2024.08.18.Sermon Notes. Jacob Flees Laban and is Pursued, Rachel's hidden idols Genesis 31
William Akehurst, HSWC
SCRIPTURES: Genesis 31:1-3, Genesis 31:17-55, Isaiah 26:3-4, Isaiah 6:8-10, Exodus 20:3-6, John 10:27-29, Matthew 13:18-23
BIG IDEA: What Are You Hiding?
From the 10 Commandments..."Thou Shalt Have No other gods before ME".
And yet, Jacob’s love, Rachel, stole her father’s idols, and hid them from her father. What are you holding onto from your past, and trying to hide from FATHER?
GOD TELLS JACOB, IT’S TIME
Genesis 31:1-3 (recap)
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.”
Genesis 31:17-55
LET’S GO
17 Then Jacob rose and set his sons and his wives on camels. 18 And he carried away all his livestock and all his possessions which he had gained, his acquired livestock which he had gained in Padan Aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.
LABAN AWAY, RACHEL’S STOLEN IDOLS
19 Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel had stolen the household idols that were her father’s.
JACOB FLEES
20 And Jacob stole away, unknown to Laban the Syrian, in that he did not tell him that he intended to flee. 21 So he fled with all that he had. He arose and crossed the river, and headed toward the mountains of Gilead.
3 DAYS LATER Laban Pursues Jacob
22 And Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled. 23 Then he took his brethren with him and pursued him for seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the mountains of Gilead.
WARNING IN A DREAM
24 But God had come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, “Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.”
WARNING, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PERSUADE JACOB TO RETURN WITH MORE PROMISES, OR THREATS.
JACOB IS IN GOD’S WILL TO GET BACK TO THE PROMISED LAND.
25 So Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountains, and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mountains of Gilead.
LABAN’S REBUKE OF JACOB’S ACTIONS
26 And Laban said to Jacob: “What have you done, that you have stolen away unknown to me, and carried away my daughters like captives taken with the sword?
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? 28 And you did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters. Now you have done foolishly in so doing.
THE GOD OF YOUR FATHER
LABAN DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE GOD OF JACOB FOR HIMSELF.
I COULD DESTROY YOU, BUT GOD…(YOUR GOD, NOT MINE)
29 It is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.’
STOLEN gods? A LOOK INTO LABAN’S “FAITH”
30 And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?”
LABAN IS CONCERNED THAT HIS “gods” HAVE BEEN STOLEN FROM HIM.
LABAN IS INSECURE IN HIS RELIGION.
1. LABAN AND HIS FAMILY ARE IDOLATORS
2. IDOLS, GRAVEN IMAGES ARE NOT GOD
3. COMMANDMENT, DO NOT MAKE CARVED IMAGE NOR BOW NOR SERVE THEM.
Exodus 20:4-6
4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
ENEMIES CAN STEAL YOUR GOODS AND POSSESSIONS, BUT NO ONE CAN TAKE YOU AWAY FROM OR STEAL THE ONE TRUE GOD FROM YOU.
John 10:27-29
27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.
ARE YOU SECURE IN THE LORD FOR YOUR SALVATION?
DO YOU HAVE FAITH IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST TO DO WHAT HE SAYS HE’LL DO?
YOU DON’T LOSE YOUR SALVATION IF YOU HAVE IT.
THE QUESTION IS, DO YOU HAVE IT, OR ARE YOU ALMOST A CHRISTIAN?
THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER
Matthew 13:18-23 (NLT)
18 “Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: 19 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. 20 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 21 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. 22 The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. 23 The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
BACK TO GENESIS 31:26 LABAN’S QUESTION, WHY DID YOU LEAVE WITHOUT SAYING GOODBYE?
31:30 WHY DID YOU STEAL MY gods?
JACOB’S REASONING
31 Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force.’
I WILL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME. FIND YOUR GODS AND KILL THE THIEF.
32 With whomever you find your gods, do not let him live. In the presence of our brethren, identify what I have of yours and take it with you.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
RACHEL’S HIDDEN SIN FROM FATHER
33 And Laban went into Jacob’s tent, into Leah’s tent, and into the two maids’ tents, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the household idols, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. And Laban searched all about the tent but did not find them. 35 And she said to her father, “Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise before you, for the manner of women is with me.” And he searched but did not find the household idols.
BIG IDEA: Thou Shalt Have No other gods before ME. Jacob’s love, Rachel, was not the prim and proper, and stole her father’s idols, and hid them from him deceitfully.
What are you hiding?
