Latest / Bible in a Year with Jack Graham / Fleeing From Laban - The Book of Genesis

Transcript

Fleeing From Laban - The Book of Genesis · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: So he fled with all that he had, and he
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: rose up and passed over the river, and set his
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: face toward the Mount Gilead. Genesis 31.21 Dear Lord, as
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: the story in Genesis 31.17-55 unfolds, let the truth of
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: this story minister to my soul. Lord, today I stand
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: in a place of gratitude for every season that I
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: go through. I will look for the good that you've
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: hidden in each trial and tribulation. Like Jacob, even though
• 0:37
  Speaker 1: I don't feel honored or appreciated by others, I will
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: hold my integrity and do everything with excellence, knowing that
• 0:47
  Speaker 1: as I water the field that I'm entrusted with, I'm
• 0:50
  Speaker 1: actually preparing myself to step into the great harvest season
• 0:54
  Speaker 1: of my life. Give me the wisdom and knowledge to
• 0:58
  Speaker 1: travel and build with people of integrity and honesty. Thank you, God,
• 1:03
  Speaker 1: for speaking on my behalf and for protecting me from
• 1:07
  Speaker 1: others who would seek to harm and hinder me. I
• 1:11
  Speaker 1: declare that I am covered, and I decree that under
• 1:15
  Speaker 1: your protection, Lord, I am untouchable. In Jesus' name, amen.
• 1:25
  Speaker 1: Thank you for praying with us today. Continue your time
• 1:28
  Speaker 1: with God by listening to today's Bible story. Brought to
• 1:32
  Speaker 1: you by BibleInAYear.com.
• 1:43
  Speaker 2: Fleeing from Laban Before this story, we learned how Jacob
• 1:48
  Speaker 2: married Leah and Rachel and had twelve sons and one daughter.
• 1:53
  Speaker 2: Leah and Rachel lived in constant feud with one another,
• 1:56
  Speaker 2: and spited each other daily. Jacob, in search of a
• 2:00
  Speaker 2: new beginning with his family, left Laban and ventured back
• 2:04
  Speaker 2: to Canaan. However, Jacob tricked Laban into giving him stronger
• 2:09
  Speaker 2: and more sheep. Now we will learn about Jacob leaving,
• 2:13
  Speaker 2: Laban's anger at Jacob, and their treaty inspired by the
• 2:18
  Speaker 2: book of Genesis.
• 2:22
  Speaker 3: Hello, I'm Jack Graham with today's episode of the Bible
• 2:25
  Speaker 3: in a Year podcast. But before we begin, I want
• 2:28
  Speaker 3: to let you know about a unique e-book that's yours
• 2:31
  Speaker 3: to download absolutely free today. It's called Breaking Free from Stress.
• 2:37
  Speaker 3: And my prayer is that it will help you conquer
• 2:39
  Speaker 3: the daily tasks and pressures and burdens that bring stress
• 2:42
  Speaker 3: in your life. Download your free copy of Breaking Free
• 2:46
  Speaker 3: from Stress today by visiting jackgraham.org slash stress. That's jackram.org
• 2:53
  Speaker 3: slash stress. Previously, we learned how Jacob was tricked into
• 2:58
  Speaker 3: marrying Rachel's older sister, Leah, first, and then how he
• 3:02
  Speaker 3: married Rachel, whom he loved. We learned about the awful
• 3:06
  Speaker 3: spite between sisters and Jacob's lack of leadership in his family.
• 3:12
  Speaker 3: Now Jacob has 12 sons and one daughter, and he
• 3:15
  Speaker 3: decides he needs to leave Laban behind and move his
• 3:18
  Speaker 3: family to Canaan, his homeland. The fortune he's amassed is
• 3:22
  Speaker 3: plenty to send him off with his family to a
• 3:24
  Speaker 3: new home, but Laban's sons are not happy with Jacob's prosperity,
• 3:28
  Speaker 3: and Jacob fears for his own safety. Just as we
• 3:32
  Speaker 3: saw him do when he tricked Esau, Jacob will try
• 3:36
  Speaker 3: to run undetected without a goodbye. This is a story
• 3:40
  Speaker 3: of sorrow and hurt as a family is broken up
• 3:43
  Speaker 3: because of so much dysfunction on all sides. In the
• 3:47
  Speaker 3: midst of it all, though, you will see how God
• 3:49
  Speaker 3: works in bringing healing into hurtful situations and blessings into
• 3:55
  Speaker 3: the biggest message you could possibly imagine. So let's listen
• 3:58
  Speaker 3: now to today's story of Jacob fleeing Laban and the
• 4:02
  Speaker 3: Lord continually blessing the chosen family.
