Genesis Ch31v1-55 - Longing For Home

Come and read this morning Genesis 31.

So it's Genesis chapter 31 verse 17.

Genesis 31:17

Then 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 Haram.

To go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.

When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father's household gods.

Moreover, Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him he was running away.

So he fled with all he had, crossed the river Euphrates, and headed for the hill country of Gilead.

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, the Aramean, in a dream at night, and said to him,

Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.

Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead, when Laban overtook him.

And Laban and his relatives camped there too.

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 that I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of tambourines 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?

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.

Thank you, Sarah.

Please follow along in your Bibles.

We're going to be starting in chapter 30, verse 25 in a minute,

just so you can have it prepared and open.

Just as a reminder, all the talks are recorded.

Normally I'm thanking Ralph.

It's actually Christopher who does that.

So thank you, Chris, for putting everything online for us week by week.

We appreciate it.

So you can catch up on any of the talks that you've missed as we look at the life of Jacob.

We're going to pray and ask for God's help to us now.

So let's pray.

Father, in all of life, we need your help.

And we thank you that you are a good, faithful and generous God who gives to us as we need.

And so our need is for your Holy Spirit.

For you to be present working in our lives individually and together as a church family.

That you will bring reassurance to us today.

That you will bring words of comfort and rich encouragement.

As we walk our journey and our life with you.

So please help us.

Amen.

Well, Jacob wants to go home.

Look at chapter 30, verse 25.

After Rachel gave birth to Joseph,

Jacob said to Laban,

Send me on my way so that I can go back to my own homeland.

14 years ago, Jacob had to leave his home in a hurry.

Having deceived his father Isaac and cheated on his brother Esau,

he was running for his life.

Now all these years later, with two wives, 11 sons and one daughter,

he wants to go home.

Of course, this is much more than a longing for just some of mum's homebake

or a catch up with old friends.

This is a story, a true story about God getting Jacob home to the promised land.

Because God's plan is always to have God's people in God's place,

enjoying God's presence.

But there's a problem.

There's always a problem, isn't there?

Laban, his uncle, doesn't want to let Jacob go.

Verse 27.

Laban said to him,

If I found favour in your eyes, please stay.

I mean, look at all that you have here, Jacob.

Please stay with me.

Well, Jacob refuses.

He wants to go home.

So Laban takes out his wallet and flashes the cash.

Verse 31.

What shall I give you?

He asked.

You name your price, whatever it is.

I'll give it to you just so you can stay.

Well, look at Jacob's response.

Verse 31.

Don't give me anything, Jacob replied.

But if you will do this one thing for me,

I will go on tending your flocks and watching over them.

Let me go through all your flocks today

and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep,

every dark-coloured lamb and every spotted or speckled goat.

They will be my wages.

Well, it seems old Jacob has got distracted again

with the idea of gaining a little bit more economic security.

His heart has been turned once again.

The two things that Jacob was attracted to

when he first arrived to his uncle

was Rachel and all the flocks she was tending.

Now, all these years later,

he has Rachel and now he has the flocks.

But it comes at a cost, doesn't it?

Because this deal with Laban

turns out to be another six long years.

It seems Jacob's wandering heart means

he's never going to get to the promised land.

He's always distracted with something else.

He's a bit like us.

We have wandering hearts

and we get distracted with all that God has for us

and we're so focused on the here and now.

But when does God ever fail to deliver on his promises?

Well, the truth is,

in the midst of it all,

God will ensure that Jacob gets home.

And as we follow along with Jacob in his journey,

we'll see that God gives to his people reassurances.

God reminds us that he is faithful

and God will always bring his people home.

Home not to where we were born or where we grew up,

but home to that ultimate land,

heaven itself, the new creation.

And despite all our wanderings

and all of our distractions,

God will get you home.

So we're going to see four assurances

that God gives to his people

as we journey with him.

Very simple.

Number one,

God's presence in our doubts.

Let's turn to chapter 31.

Verse 2.

Jacob noticed that Laban's attitude towards him

was not what it had been.

There's become this tension between them.

Verse 3.

The Lord said to Jacob,

Go back to the land of your fathers

and to your relatives.

Go back to the promised land.

Now notice that this command comes with a promise.

Look at the end of verse 3.

And I will be with you.

