Trinity Church Spokane Valley
Genesis 31
Genesis 31 is where we are this morning. Genesis 31, we come to the end of the Jacob-Laben narrative. It's a decently long chapter, but nothing for us. We've done much longer, right? Genesis 31, when I invite you to stand with me for the reading of God's Word. Genesis 31, starting in verse 1, reading all the way through the entire chapter. Follow along, please, as I read. Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laben were saying, "Jacob has taken all that was our fathers, and from what was our fathers, he has gained all this wealth." And Jacob saw that Laben did not regard him with favor as before. Then the Lord said to Jacob, "Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you." So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was and said to them, "I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before, but the God of my father has been with me. You know that I have served your father with all my strength, yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God did not permit him to harm me. If he said, "The spotted shall be your wages," then all the flock were spotted. And if he said, "The stripes shall be your wages," then all the flock bore striped. Thus, God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me. In the breeding season of the flock, I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream that the goats that mated with the flock were stripes spotted and modeled. Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, "Jacob," and I said, "Here I am." And he said, "Lift up your eyes and see that all the goats that mate with the flock are stripes spotted and modeled for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. I am the God of Bethel where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred." Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, "Is there any portion of our inheritance left to us in our father's house? Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For he has sold us and he has indeed devoured our money. All the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children." Now then, whatever God has said to you do. So Jacob arose and set his sons and his wives on camels. He drove away all his livestock, all his property they had gained. The livestock in his possession they had acquired in Padan Aram to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac, Laban had gone to share his sheep and Rachel stole her father's household gods and Jacob tricked Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he intended to flee. He fled with all that he had and rose and crossed the Euphrates and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead. When it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled, he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him for seven days and followed close after him into the hill country of Gilead. But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night and said to him, "Be careful not to say anything to Jacob either good or bad." Laban overtook Jacob. Now, Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country and Laban with his kinsmen pitched tents in the hill country of Gilead and Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done that you have tricked me and driven away my daughters like captains of the sword? Why did you flee secretly and tricked me and did not tell me so that I might have sent you away with mirth and songs with tambourine and lyre? Why did you not permit me to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell? Now you have done foolishly. It is in my power to do you harm that the God of your father spoke to me last night saying, "Be careful not to say anything to Jacob either good or bad. And now you have gone away because you longed greatly for your father's house. But why did you steal my gods?" Jacob answered and said to Laban, "Because I was afraid for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. Anyone with whom you find your God shall not live. In the presence of our kinsmen, point out what I have that is yours and take it." Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them. So Laban went into Jacob's tent and into Leah's tent and into the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find them. And he went out of Leah's tent and entered Rachel's. Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in the camel saddle and sat on them. Laban felt all about the tent but did not find them. She said to her father, "Let not my Lord be angry that I cannot rise before you for the way of women is upon me." So he searched but did not find the household gods. And Jacob became angry and berated Laban. Jacob said to Laban, "What is my offense? What is my sin that you have so hotly pursued me? For you have felt through all my goods. What do you have found of all your household goods? Set it here before my kinsmen and your kinsmen that they may decide between us too. These twenty years I have been with you. Your use and your female goats have not miscarried and I have not eaten the rams of your flock. What was torn by wild beasts I did not bring to you. I bore the loss of it myself. For my hand you required it whether stolen by day or stolen by night. There I was by day that he consumed me, the cold by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, six years for your flock. And you have changed my wages ten times. If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the fear of Isaac had not been on my side. Only now you would have sent me away empty handed. God saw my affliction in the labor of my hands and rebuked you last night. Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, "The daughters are my daughters. The children are my children. The flocks are my flocks and all that you see is mine. What can I do this day for these my daughters or for their children whom they have borne? Come now. Let us make a covenant. You and I let it be a witness between you and me." So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. And Jacob said to his kinsmen, "Gather stones." And they took stones and made a heap and they ate there by the heap. Laban called it, "Jegar Sahdutha," but Jacob called it, "Galeed." Laban said, "This heap is a witness between you and me today, therefore he named it Galeed." And mispuff, where he said, "The Lord watched between you and me when we are out of one another's sight. If you oppress my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one is with us, see God is witness between you and me." Then Laban said to Jacob, "See this heap and the pillar which I have set between you and me. This heap is a witness and the pillar is a witness that I will not pass over this heap to you and you will not pass over this heap and this pillar to me and do harm the God of Abraham, the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us." So Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac. And Jacob offered to sacrifice in the hill country and called his kinsmen to eat bread. They ate bread and spent the night in the hill country. Early in the morning Laban arose and kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them, then Laban departed and returned home. This is the word of the Lord. You may be seated. As I said, we reach today the end of the Jacob-Laban narrative, a portion of Jacob's life that lasts 20 years, it's a 20-year period of Jacob's life. I thought it would be interesting to ask right here at the beginning, "Where were you 20 years ago? What were you doing 20 years ago?" Some of you weren't alive 20 years ago. What were you doing 20 years ago? I tried to think back to 20 years ago and as I was recounting that, a lot has happened in 20 years. A lot has taken place in 20 years. A lot can take place in 20 years. How would we describe this 20 years for Jacob? 20 years for Jacob under Laban's roof? What are some adjectives we would use for Laban's time with Jacob's servitude for Laban? What are some adjectives we would use? Third, contentious, we saw Jacob's household is filled with conflict, 20 years of conflict. Hard labor for Jacob, it was not an ideal 20 years for him, but it has also been for Jacob 20 years of blessing, has it not? He's had 12 children in those 20 years. Not the 12 tribes yet. They don't have Benjamin yet, but 11 sons and a daughter that we know of. He's also experienced an increase in wealth, material wealth, flocks and herds, and servants to manage his household. He came into servitude, he arrived in Laban's home without anything, and now he's a very wealthy man. His wealth has increased while his master, Laban's wealth, has decreased. That exponential growth in Laban's decline is what sets the tension for our chapter this morning. The sons of Laban are upset. Why? Because they believe that Jacob has stolen their father's wealth. Everything you have you took from our father. Look what this guy has done to our family. So things are very tense in Laban's house. Jacob is despised because of his growth, because of God's blessing upon his life. Jealousy, suspicion, rule over the clan. What's going to happen? Jacob's no longer in good standing with the family. His position is precarious. Something has got to give, and something does. The Lord speaks to Jacob and directs him to go. It's time to go home, Jacob. It's time to leave. Now, Jacob has tried to go a couple of times. We saw this over the last couple of chapters. Give me my wife, and let me go. My time is complete, remember? Give me my wives and my children. Let me go. The time is up. But every time Laban has stopped him. Now the Lord says it's time to return home. And with that, the Lord promises Jacob that he will be with him. Now this is the first time that the Lord has promised Jacob that he will be with him, right back in chapter 28. This is really what this chapter is all about, is answering the promises, or seeing the fulfillment of the promises made back in chapter 28. In chapter 28, the Lord committed himself to Jacob, where every when he says, "I will be with you, I will keep you, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done everything that I have promised for you." And here the Lord is reiterating this promise again to Jacob. Jacob, it's time to go home, and I will be with you by application. Laban's not going to stop you this time. It's time to go home. So then Jacob goes to his wives, that's what we just read, he goes to his wives and makes a case to them of why it's time to go. Your father is not favorable towards me anymore, but God has been with me. Even as I faithfully served your father, he's cheated