• 4:07
  Speaker 2: Jacob had amassed a large flock and a great amount
• 4:10
  Speaker 2: of wealth. This caused Laban's sons to be riled up
• 4:14
  Speaker 2: with anger. Jacob had heard rumors that Laban's sons were
• 4:18
  Speaker 2: upset and willing to harm him, so he rushed immediately
• 4:21
  Speaker 2: to his wives. He found them in the fields and said,
• 4:25
  Speaker 2: I have fallen from the favor of your father. I
• 4:28
  Speaker 2: have worked tirelessly for him, and he has cheated me
• 4:32
  Speaker 2: far too many times. With desperation in his voice, Jacob
• 4:37
  Speaker 2: continued by saying, God will not allow him to harm me.
• 4:42
  Speaker 2: but we must go quick and flee to the land
• 4:45
  Speaker 2: of my father. Leah and Rachel agreed. Is there anything
• 4:50
  Speaker 2: left for us in our father's house? We are strangers
• 4:53
  Speaker 2: in his land, and we are yours. Everything he earned
• 4:57
  Speaker 2: from you has been spent. All the wealth that God
• 5:01
  Speaker 2: has taken away from our father belongs to us and
• 5:04
  Speaker 2: our children. Whatever God says, let us do it. So
• 5:10
  Speaker 2: Jacob arose. and set his sons and wives on camels.
• 5:15
  Speaker 2: He packed all he had earned and acquired from Paddan Aram,
• 5:19
  Speaker 2: without notifying Laban. Jacob had entered the land a boy,
• 5:24
  Speaker 2: desperate to build a life worth blessing. He left a
• 5:27
  Speaker 2: man with a family larger than his father or grandfather
• 5:31
  Speaker 2: could have ever dreamed of. He set his sights on Canaan,
• 5:35
  Speaker 2: determined to lay hold of the blessing promised to him.
• 5:39
  Speaker 2: Yet Jacob's neglect of his wives would not go without consequence. Rachel,
• 5:44
  Speaker 2: as they were packing up to leave, stole idols from
• 5:47
  Speaker 2: Laban's home. Three days had passed and Laban was notified
• 5:52
  Speaker 2: that Jacob had fled. Laban was beside himself. He gathered
• 5:56
  Speaker 2: a small army of kinsmen and pursued Jacob for seven days.
• 6:02
  Speaker 2: Closely they tailed Jacob through the hill country of Gilead.
• 6:05
  Speaker 2: With the full intent of killing Jacob and taking back
• 6:09
  Speaker 2: his daughters, God met Laban in a dream. Be careful.
• 6:13
  Speaker 2: Do not say a word to Jacob. Neither good or bad,
• 6:18
  Speaker 2: God warned. That morning, before the sun had broken above
• 6:22
  Speaker 2: the horizon, Laban and his men descended upon Jacob on horseback.
• 6:27
  Speaker 2: They surrounded him, fury emanating from their faces. Laban, livid
• 6:32
  Speaker 2: and weary, roared at Jacob.
• 6:34
  Speaker 1: What have you done?
• 6:36
  Speaker 2: You have tricked me again and taken my daughters like captives.
• 6:41
  Speaker 2: Laban was speaking as a father, not as a landowner.
