Today we continue our story of Jacob and his family. Jacob has been many years in the employment of his father-in-law and has many legitimate complaints. His wives, also, are fed up with their father and God tells Jacob to return, with his family, to his father’s home in Canaan. The family waited until Laban was away sheering his sheep and then snuck off without his knowledge. Rachel, unbeknownst to Jacob, stole her father’s household gods and took them with her.
Picking up in verses 22-24, we see that it takes Laban three days before he knows they have left and, even then, he has to be told. What does he do immediately? He is losing his free labor. He will have no one to exploit. Of course he chases them. How long does it take him to catch up with them? The trip home, for Jacob, would have been in the area of 300 miles. They were pretty well into this trip when Laban finally caught up with them. Jacob was a very profitable resource for Laban and Laban was not letting him leave so easily. We do not know what Laban intended to do to Jacob when he finally caught him.
Now it is Laban to whom God appears. God warns him not to make any issue with Jacob. Laban was very aware that God had been responsible for Jacob’s success in the past and that God would be on Jacob’s side in this new encounter (Job 33:15-18).
Read verses 25-30. Laban confronts Jacob. He even misrepresents his intentions saying the reason he was chasing them was because he had not been able to say goodbye. He calls Jacob a fool for forgetting that he has the power to harm him but admits to being restrained from doing so because God has warned him in a dream. Then, he accuses Jacob of stealing his household gods. See Jacob’s defense in verses 31-32. Jacob was not lying to Laban about not having taken the gods. He was unaware that Rachel had them.
Read verses 33-35. I think we can be sure that Laban did a very thorough search for his gods. He went through all the tents. He was determined to find them because he was so sure that Jacob had taken them. How did Rachel hide the fact that she had them? She sat on them and told her father that she couldn’t get up because she was on her period. She knew this was something her father would not want to deal with in any way, shape, or form. How many women have been guilty of using their periods to manipulate their men folk, taking advantage of a situation no one can question or verify and that no man wants to talk about? This should not be the practice of Godly women (enough said).
Was Rachel really on her period? Did she lie to her father? Who knows, but does it matter? She used this thing she knew scares men to death in order to manipulate her father and cause him to not know the truth about her taking the household gods. She did not lie about the gods directly, but she definitely maneuvered the situation to mislead her father. In God’s eyes, this was still a deceit whether she technically lied or not (Ex 20:16, Psalm 5:6). We must guard ourselves that we do not try to get around God’s laws through technicalities. Rachel stole. Rachel trusted in false gods. Rachel lied about it.
Read verses 36-42. Jacob unleashes a laundry list of complaints against Laban. An incredibly long and angry laundry list. A very true laundry list, except, of course, the part about the household gods not having been stolen. Jacob had a right to be angry. He lashed out. But is this how God wants us to resolve our differences, by lashing out (Matt 18:15-17)? When we have a grievance with someone, God wants us to go to that other person, calmly and privately, and work it out as adults, fairly (Luke 6:31). And, by the way, this is the principle that makes marriages succeed, as well. Screaming and yelling and accusing resolves nothing but only serves to cause much heartache and resentment. Don’t go there.
In verse 43, Laban advises Jacob that everything Jacob has rightfully belongs to Laban. He says that Jacob has gotten rich at his expense. Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black? But I think there is enough evidence in this passage, and the ones previous, to say that both men knew that everyone’s prosperity had been at the hand of God. Hopefully, we can all recognize, in our own lives, that everything we have comes from the hand of God (Eccl 5:19).
Read verses 44-53. The two men agree to make an oath. They each erect a pillar and give it a name. A pile of stones is erected to mark the spot and a meal is eaten (cultural custom validating an agreement). Laban uses the name Jegar-Sahadutha (Aramean) and Jacob uses the name Galeed (Hebrew). Both names mean ‘witness heap’. Laban tells Jacob that it is also called Mizpah, (which means ‘watchtower’) because God will keep watch between them while they are away from each other. He also stresses that these are to be used as a line that neither man will cross to keep them from harming each other. The line is far away from both of their homes. There is obviously no trust between them. They could not discuss their problems rationally and resolve them so now they have defined their boundaries and agreed to stay away from each other. So much for the wives and children ever having any relationship with their father and grandfather.
In verses 54-55 we see the two factions sitting down together for a meal and then sleeping there in that spot. The next morning, the goodbyes are said and Laban returns home.
Notice in verses 42 and 53, the God of Abraham is also referred to as the Fear of Isaac. This is a reference to the time Abraham offered Isaac to God as a sacrifice. But this is not a reference to the emotion of fear so much as it is to the reverence and awe in which Isaac holds God (Heb 12:28). It is a filial fear. Jacob refers to Him both as the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac. He is claiming the same allegiance to God as his forefathers had. This is one of the rarest of the Hebrew names for God.
It is my utmost desire that we all have good relationships within our families. This includes the in-laws. They are important people to our spouses and children. Often, they are different from our family or they are difficult to get along with, but we must make the effort for the sake of the ones we love. And we must do so through a filial fear of God.
Responding to God: Praise God and thank Him for everything that you have, recognizing that all are gifts from God, and thanking Him for both material wealth and for your family. Confess to Him those times you have been guilty of deceit or trying to get around His laws through technicalities. Pray that God will help you find peaceful resolution to any issues you may be having with someone else. Pray for harmony and peace within your family.
Further Research: Reflect on Psalm 124.
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