me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not permit his plans to work. Laban's plans backfire, and God has enriched Jacob at Laban's expense. Then he tells them that the God, the God that he met at Bethel, the God that he set up a pillar to honor, to commemorate, the God of Bethel has kept Laban from being successful. The God of Bethel, who I made a vow to, he says, has kept his word to me. Now that same God is telling me it's time to go back to the homeland. So what do the wives respond? He makes a case of why it's time to go to his wives and what is the response of Rachel and Leah. Yeah, you don't have to convince us to leave. You don't have to convince us our dads no good. We know very well because we have also been mistreated by Laban. He's treated us like foreigners, he's taken everything we have. He's used us as pawns for his little game. He took our inheritance, so everything God has given you is really owed to us. Whatever God has told you to do, do it. So Jacob arises very quickly, very hastily, he gets his family together, gets all of his servants together, gets all of his sons together, his daughter together, and they leave. But interestingly, he leaves when Laban is away. He leaves when Laban is gone to shear the sheep. He leaves out the back door. And as they are getting ready, everything to go, hastily go, unbeknownst to him, Rachel wants to take one last swipe at her dad. So Rachel steals into her father's quarters and steals his household gods. Well, Laban hears after three days that Jacob has taken everything he left. So he gets together, his kinsmen, and chases after Jacob, seven days, they get all the way back to right outside the Jordan River, right to the east of the Jordan River, right before entering the promised land, and Laban finally overtakes Jacob's camp. But the night before Laban can confront Jacob, that night before Laban is visited by God. God intervenes, he visits Laban and prohibits Laban from interfering with Jacob's journey home. He won't do anything, Laban. So the next day, Laban finally confronts Jacob about leaving, and listen again to what Laban says. Listen to what he says. "What have you done? That you have tricked me and driven away my daughters like captives of the sword, translated. Why did you take my daughters against their will?" You've robbed me of my daughters. Then he says, "Why did you secretly, flee secretly and trick me and did not tell me so that I might have sent you away with mirth and songs and tambourine and lyre? Why did you not permit me to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell?" In other words, he says, "Why did you let me celebrate and send you off properly?" You didn't let me throw your party, going away party. You know how much I care for you, Jacob. You know how excited I am for you and how much I love my daughters and my grandchildren. Why did you let me celebrate properly? You've done me wrong, Jacob. You've done me wrong." Then he says, "Now you've done foolishly." Notice this, he says, "It is in my power to do you harm, just so you know, Jacob. You've wronged me. You've taken my daughters against their will. You didn't let me say bye properly, and just so you know, I could hurt you if I wanted to." But the God of your father spoke to me last night saying, "Be careful not to say anything to Jacob either good or bad. I could do you harm, Jacob, but God has told me not to do anything." And now you've gone away because you long greatly for your father's house, but why did you steal my gods? Why did you take my household gods? So here, again, Laban has one very disingenuous question, one glaring admission sandwiched in between two serious accusations. The disingenuous question, "Why did you leave out the back door and not let me say goodbye properly acts as if he cares about Jacob and his family?" The glaring admission is that, "I could harm you, except I can't. I could do you harm, except I'm really not able to do anything." He's powerless. And then two accusations. He accuses Jacob of being a thief. Why have you taken my daughters and why have you stolen my gods? Again, Laban views Jacob as a thief of everything he has, and now he's taken Jacob's, or Laban's gods. So Jacob answers in two parts. First, he gives the reason for leaving out the side exit. Why does he say? I left because I was afraid. That's what he says. I was afraid that if you knew I was leaving, you would stop me and take back my wives. This is meant to be an irony, because Laban has just said he's just boasted of the harm he could do to Jacob, and yet, really, he could do no harm because God has told him not to. In other words, there is no reason for Jacob to be afraid, right? God has already told him, "I will be with you. You don't have to go out the side exit, Jacob. You don't have to resort to trickery anymore. You don't have to be deceptive. I am with you." You don't have to be afraid. And then, Jacob responds to the accusation of thievery, and he is not happy. This is not taking anything from you, right? He doesn't know what Rachel's done. I'm not taking anything from you. Any God of yours found in my possession, I'll tell you what, if you find someone who's taking your gods, will bring him out and will kill him right here, which sets up a little mini tension, right, because this is