Would you turn back to Genesis
31? I have entitled the message for
this evening, Jacob, Laban, Law, and Gospel. And I pray that the Lord will
give us the grace to see this. The last verse of chapter 30,
Speaking of Jacob, and the man increased exceedingly
and had much cattle. That's the way wealth was measured
in those days. And maidservants and menservants
and camels and asses, he became very wealthy watching laban flocks. You'll remember how Laban had
nothing but white cattle and these white cattle mated and
nothing but speckled and spotted camel cattle came out. And they
all belonged to Jacob. And he became fabulously wealthy
at this time. Verse one, chapter 31, and he
heard the words of Laban's son, saying, Jacob
hath taken away all that was our father's, and of that which
our father hath, had he gotten all this glory. Not so. God did this, but this is the
way they interpreted it. This is the way they saw it,
and they thought they were the losers by it. Now, there was
no love lost between Jacob and Laban, as we've seen in their
relationship. They were highly suspicious of
each other and with good reason. Jacob would deceive Laban, Laban
would deceive Jacob, and this just went back and forth for
these 20 years. Verse two, and Jacob beheld the
countenance of Laban, And behold, it was not toward him as before.
You know, I've seen that numerous times over the years. Preaching
the gospel, someone seems to be rejoiced, love what they're
hearing, and then all of a sudden their countenance changes, and
there's no joy. Just a blank stare, for whatever
reason. And that happened with him. He
saw this change of countenance, no rejoicing. And the Lord said unto Jacob,
verse three, return unto the land of thy fathers and to thy
kindred, and I'll be with thee. Now here, after 20 years, God
says, go back to Isaac, the land of your fathers, and I'll be
with you. What's better than that? If God be for us, who can
be against us? I'll be with you. Jacob sent and called Rachel
and Leah to the field unto his flock. Now remember, these were
Laban's daughters, and they lived here all their lives. And he said unto them, I see
your father's countenance, that it was not toward me as before,
but the God of my father hath been with me. He may be against
me, but the God of my father is with me. And you know that
with all my power, I've served your father. Now I hope we can
all say that about our jobs. Every one of us. With all my
power. with all my ability, strive for excellence in your
job for the glory of God. He said, with all my power, I've
served your father. Verse seven, and your father
hath deceived me and changed my wages 10 times, but God suffered
him not to hurt me, And this has been my experience. He's
changed my wages dishonestly, deceitfully 10 times. But God
didn't let it hurt me. You see, Jacob believed in an
absolutely sovereign God. And whoever it is that you're
having a hard time with right now, remember, God's hands on
you, and that person's not able to do any more to you than he
purposes. And it's for your good, and it's
for his glory. And Jacob understood this. You
see, he knew the living God. He knew the God of absolute control,
and he says as much. Now look what he says. If he, Laban, said thus, the
speckled shall be thy wages, then all the cattle bear speckled.
And if he said thus, the ring strait should be thy hire, then
bear all the cattle ring strait. This was not due to my superior
genetic understanding of how to breed cattle. Whatever he
said, God made it to be. Thus God hath taken away the
cattle of your father and have given them to me. And it came
to pass at the time that the cattle conceived that I lifted
up mine eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the rams which leaped
upon the cattle were ring-streaked, speckled, and grizzled. And the
angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob. And I
said, here am I. And he said, lift up now thine
eyes and see all the rams which leap upon the cattle that are
ring-streaked, speckled, and grizzled. For I have seen all
that Laban doeth unto thee. Laban did everything in his power
to make Jacob to have nothing. And God caused everything Laban
did to be to Jacob's benefit and good. God was doing this. Oh, the Lord is in the details
of everything. Isn't that comforting? The Lord
is in the details. Verse 13, I am the God of Bethel,
where thou anointest the pillar, and where thou vowest a vow unto
me. Now do you remember when God
appeared to him 20 years before in Bethel? And he had that vision
of a ladder. that reached all the way to heaven
and was set up on the earth, and the angels of God descending
and ascending on that ladder, Christ the mediator. Every blessing
I have comes to me through Christ, and any way that I can come into
the Father's presence is simply by being in the ladder. This
is not a ladder I'm climbing. This is the ladder that brings
me directly into heaven. That's the gospel. And that's
when he was converted. That's when he was brought to
a saving knowledge of Christ, when that ladder was revealed.
Now, God said, I'm still the God of Bethel. As I was then, I am now. I'm still the God of Bethel,
the God who first appeared to you. He hadn't changed any. He's still the God of Bethel. Now arise, verse 13, get thee
out from this land and return unto the land of Dock Endred. He hadn't been back for 20 years. And Rachel and Leah answered
and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for
us in our father's house? Is there anything we're gonna
benefit from, from staying here? No, you've got everything, he
has nothing now. Are we not counted of him as
strangers? For he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also
our money, for all the riches which God hath taken from our
father, that's ours, and our children's. Now then, Whatsoever
God hath said unto thee, do. Now there was no loss between
Laban's daughters and Laban either. They say, we want to go with
you. We want out of here. Verse 17. Then Jacob rose up and set his
sons and his wives upon camels. And he carried away all his cattle
and all his goods, which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting,
he didn't steal these from Laban, he earned these with God's help,
with God causing it. Shouldn't even say with God's
help, God caused this miraculously to take place. And these didn't
belong to Laban, they belonged to Jacob. Which he'd gotten in
Pedanaram for to go to Isaac, his father, in the land of Canaan.
