(Text : Genesis 31:24)
And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
FOCUS :
Genesis 31:31-32 And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me. With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.
When there was any question about the inheritance, the person who had the teraphim (gods) was considered to have the right to the double portion of the primary heir. When Jacob first came, he was welcomed into the family and adopted as heir, since Laban had no sons at the time. But Laban had sins born shortly after, and that normally would invalidate Jacob’s claim unless he possessed the teraphim. Rachel felt Jacob deserved more than he was getting, so she stole them for his benefit, and for the benefits of Jacob’s family. There is no evidence she wanted to worship these images.
In addition, Genesis 31:33-36 And Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and into Leah’s tent, and into the two maidservants’ tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah’s tent, and entered into Rachel’s tent. Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel’s furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not. And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched, but found not the images. And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?
How foolish for Laban to call those things his gods which could be stolen? Could he expect protection from things that could neither resist nor discover their invaders? Jacob was now very angry. Instead of Laban being sad regarding his two daughters and all of his grandchildren leaving, and knowing that he would possibly never see them again, he was more interested in material things than anything else.
Finally, Genesis 31:41-43 Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times. Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight. And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born?
Jacob rehearse his twenty years with Laban and, in effect, is saying that Laban has absolutely no reason to be angry with him. The dream that thee Lord gave to Laban, what a spectacle of infinite humor, if it were not so sad. A man seeking for his lost gods! The Gospel presents us with the opposite picture – the ever present God seeking for His lost children. At Beth-el, Jacob learned what God was; at Haran, what man was. And what a difference! At Beth-el, God enriched him: at Haran, man robbed him! Laban wrongly claims everything that Jacob has, but recognizes, due to the Power of God, that there is nothing he can do regarding the taking of them.
BE SAFE AND GET SAVED!
God bless you richly!
Jesus Christ loves you
Thank you Holy Spirit
ARE YOU SAVED?
T.O AKINSANYA
PRINCE ORATORTEE