Rachel, his favored wife. What if they find the gods and they're going to bring Rachel out and you're going to have to execute Rachel? Bring out what I've taken and show it to everyone. Show it to all my kinsmen. Put it out right in public so everybody can see how I've wronged you, Laban. So this invitation convinces us of search, Laban searches high and low. Research is everyone's tent, looks everywhere for his gods. Again no one knows of the thievery except for Rachel, secret. He approaches Rachel's tent, what's going to happen? He's about to find the gods, but this is remedied by Rachel who hides them in a camel saddle and sits on the saddle. Then when Laban approaches her, she excuses herself for not standing because of her monthly cycle. So the reader, the reader, as you're reading this, you're meant to see Rachel's great disdain, truly her hatred for her father and the disgrace brought upon Laban's gods. She sits on them and then adds insult to injury, but being on her monthly cycle and disgracing, making these gods defiled. She's insulting her father and disgracing her father's gods. So when Laban turns up empty, Jacob, have you ever reached a time and you're like okay, I've had enough, I'm done now. Jacob reaches that point, Jacob has had enough and he is about to unleash on Laban quite a speech. Jacob has had enough and he wants everyone to know it, right? That's what Jacob's at right now and he kind of sounds like us, listen to what he says, what is my offense, what is my sin, Laban, go ahead, show everyone what you found, go ahead, bring it out, show everyone what I did to you, show everyone how I've wronged you, let everyone judge between us, Laban, these 20 years, this sounds like somebody's speech in their house, right? They're all I've done for you, I fed you, I bathed you, I changed your diaper, I mean, he's telling all the things that he's done, right? These 20 years, 20 years I took every loss upon myself, I didn't take one thing from you. If an animal died, I took the loss myself, I never even ate of the flock. Where I was hot in the middle of the day, freezing cold in the middle of the night, all the years of sleeplessness, 20 years, Laban, I laid everything down for you 20 years. I served you faithfully 20 years. You, Laban, you mistreated me every day of those 20 years, you changed my wages 10 times, you were never trustworthy, you've never treated me right, and in this, this is, this is the punch line, he says, if the God of my father Abraham and the fear of Isaac, this is the only time, twice in this chapter, he calls Yahweh, the fear of Isaac, the fear of my father Isaac, this is the only time the Lord has called this. If the God of my father Abraham and the fear of Isaac had not been on my side, you, Laban, you surely would have left me with nothing, you would have left me empty-handed, you would have sent me away empty-handed, you're good for nothing, and if God, the fear of Isaac had not been on my side, you would have sent me away empty-handed, but God saw my affliction, and God saw the labor of my hands, and God was the one who rebuked you last night before you could get in my way once again. Then notice Laban's response, again, we've read through it already, but I'm summarizing it again for you, then notice Laban's response to Jacob's sharp defense, look at what, look at what Laban says. The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. Everything Jacob you have is mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, Laban makes a statement here, everything is mine, right? That's what he says. But what can I do? What can I do for my daughters or for their children? My hands are tied. I can't touch you, you've taken everything from me, and now your God has tied my hands. So let's make it covenant, let's make it covenant, the very uneasy covenant. Let us make it covenant, let it be a witness between us, let this covenant testify between us. So Jacob sets up a pillar and they pile up a heap of stones, and Laban uses his language to name this heap of stones, and Jacob uses his language. So what you have here are two peoples, two languages, they're being separated. And what do the names mean? They mean a heap of stones as a witness, that's what they mean. A heap of stones as a witness. But then there's this other name given, mispah. There are a couple places named mispah in the Old Testament. They give this place the name mispah, which means watchtower. Laban says, the Lord, Yahweh, watch between us when we are out of each other's sight. God is witness. If you oppress my daughters or children, God is witness. In this pillar in this heap, Laban says, is a dividing line between us. We're going to separate, we're going to separate ways. We're going to separate. I will not pass over this to you. You will not pass over this to me. And then Laban says, the God of Abraham, the God of Nahor, and the God of their father judged between us. Do you remember where Abraham came from? Do you remember who his father was? What is Laban saying here? Laban is making a very generic statement. It sounds really good. It sounds really spiritual. The God of our father, Abraham, and the God of Nahor. Who is that, by the way? And the God of Tara as well, who knows who that is. He makes a very generic pluralistic statement here. The