Genesis 31

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Transcript

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You are listening to the Dope Daily Audio Bible, and I'm your guy, pastor Charlie Mitchell, and today we're looking at Genesis chapter 31. Let's roll now. Jacob heard what Laben sons were saying. Jacob has taken all that was our father's and has built his wealth from what belonged to our father. and Jacob saw from Laban's face that his attitude toward him was not the same as before. The Lord said to him, go back to the land of your ancestors and to your family, and I'll be with you. Jacob had Rachel, and Leah called to the field where his flocks were. He said to them, I can see from your father's face that his attitude towards me is not the same as before, but the God of my father has been with me. You know that with all my strength, I have served your father and that he has cheated me and changed my wages 10 times, but God has not let him harm me. If he said the spotted sheep will be your wages, then all the sheep were born spotted if he said The streak sheep will be your wages. Then all the sheep were born streak. God has taken away your father's herds and given them to me. When the flocks were breeding, I saw in a dream that the streak spotted and speckled males were mating with the females in that dream, the angel of God said to me, Jacob, And I said, here I am. He said, look up and see all the males that are mating with the flocks are streaked spotted and speckled for. I've seen all that laben has been doing to you. I'm the God of Bethel, where you poured out oil on the stone marker and made a solemn vow to me, get up, leave this land, and returned to your native land. Then Rachel and Leah answered him, do we have any portion or inheritance in our father's family? Are we not regarded by him as outsiders for, he has sold us and has certainly spent our purchase price. In fact, all the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and our children. So do whatever God has said to you. So Jacob got up and put his children and wives on the camels. He took all the livestock possessions he had acquired in Patam and he drove his hers to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac. when Laben had gone to she, his sheep, Rachel stole her father's household idols And Jacob deceived laboring. The airmen, not telling him that he was fleeing. He fled with all his possessions, crossed the Euphrates, and headed for the hill country of Gilead. On the third day, Laben was told that Jacob had fled. So he took his relatives with him, pursued Jacob for seven days and overtook him in the hill country of Gilead. but God came to laben the air man in a dream at night. Watch yourself, God warn him. Don't say anything to Jacob either good or bad. When Laben overtook Jacob, Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country and Laben and his relatives also pitched their tents in the hill country of Gilead. Laben said to Jacob, what have you done? You have deceived me and taken my daughters away like prisoners of war. Why did you secretly flee from me? Deceived me, and not tell me? I would've sent you away with joy and singing with tambourines and leers, but you didn't even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters. You acted foolishly. I could do you great harm. But last night, the God of your father said to me, watch yourself. Don't say anything to Jacob either good or bad. Now you have gone off because you long for your father's family. But why have you stolen my gods? Jacob answered. I was afraid For, I thought you would take your daughters from me by force. if you find your gods with anyone here, he will not live before our relatives. Point out anything that is yours and take it. Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the idols. So Laben went in the Jacob's tent. Leah's tent in the tents of the two concubine, but he found nothing. When he left Leah's tent, he went into Rachel's tent. Now Rachel had taken Laban's household idols, put them in the saddlebag of the camel, and sat on them. Laben, searched the whole tent, but found nothing. She said to her father, don't be angry, my Lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence. I'm having my period. So laben searched, but could not find the household idols. Then Jacob became incensed and brought charges against Laben. What is my crime? He said, what is my sin that you have pursued me? You've searched all my possessions. have you found anything of yours? put it here before my relatives and yours, And let them decide between the two of us. I've been with you these 20 years. Your s and female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams from your flock. I did not bring you any of the flock torn by wild beast. I myself bore the loss. You demanded payment from me from what was stolen by day or by night. There I was. The heat consumed me by day and the frost by night and sleep fled from my eyes. For 20 years in your household, I served you 14 years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you have changed my wages 10 times. If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, the fear of Isaac had not been with me. Certainly now you would've sent me off empty handed. But God has seen my affliction and my hard work, and he issued his verdict last night. Then Labban answered, Jacob, the daughters are my daughters. The children, my children. The flocks. My flocks. Everything you see is mine. But what can I do today for these daughters of mine or for the children they have born? Come now let's make a covenant. You and I let it be a witness between the two of us. So Jacob picked up a stone and set it up as a marker. then Jacob said to his relatives, gather stones and they took stones and made a mound. then ate there by the mound. Layman named the mound But Jacob named it gli. Then Labban said The mound is a witness between you and me today. Therefore, the place was called gli and also MSPA for he said, May the Lord watch between you and me when we are out of each other's sight. if you mistreat my daughters or take other wives, though no one is with us. Understand that God will be a witness between you and me. Labban also said to Jacob, look at this mound and the marker I have set up between you and me. This mound is a witness, and the marker is a witness that I will not pass beyond this mound to you, and you will not pass beyond this mound and this marker to do harm to me. The God of Abraham, the gods of Nahor the gods of their father, will judge between us and Jacob swore by the fear of his father, Isaac. Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat a meal, so they ate a meal and spent the night on the mountain. Laben got up early in the morning, kissed his grandchildren and daughters, and blessed them. Then Laben left to return home. Let's pray. Heavenly father, you are the God of Abraham. You call us to leave what is familiar to us, what's comfortable for us, even when it's difficult, even when it costs us some peace, we still have to get up and move sometimes. But like Jacob, we carry burdens. We have strained relationships. we make anxious decisions. The weight of leadership and legacy now weigh on our shoulders, and so this can be difficult To make transitions in the change when it's uncomfortable. But Lord, I pray that you would speak clearly to us, that you will remind us that you see us, that you walk with us, and that you will go before us. Lord, I pray that we will be reminded that you go with us wherever we go. So give us the courage to obey you. Give us the courage to trust you when your voice is leading us forward into what seems unknown to us, but you know, is leading us to greater freedom, but to greater presence with you. We pray all of this in Jesus' name. Amen.