This entry was posted on August 1, 2013, in Obedience, Prayer, Spiritual Battles, Spiritual Growth, Trusting God and tagged 28 So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. Now he wished to depart and return to his father in Canaan. Apparently, motley-coloured and black animals were rare in Laban’s flock. We are going to study the life of Jacob today, and I find his story particularly intriguing because we get to see his whole family and how they interact. Jacob Flees From Laban. si pp. Ask the kids to think of some … And time passes. 31 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were saying, “Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.” 2 And Jacob noticed that Laban’s attitude toward him was not what it had been(3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” But understanding Jacob's reasoning in his strange deal with Laban can help us to better see Jacob's character development. In modern language Jacob came from a real dysfunctional family, and we will see the influence bad parents can have on their children. 2 Suddenly he came upon a well out in the fields with three flocks of sheep lying around it. Laban did ask Jacob why he’d left secretly and spoke of his power to harm Jacob were it not for God’s warning. God came to Jacob in Genesis 31:3, and urged him to depart at once; "to the land of your fathers, and to your relatives, and I will be with you." Laban cheats and takes all the blemished sheep out of the flock before Jacob can. We begin to build our own little empires just as Jacob set his flock apart from Laban’s. Title: Jacob Runs from Laban Scripture: Genesis 31 Target Age Group: 3 rd-5 th grade Main Point: God’s (point upward) blessings (both hands up with palms toward you, and bring hands down) are unstoppable (hand on hip and other arm straight out with palm facing kids)! We can see this in the life of Jacob. Jacob had served Laban 14 years. Explain that when Jacob said that he was Laban’s brother (see verse 12), this was another way of saying, “We are all family.” More specifically, Laban was Jacob’s uncle. Of course, God promised his presence and blessings for Jacob. Isaac and Rebekah wanted to protect Jacob, so they told him: ‘Go and stay with your mother’s brother, Laban, until Esau calms down.’ Jacob listened to his parents’ advice and ran for his life. We need to meditate continually upon God’s faithfulness. Laban agreed, but after seven years, he deceived Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead. Rather than working diligently and leaving our well-being in God’s hands, we take matters into our own hands. When Esau found out, he was very angry and he planned to kill his twin brother. God stepped in though and warns Laban to not harm Jacob. I do not know about you – but being able to RUN in response to something means a couple of things to me. It was at Laban’s that Jacob met Leah and Rachel. 23 At Haran, Jacob works for Laban, marrying his two daughters, Leah and Rachel. Laban made a wise decision, wouldn't you agree? Of all the lessons we learn from Jacob’s life, this last one is the greatest. The events described in Jacob's story comprise most of Genesis chapters 25-49. When Laban learned that Jacob left, he pursued him. Having obtained his position by Laban's dirty trick years ago, Jacob now saw an opportunity to legitimize his position by coming to an agreement with his estranged brother Esau. We need to understand that Jacob was in Laban's home because he had run away. According to the book of Genesis, Jacob arrives at his uncle Laban's house and is soon smitten with Laban's younger daughter, Rachel, who is, the text tells us, "shapely and beautiful." 8 When Jacob reached Haran, his uncle Laban extended a warm welcome to him and later gave him Leah and Rachel as wives. 1 Jacob continued on his way and went toward the land of the East. His compassions fail not. But instead, God put the squeeze on Jacob. Genesis 31:26 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel. Jacob’s blemished flock prospers and Laban’s diminishes. But Rebekah helped Jacob, the younger son, to get the blessing. Laban then RUNS to meet Jacob and get him settled into the family. SABBATH—JULY 21 Jacob and Rachel: Labor (Work) of Love 1. Jacob and Laban’s Relationship While reading my chronological Bible study, I was struck by the relationship between Jacob and Laban.It is a fairly lengthy relationship that takes up more than four chapters of Genesis, so I felt it was worthy of a little more study. Great is His faithfulness (Lam. Jacob made an honest contract with his future father-in-law to work for him for seven years in order to have his daughter Rachel’s hand in marriage. But God told Laban in a dream to "be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad" (Genesis 31:24). We are all very familiar with the fact that Esau gave up his birthright (over a bowl of red pottage). From this imperfect man we learn important lessons of faith. In Genesis 31:29 Laban says, “It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.” 