gods, yes, the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor and the God of our father and all the gods. Let the gods witness between us. But that's contrasted with what Jacob says. Jacob swears by the fear of his father Isaac. Laban is not specific about which God, but Jacob is. Jacob swears by the fear of his father Isaac. They eat a meal, they confirm the covenant, and then Laban leaves the next morning after kissing his daughters and grandchildren goodbye and blessing them. And with that, Laban, the persecutor of Jacob, the oppressor of Jacob, Laban is sent back home with his tail between his legs and he's gone. No more to bother Jacob. The servitude, Jacob's servitude is over. So we've reached the end of the Jacob, Laban narrative, 20 years of servitude, 20 years of hard labor, 20 years of conflict, and I think if you're paying attention, if you're paying attention, you can see here in Jacob's life and in this servitude to Laban, you can see that this is a type, a type of Israel's captivity in Egypt and God's deliverance of his people Israel through the Exodus. You have years of hard servitude, God's chosen, experiencing years of hard servitude under a harsh master, God's continued blessing and multiplication of his promised people. The turning of favor, who once were favored, now they are hated as Israel. The directive from the Lord to go back to the land promised to their fathers, the increase of wealth at the expense of the captors, the pursuing after the departure, remember that? After they leave, Pharaoh, I've got to go bring back what's mine. And then ultimately the defeat of the false gods and their defilement, their disgrace. So what is the point of this story? We've rehashed the story. What is the point of this story? God delivers his people. God protects his people. God is with his people. God sees and hears and knows. What keeps his promises to his people, all of these are the point. You can summarize it this way. Those who fear the Lord have nothing left to fear. Those who fear the Lord have nothing left to fear. That is the message summarized to Israel. Those who make the Lord their fear. That's how Jacob refers to Yahweh, the fear of my father Isaac. Those who make the Lord their fear. Those who put the Lord in his rightful place. Those who give worship and reverence and awe to the Lord. Those who make the Lord their fear have nothing to fear from those who come against them. Why do Jacob and his people enjoy such a protected state? Why do they enjoy such assurance and such protection and such deliverance? Why? Is it because Jacob has been a real upstanding character? I mean, that's the point, right? If you've missed that, then I don't know where you've been. Is Jacob, does Jacob get this honored position because of his merits? Because he has earned it somehow. Because he's been a good young man, right? Oh, is he obeying his parents? No. He's not in this position because of anything he's done. Jacob and his people enjoy this place of protection and promise because the Lord Yahweh has placed his choosing love upon them. Jacob didn't end up in this spot because he chose to be. God chose Jacob, not the other way around. There is much assurance in this because if it was up to Jacob, if it was up to you and I, we would never choose God. You say, well, no, no, I chose God, I've chosen the Lord. That's the evidence of God's work in your life. It's not because of anything in you, you can't take credit for that. Jacob and his people enjoy this place, this privileged position because of God's choosing love upon them. This protection and promise of deliverance is yet again the product of divine election, this is a place of safety and assurance for God's people. Jacob has been given the promises of God and therefore get this, Jacob has been given the promises of God and therefore nothing, no one can effectively be against him. What an amazing statement. Jacob has been given the promises and therefore nothing, no one can be against him. Not successfully, not effectively, nothing. Laban here in this story, Laban stands in this story as a foil, as a foil to highlight God's treatment of Jacob. You know what a foil is, literally, a foil is a character who has put into a story to contrast with the main character of the story usually, to highlight characteristics of that main character. Laban is the foil in the story and Laban, his position is to draw attention to God's treatment of Jacob. Laban's the foil in the story. Laban's mistreatment of Jacob highlights God's faithfulness to Jacob, to his people. Laban does not favor him, but God is with him. Laban wants to cheat him, but God does not allow his plans to work. This drives for himself, but God takes away his wealth. How miserable it is to strive against God. Laban strives for himself, mind, mind, mind. He's this guy. Mind, mind, mind, mind, mind, and as he clutches, even tighter to everything, he loses everything. Laban pursues to overtake Jacob, but God intervenes. Laban makes accusations against him, but God stands as his witness. Laban's mistreatment highlights God's faithfulness. Laban's trust in puny gods stands to highlight God's power to deliver his people. Here lies the comical irony of the story. Maybe you saw this, maybe you put this together. So as God is delivering Jacob from