Time to say Goodbye

Genesis 31

Every summer holiday, I would spend a few weeks at my grandparents' house in the countryside.

One of the memories imprinted on my heart was the sight of my grandparents standing by their house, watching us drive away until we disappeared from view.

This memory brings to mind a Bible verse I've always loved, drawn comfort from and associated with goodbyes.

'The Lord watch between you and me, when we are out of one another's sight.' Genesis 31:49b

However, when Laban said these words, he did not mean them as a comforting farewell to Jacob, rather as a warning as we will later see.

Jacob served Laban for fourteen years for his two wives Rachel and Leah.

But in all this time, he did not forget his family or his country.

Jacob knew he belonged in the land promised to him by God and desired to return home.

So, Jacob said to Laban: 'Send me on my way so I can go back to my own homeland.

Give me my wives and children, for whom I have served you, and I will be on my way.

You know how much work I have done for you. Genesis 30:25b-26

For fourteen years Jacob laboured for Laban and Laban's wealth increased significantly.

The Lord blessed Laban because of Jacob and Laban recognised this and pleaded with Jacob to stay longer. Jacob's wages were set, he would continue to look after Laban's flock but in return would get the spotted and speckled sheep and goats as his wages. All the speckled and spotted sheep and goats were first removed from Laban's flock so the odds were not in Jacob's favour.

But God blessed Jacob, and he became exceedingly prosperous.

Jacob did not become rich at the expense of what belonged to Laban as Laban had proven himself to be an unfair employer changing his wages ten times despite Jacob's hard work and fairness.

Rather God's protection and blessing made Jacob's wealth increase much more than Laban's.

This did not please Laban's sons, their hearts were full of envy towards Jacob and even Laban's countenance was no longer favourable towards him.

Continuing to work for Laban under these circumstances became unbearable for Jacob.

Through difficult circumstances God was pressing Jacob to return to his own homeland.

However, leaving with his flocks, wives and children was a daunting prospect and Jacob was afraid of Laban.

So once again Jacob decided to run away from a difficult situation.

Twenty years before, Jacob had fled from his father's house in order to escape his brother Esau's wrath.

This time he was running away from his father-in-law, fearing that he would retain his wealth and his family.

The difference on this occasion was the certainty that he was acting in obedience to God's command, the God of his fathers had told him to return to his homeland and promised to be with him. Genesis 31:3

Still, Jacob lacked the courage to face his father-in-law.

He sneaked away into the will of God instead of departing in triumph. - D.G Barnhouse

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

This was 300 miles away from Haran.

Jacob intended a quick departure, travelling as fast as possible.

It took three days for the news to reach Laban, who then gathered his brothers and pursued Jacob for seven days. Laban was not following Jacob with peaceful thoughts, rather it was evident that his intentions were evil.

But once again, God intervened. He warned Laban in a dream to be careful in how he dealt with Jacob.

In this way God protected Jacob from his father-in-law's wrath.

The encounter between Laban and Jacob was unavoidable.

Laban overtook Jacob and the two men came face to face.

Laban did not hide his anger: 'Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn't you tell me, so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of timbrels and harps? You didn't even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye. You have done a foolish thing. Genesis 31:27-28

For once in his life Jacob was honest in his response. He admitted his fear of Laban; 'I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force' Genesis 31:31b

His fear was justifiable, but Jacob in the end still had to confront his fear of men and finally learn to rely only on God's protection. God brought him to a place where there was nowhere to run, there was nowhere to hide.

Jacob's anger was stirred when his integrity was questioned by Laban (when Laban accused him of stealing his gods), which shows how much Jacob had changed. Jacob indeed had been faithful in his service, and faithful in his departure, he only took his own possessions, stealing nothing of Laban's. His conscience was clear.

However, he did not know his wife Rachel acted deceitfully and stole her father's gods.

After all Laban was a deceiver himself, Rachel certainly did not forget her father deceiving her husband into marrying her sister Leah. This time, it was Rachel who deceived her father.

Jacob passionately defended his faithful service to Laban for twenty years, defense to which Laban could not respond against. This is a boldness we have not seen in Jacob before.

It is evident that during his time with Laban, God had changed Jacob's character.

The one who once stole his brother's blessing, was now ready to put to death anyone who stole Laban's gods. The 'deceiver' had become a man of integrity.

Laban on the other side, was an idolater, who worshiped other gods.

His character was not changed by the God of his own forefathers (the God of Nahor, his grandfather) but his evil character was restrained by God.

Laban's intention was to harm Jacob, and he had the power to do it, but God stopped him from doing that.

Laban did not trust Jacob, but he knew enough about the God of his forefathers, he knew he could trust God.

He trusted that the God who spoke to him in a dream, would keep watch between him and Jacob.

'May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other...

Laban reminded Jacob that even if he could not see him, God would see him and the way he treated his daughters. His warning to Jacob was to treat his daughters well and not to take any other wives beside his daughters. God was his witness.

God also worked in Laban's heart; God was the mediator of peace between Laban and Jacob.

Laban dropped all hostilities towards Jacob, vowing not to follow him again to harm him.

The time for saying goodbyes had finally come, and the next morning Laban blessed and kissed his daughters and grandchildren for the last time. Genesis 31:55

God brought peace in this family where envy, strife and deceitfulness once destroyed their peace.

Laban returned to Haran in peace, and this is the last we hear of Laban in the Bible.

Sadly, it appears that the God of his grandfather Nahor, the God he trusted as a witness between him and Jacob, never became Laban's God.

As for Jacob, God once again dealt graciously with him.

Jacob acted in fear, but God protected him despite his fear.

Jacob acted in his own wisdom but once again God showed him that it was not his wisdom that would get him out of trouble but the supernatural intervention of the Almighty God.

Jacob still had to learn to trust in God and not to fear men.

God is often better to us than our fears, and strangely overrules the spirits of men in our favour, beyond what we could have expected; for it is not in vain to trust in him. - Matthew Henry

How did God lead Jacob?

God gave Jacob the desire to go back home to his homeland.

Then his personal circumstances became unbearable.

God also spoke to Jacob and gave him personal direction of what he should do and reassurance of his presence with him.

Today God may still lead us in the same pattern.

Our desires, circumstances and direct understanding of the will of God from his Word give us wisdom, peace and certainty of the direction we should take.

We can also be reassured of God's presence with us.

The God of Jacob is also our God.

The God who sees us 'El-Roi'. The God who keeps watch over us.

And if God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still. Exodus 14:14

Other studies in Genesis:

Genesis 27: Faith or Doubt in action?

https://www.biblereflections.online/post/faith-or-doubt-in-action