Lion of Grace

Two qualities mentioned in vs. 14 are to have redemption and forgiveness of sin. Redemption in Greek meant "To buy or buy out." In this particular passage for "The forgiveness of our sins, indicating both liberation from guilt and doom of sins and for the introduction of a life in liberty and newness of life." Jesus is Redeemer in that He purchased us with His blood, freeing us from the life of slavery to sin and death. We have victory of every kind in Jesus. The fact that our sins are forgiven, through Jesus, in the Kingdom is our hope! Until then, we were doomed and now we have the promise of life! We are seen as righteous through Jesus and counted among the Saints in His Kingdom. We can move forward into our new life as over-comers in everything. He who started a good work in us WILL complete it!" Praise God!

Three or four action verbs in vs. 12 and 13 are: Qualified Rescued Brought Qualified to share in the inheritance of the Saints. Rescued from the dominion of darkness. Brought into the Kingdom of the Son He loves. We give thanks to the Father who does this for all believers. We are qualified to share in the inheritance of the Saints through the blood of Jesus as we believe in Him. We are delivered from the hands of Satan, rescued from sin and death, as we were bought for a price, and nothing can ever separate us from God again! We are His and He is ours! Amen.

Paul uses the terms darkness and light to describe the Christian believers life from past to present to distinguish between the realms we choose to live in. In darkness is sin and death. Satan loves the dark and evil and sin. He dwells in darkness. In Christ there is light. He is the light of the world. Believing in Him and accepting Him, ushers us out of the darkness and darkness can not stay where light is. In a dark room, suddenly flooded with light, the darkness is instantly gone. In Christ there is redemption and forgiveness. Where He is, there is light. Paul reminds the people where they came from to remind them of how they used to live in darkness. The Holy Spirit reminds us also of where we've been and come from when we used to dwell in darkness in different areas. We are reminded of a life we don't want to return to. If the temptation is there to do that, we are reminded of God's goodness and forgiving love and infinite help and our salvation through Jesus and the power of His blood. We resist the temptation through His power and in love with gratitude for what we have been rescued from. If we fall, and repent, we are still redeemed through His blood and can stand in His light again confessing our sins. It is the power of His blood that strengthens us to persevere through temptations and trials. Even to get up and try again if needed. The inheritance of the saints in the light is the Kingdom of God. When we receive redemption and forgiveness through Jesus, we are members of His Kingdom. We are considered sons and daughters of God. Believe it! The two governing bodies in vs. 13 are " The dominion of darkness" and "The Kingdom of the Son He loves." And to add to that, "In Whom we have redemption and forgiveness of sins." Satan rules the dominion of darkness. Christ reigns in the Kingdom of redemption and forgiveness. How wonderful to stand in the light of the Lord where sin is forgiven and we are called sons and daughters of God! There is power, power, wonder working power in the blood of the Lamb!

Paul prays for: Knowledge of God's will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. To live a life worthy of the Lord and to please Him in every way, bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God. To be strengthened with all power according to God's glorious might, so that they may have great endurance and patience and joyfully give thanks to the Father. The results of the prayer to be.... for the people to be established in: Spiritual wisdom Understanding Live life worthy of God To please God Bear fruit in good works Grow in knowledge of God Be strengthened in power according to God's might To have endurance To have patience To be joyful in thanksgiving to God It's hard to choose importance of one over the other and I don't think any is least and certainly none should be done without, but for me I have found Spiritual wisdom and Understanding imperative, for without those, our eyes are not opened to truth. But....faith without works is dead, so the others follow naturally as we come to know God and understand. I think to be strengthened in God's glorious might is very important because so many strive in their own knowledge and might and end up in vain glory not really bearing fruit in "good" works. We always need endurance and patience or our seed is no better than that thrown on rocky ground or choked out by thorns and weeds. But always, always, always we are to be joyful in thanksgiving to God is our humbleness in acknowledging that it is HIS work in and through us. If any are missing, we are either not seeking, not bearing fruit or not acknowledging God's truth and power in any of it and we become prideful. We are no longer good Christian witnesses to others.