What other gods are you holding onto?
What are you keeping from FATHER?
What of your past life, have you not let go of, and are keeping you from being truthful with OUR FATHER?
Are you being truthful with OUR FATHER?
Exodus 20:3-6 (NKJV)
3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
JACOB’S RESPONSE.
36 Then Jacob was angry and rebuked Laban, and Jacob answered and said to Laban: “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have so hotly pursued me? 37 Although you have searched all my things, what part of your household things have you found? Set it here before my brethren and your brethren, that they may judge between us both!
RECOUNTING THE YEARS OF SERVICE
38 These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young, and I have not eaten the rams of your flock. 39 That which was torn by beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it. You required it from my hand, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 There I was! In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from my eyes.
20 YEARS
41 Thus I have been in your house twenty years; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times.
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.”
THE GOD OF ABRAHAM AND THE FEAR OF ISAAC.
GOD HAS BEEN WITH ME, AND BLESSED ME. HE HAS SEEN THE INJUSTICE, MY AFFLICTION, AND REBUKED YOU.
LABAN’S COVENANT WITH JACOB
43 And Laban answered and said to Jacob, “These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and this flock is my flock; all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these my daughters or to their children whom they have borne?
44 Now therefore, come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me.”
SET IN STONE
45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46 Then Jacob said to his brethren, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there on the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed. 48 And Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore its name was called Galeed, 49 also Mizpah, because he said, “May the LORD watch between you and me when we are absent one from another. 50 If you afflict my daughters, or if you take other wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us—see, God is witness between you and me!”
A MONUMENTAL WITNESS. TERMS SET IN STONE.
51 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Here is this heap and here is this pillar, which I have placed between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not pass beyond this heap to you, and you will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to me, for harm.
THE GOD OF…ABRAHAM, NAHOR, ISAAC.
THE FEAR OF ISAAC.
53 The God of Abraham, the God of Nahor, and the God of their father judge between us.” And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac. 54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his brethren to eat bread. And they ate bread and stayed all night on the mountain. 55 And early in the morning Laban arose, and kissed his sons and daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place.
CONCLUSION:
GOD’S GRACE IS ALL SUFFICIENT FOR US.
AS HE HAS SET APART THIS FAMILY, WE TOO HAVE BEEN SET APART FROM THE WORLD.
HE DESIRES THAT WE WOULD FOLLOW AFTER HIM, AND TRUST IN HIM, NOT IN THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD.
AND YET, HE WILL USE THINGS, EVENTS, AND OTHER PEOPLE IN OUR LIVES TO SHAPE US, TO MOVE AND DIRECT US, AND EVEN TURN US AROUND.
BUT WE MUST BE TRUE TO OUR HEAVENLY FATHER. WE CAN’T HIDE ANYTHING FROM HIM. AND IF WE ARE HOLDING ONTO THINGS OF THE PAST, THAT DO NOT PLEASE HIM, WE MUST GET RID OF THOSE THINGS FROM OUR LIVES, TO NOT BE HINDERED, BUT TO BETTER SERVE HIM.
EVERY DAY, WE MUST CHOOSE WHOM WE WILL SERVE. DO YOU DAILY CHOOSE THE LORD?
AND WILL YOU RID YOUR LIFE OF THE HIDDEN THINGS OF YOUR PAST?
TO BE TRANSPARENT WITHIN YOURSELF AND TRUTHFUL WITH FATHER GOD.
WHY NOT SET IT IN STONE, A LINE THAT WILL NO LONGER BE CROSSED?
LET’S ASK THE LORD FOR HIS HELP IN DOING SO.
Let’s pray together,
FATHER GOD,
I come to YOU in JESUS NAME.
YOUR WORD shows me YOUR mercy and grace.
YOUR WORD shows me that YOU are present in my life,
and that YOU have a plan for my life.
YOUR WORD shows me YOUR forgiveness,
YOUR WORD shows me that i am to fully trust in YOU.
My salvation is only in JESUS CHRIST,
and what HE accomplished on the cross for me,
taking away my sin
and giving me, HIS Righteousness,
and I will trust in the promises of YOUR WORD.
HOLY SPIRIT, show me any wicked way that I’ve hidden in my heart,
that I may confess them before YOU now.
refine me with YOUR HOLY FIRE,
purge me and wash me clean.
cleanse me, and make me whole and holy, set apart.
that I will live my life for you, forever.
in JESUS NAME, AMEN.
BE BLESSED AND BE A BLESSING.
BILL
