Genesis Chapter 31
Jacob had always known that it was God’s plan for him to go back to the land of his father Isaac, but he tried to do the honorable thing and serve his father-in-law for as long as necessary to gain his respect. And Jacob was trying to carve out a life for himself and his family. Laban had made it difficult for Jacob every step of the way. Laban was the type of man who was after one thing and one thing only, wealth. He didn’t care that he mistreated his own family to try to obtain wealth.
Laban was smart enough to recognize that the hand of the LORD was on Jacob and that He blessed Jacob. He thought that keeping Jacob around was somewhat a good luck charm because Jacob was causing him to become wealthy. Yet no where do we read that Laban inquired about how he could put his faith in God. In fact, we know that he worshipped idols despite being a firsthand witness to the incredible workings of God in the life of Jacob.
Let's Reflect
1. What was the tipping point that caused Jacob to realize it was time to leave?
2. When Jacob asked for God’s direction what did God tell him to do?
3. Jacob met with his two wives and explained to them the situation of how their father had mistreated him. He included the words of the LORD in his explanation to Leah and Rachel. What important truth can we learn about God that we can take to heart? See verse 12.
4. His two wives realized that Jacob was telling the truth. They knew that Laban had taken their inheritance and squandered it on his business dealings. In this response we see that Laban’s children had been brought up in a home where there was a high importance placed on money. What would we expect to be the normal response of these two daughters who were leaving their father in a secretive way?
5. What did Rachel steal from her father’s house while packing to leave?
6. When Laban was made aware that his family had fled, he pursued them. The thing he was most upset about was his stolen goods. This made Jacob angry, and he finally spoke his mind to Laban (not knowing his wife had actually stolen the items). In his anger Jacob described how he had tried to honorably serve Laban and to do everything the man wanted but he was always cheating him out of promised wages. We learn how many years Jacob stayed in the service of Laban in verses 38 and 41. How many years was his service?
7. Jacob had gotten to know his father-in-law very well in that time period. He knew that Laban was never going to change. He also knew that all that he had was from the hand of God and that God was protecting him, looking out for him. What did Jacob say that Laban would have done had he not left in the manner that he did?
8. The two men did the smartest thing they could have done, they set a demarcation between the two of them. The words that were said by Laban and Jacob at this juncture are words often depicted by jewelry makers today on heart necklaces. You may have seen these necklaces where there is a heart that is split into two and each half has a portion of the words on them. But these words were not sweet sentiments, they were words spoken in hostility. What promise did these two men make over a heap of stones?
9. They did part ways amiably. What did Laban do as a peaceful gesture the next morning?
