4 Players on God’s Chessboard
Pastor Martin Saine teaches on Genesis 31-32.
All 4 players go off script
Rebekah convinces Isaac to send Jacob away for “a few days” to find a wife (Isaac doesn’t mention Esau’s murder plans to Jacob!) with his family just as his father Abraham did for him.
the 5th player is introduced when Jacob meets Laban and gets a collegiate level “Masters of Manipulation” class under the expert tutelage of Dr. Laban.
First 7 years of service for Rachael,
Leah’s substitution for Rachel on the wedding night (did Laban know about Jacob’s deception in the birthright blessing?)
Subsequent 7 year service for Rachael.
Marriage drama plays out: Leah and Rachel vie for affection and children, even using their handmaids as surrogate wives to get more offspring.
There’s Loved and unloved, hope and despair, desperation and satisfaction, even Leah’s son Ruben brings aphrodisiacs to Leah which she uses to barter with Rachel for adjustments to Jacobs “Schedule of Husbandly Duties” roster for the night!
At this point (Chapter 30:vs 25) the 14 years of service for Jacob’s wives are up. He’s free to go.
He now has 11 sons (plus Dinah), Benjamin will be born later.
We join the text with Jacob’s conversation with Laban about his departure:
Gen 30:25 And it came to pass, when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own place and to my country.
Gen 30:26 Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me go; for you know my service which I have done for you.”
Gen 30:27 And Laban said to him, “Please stay, if I have found favor in your eyes, for I have learned by experience that the LORD has blessed me for your sake.”
Gen 30:28 Then he said, “Name me your wages, and I will give it.”
Laban sees further opportunity for gain from Jacob’s service. He might be a master manipulator, but he’s certainly no dummy!
Gen 30:29 So Jacob said to him, “You know how I have served you and how your livestock has been with me.
Gen 30:30 For what you had before I came was little, and it has increased to a great amount; the LORD has blessed you since my coming. And now, when shall I also provide for my own house?”
Remember, all of Jacob’s hard work to this point has been just for his wives. If he leaves now, it’s just with his wives and children.
Gen 30:31 So he said, “What shall I give you?” And Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything. If you will do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep your flocks:
Gen 30:32 Let me pass through all your flock today, removing from there all the speckled and spotted sheep, and all the brown ones among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and these shall be my wages.
Gen 30:33 So my righteousness will answer for me in time to come, when the subject of my wages comes before you: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the lambs, will be considered stolen, if it is with me.”
Gen 30:34 And Laban said, “Oh, that it were according to your word!”
Gen 30:35 So he removed that day the male goats that were speckled and spotted, all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had some white in it, and all the brown ones among the lambs, and gave them into the hand of his sons.
Gen 30:36 Then he put three days’ journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks.
Gen 30:37 Now Jacob took for himself rods of green poplar and of the almond and chestnut trees, peeled white strips in them, and exposed the white which was in the rods.
Gen 30:38 And the rods which he had peeled, he set before the flocks in the gutters, in the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink, so that they should conceive when they came to drink.
Gen 30:39 So the flocks conceived before the rods, and the flocks brought forth streaked, speckled, and spotted.
Gen 30:40 Then Jacob separated the lambs, and made the flocks face toward the streaked and all the brown in the flock of Laban; but he put his own flocks by themselves and did not put them with Laban’s flock.
Gen 30:41 And it came to pass, whenever the stronger livestock conceived, that Jacob placed the rods before the eyes of the livestock in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.
Gen 30:42 But when the flocks were feeble, he did not put them in; so the feebler were Laban’s and the stronger Jacob’s.
Gen 30:43 Thus the man became exceedingly prosperous, and had large flocks, female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.
Discuss ….
Gen 31:1 Now Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has acquired all this wealth.”
Gen 31:2 And Jacob saw the countenance of Laban, and indeed it was not favorable toward him as before. Laban has realized his opportunity has turned and things aren’t going his way. There is a dramatic difference in attitude towards Jacob taking place here…
Gen 31:3 Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you.”
Gen 31:4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field, to his flock,
Gen 31:5 and said to them, “I see your father’s countenance, that it is not favorable toward me as before; but the God of my father has been with me.
Gen 31:6 And you know that with all my might I have served your father. Work ethic…
Gen 31:7 Yet your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not allow him to hurt me.
Gen 31:8 If he said thus: ‘The speckled shall be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore speckled. And if he said thus: ‘The streaked shall be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore streaked.
Gen 31:9 So God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me.
Gen 31:10 “And it happened, at the time when the flocks conceived, that I lifted my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the rams which leaped upon the flocks were streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted. (I would posit that God gave Jacob the vision of what to do with the herds. This was direction, which when followed bore fruit)
Gen 31:11 Then the Angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying, ‘Jacob.’ And I said, ‘Here I am.’
Gen 31:12 And He said, ‘Lift your eyes now and see, all the rams which leap on the flocks are streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted; for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you.
Gen 31:13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family.’ ”
Gen 31:14 Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there still any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house? What’s left for us here?
Gen 31:15 Are we not considered strangers by him? For he has sold us, and also completely consumed our money.
Gen 31:16 For all these riches which God has taken from our father are really ours and our children’s; now then, whatever God has said to you, do it.”
They were no dummies either! They knew a significant portion of Laban’s riches had been transferred to Jacob. If they didn’t go with him, there was nothing left for them in their father’s house.
Gen 31:17 Then Jacob rose and set his sons and his wives on camels.
Gen 31:18 And he carried away all his livestock and all his possessions which he had gained, his acquired livestock which he had gained in Padan Aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.
Gen 31:19 Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel had stolen the household idols that were her father’s. Teraphim- household gods…
Gen 31:20 And Jacob stole away, unknown to Laban the Syrian, in that he did not tell him that he intended to flee.