• 6:45
  Speaker 2: His worry for his daughters caused a deep rage to
• 6:48
  Speaker 2: boil up in him. You robbed me of a chance
• 6:51
  Speaker 2: to kiss my daughters and grandchildren farewell. I would have
• 6:56
  Speaker 2: sent you off well, with revelry, but instead you fleed
• 7:00
  Speaker 2: like criminals. Laban's face seemed to shift from anger to
• 7:05
  Speaker 2: to sorrow. Eyes beginning to fog up with tears, Laban
• 7:09
  Speaker 2: pointed at Jacob. You are foolish, Jacob, and it is
• 7:13
  Speaker 2: in my power to kill you and take back my daughters.
• 7:17
  Speaker 2: But the God of your father warned me not to
• 7:20
  Speaker 2: harm you. Laban's face fell. I understand you wanted to
• 7:25
  Speaker 2: go back to the land of your father, but why
• 7:27
  Speaker 2: would you steal my gods as well? Jacob, disarmed and dismayed,
• 7:33
  Speaker 2: answered Laban and said, I left out of fear. I
• 7:37
  Speaker 2: could not bear the thought of you taking your daughters
• 7:39
  Speaker 2: from me by force. But as for your gods, I
• 7:43
  Speaker 2: promise you I do not have them. If anyone here
• 7:46
  Speaker 2: in my camp has them, they shall not live. Go
• 7:50
  Speaker 2: and see for yourself. Whatever is yours, take back. For
• 7:54
  Speaker 2: Jacob was unaware of Rachel's thievery. So Laban searched Jacob's
• 7:59
  Speaker 2: tent and then ventured into Leah's tent. He tore apart everything,
• 8:05
  Speaker 2: searching desperately for his idols. Finally, he entered Rachel's tent.
• 8:11
  Speaker 2: He looked at her, then began to ransack the room.
• 8:14
  Speaker 2: Rachel remained still, for she sat on a camel's saddle
• 8:18
  Speaker 2: which held the idols in them. Forgive me for not
• 8:21
  Speaker 2: getting up, Rachel said in her most dainty voice. It
• 8:25
  Speaker 2: is my time of the month, and I cannot bear
• 8:27
  Speaker 2: to stand. Laban continued his search in vain, then left
• 8:32
  Speaker 2: the tent. Jacob watched Laban exit his wife's tent. For years,
• 8:37
  Speaker 2: Jacob served under Laban. For years, he had watched Laban
• 8:41
  Speaker 2: do business in the shadows. For years, he had taken
• 8:44
  Speaker 2: the abuse and ridicule. He worked vigorously for Laban. Jacob
• 8:50
  Speaker 2: once feared him as a child does his abusive father.
• 8:53
  Speaker 2: Yet watching Laban scare his family and ransack the living
• 8:57
  Speaker 2: space of his wives awoke a deep outrage within him.
• 9:02
  Speaker 2: Jacob became indignant. Outraged, he berated Laban, saying, What is
• 9:07
  Speaker 2: my offense? What have I done as a sin against you?
• 9:10
  Speaker 2: You have pursued me like a criminal, and now you
• 9:13
  Speaker 2: have felt through all my goods. Have you found your
• 9:16
  Speaker 2: petty idols? Have you? Jacob's fumes grew higher, and his
• 9:21
  Speaker 2: voice trembled with anger. For twenty years I have served you.
• 9:26
  Speaker 2: Your sheep and goats never once miscarried under my care.
• 9:30
  Speaker 2: I have not eaten of your flocks. Whatever was eaten
• 9:33
  Speaker 2: by wild beasts I paid for myself. You showed me
• 9:37
  Speaker 2: no grace. Day by day the heat consumed me, and
• 9:41
  Speaker 2: in the cold of night I worked. I lost sleep,
• 9:44
  Speaker 2: and I lost twenty years of my life under you.
• 9:48
  Speaker 2: Laban's face grew white as Jacob bled his heart's anguish
• 9:52
  Speaker 2: before him. Jacob's voice grew softer, yet it inspired more
• 9:56
  Speaker 2: fear from all those listening. He said, I serve. seven
• 10:00
  Speaker 2: years for Rachel, and you deceived me and gave me Leah.
