Jacob Flees from Laban – Heading back to Canaan
Four mini lessons for us. Learn from the life of Jacob.
Learn from Jacob’s mistakes
Philippians 1:9-11 (NLT)
9 I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. 10 For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. 11 May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.
Jacob Flees from Laban
Genesis 31:1-21 (NLT)
1 But Jacob soon learned that Laban’s sons were grumbling about him. “Jacob has robbed our father of everything!” they said. “He has gained all his wealth at our father’s expense.” 2 And Jacob began to notice a change in Laban’s attitude toward him.
3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your father and grandfather and to your relatives there, and I will be with you.”
4 So Jacob called Rachel and Leah out to the field where he was watching his flock. 5 He said to them, “I have noticed that your father’s attitude toward me has changed. But the God of my father has been with me. 6 You know how hard I have worked for your father, 7 but he has cheated me, changing my wages ten times. But God has not allowed him to do me any harm. 8 For if he said, ‘The speckled animals will be your wages,’ the whole flock began to produce speckled young. And when he changed his mind and said, ‘The striped animals will be your wages,’ then the whole flock produced striped young. 9 In this way, God has taken your father’s animals and given them to me.
10 “One time during the mating season, I had a dream and saw that the male goats mating with the females were streaked, speckled, and spotted. 11 Then in my dream, the angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ And I replied, ‘Yes, here I am.’
12 “The angel said, ‘Look up, and you will see that only the streaked, speckled, and spotted males are mating with the females of your flock. For I have seen how Laban has treated you. 13 I am the God who appeared to you at Bethel, the place where you anointed the pillar of stone and made your vow to me. Now get ready and leave this country and return to the land of your birth.’”
14 Rachel and Leah responded, “That’s fine with us! We won’t inherit any of our father’s wealth anyway. 15 He has reduced our rights to those of foreign women. And after he sold us, he wasted the money you paid him for us. 16 All the wealth God has given you from our father legally belongs to us and our children. So go ahead and do whatever God has told you.”
17 So Jacob put his wives and children on camels, 18 and he drove all his livestock in front of him. He packed all the belongings he had acquired in Paddan-aram and set out for the land of Canaan, where his father, Isaac, lived. 19 At the time they left, Laban was some distance away, shearing his sheep. Rachel stole her father’s household idols and took them with her. 20 Jacob outwitted Laban the Aramean, for they set out secretly and never told Laban they were leaving. 21 So Jacob took all his possessions with him and crossed the Euphrates River, heading for the hill country of Gilead.
Examine the Scriptures
Jacob Flees from Laban
Genesis 31:1-21 (NLT)
1 But Jacob soon learned that Laban’s sons were grumbling about him. “Jacob has robbed our father of everything!” they said. “He has gained all his wealth at our father’s expense.”
Jacob lied to his own father. (Chapter 27)
Jacob deceived his own father. (Chapter 27)
Jacob manipulated the breeding of Laban’s flocks.
Laban’s son’s observations were somewhat accurate.
2 And Jacob began to notice a change in Laban’s attitude toward him.
Laban deceived Jacob by giving Jacob Leah in place of Rachel. (Chapter 29)
Laban deceived Jacob by removing all the animals, he had promised to give to Jacob, and giving them to his sons. (Chapter 30)
Laban was looking out for his own interests when he convinced Jacob to stay and care for his flocks. (Chapter 30)
- You are known by the way you act.
Mini-lesson #1
- For you will be treated as you treat others. Matthew 7:2 NLT
Luke 6:31 (NLT)
Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
Proverbs 20:11 (NLT)
Even children are known by the way they act,
whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right.
Challenge:
Galatians 6:9-10 (NLT)
9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. 10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.
3 Then the Lord said to Jacob,
“Return to the land of your father and grandfather and to your relatives there, and I will be with you.”
Genesis 28:15 (NLT)
What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.”
Jacob had good reasons to move back to Canaan.
God told Jacob to move back to Canaan.