Gen 31:21 So he fled with all that he had. He arose and crossed the river, and headed toward the mountains of Gilead.
Gen 31:22 And Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled.
Gen 31:23 Then he took his brethren with him and pursued him for seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the mountains of Gilead.
Gen 31:24 But God had come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, “Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.”
Gen 31:25 So Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountains, and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mountains of Gilead.
Gen 31:26 And Laban said to Jacob: “What have you done, that you have stolen away unknown to me, and carried away my daughters like captives taken with the sword?
Gen 31:27 Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away from me, and not tell me; for I might have sent you away with joy and songs, with timbrel and harp?
Gen 31:28 And you did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters. Now you have done foolishly in so doing.
Gen 31:29 It is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.’
Gen 31:30 And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?”
Gen 31:31 Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force.’
Gen 31:32 With whomever you find your gods, do not let him live. In the presence of our brethren, identify what I have of yours and take it with you.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
Gen 31:33 And Laban went into Jacob’s tent, into Leah’s tent, and into the two maids’ tents, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent.
Gen 31:34 Now Rachel had taken the household idols, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. And Laban searched all about the tent but did not find them.
Gen 31:35 And she said to her father, “Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise before you, for the manner of women is with me.” And he searched but did not find the household idols.
Gen 31:36 Then Jacob was angry and rebuked Laban, and Jacob answered and said to Laban: “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have so hotly pursued me?
Gen 31:37 Although you have searched all my things, what part of your household things have you found? Set it here before my brethren and your brethren, that they may judge between us both!
Gen 31:38 These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young, and I have not eaten the rams of your flock.
Gen 31:39 That which was torn by beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it. You required it from my hand, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.
Gen 31:40 There I was! In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from my eyes.
Gen 31:41 Thus I have been in your house twenty years; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times.
Gen 31:42 Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.”
Gen 31:43 And Laban answered and said to Jacob, “These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and this flock is my flock; all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these my daughters or to their children whom they have borne?
Gen 31:44 Now therefore, come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me.”
Gen 31:45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.
Gen 31:46 Then Jacob said to his brethren, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there on the heap.
Gen 31:47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.
Gen 31:48 And Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore its name was called Galeed,
Gen 31:49 also Mizpah, because he said, “May the LORD watch between you and me when we are absent one from another.
Gen 31:50 If you afflict my daughters, or if you take other wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us—see, God is witness between you and me!”
Gen 31:51 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Here is this heap and here is this pillar, which I have placed between you and me.
Gen 31:52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not pass beyond this heap to you, and you will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to me, for harm.
This is a property boundary marker!
Gen 31:53 The God of Abraham, the God of Nahor, and the God of their father judge between us.” And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac.
Gen 31:54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his brethren to eat bread. And they ate bread and stayed all night on the mountain.
Gen 31:55 And early in the morning Laban arose, and kissed his sons and daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place.
Despite all the trickery, God prospered.
Why? Was it because Jacob was so good? So hard working? Such a faithful witness? Or any other thing which Jacob did?
NO! God’s blessing on Jacob was not a Jacob thing, it was a Genesis 12 thing!
Gen 12:1 Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.
Gen 12:2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.
Gen 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
And a Genesis 15 thing;
Gen 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”
Gen 15:2 But Abram said, “Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”
Gen 15:3 Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!”
Gen 15:4 And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.”
Gen 15:5 Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”
Gen 15:6 And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.
Gen 15:7 Then He said to him, “I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it.”
Gen 15:8 And he said, “Lord GOD, how shall I know that I will inherit it?”
Gen 15:9 So He said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”
Gen 15:10 Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two.
Gen 15:11 And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
Gen 15:12 Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him.
Gen 15:13 Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years.
Gen 15:14 And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions.
Gen 15:15 Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age.
Gen 15:16 But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”
Gen 15:17 And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces.
Gen 15:18 On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates—
Gen 15:19 the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites,
Gen 15:20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,
Gen 15:21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”
And a Genesis 28 thing;
Gen 28:1 Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, and said to him: “You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan.
Gen 28:2 Arise, go to Padan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father; and take yourself a wife from there of the daughters of Laban your mother’s brother.
Gen 28:3 “May God Almighty bless you, And make you fruitful and multiply you, That you may be an assembly of peoples;
Gen 28:4 And give you the blessing of Abraham, To you and your descendants with you, That you may inherit the land In which you are a stranger, Which God gave to Abraham.”
AND a Galatians 3 thing!
Gal 3:13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”),
Gal 3:14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Gal 3:15 Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuals or adds to it.
Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “AND TO YOUR SEED,” who is Christ.
Gal 3:17 And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect.
Gal 3:18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
And a Luke 20 thing…
Luk 20:37 But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB.’
Luke 20:38 For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.”
Corporate Church perspective:
Gen 31:24 But God had come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, “Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.”
Our opinion does not matter. What matters is God’s Word.
God will fulfill His promises according to His Word, in the manner He decides, at the time He declares.
We cannot stop it, altar it, change it, or diminish it; nor should we try to!
Laban couldn’t change what God was doing, and was warned not to try.
Speak what God speaks, say what God says, and leave it at that!
Personal perspective:
If you are a Child of God, have given your life to Jesus as Lord and Savior, the most important topic is His faithfulness! Is He faithful or not??? Is He true to His promises? Does He keep His word??
HE IS FAITHFUL!!!!! Even when we fail, or stumble, or get weary, He is able to keep us from falling and to present us in His presence with singing!
No matter what we go through, His promises in Christ are “Yes” and “Amen”!
Genesis is our book of Beginnings, and from the very beginning God has shown Himself to be faithful and true, and He will never let us down!
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