The "action" of the gospel in vs. 5 and 6 are described as: " Faith and love that spring from hope." "Bearing fruit and growing." Paul reminds of the scope of the Gospel's influence to encourage believers in spiritual growth and perseverance. He encouraged that the Gospel of Christ was growing all over the world and was bearing fruit. He reminded the believers that this is the same Gospel they themselves understood of God's grace and all it's truth. This is his encouragement to them to stay in these truths and not allow the philosophies of false religions to taint their pure growth in the true knowledge of God and redemption and power through Jesus Christ. When our churches today become embarrassed or unimpressed by the Gospel, they wither and die in truth. The whole purpose of the church is to preach the good news, the Gospel of Jesus. If that becomes secondary or even replaced with false, vain doctrines, then they become disconnected with the head and the vine of life and wither and die. They may "look" like functioning churches, maybe even prosperous churches, but to those who know Jesus, it is apparent another "gospel" is being preached and truth is lost. We see a lot of "worldly" knowledge and practices meshed into what they claim to be "God's" work but if examined, is not the pure Gospel of Christ.

God acted as a Shepherd to Jacob by revealing Himself to him, calling him, promising to always be with him and then leading him on the paths that He knew would benefit him. He guided and directed him, speaking to him and protecting him and his family as well as those with him. God allowed Jacob to learn in life, always honoring the covenant He had made with him. He drew him to love and trust him more through His goodness to him. God acts as my shepherd in the same way! He revealed Himself to a very lost person and gently called me in love. He spoke to me and gently led me into truths in my life. He protected me and helped me to rest after a very distressed life. He showed me how to choose between harmful things in my life and brought good into my life. He reveals Himself to me every day and says, "I will never leave you or forsake you." and He never has! He shows me when to come and to go and has proved Himself trustworthy and faithful. I trust Him more and more, though many times in my walk I have rebelled out of fear that He wouldn't be trustworthy....or He didn't really have my good in mind or heart. Sometimes I still don't understand some things and don't do what He says, but I know I'm growing in love and trust more and more. I'm more careful to listen everyday for His voice that says "This way or that way." and I'm learning to do that with more clarity everyday too. I think sometimes I hear His voice and choose to ignore it for the moment, but even those times end up with such heartfelt sorrow that I turned from someone so good to me they become fewer also. I know one thing. He's a good Shepherd....very loving and kind.

We equate blessing with a lack of crisis in our lives because the world conditions us that way from the time we are born. "If" we do any particular good thing, we will be rewarded in a good way. "If" we are bad, bad things will happen. And, let's face it, even our churches adopt worldly teachings like these. "Get saved" and your life will be wonderful! Or,"That person is so blessed because of success....that other less fortunate,is forgotten by God." The truth is Jesus taught something else that says "Take up your cross and follow me." or "In this world you will have troubles." Enough said. The effects of crisis on our faith is growth. When we are down and out, we look up. When we've exhausted every human effort, we turn to God. When we are faced with anything beyond our capabilities, we say "Help." In them we grow in humbleness and dependence on God and learn to seek and ask of Him. Not of self and others. And we come to respect...He is God. Sometimes we just won't know the "why" of situations. We accept them in good faith. I could not fathom one ounce of good when our second daughter was stillborn, but over the years, in acceptance, I've found a deepening in myself and faith and closeness to God. It was through excruciating pain God showed me He was always with me and began a relationship to walk me out of, and through other, extreme hurts in my life too. I'm still deepening in my faith and trust in Him. Sometimes though, we look away in pain and question why. That can be detrimental to our faith. I've always been rescued in these times and have returned to my first love, but sadly there are some who can loose faith altogether and go back to avoiding or masking the pain and give up in faith and trust.

Jacob crossed his hands giving the blessing determined to the firstborn (right hand) to Ephraim who was in reality the second born. Joseph tries to stop Jacob as this was not right in his eyes. The older Manasseh was to receive that blessing. Perhaps he thought that Jacob in his old age did not realize what he was doing, yet it was indeed a prophetic announcement as God deemed the blessing to go to Ephraim as Jacob revealed in his revelation of things to come.

Life on Earth is a journey with no permanent home because we don't fit in here. The world expects people to conform and those living for it expect others to conform too. If we don't, we are not accepted. Also, as we follow God's direction in our lives, we may be taken from place to place and may not develop the "groupie" concept of the world. When we become comfortable in our lives, we lose our vision sometimes. We start to do things "for" God "our" way and sometimes even forget it was all about Him in the first place! How to retain a journey spirit? Slow down, take time with Him. Ask Him to direct every day. Take time to pray and ask for wisdom and discernment and step out in faith.

