Who Done It?

O.T.#66  "Who Done It?" June 11, 2013
Genesis 31-Part 3
And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.  Genesis 31:23

LET IT GLOW

Jacob talked to Rachel and Leah, his wives, in a field for privacy and told them God said to return
to Bethel. They agreed and the clan packed up and left while Laban was sheering his sheep. They were gone 3 days when Laban was told about the departure. Laban and his company high tailed it after them. Actually, scripture uses the term persued in verse 23.
Persued means run after, (usually with hostile intent), chase, put to flight, persecute. (Strong's Exhaustive Concordance)

It wasn't because he didn't get to kiss the grandchildren bye or tell his two daughter farewell. Oh
no, it was more serious than that. Someone had taken Laban's household idols and HE WANTED THEM BACK!

They caught up with Jacob and everyone after a week of hard traveling. One of Jacob's wives was the thief. Can you guess which one? You have a 50/50 chance of getting it correct.  If you guessed Rachel, you would have been right. Verse 19 says so.

Hidden sin led to more sin as Rachel, the thief, lied to her father and her husband, while angry
Laban examined everything in the caravan. (Wiersbe)

Jacob stole away, unknown to Laban, while Rachel stole away the idols of Laban.

Jacob sneaked away into the will of God instead of departing in triumph. (Barnhouse)

Probably, this made Laban think Jacob took his precious idols.

Rachel took her father's household idols (teraphim). Why did she do it?
David Guzik's Commentary on the Bible suggests:

• she wanted them to worship and didn't want to leave without the idols,
• she did not want her father to inquire of them, using them as tools of divination to catch them, as he had previously done in 30:27,
• or perhaps it was because such idols were often used as deeds to property and she thought this was her inheritance,
• maybe Rachel felt her father had mistreated her,her husband, and her whole family,
• she wanted to keep her father from idolatry (tradition says).

It was nearly 300 miles from Haran to the mountains of Gilead. Jacob left his place of safety for 20 years, where he was a comfortable servant, to go to a place where God had called him, but into a dangerous enemy territory (including his brother Esau who swore to kill him).

Psalm 34:14 says, Depart from evil, and do good, seek peace, and pursue it.

What am I pursuing after? Is it wealth, material goods, love of God, peace?

LET IT GROW

Jacob's company thought they were going home scott free-not going to happen. We don't know
what kind of bad intent was in Laban's heart at that time, but God did. In a dream, God told Laban to
be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad. (verse 24)

Laban made the accusations (NIV):

• What have you done?
• You've deceived me.
• You've carried off my daughters like captives in war.
• Why did you run off secretly and deceive me?
• Why didn't you tell me, so I could send you away with joy and singing to music of  tambourines and harps?
• You didn't even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters good-by.
• I have the power to harm you, but last night the God of your father said to me, "Be careful     not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad."
• Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father's house.
• But why did you steal my gods?

Whew! What a greeting! Poor Jacob didn't know there was any issue with Laban's idols. He was innocent. He had no earthly idea what Laban was taking about, nor who took them. So what  did Jacob say in haste? If you find anyone who has your gods, he shall not live. (verse 32a)

Laban searched all the tents, but found nothing. Rachel had put them inside her camel's saddle and was sitting on them. How uncomfortable it must have been riding that way. She lied to her father, giving an excuse of being on her period, the reason she didn't stand in respect of her father. (It would have revealed her guilt.)

Well, Jacob reviewed all the good things he had done for Laban those 20 years. It was the truth that Jacob spoke. It got to Laban, so he agreed to make a covenant with Jacob, called Mizpah Blessing, which means God was watching. The two men agreed to not go past the heap of rocks they set up, in order to harm the other one. Jacob offered a sacrifice in the hill country and fed Laban a meal. the next morning, Laban kissed his grandchildren and daughters and blessed them, then returned home.

So the idols were not found at that time, nor Rachel's  lie revealed.
The only redeeming thing in Jacob's angry speech is that he gave God the glory for his success
 (verse 42). (Wiersbe)

Isn't it sad when family members cannot trust each other? Do we draw line of boundaries in our mind or heart and they better not cross them? Do we do that with God? Not allow Him into certain parts of our life or into rooms of our heart?

LET IT GO

Be truthful; my sins will find me out.

Depart from evil do good; pursue and seek peace.

Allow God into all areas of my life.

*Thank you for the birthday wishes. I spent with day with 2 friends. We drove to another church and picked up fantastic things for ours to use this summer in Vacation Bible School. It's wonderful when sister churches help each other out. We had lunch together, even shopped.