God has been with Jacob all along,

but Jacob needs that reassurance

to hear God say to him,

Jacob, I'm with you.

Everything you need will be found in me.

And this call of God

to go back to the promised land

includes his whole family.

So Jacob gets Rachel and Leah together

for a family chat

and he tells them

what God revealed to him in a dream.

So what we have in verse 3

is now repeated in verse 13.

Have a look at verse 13.

As Jacob recalls

all that God had said to him.

Verse 13.

God said to Jacob,

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.

Remember, Jacob,

I want you to think back

to when you were on the run

from your brother.

Remember how I came to you,

how I intervened in your life.

Do you remember Bethel, Jacob?

Do you remember what I said to you then?

Well, in case we can't remember,

let's go back to chapter 28,

verse 15.

This is when Jacob was running

from his brother

and God comes to him.

Chapter 28, verse 15.

And listen to what God says.

I am with you

and will watch over you

wherever you go

and I will bring you back

to this land.

I will not leave you

until I have done

what I have promised you.

When Jacob awoke from his sleep,

he thought,

surely the Lord is in this place.

And I was not aware of it.

That's my promise, Jacob.

I'm going to get you home

no matter where you may go

or no matter what will happen

in your life.

I am going to be with you

and I'm not going to leave you

until I get you back

to the promised land.

Let's go back to chapter 31.

Verse 17.

So with God's clear command

and God's reassuring promise,

Jacob now gets ready

to return home.

Verse 17.

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 Padam Aram

to go to his father Isaac

in the land of Canaan.

The promised land.

Now isn't that the kind of word

we all need to hear?

The God who calls you

into a relationship with you

is the God who will be with you.

He doesn't do things

in half measure.

If he calls you,

he'll keep you

and he'll bring you home.

Like the writer of Psalm 139

we can say,

where can I go

from your spirit?

Where can I flee

from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens,

you're there.

If I make my bed

in the depths,

you are there.

If I rise on the wings

of the dawn,

if I settle

on the far side

of the sea,

even there

your hand

will guide me

and your hand

will hold me fast.

Isn't that what we need to know

in the midst of our trials

and struggles?

That we are in the hand

of one who holds us fast.

He calls us

and he'll bring us home.

But sometimes

it seems

that God's presence

is not enough.

Oh yeah,

God is with me

but

I need,

well,

as in the case of Rachel,

look at verse 19,

when Laban,

her uncle,

had gone to shear his sheep

so this was kind of

a big exercise

that could take up

to three days

to shear all their sheep

and he's gone off

with the men.

Rachel stole

her father's

household gods.

Now an idol

is anything

we can put in place

of God.

It could be a person,

a hobby,

a desire,

someone or something

that we feel

we must have

and we dare not

let go of

just to get us

through life.

For Rachel,

it was the family gods

so she steals them away.

Maybe they're going

to help

because who knows,

maybe God will go AWOL

and he'll leave us

and we'll be on our own.

We need a backup plan.

Well,

Rachel may have her reasons

but in reality,

Rachel was doubting

God's presence.

God plus my idols

and I will be sufficient.

God plus my

and you fill in the bank

and I will be secure.

What is it

that in our lives

we are so

desperately

hanging on to?

What is it

that we want

that we will never

let go of

because we fear

somehow

God is going

to let go?

Well,

whatever we're

hanging on to,

in reality,

we're doubting

God's presence.

It's saying,

I don't trust you,

God.

You might leave me.

Well,

hear the reassurance

today.

I am with you,

says God.

I will not leave you.

I am enough for you.

I am sufficient for you.

Everything you need

is found in me.

My presence

goes with you.

So first,

God's presence

in our doubts.

Second,

we have God's protection

in our opposition.

God's protection.

Laban's not a happy

chappy,

is he?

For two reasons.

One,

as we'll discover,

he finds out

his family idols

are gone.

And two,

look at verse 20,

Jacob deceived

Laban the Aramean

by not telling him

he was running away.

So he fled

with all he had

and crossed the river

Euphrates

and head for the

hill country

of Gilead.

It seems Jacob

is in trouble again.

Looks like he's

going to be dragged

back to Laban land.

Well,

verse 23,

taking his relatives

with him,

Laban

pursued Jacob.

This isn't a friendly

chasing after him.

This is with

an army in tow.

He pursued

Jacob

for seven days

and caught up

with him

in the hill

country of Gilead.

