Devotional
Short Note of Genesis 31
From
my “rib’s” Band Genesis English Bible Reading online I collected the following
extracts. They are all on Genesis 31. Let me tell you about my wife. Has a Phd
in New Testament and they wanted to ordain her as an elder and she refused and
said: “only a deaconess”. And they did. Sabbaths we preached together on the
pulpit although she does not accept Woman Ordination as biblical as I also
follow. Next to me I preach in English and she is translating in Korean. Then
suddenly I hear her to continue talking quite long of things I did not say.
Those were the times I kept quiet and listen to her preaching instead of me
with a satisfactory smile in my heart. She takes the audience to a further text
that was not on my list. That is the way God works. He does not only work in a
man but in a female equally well. So I decided for this chapter to let her
speak. Rejoice
with Those Who Rejoice Genesis 31:1-2. "Rejoice
with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep"(Romans 12:15). You
may truly rejoice at other people's prosperity if you understand your own
prosperity. Let us enjoy the blessedness in Jesus, the freedom and heavenly
blessings. Common
Sense and the Holy Spirit "And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the
land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee." Genesis
31:3. Family
Counsel of God Genesis 31:4-7. There
are meetings from time to time. In countries, in the work, and also in
churches, we have meetings. Here Jacob opened a family meeting and tried to
find solution on Laban who changed his wages 10 times. God also had a family
meeting. Through that "counsel of peace" (Zechariah 6:13), a decision
was made that Jesus, the 2nd Person of Godhead, would come down to the world to
destroy the work of Satan, by giving His life for the salvation of humanity.
There is a photo of the thorn crown of the cross and the golden crown leaning
on each other. Fear
God Genesis 31:8-9. We see
Jacob served Laban with diligence and honesty while Laban was a covetous and
selfish man. Jacob was honest and sincere because he feared God. "Fear
God, and give glory to Him"(Revelation 14:6). This is the first part of
the passage known as the Everlasting Gospel or the Three Angels' Messages in
Revelation 14. It is fear God, give Him glory and worship Him. God Is
Watching Over You Genesis 31:10-12. Some
think negatively that God is watching over every move of us to find out our
faults. However, to the contrary, God keeps His eyes on us to protect us, and
to lead us and make righteous judgment. This thought gives such a security in
our hearts. Let us live before God as Jacob did. My wife attached a beautiful
card of a sheep standing with a branch of a tree in his foot and two birds
sitting on the branch reading: “Swaying branches swing and sweep – Rocking birdies
off to sleep. Nestled in, they softly coo. God is watching over you.” Give
Thanks in Everything "I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the
pillar, and where you vowed a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this
land, and return unto the land of thy kindred." Genesis 31:13. "Beth"
means house and "El" God, thus Bethel is the House of God. As Jacob
heads to Haran to escape Esau, he saw there in a night dream a ladder reaching
heaven. God promised to give that land to Jacob and his descendants (Genesis
28). If Jacob felt his life in Haran was comfortable and secure, he would not
have thought of going back home. We are to give thanks in all circumstances. It Is
Not Self-Debasing Genesis 31:14-16. "For
in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to
adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands."(1 Pet 3:5).
They say women learn to obey God through their own subjection to their
husbands, while men learn to subject to God as they see their pious wives
submissive to them. Dear ladies, it is not self-debasing to be submissive to
your own husbands, by obeying the word of God. I'll
Go Back to My Father Genesis 31:17-18. Misunderstanding
of Rachel Genesis 31:19-20. Teraphim
were household gods in Mesopotamia. Rachel may have stolen Teraphim in her wish
for family security. On the other hand, according to the document from Nuzi, it
represented the ownership of the land. Rachel thought her husband was usurped
by her father, and perhaps she stole Teraphim thinking the true owner of the
land was Jacob. However, the promise of God was in Canaan and not in Haran.
Rachel's stealing of the image was not an act of faith anyway. Toward
the Mount Gilead Genesis 31:21-23. Since
Laban knew about Jacob's flee, it must have taken 7 days to overtake him. Jacob
headed toward the mount Gilead, which was before they cross Jordan river, that
is, south-east of the sea of Galilee, east of Jordan. What will happen to Jacob
as he meets Laban again? Both
parties are evil. The family of Jacob did some stealing of precious housegods
for gain. Laban was also sneaky by not keeping his word to Jacob. Now we find
him playing policeman against Jacob. Sin plays ugly tricks on people and the
goal of Satan is to create chaos, hatred and misunderstanding. Satan hates love. God
Loves Jacob Genesis 31:24-25. People
Are More Important than Possession Genesis 31:26-28. If
Jacob had told Laban he was now going back to Canaan his home country, would Laban
have allow it? Jacob should have lived the rest of his life as a servant of
Laban, or even his life could have been in danger. The covetousness and
selfishness are sometimes cherished more than the family relationship in human
heart. Do You
Know the Lord Personally? Genesis 31:29-30. We see
the ancient Bible people, whether good or not, knew God personally and
communicated with Him. Christianity is not only a religion of teachings, of
morality, or of good deeds, it is a religion to know the Lord personally, our
Creator and Redeemer, and have communion with Him. God
Certainly Loves Us Are
You Not Hiding Teraphim? Genesis 31:32-33. Laban
and Rachel also knew God and served Him, then why was Teraphim so important to
them? Are we not serving the god of mammon, of position, or relationship,
because God doesn't seem enough? Do you not believe those gods will protect you
and give you happiness? Let us search our hearts whether we do not have
Teraphim in our hearts. We should shake off and stand up from where we serve God
and also cherish idols. The
Idol in Camel's Saddle Genesis 31:34-35. Humility,
and a Meek and Quiet Spirit Genesis 31:36-37. Laban
searched all the tents but could not find what he lost. Jacob becomes angry.
