June 24, 2007

Homeward Bound
Gen. 31:1-55

And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of your fathers, and to your kindred; and I will be with you.

The circumstances were somewhat similar as we left.  My wife's parents were not at all favorable to my taking their daughter away and that was also on my mind because such things bother me. And as I read this scripture, about Jacob after so many years being allowed to finally go home, it struck a chord in me. I knew, I knew Jacob had served well in Laban's service. It seemed that very time he started to prosper in one venture, Laban would knock that out from under him. Then as he began to prosper in another venture, Laban would again change his wage structure. But God always provided and Jacob was fast becoming a more wealthy man than Uncle Laban. It had been 6 years since he had negotiated with Him.

Jacob stopped and pondered the logistics of the journey he had made nearly alone as a younger man with no family to look after. It was nearly three hundred miles from Haran to the mountains of Gilead beyond the Jordan. But it seemed that the psychological journey that grew out of his own timidity was even greater.

His deception of Esau had to be reckoned with and you though he had earned his own prosperity, his reasons for leaving home had not gone away. He remembered all too well that it was Esau's threat of death that had sent him running away from home .
But now conditions here had become unbearable. The cousins were constantly glaring at him and accusing him of getting his wealth at their dad’s expense.

He wished God would just appear and tell him what to do.

How could he know the will of God, How todecide what The one who is, this nameless I AM God wanted.

He mused in himself “hmmm,” first he had to consider the desire to go home. It was strong in him. He knew he had been a patient man, hadn't working 14 years for his wife proved that beyond all doubt? Those years had seemed like a minute because of his love for that lady, but he also knew that Padan Aram was not his home and so desire to do this was there.

Also he knew that his circumstances were pressing him harder and harder every day. During the last 6 years no matter what Laban had done to limit his earnings, God had turned upside down.

God had made his earnings flourish. That's why the boys were so jealous. They forgot somehow that they had been made far more wealthy because of Jacob than they ever had been before, all they could see is that his wealth was fast passing Laban's, he was becoming a bigger man than Laban.

Laban had been wearing a perpetual scowl lately and those boys were becoming unbearable, yes that was another indication that it was time for a move.

Jacob had decided to sleep on it one more night, he just had to be sure, there could be no mistake now, God had promised to care for him and he just wanted things to go smoothly.
The air was slightly cool that night and it was a good night for sleeping, but he had walked outside and looked up at those stars.

He recalled that night 20 years or more gone now when he had laid out under those very stars and God had appeared to him. Ah if only God would hear me now,” he breathed a silent prayer. “Jacob“, he was startled from his reverie, had he heard someone call is name? “Jacob it is I and I have heard your cry. Jacob my chosen one, it is time go home son, go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives and Jacob, ..... I will be with you.”

Ah the confirmation of a word from God, decisions are difficult enough but with confirmation from the Father, a Word from God, then who can doubt. Now he was sure, now he could confidently go home.

But it wasn't always this way, he had wanted to be cautious and he was glad he had waited. He knew that a definite conviction of the heart is a good indication of Gods will, and often outward circumstances which make it humanly possible or prudent help in that decision.

Then, he thought the final test is what does God say. Ah how glad he was that he’d waited on God. Now the most important step of all was one he had learned from his grandpa's life. Don't just hear God, do what he says.

Jacob was galvanized into action and had quickly sent for his wives to come out to the flock. And he remembered how it had all rushed out of him like a long pent up stream. “Oh my wives,I have so much to say I....well, I've noticed your father's attitude lately. It's not like it used to be, but the God of my father has been with me. And you know that with all my power I have served your father.

And you know how your father has deceived me and changed my wages 10 times; If he said “The speckled will be your wages then the cattle all birthed speckled. If he said The banded will be your wages, all the mating Rams were banded or speckled.

I recall at that time I had a dream and the angel of God spoke and said “see, the cattle mating rams are banded or streaked, speckled, and grizzled: for I have seen all that Laban does to you.

I [am] the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar, [and] where you vowed a vow unto me: now arise, get out from this land, and return unto the land of your Family.

Sweethearts, we are going to leave here , we are going home.

He smiled as he thought of how warm he had felt when both of them had agreed that if God said they should go, then they would go. And they felt that all he had earned was their inheritance anyway. He hadn't spoken of it before but it did his heart good to see that they knew how he had been treated and resented their dad for that.

They had also resented the fact that instead of using Jacob's long service as a dowry to help establish them in a good life he had used it up on himself.

Jacob was glad, vindicated somehow and knew the wonderful feelings that came when your family is on your side.

Jacob had acted quickly and loaded the children and his wives on camels and he and the older boys drove the sheep and goats ahead of them and made as much time as possible to escape the land before Laban could stir up any trouble.