God appears to Jacob another time because they are in relationship together! He gives His next instruction of where to go and where to settle. Jacob is renewed in this relationship, assured of God's love and blessings and Jacob in turn, sets up a stone pillar and pours out a drink offering on it as well as pouring oil on it. It is sanctified. Set apart for worship to his God. He names the place El Bethel which means "God of Bethel." This is a give and take relationship of love and respect and loyalty between Jacob and God. One we can all have! How wonderful after mistakes, to hear God say "Here I am! I never left you! See? I remind you of my goodness to you!" and how fitting for us to cry out "Abba God! How mighty and faithful! How much we need You! Come everyone! See my God! Hear what He has done!" The promises renewed: He will be fruitful and increase in number A nation and community of nations will come from him and kings will come from his body. The land given to Abraham and Isaac will also be given to Jacob and his descendants.

Jacob's household needs spiritual renewal because of the foreign gods that were among them. Was the experience with Shechem and his family a wake up call? I know some of the gods had been taken along at the beginning, but living among foreigners who did not worship the true God probably had some influence over the years. Jacob commands all of his household "and all who were with them" to be rid of the foreign gods, so he probably accumulated servants from living there also who had desired to go with him. It was very important to retain his community together in common practices. That included worship of one true God and the beliefs that were commanded by Him. The washing and putting on clean clothes represented purification. After Jacob commands them to "Get rid of foreign gods you have with you and purify yourselves and change clothes" he then says "come, we will go up to Bethel where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in my day of distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone." He is establishing His God as their God and teaching them about Him. The people responded to this and did as commanded and set out for Bethel. The people then see for themselves this God of Jacob and how powerful and mighty He is! " Then they set out and the terror of God fell upon the towns all around them so that no one pursued them." God was revealing Himself to a group of purified people, set apart for Him! What foreign gods do I need to throw away? Doubt. I always think that God forgets me somehow in deep trials. My faith has been strengthened, but I battle doubt. And another that goes with that. Dependance on people. I think I listen to God on a regular basis and I do love Him so much, but when the waters rise, I'm like the disciples in the boat. I become fearful and though Jesus is right there with me, I think I'm going to drown. I think people can fix it. I quickly learn they can't then face dissapointment as well, but I need to be able to grow into trusting God 24/7 no matter the circumstances. Thank God He is patient with me and growing me in stronger faith every time. I also have doubts of self worth and being content in a world that says being in the background means invisible and of no merit. I need to repent of these and ask God to renew me in right ways of thinking. He IS the great healer and I'm already a miracle, so I do know standing on His Word that says He who started a good work in me will continue in that and that I am fearfully and wonderfully made is one of the ways to sustain me on this journey. When I repent and am reminded of His goodness to me, and His promises, then I can go on cleansed with a renewed heart and mind and hopefully am stronger after each experience.

When the Israelites disobeyed God and intermarried with the Canaanites they were tempted (and did) turn from the worship of the one true God. They also turned from a culture that was steeped in Mosaic law and given to them as God commanded them. In Exodus 34:15-16 God warns that an Israeite son that marries a foreign woman that "prostitutes hersef to foreign gods." will lead the husband to do the same. In Judges 3:6, the same is said of both Israelite sons and daughters given in marriage to foreign families. "They will serve their gods." In 1 Kings 11: 1-3 we re told how Solomon even was "led astray" by his foreign wives. But, are these implications saying that it was for spiritual reasons only that this was forbidden? I do believe it was to retain a pure worship only for the one true God, but the Jewish traditions then (and in Orthodox Jews today) also were through physical practices to remain separate and set apart. For example, circumcision, Levitical laws and even today practices such as the sharing of bread with another will differ with a Jew sharing with a Jew and a Jew with a Gentile, because of the conotations of being in closer fellowship/oneness with each other in community. A Jewish person with another Jew will break homemade bread, made from their own hands and ingredients, while breaking bread with a Gentile will be with bread purchased at a bakery, for the express purpose of the separation through it. The Jewish people knew they were chosen by God and they did have spiritual as well as physical ways to remain holy and set apart as given to them through the law. God did want his people to retain purity in living as well as in worshiping only Him. There were barbaric practices going on and all kinds of false gods as well as diseases he wanted to protect them from. He gave the law for their good and wanted them to remain away from those things that would harm them physically as well as spiritually. Christians today believe differently, because we know through Christ, who was a fulfillment of the law and the sacrifice for our sin as well as our righteousness and our salvation, that we don't need to be concerned about setting ourselves apart by the law. In which foods to eat or physical practices to keep, but we are still warned everything is permissable but not everything is good for us. We do know we should marry someone with a common belief in God and Jesus, who is filled by the Holy Spirit and remains in faith with us because that is good. I can say for myself, both my husband and I were "wild childs" when we met and married and then I was saved. That was a very hard time for us as I was so changed and my interests so different with a destructive lifestyle desirably left behind....that he didn't understand and tried to draw me back into ungodly living with him. But....thank God, God was stronger and drew my husband instead to us and sent me a good Christian friend who walked with me through and out of it because it was a very rough time! As a couple, we have now come to a new place together and grow every day in that and a new way to live.