In the meantime, Laban went to shear his sheep. And Rachel had stolen the images
that were her father's. I guess she was thinking, well,
if I'm not gonna get an inheritance out of him, I'm gonna get something.
And she steals his images. And look in verse 30. And now, though thou would'st
these be gone, because thou sore longest after thy father's house,
yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? You know, these images
were his gods. You know, a god that can be stolen
is not much of a god, is he? Rachel's like her dad, acorn
doesn't fall from the tree, she rips off his gods. And Jacob stole away, verse 20,
unawares to Laban, the Syrian. And did he told him not that
he fled? I mean, there was no goodbye, we're getting out of
here. So he fled with all that he had and rose up and passed
over the river and set his face toward Mount Gilead. And it was
told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled. And he took his brethren with
him and pursued after him, seven days journey. And they overtook
him in the Mount Gilead. Now this pursuit was to, I believe,
kill Jacob and get all of his wealth and get his daughters
back. Jacob had been nothing but a
sore to him as of recently. He hadn't benefited from him,
and he was pursuing him in anger. I think he was going to take
back what he believed was his. It wasn't his, but he believed
it to be his. But what happens? Verse 25, And
God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night. I think
it's interesting, God came to Abimelech with regard to Abraham,
same thing with Isaac, and now the same thing with Jacob. Isn't
it wonderful to know the Lord's hands on you? And God came to Laban the Syrian
in a dream by night and said unto him, take heed. Thou speak
not to Jacob, either good or bad. Don't try to win him back. Don't try to woo him. Don't try
to sweet talk him. Don't try to threaten him. Don't
you say anything to him. And you can bet that Laban was
scared. When God appeared to him in this
way, he knew that he had no power against the God of Jacob. Don't you say anything to him,
good or bad. Don't woo him, don't scare him,
and threaten him. Verse 25. Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent
in the mount and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount
of Gilead. And Laban said to Jacob, What
hast thou done that thou hast stolen away unawares to me and
carried away my daughters as cactus taken with the sword?
Was that true? No. Wherefore didst thou flee
away secretly and steal away from me? And didst not tell me
that I might have sent thee away with mirth and with songs and
tabard and with harp? I was gonna have a party for
you. Anybody believe that? Don't believe it for a second.
and has not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters. Thou
hast now done foolishly in so doing. You were wrong in this.
It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt. No, it's not.
But this is his way of threatening, even though God said not to. It's 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. That's why I'm not hurting
you. And now though thou which needs
be gone, because thou soar longest after thy father's house. I think
he's making fun of him. You're a crybaby. You don't feel,
you feel like you can't make it on your own. You got to go
back home. You soar long for your father's house, yet wherefore
hast thou stolen my gods? Now Jacob didn't know this took
place. Rachel did this, she didn't go tell Jacob, hey I stole dad's
gods. She was gonna try to benefit
from this and she had not told him. Now look at Jacob's response. And Jacob answered and said to
Laban, because I was afraid. That's why I left, because I
was afraid. For I said, peradventure, thou wouldst take by force thy
daughters from me. That's why I left. That's why
I didn't tell you. I knew what you would do. With whomsoever
thou findest thy gods, let him not live. Before our brethren,
discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For
Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen. Now he said, if you find
my gods in my camp, kill the person who has them. He didn't
know Rachel had them. Verse 33, and Laban went into
Jacob's tent and into Leah's tent and into the two maidservants'
tents, but he found them not. Then he went, he out of Leah's
tent and entered into Rachel's tent. Now Rachel had taken the
images and put them in the camel's furniture and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent
but found them not. And then we're given this bizarre
detail. She said to her father, let it
not displease my Lord that I cannot rise up before thee for the custom
of women is upon me. It's my time of the month. I
can't get up. And he didn't ask her to get
up. If those images would have been
anywhere else in those tents, they would have been found. This
is the one place they could be searched for and not found. Now that is a very important
detail in understanding this passage of scripture. There was
one place where they were covered and could not be found. And she said to her father, verse
35, let it not displease my Lord that I cannot rise up before
thee for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched,
but found not the images. Well, Jacob's righteously indignant
at this time. And Jacob was wroth and chode
with Laban. I can almost hear him talking.