servitude, as God is delivering Jacob, Laban has to come to the rescue of his own gods. As God is delivering his people, Laban has to come and try to deliver his gods. And he can't. The reader is led on to the whole scenario. In contrast to the God of Jacob who delivers and power, the puny gods of Laban need delivering themselves. And Laban can't pull it off. In the process, his gods are defiled and mocked, disgraced. The message to Israel, again, the message to Israel is loud and clear. Do you want to trust in these puny gods, the puny gods of your captors? You want to trust in the puny gods who have been shown to be nothing? Do you want to trust in them? Those gods were soundly thrashed. Those gods were embarrassed. What do those gods have to offer you, Israel, nothing. And then Laban's delusion. So Laban's mistreatment highlights God's faithfulness. His trust in puny gods highlights God's power to deliver his people. And Laban's delusion highlights the truth that God is caring. He watches over his people and cares for his people. Laban's delusion highlights the truth that God is giving watchful care over his people. Did you notice throughout the entire story, throughout the entire story, it's like Laban has a different version of reality. Did you notice that, were you paying attention to that? Laban has a different story he wants to believe. Laban has a different narrative. You ever met somebody who has a different narrative, they have a different story they want to believe. This is what sin does to us. Have you ever met somebody who's blind in their sin, they cannot see the truth, though it hits them in the face. Doesn't matter. They can't see, up or down, right or left. They are convinced of their story, how it plays out in their mind. In darkness, in blindness, they're convinced of their story. So what sin does, it makes you really blind to reality. Consider Pharaoh. Remember when God delivers Israel from Egypt and the Exodus, consider Pharaoh how blind had Pharaoh become, so blind, so blind that this guy, this powerful quote unquote ruler who had had everything taken from him, has been soundly defeated in every way. He's seen glorious wonders and signs of power from the God of Israel. The same guy, he leads his army to the brink of the Red Sea and as he watches the people go across dry ground of the Red Sea and the walls of water standing and once again he's seeing the power of the God of Israel. He is so blind and so deceived, what does he do? He yells charge, right? Go down into that sea, go down into that water leading to the entire obliteration of his army, deluded, completely deceived. That's what sin does to you. That's what Laban's at. Why did you take away my daughters against their will? Hey, get real buddy, get real buddy, your daughters want nothing to do with you. Your daughters hate your guts because you've treated them awfully. Why didn't you let me throw you a party? What? Because you're trustworthy, Laban, that's why that's why we didn't invite you to the going away party because you're deceived. You know it's really in my power to do you harm except it's not really Laban. All these things are mine, mine, mine, mine and the delusional mind usually thinks this way, wrapped up with themselves. And then this is the one that gets me. They set up this pillar or the seep of stones and he acts like the righteous party. God be a witness between you and me. God will know if you abuse my daughters, God will know if you don't treat them well. God will know. You're right, you're right, Laban, the God of Jacob will know and he's known all along. What a hypocrite. God's watching you, Jacob. That's right, Laban. God is watching me. And he's been watching and we'll continue to watch and give watchful care over his people. So you see, those who fear the Lord have nothing left to fear. The Lord is with you, the Lord is on your side, Israel. No one can harm you. Your enemies, plans will be spoiled, the Lord will intervene, the Lord is powerful delivered, the Lord is watching over you. Again, this conclusion for this story appears clearly as the takeaway for Israel. They are the ones who have received God's promises. And if they will fear the Lord, they have nothing left to fear. But have you ever struggled, let's transition here. Have you ever struggled, maybe, with how to apply the Old Testament to your life? Have you ever read a story like this? That sounds really good, Paul, but I mean, that's a long time ago and Jacob, that's not really our situation necessarily, and what does this mean for us? I really appreciate when there are very easy connections. This one is one of those stories that makes a very clear connection. You say, "How do I connect the Old Testament to my life here in the 21st century?" Some might see no connection at all, or others might press and apply the truths here in Genesis 31 too directly to their lives without care or consideration for how the Bible progressively unfolds. So how are we as God's people, as God's New Testament people, how are we to apply these truths here in Genesis 31? Here's the key. I'm going to give you the interpretive key. The key to interpreting Genesis 31 for our lives and applying it to our lives, the key goes through the person and work of Jesus, God's Son. Actually ringing in my head this entire week