• 10:04
  Speaker 2: Yet I stayed and worked seven more. For six years
• 10:09
  Speaker 2: I worked for your flocks, and in those years you
• 10:11
  Speaker 2: changed my wage ten times. Jacob pointed to Laban and
• 10:16
  Speaker 2: rebuked him, saying, I serve the God of Abraham and
• 10:19
  Speaker 2: the fear of Isaac. If he was not on my side,
• 10:23
  Speaker 2: you would have sent me my way empty-handed. He knows
• 10:27
  Speaker 2: my affliction and your oppression. That is why he warned
• 10:31
  Speaker 2: you last night. Laban composed himself. He spoke again as
• 10:35
  Speaker 2: Jacob's equal. Those are my daughters, and those are my grandchildren.
• 10:42
  Speaker 2: Your flocks are my flocks, and all that you see
• 10:46
  Speaker 2: before you is mine. A sigh emanated from Laban's lungs.
• 10:51
  Speaker 2: He looked behind Jacob, seeing his grandchildren listen from afar.
• 10:56
  Speaker 2: But what can I do now for them? He said,
• 10:59
  Speaker 2: Come now. Let us make a final agreement, a covenant
• 11:04
  Speaker 2: that cannot be broken. So Laban and Jacob gathered stones
• 11:08
  Speaker 2: to set as a monument to their agreement. Laban spoke
• 11:12
  Speaker 2: loud and saying, Let this be a witness between us today,
• 11:16
  Speaker 2: that we will remain separated and forge our own paths,
• 11:20
  Speaker 2: as long as you agree to deal kindly with my
• 11:23
  Speaker 2: daughters and take no more wives for yourself. So Jacob agreed.
• 11:28
  Speaker 2: The two ate dinner together, and early in the morning
• 11:32
  Speaker 2: Laban kissed his daughters and grandchildren and went back to
• 11:35
  Speaker 2: his land. Jacob, accustomed to being a trickster with his words,
• 11:40
  Speaker 2: was forced to face Laban as an honest man, and Jacob,
• 11:45
  Speaker 2: who once stood idly as his wives destroyed one another,
• 11:49
  Speaker 2: promised to love them the way they were meant to
• 11:51
  Speaker 2: be loved. And God, remaining faithful to his chosen, was
• 11:57
  Speaker 2: working even in the dysfunction and imperfection.
• 12:03
  Speaker 3: Well, despite the missteps, mistakes, and messiness, God has blessed
• 12:07
  Speaker 3: Jacob beyond what he could have possibly imagined. But not
• 12:10
  Speaker 3: everyone was so thrilled with this prosperity, and his brothers-in-law
• 12:14
  Speaker 3: were very upset. Jacob once again decides to run. That's
• 12:19
  Speaker 3: what he does. Only this time, he's taking a large household.
• 12:24
  Speaker 3: But he doesn't want Laban to know he's leaving, for
• 12:26
  Speaker 3: he fears Laban's anger more than he trusts in the
• 12:28
  Speaker 3: promises of God. Though his methods and motives are certainly
• 12:33
  Speaker 3: not perfect by any means, we do see Jacob once
• 12:36
  Speaker 3: again setting his attentions on the blessings of God. just
• 12:40
  Speaker 3: like when he tricked his father and brother so many
• 12:42
  Speaker 3: years ago. Rachel and Leah commit to follow their husband,
• 12:46
  Speaker 3: but there remains a lot of distrust with Rachel, for
• 12:50
  Speaker 3: she takes three of her father's idols. When Laban finds
• 12:55
  Speaker 3: out Jacob is left with his daughters and grandkids, he
• 12:58
  Speaker 3: is now bent on retribution and gives chase. He's running
• 13:02
  Speaker 3: after Jacob. But God intervenes to protect Jacob. the patriarch
• 13:07
  Speaker 3: who is stewarding, though very poorly, God's plan of redemption
• 13:10
  Speaker 3: for the world. And remember, this is all about God's
• 13:13
  Speaker 3: plan of redemption. God warns Laban to proceed carefully and
• 13:18
  Speaker 3: watch his words. When he finally catches up to Jacob,
• 13:22
  Speaker 3: Laban's words are filled with rage, but more than anything,
• 13:25
  Speaker 3: grief for the loss of his daughters and his grandchildren.