I think Jacob was silent because he was not sure what to do. I don't think he was without feelings in any of it, yet, the culture was different than ours. A similar situation was with the rape of Tamar (David's daughter) by Amnon. David was "furious" but that seems the end of his responsibility in her rape. It was her brother Absalom who took her in and cared for her and eventually took revenge on her wrong. We are told "And Tamar lived in her brother Absalom's house, a desolate woman." Perhaps Jacob felt helpless. This horrible thing had happened. Culturally his daughter was ruined. And, the family responsible was one of power in the land he was living in. He couldn't allow marriage to Shechem, because that would constitute what God had commanded not to do. He did what I probably would have done first....waited on more counsel. He confers with Hamor and then Dinah's brothers come home. After that, Jacob is missing in the plotting and discussions as far as I can see. Maybe he thought that the idea of all the males in the city being circumcised would be the solution and Dinah could be married then. It was the brothers who were speaking deceitfully to the townsmen and later Jacob who reprimands the brothers for disgracing him and the household. At the same time, the brothers reply in anger with a question that I think says they weren't sure their father was going to do anything about the wrong to their sister. "Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?" I think Jacob should have been more active in giving wisdom to the brothers. They seemed to be left with the responsibility to work through a solution, but they were too angry to do that right. The brothers reactions were right in that they cared for their sister and for the family honor and actually, I think if what they planned and promised would have just been left to be, things would have been OK. But they let revenge and hatred take over and turned to answering a wrong with a wrong, and a very horrific one too. Jacob and his family couldn't stay where they were. It would be only a matter of time until retaliation would have been made from somewhere. They were as Jacob said, few in number and would have been destroyed. The very sord that the brothers used, would have been turned on them. Those who live by the sword, die by the sword. Hamor and his family's honor would have been revenged also if they stayed. This is a situation that would very hard to decide what to do in and in the face of all the emotions involved. Perhaps Jacob is not vocal because he was seeking God further in it while the brothers forged ahead in their own emotion and hatred. Vengeance leads to destruction. Sin (rape) led to distruction. Man made justice was leading to war and losses of all kinds. I think though, God would have allowed the marriage in these circumstances. Dinah was loved, though sin and unrestraint entered in and the men wanted to make restitution with Jacob's family from the sin of one of their own. Even to the point of becoming circumcised. But I don't see as Jacob could have stayed there permanently and settled among them as offered, because that would have gone against God's command totally. Perhaps Jacob still being there at all was already a violation of that and he was just forced to move on. How geat a toll sin can take on lives in the end.