But then

God came

to Laban

in a dream

at night

and said to him,

be careful

not to say

anything to Jacob,

either good

or bad.

In other words,

God is saying

to him,

don't you harm

my man.

You mess

with Jacob

and you're

messing with me.

I'm watching you,

Laban.

It turns out

God is with

Jacob

and he is going

to protect

Jacob.

Is Laban

going to heed

what God has said?

Well,

it seems he does

because when he

finally confronts

Jacob,

look at verse 28,

he says to Jacob,

you didn't even

let me kiss

my grandchildren,

my daughters,

goodbye.

You've 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.

It seems

God has put

the heebie-jeebies

into Laban

and he backs

right off.

You see,

God is not always

meek and mild.

God is to be

feared,

especially

when you go

opposing

God's people.

So it seems

the threat

has been averted

except for

another small matter.

Look at the end

of verse 30.

But why

did you steal

my gods?

The gods!

What about

the gods?

Well,

Jacob doesn't

know about

Rachel's doubting

issues and how

she had stolen

the family gods.

Jacob just

invites Laban

to go and

search the tents.

In fact,

he makes the

unfortunate promise

that if anyone

is found with

the idols,

they're going

to die.

Verse 33.

So Laban

went into

Jacob's tent

and then

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 went

into

Rachel's

tent.

Now Rachel

had taken

the household

gods and

put them

into the

camel's

saddle,

which acted

like a

couch at

night,

so a

saddle during

the day,

a couch at

night in

the tent,

and was

sitting on

them.

Laban

searched

through

everything in

the tent,

but found

nothing.

And then we

could just

imagine,

just before

he goes

out,

he spies

the camel

seat that

Rachel's

sitting on.

And just

before he

can order

Rachel to

get up,

verse 35,

Rachel said

to her

father,

don't be

angry,

my lord,

that I

cannot stand

up in

your presence,

I'm having

my period.

Well,

period pain

can be

painful,

so Rachel

remains lying

down hoping

for some

relief.

Now it

may seem

a strange

incident to

us,

but it

teaches us

something of

God's

protection.

It seems

Rachel's

idols,

instead of

bringing

security,

have put

her in

danger,

because

idols will

never save

you.

The things

that we

long for

and hang

on to

only get

us into

trouble,

they're

distractions,

rather than

a help,

they're a

hindrance.

And with

no offence,

what kind

of gods

are they

that they

need

protected

by a

woman

suffering

with her

period.

God is

making fun

to make

his point.

He's

saying,

look,

I can

intervene in

big ways

and speak

directly to

a Laban

and tell

him to

back off

from my

people,

or you

know what?

I can

use a

woman with

period pain

to keep

my people

safe too.

God will

do whatever

it takes

to keep

his people.

Now,

we need

to be

careful not

to overplay

things here.

This doesn't

mean nothing

bad will

ever happen

or that we

won't face

harm in

our life

or in our

walk with

God.

No,

what this

is teaching

us is

that nothing

and no

one can

take us

out of

God's

saving

security.

Remember,

Jacob and

his family

were heading

for the

promised

land and

God had

made a

promise to

them,

I will

bring you

back there

and I'm

not going

to leave

you until

you're

there.

No

threat or

opposition

is going

to stand

in their

way.

So,

just as

God was

watching over

and protecting

Jacob,

so God

always preserves

and keeps

his people.

his church,

people like

you and

I,

are kept

within his

care.

No matter

what the

opposition we

face,

whether it's

our own

sin,

our own

suffering,

or even

Satan

himself,

nothing

and no

one can

ever separate

us from

what God

has for

us.

So,

second,

we see

God's

protection

protection

in the

opposition.

So,

we have

God's

presence,

God's

protection

and God's

provision

in our

need.

Don't worry,

I didn't go

looking for

all the

P words

just to be

clever.

I think

that's what

the text

teaches,

so let's

move on.

Before

Jacob says

his

goodbyes,

it seems

he wants

to get

something

off his

chest

with his

uncle

Laban.

Look at

verse 40.

This was

my situation.

This is

what it was

like to

work for

you,

Laban.

It wasn't

nice and

it wasn't

easy.

The heat

consumed me

in the

daytime and

the cold

at night.

Sleep

fled from

my eyes.

It was

like this

for 20

years I

was in

your

household.