11) Jacob can take no more of Laban’s abuse. Jacob soon fell in love with Laban’s younger daughter, Rachel, and agreed to work for Laban seven years in exchange for marriage to her (Genesis 29:16–20). He has every intention of killing Jacob once Isaac is dead (Gen. 27:41). Perhaps such a student cannot learn from the teachers whom we revere, but he can learn and ironically it may be Laban’s lessons that can get him back “on the derech”. Once Jacob introduces himself to Rachel (Gen. 29:12-13), we see what must have been a family trait (Gen. 24:20, 28) – she RUNS to tell Laban about Jacob’s arrival. You can tell that Jacob didn’t take long before he knew that he loved Rachel as recorded in Genesis 29:10-11: “When Jacob saw Rachel, daughter of his uncle Laban, and Laban’s sheep, he went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep. However, I feel I need to go into greater detail to explain Esau’s foolish ways and teach about the lesson we can take away from him. I believe there is a lesson to learn here. In the aftermath of Jacob stealing Esau’s blessing (in addition to the before purchased birthright), Esau is unhappy, to put it mildly. 10) God visits Laban and tells him to let Jacob go back to Canaan. He was also a schemer, one who happily toyed with the emotions of his own children (Gen 29.21-30) as well as those of Jacob … Laban offered his nephew Jacob a place to stay. 3 Whenever all the flocks came together there, the shepherds would roll the stone back and water them. And we see them make a treaty to live in peace. Laban agreed to this. Jacob's Strange Deal (Genesis 30:25-43) Verse 25 of chapter 30 begins a peculiar story that very few seem to understand. Padanaram—“The place where Isaac’s wife, Rebekah, came from, where Laban lived, and where Jacob The Price of a Wife, Jacob’s Children, Jacob’s Wealth. He also accused Jacob of stealing his household idols. After the time had passed, Jacob said to Laban, “Give Rachel to me as my wife, for I have served you these seven years for her.” So Laban gathered everyone together and made a wedding feast. We are also familiar with the fact that Jacob “stole” the blessing that “belonged” to Esau. He was fearful of Esau all of his life, and his children dishonored him because of his disobedience. Supplies: Paper, markers/crayons, and pencils Lesson Opening: Our Unstoppable God! Apprehending this truth will preserve us from worrying, murmuring and complaining, and will breed increasing confidence in God. 2 Go at once to Paddan Aram, 29 Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, and he went to Paddan Aram, and that when he blessed him he commanded him, and then … Jacob was given the birthright and the blessing because it was the will of God for him to have them. After increasing tension with his father-in-law and a business separation in which both men acted less than admirably, Jacob left Laban. Lesson: We need to live in peace with our family, friends and enemies to the best of our ability. Perhaps such a student cannot learn from the teachers whom we revere, but he can learn and ironically it may be Laban’s lessons that can get him back “on the derech”. When Laban discovers this he pursues him. Jacob was clearly deceived by Laban. 3:22-23). Scripture indicates Jacob felt threatened by Laban's change of nature. Jacob had become so prosperous, Laban and his sons had become suspicious. He lied and deceived his blind father Isaac for the birthright. The flocks were watered from this well, which had a large stone over the opening. As for Rachel's older sister Leah, we are told only that she had "weak eyes" -- and Jacob pays her no attention at … In Galatians 6:7, we learn the lesson of reaping and sowing. Especially, we learn about God's grace. Jacob and Laban's Arrangement – 30:24-43. We learn from the example of Jacob that, no matter what it is we are doing, we must do it faithfully, putting forth our best effort, so that God can bless whatever we do. We learn from Jacob’s life that sometimes God wants things to transpire the hard way. Rebekah’s faith. In addition to this, Laban had taken advantage of him because of his weak position. God could have made everything so much easier on Jacob by just saying to him, “Jacob, go down to Egypt.” God led Abraham down to Egypt, and He could have just as easily done the same with Jacob. Examples We have to work hard studying and doing our homework to get the best grades we can so that God will bless us. The contracts that Jacob made with his uncle (and soon to be father-in-law), Laban, provides examples of how God desires for us to create value and fulfill the obligations we make with others. Tikkun shall be your reward It seems to me that when Laban says "what (mah) shall be your reward," he is, whether consciously or unconsciously under the guidance of Hashem, pointing out that Shem Mah, tikkun, rectification, shall be be the reward of Jacob for all his labours with Laban. In what ways did Jehovah prove to be “a real dwelling” for Jacob, and what can we learn from this? But the most important lesson is, our actions and mistakes have results that go far beyond ourselves. Read Genesis 31:36-42. Then he commanded him: “Do not marry a Canaanite woman. Jacob is a bit too much like us -- with very human strengths and weaknesses, but a man with a striving for spiritual things. The wedding feast was to last for seven days. Genesis 31:25 : Then Laban overtook Jacob. Laban’s trick. Using the "law of first mention" we learn that Laban was a covetous man who cared more for the temporal than the eternal (Gen 24.29-31). Invite a few students to take turns reading aloud from Genesis 29:15–20. We learn that God gave Jacob a dream about the animals breeding. Then Jacob obeyed his parents and departed (Genesis 28:1-2). God performed his justice on Jacob for his deception. When we consider that Rebekah loved and preferred Jacob over Esau, we must remember that the Bible says that God loved and preferred Jacob as well. What can we tell from the way Jacob struck this deal with Laban? Jacob had a hard life—twenty years serving Laban. 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