Character

Character

Genesis 31: ⁴⁵ So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. ⁴⁶ Then Jacob said to his brethren, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there on the heap. ⁴⁷ Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed. ⁴⁸ And Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore its name was called Galeed, ⁴⁹ also Mizpah, because he said, “May the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent one from another. ⁵⁰ If you afflict my daughters, or if you take other wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us—see, God is witness between you and me!”

 

============

 

After twenty years of a tense relationship with Laban, Jacob and his family were finally about to leave. GOD had taken Laban’s wealth and family from him and warned him not to say anything good or bad about Jacob. Jacob and his group he led, placed stones in a heap and sat on them.

 

My Observations:

• Laban could not bless or curse Jacob, so he said “May the LORD watch between you and me.”
• Laban’s statement was targeted at Jacob’s character, because Laban’s character was not good.
• Laban’s statement was true because GOD is the keeper of character.

 

Character is doing the right actions when no one is looking. This is the usual definition. But I have to add these words, “Knowing that GOD is always watching.”  “May the LORD ‘watch’” is a warning to Jacob and us. When temptation comes, “watch.” When we don’t feel like doing it GOD’s way, “watch.” When trouble comes and we feel like leaving GOD, “watch.”

 

GOD sees everything we do. There is no hiding. Character says “Do it GOD’s way especially when no one can see you and give you a reward for your actions.” Laban had to let go of the wealth and his family he tried to control for decades. He let Jacob know that GOD is watching.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD give Moses the detail of Jacob’s actions and Laban’s conversation?
• Have you ever been faced with a decision to do right or wrong when no one is looking?
• Is there a part of you that needs to be placed before GOD so HE can help with good character?

Healthy Surrender

Healthy Surrender

Genesis 31: 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? ⁴⁴ Now therefore, come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me.”

 

============

 

Realizing his rage filled quest was futile, Laban spoke to Jacob saying “” what can I do?” He searched for his household idols, but Rachel hid them. He wanted to get his stuff back, but GOD warned him. His only choice was to surrender.

 

My Observations:

• Laban’s greed made him blind to the purpose of having the stuff, namely to feed family.
• Laban lost his family and his stuff because of his greed.
• Laban realized his fight would be against GOD if he harmed Jacob, so he surrendered.

 

It took GOD to intervene for Laban to realize his motive for pursuing Jacob would turn out poorly for him. His rage was because he was about to lose his flocks and the people who supported them. His help was walking out the door and his wealth was diminishing.

 

Laban did what many people would not do. He surrendered. He decided that fighting Jacob’s GOD would cause him more trouble. I am not sure if he placed hope in his idols, and by losing them, he felt the fight was futile. Kind of like a lucky charm. But he did realize GOD has the power to intervene. His surrender was healthy.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think Laban’s decree was detailed and told to Moses by GOD?
• Have you ever realized that you may be fighting GOD?
• Is there a part of you that needs to surrender to GOD, so HE can rebuild it for HIS purpose?

Confronted

Confronted

Genesis 31: ³⁶ Then Jacob was angry and rebuked Laban, and Jacob answered and said to Laban: “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have so hotly pursued me? 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! 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. 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. ⁴⁰ There I was! In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from my eyes. 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. 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.”

 

============

 

Laban looked for the household gods stolen by Rachel, but did not find them because she sat on them on her camel. Jacob took the opportunity to confront Laban for twenty years of mistreatment.

 

My Observations:

• Laban may not have been as interested in Leah’s wellbeing, rather with free experienced labor.
• Laban made Jacob work seven years for Leah, knowing Jacob wanted Rachel, then he made him work another seven years.
• Laban changed Jacob’s wages to benefit himself and to steal from Jacob.

 

Two wrongs don’t make a right and three wrongs makes a mess. Rachel stole the household gods, which was wrong. Jacob wanted to skip tradition by marrying Rachel, which was wrong. Laban wanted free labor, which was wrong. BUT GOD worked through this messy situation.

 

GOD knew the promise o salvation would come through a deceitful lineage. Laban convinced Leah to deceive Jacob into marrying her. She could have refused. Jacob was being transformed from trying to get his way. His work was hard and he probably realized he needed to make a change. Meanwhile, Laban was demanding free work with no benefits. GOD saw it all and protected Jacob, father of many nations.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD explain in detail to Moses how Jacob was deceived over wages?
• Has an employer ever been deceitful to you?
• Do you know that GOD sees the people who have been deceitful to you and will pay you back in full?

Eyes Lifted

Eyes Lifted

Genesis 31: ¹⁰ “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. ¹¹ Then the Angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying, ‘Jacob.’ And I said, ‘Here I am.’ ¹² 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. 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.’ ”

 

============

 

Jacob explained a vision he had from GOD. Right around the time the flocks would normally conceive, GOD provided Jacob with a vision of streaked, speckled and spotted rams leaping on the flocks. He then heard JESUS speak.

 

My Observations:

• JESUS is the Angel of the LORD who spoke to Jacob.
• JESUS showed Jacob how HE would change the flocks to take them from Laban.
• JESUS reminded Jacob of his promise he made at Bethel where he saw the ladder of angels.

 

Jacob could finally see, but in a different way. He could see how GOD was working out the situation that seemed like a mess. He had been a deceiver and worked for a deceiver. This situation seemed hopeless. BUT GOD showed Jacob HE is GOD.

 

HE may have allowed the situation to change Jacob from being a deceiver to following HIM. I can only imagine what was going through Jacob’s mind when he was told by GOD that HE saw Laban’s deceit. Jacob may have thought to himself “Is this how I am acting?”

 

GOD was not about to destroy the area like HE did with Sodom. This directive from GOD was to move Jacob and his family back to the area of Isaac and Rebekah. GOD was now Jacob’s GOD. He could go back home to face Esau and also face his past deceitfulness.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think GOD told Moses about HIS reminder to Jacob about the vow made at Bethel?
• Are you focused on your current situation?
• Have you lifted your eyes to GOD to stop looking at the current situation and believe in HIS power today?