• 13:29
  Speaker 3: As he unloads his feelings on Jacob, he reveals God
• 13:32
  Speaker 3: had warned him not to harm him. It truly is
• 13:34
  Speaker 3: a testament to the awesomeness and the sovereignty of our God.
• 13:39
  Speaker 3: For when he speaks, even those who do not follow him,
• 13:42
  Speaker 3: their hearts are changed. His sovereignty, his supremacy cannot be questioned.
• 13:49
  Speaker 3: Laban has wielded control over Jacob for a long time now,
• 13:52
  Speaker 3: often dishonest in his dealings and double-talking, truly no integrity.
• 14:00
  Speaker 3: But when he was confronted with the truth of his past,
• 14:02
  Speaker 3: manipulations and dishonesty, He addresses his son-in-law as his equal.
• 14:07
  Speaker 3: Though he knows he could lay claim to much of
• 14:09
  Speaker 3: what Jacob has, Laban knows he must make peace with Jacob,
• 14:14
  Speaker 3: just as God had commanded him to do. Jacob and Laban,
• 14:18
  Speaker 3: despite their differences and past grievances, make a covenant between
• 14:21
  Speaker 3: them to go their own way in peace. And Laban,
• 14:26
  Speaker 3: still the loving father, charges Jacob to take care of
• 14:29
  Speaker 3: his daughters and to take no other wives. It is
• 14:32
  Speaker 3: a plea for Jacob, It is an exhortation Jacob needed
• 14:37
  Speaker 3: to hear. Sometimes when you are trapped in a dysfunctional
• 14:41
  Speaker 3: situation or family or hurtful relationship, the only kind of
• 14:46
  Speaker 3: reconciliation that will work is a peaceful separation. You just
• 14:50
  Speaker 3: have to walk away. And that's what we are seeing
• 14:53
  Speaker 3: in today's reading. In the end, this is a story
• 14:57
  Speaker 3: of God's grace. Despite Jacob's sins, failures, and mistakes, God
• 15:02
  Speaker 3: remains faithful. God protected him and led him to break
• 15:06
  Speaker 3: free from Laban. Despite Laban's idolatrous pagan beliefs, God appeared
• 15:13
  Speaker 3: to him and spoke to him and helped him to
• 15:16
  Speaker 3: defuse a situation that could have turned out to be violent.
• 15:20
  Speaker 3: So Jacob departs with his wives, committing to love them
• 15:24
  Speaker 3: and care for them as he should. It's a new beginning,
• 15:27
  Speaker 3: and as in many times in the case of God's story,
• 15:30
  Speaker 3: with a new beginning comes a new name. That's what
• 15:34
  Speaker 3: we're going to look at the next time. Let's pray.
• 15:38
  Speaker 3: Dear God, how we thank you for what this story
• 15:41
  Speaker 3: is teaching us about breaking free from hurtful, toxic, damaging relationships.
• 15:48
  Speaker 3: Help us to know that when we must break free,
• 15:50
  Speaker 3: that you would give us wisdom to do so with
• 15:53
  Speaker 3: grace and humility, trusting you to lead us all the
• 15:56
  Speaker 3: way and that there could be peace in the midst
• 15:59
  Speaker 3: of the separation. Thank you, Lord, that you are always faithful.
• 16:03
  Speaker 3: faithful to us in every way. Just as you were
• 16:06
  Speaker 3: faithful to Jacob, you are more than faithful to us.
• 16:10
  Speaker 3: In Christ's name, amen. Thank you for listening to today's
• 16:35
  Speaker 3: Bible in a Year podcast. Before we go, I want
• 16:38
  Speaker 3: to let you know about a unique e-book that's yours
• 16:41
  Speaker 3: to download absolutely free today. It's called Breaking Free from Stress.
• 16:46
  Speaker 3: And my prayer is that it will help you conquer
• 16:49
  Speaker 3: the daily task and pressures and burdens that bring stress
• 16:52
  Speaker 3: into your life. Download your free copy of Breaking Free
• 16:56
  Speaker 3: from Stress today by visiting jackgram.org slash stress. That's jackgram.org.
• 17:03
  Speaker 3: dot org slash stress.