But that just wasn't to be.

Oh how Jacob was glad that horrible time was past. He had been on the road seven days, covering as much as 20 miles in a long days drive. But it was not fast enough to outrun Laban. Jacob had seen the dust cloud approaching and he tensed up inside, but what could he do but face up to Uncle Laban.

Sure enough, Laban stormed into camp as the bold Arab chief he was, surrounded by armed servants and family.

Jacob laughed to himself now, how much easier it would have been if he’d known THEN that God had warned Laban to lay off him, but Laban wasn't about to let him know. He remembered the hurt tone, almost wheedling actually, now that he thought of it, that Laban had started off on.

“My nephew, what have you done to this old man’s heart. you've deceived me, you've carried off my daughters like...like captives in a war. Why did you run off secretly? Why didn't you let me throw you a great send off.  You...and this is the cruelest blow of all...you never even let me say good bye to the grandkids. You have done a foolish thing. If it weren't for me you would have none of them.

But then Jacob remembered how some strength from somewhere had entered him, and it didn't hurt that his wives were looking at their dad with not a tremor of fear, they weren't even impressed in fact.

And Laban had seen their narrowed eyes and stony faces and after a few blustering bullyish statements had confessed, “I have the power to harm you but last night the God of your fathers said I was to not say anything to you good or bad.”

But I do have one question. Why did you steal my idols?

Jacob had been getting angrier and angrier and yet had maintained an even temper as he explained why he had snuck off because of Laban's temper. But as for your foolish household gods I don't have them. Here search the camp an if anyone has them he shall not live, in fact if there is anything of yours here take it.

Had Jacob known then that Rachel had stolen those worthless idols he’d have acted differently, but that girl was as bad as her dad sometimes. Shed hidden the idols on her and kept her composure in spite of her fright and Laban had found nothing that could be presumed as his.

Now 20 years of Jacob's anger suddenly exploded all over the desert landscape. “NOW LOOK MR.! Enough is enough! what is my crime? What sin have I committed that you hunt me down? You’ve searched all my stuff, have you found anything of yours? Put it in front of us here in front of your servants and relatives! So they may judge between us. 20 years I stayed with you, neither your ewes nor she goats have ever miscarried, and I have never eaten even ONE of your rams, not one!

When wild animals tore up something; I bore the loss of it; in fact that was the way you demanded it be., whether stolen by day, or stolen by night. I struggled and slaved for you in the hottest drought and the frostiest nights and tended your animals and I lost numerous hours of sleep while you were enjoying not having to work as hard. That's the way it's been for twenty years in your house; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your cattle: AND then you stand here saying how much you care and love us and hate to see us go. YOU changed my wages 10 times! Concern for your daughters? Your grandkids? MAN! If the God of my father, of Abraham and Isaac hadn’t been with me you would have sent me away empty. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands and he rebuked you last night.

Laban had looked shocked, unused to an assertive Jacob then he blustered: HMMMMP! These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that you see is mine: and having said that he pretended he was willing to give up what was really his and that way the two households had parted. Well there was that other thing...the Mizpah curse...funny how over the years people had heard those words and thought of them as a blessing.

It was almost a comic opera as Laban had his men pile up those stones and raise up a pillar. He could hear the harsh bluster still if he thought back on it: “This pile of stones is a witness between you and me this day. The LORD watch between you and me when we are apart from one another. If you afflict my daughters, or if you take other wives beside my daughters, then may God deal with you. And see this pile of stones? You stay on your side and I will stay on mine. The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor , the God of their father judge between us. And Jacob had sworn by the fear of his father Isaac, and Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and called his brethren to eat. And they did eat bread, and stayed all night on the mountain.

Then early in the morning Laban got up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban left, and returned home.

Jacob was not sorry that it was all over. He had no feelings of remorse that Laban was out of his life and in fact he felt freed from the bondage he had been under. How vexing it was to live all those years with a covetous man. What a strange thing for God to do, to put him in service to someone who was just like he had been.

But now God was to be his master. He was pretty sure that he was ready to surrender to the God of his Fathers. With that thought in mind, he went off by himself into the night to pray.

How is it with you? Have you served under the difficult taskmaster of this world for a long time? Is God, through his Spirit calling you to come home? Maybe today is the day when he is drawing your heart to come and find forgiveness of sins?

Maybe this is the day of your salvation.

Or Christian, are you trying to discern God's will? What is your desire? What are your circumstances?

What says the Word of GOD? Are you willing to obey HIS voice?

Note Abraham was called “Leave home”; Isaac to “stay home”; Jacob “Go home”. All had different circumstances but all had to learn trust in God. What is his call to you? Will you obey?