I

worked for

you 14

years for

two of

your

daughters

and six

years for

your flocks

and you

changed my

wages ten

times.

Laban,

you've been

out for

yourself this

whole time.

You've

treated me

unfairly and

unjustly,

but here

there's one

thing I

want you

to know

before I

leave.

Listen to

this.

Verse 42.

If the

God of

my father

and 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.

At last,

Jacob

recognises the

source of

all that he

has throughout

his life.

While Laban

has been

mean and

tight-fisted,

God has

been kind

and generous

hearted.

God has

provided for

every step

of the way

and God

keeps providing

for all his

needs as he

heads towards

the promised

land.

He goes

not empty

handed,

but full,

blessed.

In his

possession are

all his

family and

all his

flocks.

He's heading

home,

a blessed

man.

Now this

might seem

very ordinary

to you and

I and not

very spectacular.

It might be

just a small

point, but it

carries a big

message, doesn't

it?

Because when

God calls and

commands, he

will supply all

that we need.

He doesn't

send us off on

our journey

empty handed.

He doesn't

just save you

and say, now I

saved you, it's

up for you to

get your way

the rest of

the way.

No, he

saves us from

beginning to

end.

He will

provide all

that we

need in

our journey.

Now let's

be clear, this

isn't a promise

of prosperity

or a word

for wealth.

It's simply

the gentle

reassurance

coming from

God to his

people that

he will supply

what is needed

as we

journey towards

the ultimate

promised land.

I don't

think we

need to be

in any doubt

at all that

God will

ever let

one of his

children down.

Everything we

need, God

will provide.

So, God's

presence, God's

protection, God's

provision, and

then lastly, God's

peace.

As Jacob gets

ready to leave,

you see, Laban

is still

loitering about.

He's not

letting Jacob

go easy, is

he?

He wants to

make a peace

deal.

Look at

verse 44.

Come now, this

is Laban

speaking to

Jacob, come

now, let's

make a

covenant, you

and I, and

let it serve as

a witness between

us.

Let's make

promises.

Let's make a

commitment to

leave each

other in

peace.

And as a

witness, they

set up a

physical reminder,

verse 45.

So, Jacob

took a stone

and he set

it up as a

pillar.

So, here we

could imagine a

big boulder

shaped like a

pillar standing

erect and

upright.

That's what

Jacob does.

Then, verse

46, he says

to his

relatives, that's

Laban and his

people, gather

some stones.

So, they took

stones and

piled them in a

heap, and

there they ate

by the heap.

So, every

time they

came near to

each other's

lands, they're

going to see

Jacob's stone

pillar and

Laban's heap

of stones next

to it, and

they will be

reminded of

their peace

deal.

Verse 51,

So, Laban

said to

Jacob, here is

this heap, and

here is this

pillar that I've

set up between

you and me.

This heap is a

witness, and

this pillar is a

witness, that I

will not go

past this heap

to your side

to harm you, and

you will not go

past this heap and

pillar to my

side to harm

me.

So, there we

have it, the

peace deal.

They're not

going to cross

over into each

other's lands and

everything's going

to be all

right.

Now, it seems a

good deal, doesn't

it?

But we know as

we followed along,

Jacob and Laban

have history.

Laban's made

continuous promises

to Jacob, but

the problem is he

doesn't keep his

promises.

Laban's word is

always a broken

word.

Jacob's memory

reminds him and

tells him, this

peace agreement,

well, it could

fall apart at any

moment.

What Jacob

needs is

ultimately a

peace deal and a

peace agreement

with God, that

God will be

with him,

protect him,

and provide for

him.

So, when it

comes to making

the peace deal,

Jacob and

Laban have to

call on their

particular God.

In effect, they

would say something

like this,

I promise not

to harm my

brother, and if

I should break

this deal, if I

should cross over

to where I

shouldn't go, may

the gods come

and break me.

So, Laban goes

first with his

promise, verse

53.

May the

God of

Abraham and

the God of

Nahor and

the God of

their father

judge between

us.

Now, notice

here all the

gods he

calls on.

It's plural,

actually, not

singular.

He doesn't

just stop with

the God of

Abraham.

He calls on

all the

gods.

The gods of

Nahor, my

grandfather, and

the gods of my

great father, all

the gods, all the

ancestries, all of

them.

