Daily devotion – going home for Jacob
Gen 30:25 And it came to pass, when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own place and to my country.
Laban had used and abused the blessing Jacob had brought to him by serving him faithfully for many years (twenty in total). With Jacob the Lord had brought blessing to Laban’s wealth. But the time had come for Jacob to move his now large family to his own homeland and be on his own.
Gen 31: 1 Now Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has acquired all this wealth.” 2 And Jacob saw the countenance of Laban, and indeed it was not favorable toward him as before. 3 Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you.”
Jacob had unfinished business back home with his father Isaac and his brother Esau. But instead of facing Laban honestly and trusting the Lord to keep his promises and work things out, Jacob fled with his family like a criminal escaping justice.
This was an act of fear and not one of faith – Isaiah 28:16 “Whoever believes will not act hastily.”
It took a week for Laban to catch up with Jacob and his fleeing family and they met finally in the hill country of Gilead.
Laban tried to get the upper hand immediately by rebuking Jacob for the way he stolen away from Padan Aram without letting Laban know.
Genesis 31: 27 Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away from me, and not tell me; for I might have sent you away with joy and songs, with timbrel and harp?
But Laban was most angry about having his household idols stolen which Rachel had hidden in her pack on her donkey or camel. This behaviour of Laban’s revealed his true heart that his faith was not in the true God but in his idols. Rachel escaped the intrusive search by Laban by pretending to be unclean at that time of the month and she escaped detection and further trouble with her father.
As Jacob watched his devious father in law Laban arrogantly rifle through their private possessions searching for his idols Jacob became angry and rightly so.
Twenty years of feelings were now released from Jacob’s heart and he spoke directly to Laban about Laban’s underhanded practices that he had been subject to for twenty years.
That God had brought blessing upon Laban because of Jacob, but Laban had never thanked either the Lord or Jacob – not once!
But the most important thing in Jacob’s speech was the way he gave honour to the Lord: 31:Genesis 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.”
This was a wonderful testimony from a man who was inclined to give in to others and do what he was told!
A truce of sorts was arranged between Laban and Jacob, and Jacob closed the day by offering sacrifices to the Lord and inviting his relatives to share in the sacrificial meal. Jacob wanted the God of his fathers to be honoured before this pagan family that had caused him so much grief.
Life is never easy but if we submit to God’s disciplines and let Him guide us in our decisions, we can endure the difficulties triumphantly and develop the character that glorifies God.
This week may you go in God’s peace and allow Him to lead and guide your every step.