me that Jacob was following God, and following through with God's plan. The scripture then says, “On the third day Laban was told that Jacob had fled. Taking his relatives with him, he pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead. Then God came to Laban in a dream and said to him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.” Genesis 31:22-24 So many things are going through my head. This is the second time the scripture references a three day separation between Laban, the Armenian, and Jacob, the man of God. It also appears the Lord had a plan, and he protected Jacob every step of the way! God allowed Rebekah to influence Jacob to use deception to take the blessing away from Esau, her firstborn. Esau had married Canaanite women, which was not a part of God’s redemption plan at all. But it enabled Jacob to become the seed of Abraham. Jacob ran for his life to get away from Esau who was about to kill him. Isaac told him to go to Laban, in Paddam Aram, to find him a wife to carry the seed on. On the way, Jacob stopped in the town of Luz, which he renamed Bethel when he had a dream about the stairway to Heaven. He saw the Lord standing at the top and he saw angels ascending and descending between earth and Heaven. God protected Jacob on his journey to Harran. As soon as he entered he saw Rachel and fell in love. Rachel’s father, Laban, used Jacob to gain great wealth. He sold his daughters for two weeks (14 years) of wages. Jacob paid a double portion for his shame. Laban deceived Jacob by having Leah enter into his gates. Yet, Jacob waited and worked patiently, because his desire was to have Rachel as his wife. Rachel remained barren for many years to come, but then she finally gave birth Joseph, her firstborn son. Jacob decided it was time to go back home, but Laban did not want for him to go, so he permitted Jacob to have the tainted sheep. And God still had his plan unfolding all along. Jacob used his ability to think, to create a way to rebuild his wealth, so that he could take care of his family and get them back home. His hope was to loosen the demonic stronghold. God enabled Laban’s heart to pour out, his attitude was the key that opened the door for Jacob to go home. This reminds me of the Church in Jerusalem, when the Romans and Jews were killing the Christians. After Stephen was martyred - people ran out of the town - and this is how the gospel message was told! Tomorrow we will see what Laban does with the knowledge that Rachel stole his household gods, and how he responded to Jacob who was actively on the run. wAfter Rachel gave birth to Joseph,
Jacob told her brother Laban that he wanted to go home - back to Canaan. He said, “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.” Genesis 30:26 This sounds to me much like Moses, when he told the Pharaoh to let the Israelites go. But Laban responded in a different way. He said, "Please stay." "I have learned by experience that the Lord has blessed me for your sake. “Name me your wages, and I will give it to you.” Genesis 30:27 Jacob agreed with part of his message. He agreed with the increase that Laban mentioned through the livestock that was entrusted to him. But he did not agree that he should stay. Jacob said, “And now, when shall I also provide for my own house?” Laban continued to beg, and said, “What shall I give you?” This is where the story usually gets confusing to me. I have never quite understood the story of the spotted sheep. 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.” In my opinion, this is such a strange thing to say to the question, “what shall your wages be?” In essence Jacob is saying, let me take the goats and the sheep that are tainted, and if in the future, if you find me with livestock that are perfect - those that are not brown or speckled or spotted, then you can punish me. Seriously? What kind of response is that? Yet, Laban said, “Oh, that it were according to your word!” To me, Laban's response shows the condition of his heart - it's evil and full of greed. "That very day, Jacob removed all the goats that were speckled and spotted, male and female alike. Every single one that had white in it, and all the brown ones among the lambs, and gave them into the hand of his sons - the eleven sons that Jacob had. Then Laban put three days’ journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks." Why Laban went - I do not know - other than to say that I noticed “the three days of separation.” While Laban was away, and Jacob was as tending to Laban’s livestock - he set up a trick - he found a way to fight evil with good. "Jacob took fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond and chestnut trees and made white stripes on them by peeling the bark and exposing the white inner wood of the branches. Then he placed the peeled branches in all the watering troughs, so that they would be directly in front of the flocks when they came to drink. When the flocks were in heat and came to drink, they mated in front of the branches. And they bore young that were streaked, speckled or spotted. Jacob set apart the young of the flock by themselves, but made the rest face the streaked and dark-colored animals that belonged to Laban.” In this way, Jacob separated a perfect young flock for himself, and kept the old for Laban. “Whenever the stronger females were in heat, Jacob would place the branches in the troughs in front of the animals so they would mate near the branches, but if the animals were weak, he would not place them there. So the weak animals went to Laban and the strong ones to Jacob. In this way Jacob grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.” Genesis 30:37-43 So I have to say, this is the very first time that I have read this passage, and it made some sense to me. In the past, it never did. I still don’t not understand how the branches worked and I don't comprehend the intricacies of the whites in the trees - but I finally get that Jacob still needed his name, because Laban was a crook - and he needed to fight evil with good. Laban was a wolf in sheep’s clothing - every step of the way! But Jacob had become an honest man who used deception to take out what the enemy had planned. Morality is not a concept we can figure out on our own. Morality comes from the very Word of God. Perfection does not exist among the human flock. There are only the strong in Spirit and the old at heart. The only way to reflect righteousness is to follow the Word of God in our daily lives. If we take bits and pieces and share the truth without love, then we are merely a clanging cymbal or a resounding gong. This is called human judgment - looking at the speck in another without looking at the log in your own. If we are affectionate and love our fellow man - but do not fear God - then I am rebellious at heart and full of selfish pride. This is called humanism - where man’s opinion is at the center of his heart- instead of the Word of God - the River of Life. When we come to Jesus, the River of Life, we have to pause and take a deep look inside. None of us are perfect - we all have speckles and spots. We are all like filthy rags in the eyes of God. But the Lord always leaves a remnant. Those who fear God more than they love themselves. These are the pure in heart. These are flock who will follow the God of Jacob - these are the sheep who listen to the good Shepherd’s voice. These are the few, the chosen Children of God. These are the ones who worship the Creator instead of the creation. We must remember that Only God is good. Only Jesus is righteous - we are not. This is why the blood of Jesus is the only way to cover our spots. Praise God that he remembers our names. |
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