When Jacob left to go to Haran, Esau was seeking to take Jacob's life! Now we see one brother running to embrace another brother to kiss him, "And they wept." I think Esau grew to forgive his brother Jacob. I believe Jacob openly acknowledges this forgiveness when in verse 10 he says, "If I have found favor in your eyes, accept this gift from me. For to see your face is like seeing the face of God." Jacob saw forgiveness in Esau's face and not only that, but complete forgiveness that didn't really require anything more of Jacob, though more was offered and because Jacob insisted, eventually was accepted. Complete forgiveness reflects the face of God and Jacob saw that. Esau had also become a prosperous man in his own right and I see the jealousy he felt at one time had ceased. He not only was confident in his own life, but was happily interested in Jacob's prosperity also. There seems a contentment in both that was lacking before. Jacob himself, has become humble. Though he is cautious and acting in wisdom as he goes out to meet his brother, he has no plan to harm his brother. He has no plan to take advantage of his brother or scheme against him. He and his whole family submit to not only God's direction but to place themselves as servants to Esau, even though they have the covenant right to "lord it over" them! Ahhhhh.....how much we can learn from this! I don't think I would liken any of this to "craftiness". That word denotes deceit in something to me. I think Jacob was wise in all he did. He could have acted in many different ways, but he chose a peaceful way with submission....maybe out of fear, yes... but he also knew that the land would be his, so he let Esau go out before him alone. But I don't think this was in so much deceit but in peaceful wisdom too, because in Chap. 36 we read about Esau and his family and vs. 6-8 say Esau went out of the land away from Jacob "because the land could not support both of them and their livestock." I think Jacob just claimed what was rightfully his and Esau submitted to that in return of being treated with respect. (as it should be done!) Yes, Jacob did say he would come to Esau in Seir and refused to have any of Esau's men remain with him, so the separation was complete, and went on to Succoth, but I believe Jacob had ceased to make so many "plans" for himself and was only proceeding, waiting on God. No, I don't think anyone can be humble and crafty at the same time, but that is a matter of opinion in what you think "crafty" means. It's even confusing looking it up in the dictionary!

The man Jacob wrestled with was God Himself. Jacob names the place Peniel meaning, face of God. In vs. 30 he says, "It is because I saw God face to face." and even his new name Israel means, "he struggles with God." I think the wrestling represents Jacob's character as well as God's. It is symbolic of prayer too. Jacob needed help. He needed a blessing and he knew who he needed it from. He had been praying about it, but the moment had come when his confrontation with Esau was just over the border, across the Jabbok. Jacob's character was to NEVER sit around and do nothing about anything and yet, he knew at this point who he needed to depend on. I think the wrestling with God was his determination that God needed to know that He HAD to help him. I know I wrestle with God when I get frustrated or fearful and I remember Jacob and that he did receive his blessing. I know I can't force God into anything, but I do usually receive a blessing and the wrestling is helpful to release that "wanting to do something myself" and into becoming reliant on God in it. It helps in overcoming pride I have in anything. I am determined to pray it through, yet know in and of myself I can't do any of it! Interesting that Jacob is SO humble towards Esau in Chapter 33. God's nature is revealed too. He is patient and merciful with the struggle and the wrestling and it is so strong it lasted all night! And, "the man saw that he could not overpower him." That's a huge struggle! One Jacob was determined to win! We can struggle in prayer like that. With loud cries and physical wrestlings as well as spiritual struggling and determination to not give up. God honors that many times! There is a quietness afterwards too. A knowing God better. An acceptance of who He is and who we depend on. Jacob's struggle was both physical and spiritual. He did wrestle with a real presence and yet his struggle was for a blessing. Verse 26 says the man said, "Let me go for it is daybreak." But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go until you bless me." Actually, the man wounded Jacob because he couldn't overcome him! Verse 25 says, "When the man saw that he could not overcome him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so the hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man." Then the man asks him to let him go! I wonder if this is symbolic of the physical wrestling and the spiritual wrestling. Jacob was very strong in the flesh side of struggling for what he wanted. He was a great manipulator and opponent, but with one spritual, supernatural touch, the struggle quickly comes to an end. The man later says, "Your name will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and man and have overcome." Then he blesses him. This is the real turning point for Jacob where he is changed. He acknowledges the mercy, power and presence of God. "I saw God face to face....and yet my life was spared." The limp apparently was symbolic of something sacred as the Israelites placed much emphasis on never eating any tendon attached to the socket of the hip from then on specifically because of this incident. Maybe it was the separation of the joint that symbolized the revelation that Jacob had of God's holiness and being set apart. Perhaps that was a reminder forever for him in humbleness, of God's holiness and the day he wrestled with a holy God and lived! Perhaps he grew in respect of God that night and the fear of God became the beginning of his wisdom.

Jacob's prayer shows us Jacob had very real fears. He had fear that Esau would come and attack his family. He knows the consequences that could perhaps come out of some of his former behavior. He knows there should be grave concern. It also shows us a lot about his faith. He recalls to God the direction for next steps God gave to him, the promises given to him too. His faith is declared here. Faith is declared on what we can't see, but we know is there and trustworthy. He's saying, "I know you are there and I know what you promised and I'm reminding you! I need your help!" He has faith in Who he knows is with him and the promises given to him. And that he can turn to his God for help. Here we see what has happened to his pride also. In humbleness he gives God all the credit for everything. He says he is unworthy of all the blessings given him. He relates his fear to God and asks for intervention. To be saved. He is dependant on God. His spiritual growth is in trusting God for outcomes. When he left originally his oath to God was "if" God did things for him, he would believe and have Him as his God. Now we see dependance on a God that he has grown to know and trust and a knowledge that "he" can't but God can!