Together with the treatment as if he were a thief, perhaps he suddenly felt
distressed about the past years' unfair situations. We sometimes experience
that way too. "To be a Christian is to be Christlike, to possess humility
and a meek and quiet spirit that will bear contradiction without being enraged
or becoming insane"(Testimonies for the Church 2:572). Possible only by
the Holy Spirit. Amen. The Process
of Jacob Becoming Israel Genesis 31:38-40. Passing
down Your Faith Genesis 31:41-42. Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob in Common Genesis 31:43-44. Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob had another matter in common. Though they were weak, those
around them feared them and suggested for a covenant. Let us make a covenant,
so that you and I, and your children and my children, may not trespass the
border with each other. Do the people around us know that the Lord God is with us
even though we are small and weak? If God is indeed with us, people notice
that. Patriarchs
Set up the Altar of Covenant Genesis 31:45-48. On the
way to Haran at Bethel, Jacob saw the Lord in a dream and set up a pillar of
covenant with the stone that he used as a pillow(Gen 28). Today, Jacob and
Laban set up a stone pillar for a covenant and ask God to be a witness between
them. Let us enjoy the grace of God in the mornings and evenings to meet Him
through His word and prayer, following the examples of the patriarchs who set
up the altar of covenant. Mizpah
and Ebenezer Genesis 31:49-50. Mizpah
in 1 Samuel 7 is a different place from Mizpah in Genesis 31. It belonged to
the tribe of Benjamin and was west of Jordan. Prophet Samuel summoned the
people of Israel for a prayer meeting there, and as a result, God defeated the
Philistines who came to destroy Israel. As Israel pursued them up to Bethcar,
Samuel also set up a stone pillar there and called it Ebenezer (eben=stone;
ezer=help, thus stone of help). The Lord God helped them thus. An
Opportunity for Character Development Genesis 31:51-52. "The
sun will not smite you by day, nor the moon by night." This is Psalm
121:6. Since my help is from the LORD, He will not allow my foot to slip. Since
we believe the promise that He will preserve me from all evil, we don't have to
fear in any situation. If there comes any unexpected circumstance, let's take
it as an opportunity to develop our character. Because God always leads us for
the best.
Dear
God
The usual answer for such a case would be, "Endure with patience.
Persevere as a Christian for victory." However, God asks Jacob to go back
to his home country here. It is perhaps because of the messianic promise of God
to give the land of Canaan to the descendants of Abraham. To love and persevere
and endure should be the character of every Christian. Yet, to accomplish the
will of God, we need to give heed to the small voice of the Holy Spirit.
20 years of living in his wives' home was like 20 years of living as a servant (Genesis
31:41). That was between 2130-2110 BCE. Only during recent 6 years, he could
get some cattle and possession by God's help. Now he is about to leave for his
father in Canaan. Since Isaac died in the age of 180 in 1960 BCE, it means that
he lived past the Fall of Ur III in 2004 by the invasion of the Elamites and Armaens
of the desert (Genesis 35:28). He saw all the 12 sons of Jacob.
God truly loves Jacob. In danger after deceiving his brother, God let him flee
to Haran. Laban his uncle changed his wages 10 times, but nevertheless he
became great with much possession. Nobody knows what could have happened to Jacob
if God did not intervene for him in a dream and spoke to Laban when he overtook
him. Thank You, Lord!
"And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, maybe
you would take by force your daughters from me." Genesis 31:31
Do you not perceive God always cares for you, protect and guide you? In
reflection, it is indeed touching that He is always with us though we do not
have such value in ourselves. The Lord Who offered His own life, Who is
interceding even today as the High-priest in heaven, certainly loves us. Jacob had
to do a lot of rationalization in his life to explain away his bad actions and
so did Isaac and Abraham before this.
Rachel as well as Laban thought the Teraphim that you can hide under the
camel's saddle would protect them and their families. We see it was foolish. As
in the case of Rachel, the image cannot protect you but rather will only give
trouble. Let us cast away all the idols from our heart. "But as for me and
my house, we will serve the LORD!"(Joshua 24:15). Amen!
"You know water by crossing, and a person by getting along," it says.
We see here Jacob was honest and faithful regardless of Laban's treating of
him. How many people can be accepted even after they are experienced? However,
God requires us to be complete by being born again daily through the grace of
Jesus. Jacob overcame hardships by depending on the Lord. That's how Jacob
could become Israel to represent the people of God. Amen.
God of Abraham, the Fear of Isaac. It is now Jacob's turn. If Jacob forsook the
faith in God, He could not be called as the God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and
God of Jacob. Are you keeping the faith inherited from your parents? Are you
passing your faith down to your children? If there is any fakeness in your
faith, your children will immediately know. Let us love Jesus sincerely so that
the house of Jacob may prosper.