Laban’s attitude and Laban’s son’s grumbling.
A message to God’s chosen people while in exile in Babylon:
Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
Mini-lesson #2
- God has a plan (for good) for his chosen people.
Matthew 6:31-33 (NLT)
31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else (spend time in the Word getting to know God and His will for your life), and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
Psalm 86:11 (NLT)
Teach me your ways, O Lord,
that I may live according to your truth!
Grant me purity of heart,
so that I may honor you.
4 So Jacob called Rachel and Leah out to the field where he was watching his flock.
Away from other listening ears.
Let his wives in on his plans.
Jacob shares how God has been working in his life as well as his plans to return to Canaan.
5 He said to them, “I have noticed that your father’s attitude toward me has changed.
But the God of my father has been with me.
At times Isaac rejected Jacob and Laban rejected Rachel and Leah, but Jacob felt God’s presence with him.
6 You know how hard I have worked for your father, 7 but he has cheated me, changing my wages ten times.
Cheated by his father-in-law.
But God has not allowed him to do me any harm.
Protected by God.
Mini-lesson #3
- It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in people. Psalm 118:8
Psalm 118:7-8 (NLT)
7 Yes, the Lord is for me; he will help me.
I will look in triumph at those who hate me.
8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in people.
8 For if he said, ‘The speckled animals will be your wages,’ the whole flock began to produce speckled young. And when he changed his mind and said, ‘The striped animals will be your wages,’ then the whole flock produced striped young.
9 In this way, God has taken your father’s animals and given them to me.
Jacob recognized God at work in his life.
10 “One time during the mating season, I had a dream and saw that the male goats mating with the females were streaked, speckled, and spotted. 11 Then in my dream, the angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ And I replied, ‘Yes, here I am.’
12 “The angel said, ‘Look up, and you will see that only the streaked, speckled, and spotted males are mating with the females of your flock. For I have seen how Laban has treated you. 13 I am the God who appeared to you at Bethel, the place where you anointed the pillar of stone and made your vow to me. Now get ready and leave this country and return to the land of your birth.’”
Jacob’s speech to his wives seemed to get the results he wanted.
14 Rachel and Leah responded, “That’s fine with us! We won’t inherit any of our father’s wealth anyway. 15 He has reduced our rights to those of foreign women. And after he sold us, he wasted the money you paid him for us.
Rachel and Leah were in agreement with each other and with Jacob.
16 All the wealth God has given you from our father legally belongs to us and our children. So go ahead and do whatever God has told you.”
Jacob’s wives saw God at work in their lives.
17 So Jacob put his wives and children on camels, 18 and he drove all his livestock in front of him. He packed all the belongings he had acquired in Paddan-aram and set out for the land of Canaan, where his father, Isaac, lived.
19 At the time they left, Laban was some distance away, shearing his sheep. Rachel stole her father’s household idols and took them with her.
Rachel was not yet free from her pagan background.
Genesis 35:2 (NLT)
So Jacob told everyone in his household, “Get rid of all your pagan idols, purify yourselves, and put on clean clothing.
A Biblical principle God will give to his people at a later date:
Exodus 20:2-6 (NLT)
2 “I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery.
3 “You must not have any other god but me.
4 “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. 5 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. 6 But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.
Matthew 6:24 (NLT)
“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.
- No one can serve two masters.
Mini-lesson #4
- Wholly trust in God.
Psalm 62:5-8 (NLT)
5 Let all that I am wait quietly before God,
for my hope is in him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will not be shaken.
7 My victory and honor come from God alone.
He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.
8 O my people, trust in him at all times.
Pour out your heart to him,
for God is our refuge.
20 Jacob outwitted Laban the Aramean,
for they set out secretly and never told Laban they were leaving.
Outwitted, set out secretly,
Genesis 31:26 (NLT)
“What do you mean by deceiving me like this?” Laban demanded.
Jacob continues to deceive others.
21 So Jacob took all his possessions with him and crossed the Euphrates River, heading for the hill country of Gilead.