Hey, where are they? You didn't find a thing, did
you? Told you. And Jacob answered and said to Laban, what is my
trespass? What is my sin that thou so hotly pursued after me? Whereas thou hast searched all
my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? Set
it here before my brethren, and thy brethren, that they may judge
betwixt us. These 20 years have I been with
thee. Thy ewes and thy she-goats have not cast their young, and
the rams of thy flock have I not eaten? I have treated you in
absolute justice. That which was torn of beasts
I brought not unto thee. I bear the loss of it. Of my
hand didst thou require it, whether they were stolen by day or stolen
by night. Thus I was in the day the drought
consumed me, and the frost by night my sleep departed from
mine eyes. That's how hard I worked for you these 20 years. Thus
have I been 20 years in thy house, and I served thee 14 years for
thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle, and thou hast
changed my wages 10 times. except the God of my father,
the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac. I love that. The God
of Abraham produced the fear of Isaac, the fear of God. That's the beginning of wisdom. You see, when there's any true
knowledge of God, there will be the fear of God. except the God of my fathers,
the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac had been with me, surely
thou had sent me away now empty. God has seen mine affliction
and the labor of my hands and rebuked thee yesternight. And Laban answered and said unto
Jacob, these daughters are my daughters, and these children
are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou
seest is mine. That's not so, but that's what
he says. And what can I do this day? And
to these, my daughters are unto thy children, which they are
born. Now, therefore come now, let us make a covenant. I and thou, and let it be for
a witness between me and thee. Now, If you'll remember earlier,
Laban said, I've learned that whatever you do, God blesses. I don't want you to leave me,
because whatever you do, God blesses, and any blessing I have
is for your sake. He said that, and he's renewing
that again. Verse 44, now therefore, come
thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou, and let it be for
a witness between me and thee. And Jacob took a stone and set
it up for a pillar, And Jacob said unto his brethren, gather
stones. And they took stones and made an heap. And they did
eat upon that heap. They had a meal together. This
signifies peace between them because of this covenant. And
Laban called it Je-gar-se-he-du-tha. That's called Ian. But Jacob
called it Gilead. That's Hebrew, but both words
mean the exact same thing. And Laban said, this heap is
a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name
of it called Gilead. The heap of witness is what my
marginal reading says. And Mizpah, for he said, the
Lord watched between me and thee when we were absent one from
another. If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt
take other wives besides my daughters, no man is with us. See, God is
witness betwixt me and thee. Now Laban knew enough about God
to know that he sees everything. He didn't know the living God,
but he knew some accurate things about him. And Laban said to
Jacob, behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have
cast betwixt me and thee. This heap be a witness, and this
pillar be a witness, that I'll not pass over this heap to thee,
And thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto
me for harm. The God of Abraham, the God of
Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us, and Jacob swear
by the fear of his father Isaac. Then Jacob offered sacrifice
on the mount. I do think it's interesting,
Laban didn't offer any sacrifice, but Jacob did. Jacob knew that
there wasn't anything to a covenant without the sacrifice. Then Jacob
offered sacrifice upon the mount and called his brethren to eat
bread, and they did eat bread and tarried all night in the
mount. And early in the morning Laban rose up and kissed his
sons and his daughters and blessed them. And Laban departed and
returned to his place." End of story. Something that
literally took place. A historical event. But in Jacob
working for Laban, I see the law. He worked hard for it. Look back
in verse 7. And your father hath deceived
me and changed my wages, how many times? Ten times. Turn with me for a moment to
Romans 7. Hold your finger there. I'd like for you to look at this
with me. Verse 7. What shall we say then? Is the
law sin? The Ten Commandments, are they
sinful? God forbid. Nay, I had not known
sin, but by the law. For I had not known lust, except
the law had said, thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion
by the commandment, using the commandment as a base of operations,
wrought in me all manner of evil desire, concupiscence, covetousness,
lust. All the law does is produce this. You believe that? Thou shalt
not covet. Okay, I won't covet anymore.
You know better than that. All you have to hear is thou
shalt not covet, and you start coveting. You see, the strength
of sin is the law. The problem's not with the law.
The problem's with me and you. But the strength of sin is the
law, what the law could not do in that it was weak through the
flesh. God sending his son in the likeness
of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh that
the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who
walk not after the flesh but after the spirit. You look to
Christ alone. Now understand this, walking
in the flesh is thinking you can keep the law. walking in
the spirit, is looking to Christ alone. And that is the fulfillment
of the law. But he says the law deceived
me. Verse nine, for I was alive without
the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived. It lifted up its ugly head and
I died. If the commandment was ordained
to life, I found to be death. For sin, taking occasion by the
commandment, deceived me. just like Jacob being deceived
these 10 times. And by it slew me, wherefore
the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that which is good made
death unto me? God forbid, but sin that it might
appear sin. working death in me by that which
is good, that sin by the commandment, by the light of God's holy law,
might become exceeding sinful. Now, understand this. If you
can look at God's holy law and see yourself in any other way
but exceeding sinful, you have not understood the law of God. You're clueless. Now, he speaks of this law, these
ten times, being deceived. Now, Laban comes to search for
that which is rightfully his. Those images, teraphims, his
gods, belong to him. They were his property and they
were rightfully his. Rachel had stole that which belonged
to him. Laban, the law, has a rightful
claim. Why could Laban not find them? They were covered. They were covered. If they would have been anywhere
else in any of those five tents, they would have been found. But Rachel put them in a camel's
bag and sat on them, and it was her time of month. Now the Bible
points this out. Somebody says, why are you bringing
this out? Because the Bible does, and really, to me, this is the
key to understanding this passage of Scripture. The Old Testament calls this
the time of her uncleanness.