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.
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