The
second half of Genesis chapter 30 and chapter 31, Shows us that God
was with Jacob and blessed him with great success. While Laban was
dishonest, Jacob still prospered. After Joseph was born, Jacob said
to Laban, “Send
me on my way so I can go back to my own homeland. Give me my wives
and my children for whom I have served you and I will be on my way“.
But Laban realized how he prospered because of Jacob, “I
have learned through divination that the Lord has blessed me because
of you…name your wages and I will pay them“.
Jacob tell Laban, “Don’t
give me anything…let me go through the flocks and remove any
spotted or speckled sheep“.
Later Jacob explains to his wives, “I
have worked for your father with all my strength. Yet your father
cheated me by changing my wages ten times“.
But Jacob explains how God intervened, Laban said, “The
speckled ones shall be your wages, and the flock gave birth to
speckled young; then he said the streaked ones will be your wages ,
then all the flocks bore streaked young. So God has taken away your
father’s flock and given them to me“.
After serving Laban for 20 years, there is great jealousy from
Laban’s sons because of Jacob’s success. Finally, the Lord said to
Jacob, “Go
back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives and I will be
with you“.
Jacob
sends for his wives to come to the fields, he explains what God told
him to do, and he tells them it is time to go. They answer, “Do
whatever God has told you“.
We learn, in packing up for an unannounced departure, “Rachel
stole her father’s household gods“.
On the third day Laban pursues Jacob, but on the way God speaks to
Laban, “Be
careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad“.
When Laban catches up to Jacob, he feigns complete innocence, “What
have you done?…carried off my daughters like captives of war…Why
didn’t you tell me, so I could send you off with joy and
singing….you didn’t even let me kiss my grandchildren and daughters
goodbye“.
Then Laban asks “why
did you steal my household gods?“.
Jacob, unaware Rachel stole the idols, allows Laban to search for
his gods, but Rachel hid them in her saddle and claims she can’t get
up because it is that time of the month. Finally they agree to make
an agreement at this place called Mizpah, “May
the lord keep watch between you and me“.
This is an agreement between partners that do not trust each other,
not to harm one another. “Early
the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and daughters and
blessed them. Then he left and returned home“.
We
can see that Laban does not honor God, he has household idols and
learns things through divination, yet God prospers him through Jacob.
So Jake the con-man spends 20 years working for a real cheat, and
God uses this experience to teach him. God prospers Jacob in spite
of Laban’s deceit. Sometimes we feel cheated at work, or the boss
owes us more. Ephesians 6:5-8 discusses the attitude we should have
at work. We are told to be obedient, “in
sincerity of your heart as to Christ; not by way of eyeservice, as
men-pleasers, but as slaves to Christ, doing the will of God from the
heart. With good will, render service, as to the Lord, not to men“.
Earlier in Ephesians 5 we are told to be “Imitators
of God”
and to “walk
in love, just as Christ loved you“.
The sacrifice of Jesus is called a “fragrant
aroma“,
and we too should be a pleasant aroma where we work.