I'm calling them

all up today to

be a witness.

It sounds grand,

doesn't it?

But with so many

gods, the reality

is Laban is

answerable to no

one.

They're just gods

of his own

imagination and

his own

idea.

But Jacob,

when Jacob

makes his

promise,

look at what

he says, the

end of verse

53.

So Jacob

took up an

oath in the

name of the

fear of

his father

Isaac.

Now, isn't

that strange?

Jacob could

easily have

said, I

promise in the

name of the

God of

Isaac.

But he's

particular, he's

focused, he

says, in the

fear of his

father Isaac.

You see, by

using the word

fear, Jacob is

saying something

about the God

who he now

trusts, the

God who he

follows.

This is the

creator God, the

almighty God.

Jacob may be

equal with

Laban, but he

is certainly not

equal with

God.

His fear of

God means that

he isn't

cowering and

hiding, rather

one of deep

respect and

awe of

almighty

God.

The reality

that he is in

the presence of

glory and

greatness.

As one

writer put it,

to fear God

is an intense

concern not

to grieve or

dishonour the

one who has

done so much

for us.

And that's

Jacob's concern.

It isn't so

much for

Laban, but a

desire to

honour and

follow the

God who has

been with him

and the God

who keeps him.

You see, God

is not our

best buddy.

He's not our

therapist that

we turn to in

our crisis and

forget when

everything is

well.

God isn't our

psychologist that

we call to

because we're

having a bad

day and we

need somebody to

say something

nice to us.

God is to

be feared.

God is our

creator and

king.

He's our

Lord and our

master.

The God who

demands our

service and

sacrifice and

deserves our

loyalty and

love.

This is the

kind of God

that I owe

my life to.

this is the

God that

Jacob owes

his life to.

For Jacob, his

concern isn't

so much a

peace deal with

Laban, but

being in a

right relationship

with God.

That's what's

important to

him.

You see, God

has promised

that I will be

present with you

and I will

protect you

and I will

provide for you

and despite

all your

wanderings and

distractions, I

am going to

get you

home.

Now how do

you respond to

a God who

says that to

you today?

Answer, we

fear him.

We fear him.

How much

more then

should we

respect and

honour God

who has

saved us and

intervened into

our life by

his son, the

Lord Jesus

Christ, who

has come to

make the

ultimate peace

deal with

people like

us, dealing

with our

wandering

hearts and

the distractions

with our

idols that we

won't let go

of.

He comes and

he intervenes

and he dies in

our place to

take the blame

that we deserve

so that we

could have a

secure and

eternal home

with him

forever.

Are you at

peace with

God?

Are you

walking closely

with him?

Life isn't

about the

here and

now and

building our

foundations and

our securities

and our safety

now.

It is trusting

in the God

who will be

with you,

who will

protect you

and who

will provide

for you.

Listen as

we close

to 1 Peter

1.17.

He tells us

how we should

respond to

the God

who has done

so much for

us.

He says,

live out your

time as

foreigners.

foreigners.

That means

we're not

living here

as our

home,

but we're

looking for

something

eternal.

Live out

your time

here as

foreigners

in reverent

fear.

That

intense

desire

to honour

and please

God

with all

of our

life.

In

thankfulness

for his

great promises

to each

one of us.

let's

just take

time to

pray and

to reflect

on what

we're

thinking

about.

Let's

pray.

Let's

pray.

Let's

pray.

Father,

we are

conscious

that

our

hearts

wander so

much to

so many

other

things.

We get

distracted

by our

idols.

And yet

in the

midst of

it all,

we have

a God

who remains

faithful.

The

God who

has promised

to keep

us and

watch over

us.

Father,

we just

say thank

you that

your presence

is always

with us.

Thank you

for the

way in

which you've

protected us

in our

life,

kept us

from taking

a wrong

path or

a wrong

turn.

Thank you

for how

you protect

our faith.

Thank you

for your

provision in

our life,

giving us

people and

other believers

around us

to care for

us, to

teach us.

And we

thank you

ultimately for

the peace

that we have

through your

Son,

that we

belong to

you.

We will

never be

unbelonging.

thank you

that you

will bring

your people

home.

Thank you

that we

can trust

you.

Thank you,

Lord.

Amen.

Amen.

Now we're

going to

sing a

song about

that journey

that we

make as we

walk with

God.