Gen. 31:4-23
“AND JACOB sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock, and said unto them, I see your father’s countenance, that it is not toward me as before.” v. 4. Leah and Rachel were well aware of all the rough treatment Jacob had received at their father’s hands and needed little persuasion to agree with him to leave the land. “And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house? Are we not counted of him 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 is ours, and our children’s: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.” vv. 14-16.
It is particularly delightful at this turn in Jacob’s life to see him in a spirit ready to hearken to God and to acknowledge that God had been with him at all times, so that he could say, “The God of my father hath been with me.” True, a higher expression would have been: “My God hath been with me.” Yet, it was a new experience for him to make such a confession as he did. At this time he also told his two wives of the dream in which he heard these words: “I am the God of Beth-el, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto Me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.” v. 13.
God knew how to touch Jacob’s heart, just as He knows how to touch your heart and mine. With Jacob it was to bring to remembrance the scene at Beth-el, more than twenty years before, and to remind him of his vow: “If God will be with me.” Now he had to confess that God had indeed been with him and although not yet entirely able to act on his own bargain, “Then shall the Lord be my God,” it was, at least a step in the right direction to be attentive to the heavenly voice and to act upon it.
“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 ... for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.” vv. 17,18. “And Jacob stole away unawares to La-ban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled. So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.” vv. 20,21.
But Jacob was not yet through with Laban, who, on the third day, learned of his departure and discovered, too, that some of his idols had been stolen. Laban therefore set out to overtake them, which would not be at all difficult, for this company of men, women, children and flocks could not conceal themselves in the wilderness and must, of necessity, move very slowly. Laban had vengeance in his heart as he took out after his son-in-law. It was a keen disappointment to him to lose the valued services of Jacob, and although he had seen his son-in-law’s prosperity, he well knew that much of his own personal riches were the result of Jacob’s hard and conscientious labor. Perhaps he was particularly angry to think the one he had used so deceitfully had turned the tables and slipped away without his knowledge.
ML-10/30/1966