What Are You Hiding? Rachel's Hidden Idols Genesis 31

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.