as I've been considering Genesis 31 was this New Testament truth. It's actually a question, a rhetorical question. That's a rhetorical question. The answer is obvious, and this rhetorical question is found in Romans 8 verse 31. If God be for us, who can be against us? If God is for us, who then can be against us? Who can effectively be against us? If God is for us, who can be against us? Now you and I weren't born into Jacob's family. You and I weren't part of the family of Israel. We haven't received any visions of ladders up to heaven, I don't think. So how do we know if God is for us? The answer is found in his word. Did you know that the word of God that you hold in your lap is an even better revelation than a ladder, a vision of a ladder leading to heaven? Did you know that? We know in his word, he has told us clearly that he has given his Son, the Creator God, the God of all creation, has given his Son as a substitute for man's sin and man's death. He has dealt with man's rebellion and deserved death by giving his Son as a sacrifice. His Son has been raised from the dead, and he has defeated death, man's greatest enemy and all the spiritual forces of evil have been defeated by the resurrection of his Son, Jesus, and then he promises God, the Creator God promises us this. If we will turn from our sin and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, if we will put our faith and trust in Christ, then we have the right to be called the children of God. God's greatest most wondrous work of deliverance did not happen for Jacob against Laban. God's greatest and most wondrous work of deliverance didn't even happen when he delivered Israel from Egypt in the Exodus. God's greatest and most wondrous work of deliverance has been accomplished in his Son, Jesus. That is his most wondrous work of deliverance, and those who put their faith and trust in Jesus and his work of deliverance on the cross and in his resurrection, they have been promised. They have been given the right to be called children of God, those who are in Christ have his promises. We have been loved by God in and through Jesus Christ, and Romans 8, 31 is for us. If God has loved us in Christ, if we are in Christ, then God is for us, and if God is for us, then who can be against us? What can separate us from the love of God in Jesus? What's the answer? Again, it's rhetorical. If God is for us, what can be against us? Who can be against us? No one. Nothing. Why? Because there is nothing greater than he. There's nothing greater than him, not in the whole universe, the God of the universe, the God who's created everything, the God who is the sovereign ruler of all creation. He is for us. Then what can be against us? Nothing. Nothing. Nothing can harm you. Now, don't hear me wrong. This isn't a promise that bad things won't happen. See Jacob, he's there 20 years, right? He's experienced a lot of pain, a lot of hardship in 20 years. It doesn't mean that there won't be serious grief and pain and hurt, but God's plans for Jacob far exceed 20 years. His plans for Jacob go beyond 20 years. And for those in Christ Jesus, God's plans for us far exceed this difficult season of your life. See, here's the truth. For those who are in Christ, nothing can truly harm us. Nothing can do any harm of eternal consequence. Do you understand that? This is why Scripture tells us to fear the one who can cast both body and soul into hell. Why would we fear that which only can touch our body, which is temporal anyway? If we are in Christ, we have this promise of God is for us, nothing can be against us. Nothing can do any harm of real eternal consequence. I love the Pilgrim's Progress. If you've read Pilgrim's Progress, there's a scene which the Pilgrim Christian, he's approaching a house of safety, a place where he can rest and get wisdom, get direction. He's approaching a house of safety, but on the way, as he's in the way, listen to what happens. Nothing very narrowly before him as he went, he aspired two lions in the way. Now I thought he, I see the dangers that mistrust and timorous were driven back by. There'd been other travelers who had turned back and say, "Hey, don't go that way, it's dangerous." Two lions up there. It says, "I saw the dangers that mistrust and timorous were driven back by." The lions were chained, but he saw not the chains. Then he was afraid and thought also himself to go back after them, for he thought nothing but death was before him, but the porter at the lodge whose name is watchful, perceiving that Christian made a halt as if he would go back, cried unto him, saying, "Is thy strength so small? Fear not the lions, for they are chained and are placed there for trial of faith where it is and for discovery of those that have none. Keep in the midst of the path and no hurt shall come unto thee." Then I saw he went on, trembling for fear of the lions, but taking good heed to the direction of the porter, he heard them roar, but they did him no harm as those who were protected by God. There's a lot of roaring, there's a lot of threatening. There appear to be lions in the way that can hurt us, but nothing can truly harm us. For we are under His protection. How do the brave missionaries and courageous missionaries that you've read their biographies, how do they endure such danger and peril and threatening, how? Because they knew that nothing could do them real harm. Why? Because nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ. Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ. If God is for us, who can be against us? Nothing can do us real harm and hear this, we in Christ are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. The victory over sin and death is already ours. The spiritual forces of darkness, the enemies of God, our enemies, they've already been defeated by the land that was slain. Our victorious conquer Jesus. The false gods in Jacob's story were disgraced secretly. In the Exodus, the gods of Egypt were publicly shown to be nothing, but even more, even more than that. In the death of Jesus, the enemies of God and the false God of this world was put to open shame. And you, Colossians 2, and you who were dead in your trespasses in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, with Jesus, having forgiven us all our trespasses by canceling the record of death that stood against us with His legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and the authorities and put them to open shame by triumphing over them in Jesus. Do you believe the promises? Do you believe the promises of God to you in Christ or do you believe the promises of the disgraced, powerless gods? Did you look around yourself? Do you see all of the false gods, the lies that this world holds, the lies, the promises of pleasure, the promises of joy, the promises of safety and security? All the promises that this world makes to you. All of those promises are nothing. The false God of this world has been destroyed, He has been defeated, they've been shown as nothing. Do you believe the false promises made to you or do you believe in the victory of the Lamb? Do you cling to His victory for your joy, for your satisfaction? Do you think, let me put it down on the road for you, do you think right now as you sit there, do you think that sin has power over your life? Do you think sin has power over your life? Are you convinced that sin has the better of you? This is not true. The power have sin has been defeated, Jesus is victorious. Your sin, this is the picture, right? You are in chains to your sin, but you're actually not, the door to the prison is open. You've been set free. We need only to cling to the promises made to us in Christ. Believe those promises, live, embrace, and live in those promises. I've got to be done. I'll finish with this, which matters most to you? A couple of times this week, I've asked somebody this question, a couple of different people this question, which matters most to you? What matters most to you, God's treatment of you in Christ, or someone else's treatment of you, which one matters most to you? What God has said to you in Christ, or what others say about you? I think it's interesting. I love this fact, actually, that Jacob's biggest oppressor, right, at this point is his father in law. Maybe it's your in-law. Maybe it's your in-law, or do you have really perfect relationships with your in-laws, maybe? Maybe it's your father-in-law. It's your mother-in-law that has a version of reality that is a little skewed. They like to think of themselves as righteous. They like to think of themselves as perfect, infallible. Maybe they don't have a very high opinion of you. Maybe they even like to use spiritual language and use scripture to manipulate you. Which matters most to you? That's the question. What matters most? Do you believe what God has said to you in Christ, or are your thoughts and everything in you? Are you owned by what others think of you? By somebody else's false narrative about you? Who is your judge? Who is your witness? You stand before God in Christ, and there is great freedom in Christ. Nothing can harm us truly. We are more than conquerors. God's version of the truth, God's statement to us in Christ is all that should truly matter to us, is it? The Lord is on my side, Psalm 118 says. The Lord is on my side, I will not fear. What can man do to me? The Lord is on my side as my helper. I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. Are you sure this morning that the Lord is on your side? How do I know if God is for me, that is this? Those who have placed their faith in trust in Christ, God's provision made in the Lamb Jesus Christ. Those who are in Christ have His assurance that He is for us, and if He is for us, nothing can be against us. Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Our desire this week is to live out of that truth, to believe it, to embrace it, and to live out of that truth. Let's pray. Father, thank you for the reality that you love your people, that you are for your people, that you protect and deliver your people, that you give watchful care over your people. You see everything, you see every mistreatment, you see every lie that's told you. You know all of it. I pray that you would give us eyes to see Jesus, to treasure what you have said to us in Jesus. And that we will not live lives of fear, lives of defeat, lives of worry or anxiety, because we know what you've said, and we trust your Word as true. I pray that you would help us to see and to know, to embrace the truth, even this week. We pray for your sake, amen. [BLANK_AUDIO] [BLANK_AUDIO] [BLANK_AUDIO]