God reveals the angel army to Jacob, because Jacob is nervous and fearful of Esau as he returns to his homeland. He knows he may be coming into harm. God reassures Jacob of His presence with him, by showing him the angel army he has sent for Jacob's protection. The significance of the presence of this army is to let Jacob know, that the covenant with him, is still very real and God's provision of protection over him is very real. He is not going alone with his camp, he also has the camp of the Lord around him. Jacob, in turn, calls the place Mahanaim, meaning "two camps" because he now has two camps. One of his own and one of God's. I think he honored God with that name and acknowledged the Lord's presence with him. That is often forgotten and is of great merit.

We fail to see the blessings from God during the everyday conflicts of our lives because as humans, in our weakness, we let our emotions rule us so many times. We become angry in them or discouraged in them or feel hopeless in them or fearful in them. We reacte to what is happening and become singularly focused on them. We forget that God is with us, faithful to us and is far better able to handle the conflict in His wisdom than we are. We forget that He is completely able to take anything meant for our harm and bring good out of it. We forget His purposes are being fulfilled in so many things, good and bad because He uses even our worst moments (free will) to rescue us and save us. We learn in them, change through them and grow in them. Problem is....we forget to call on Him...and then to trust Him. We "know" these things....but we forget to live them! I have had the most conflicts around me this week than I have had in my life in a long time! In some of them, I reacted wrong....and repent. In some of them, I chose right. But yesterday, I just asked God to help me and show me what He wanted me to learn and see. He started to unmistakably show me blessings in my life! I was so grateful! Suddenly the frustration melted away. I remembered that those blessings had come to me with struggle too....but they were mine in the end as I trusted Him. He was faithful. So....I saw in more depth and a wider view than yesterday. What looked like chaos, now looks today, like God at a good work in many lives in spite of ourselves! What a comfort for our weary souls! What hope! I think the blessings were there too as a reminder... He is good and as we know Him more and more we can be comforted that He IS God with us and loves us and can be counted on to help us. He can do all things and we can do all things in Him who strengthens us! And...this study was just what I needed, at the exact moment I needed it, to learn from it! Isn't that just like Him!!! God is good!

Finally! What has happened....should have happened before the flight and maybe with a better outcome for relationship. But it didn't happen that way. Though we can learn from it. Laban, in the course of tracking Jacob down has had an intervention by God. What Jacob could have trusted in before....happens. God warns Laban to leave Jacob alone. He partially obeys that. He wasn't to say anything good or bad to Jacob and who knows what a difference there could have been if he turned around and went home, or if the issues could have been faced before the flight, but the whole scenerio is based in sin and deception (just as it was with Esau and that flight) and Laban confronts Jacob on the matters of his family. He tells Jacob, God warned him to let him go, and then gets to asking about his household gods. Those are searched for....with more deception and lies...and then Jacob lets loose of all the wrongs done to him. Finally!!! The two men come to an agreement together and though sin causes the separation and anger, they can agree to a covenant and treaty with each other..... but separate from each other. Interesting how Laban in his pride, in the end, still thinks he owns everything! How sad though...that all the deceptions tore this family apart. Just as it had done with Isaac, Rebekah and Esau. God though, had chosen Jacob and still chose Jacob and His purposes were through him. The terms of the covenant are: A witness to both. For the Lord to keep a watch between both parties while they were away from each other. This wasn't out of love. It was in warning for each. Especially if Jacob mistreated Laban's daughters in any way. That God would see and act accordingly! And a treaty for land boundries that they agreed to not cross to come and harm each other. The monument was a reminder and witness to what transpired there. An oath and sacrifice to Jacob's God was made and a meal shared, sealing the deal and the following day, Laban kisses and blesses his daughters (did he finally really realize what they meant to him?) and the two families go their own way.

Jacob and his family left without saying goodbye to Laban out of fear. And, with the daughters, they are angry with their father (vs.14-16)so they desired to go. In verse 31, Jacob admits to Laban after his question of "Why did you run off secretly and deceive me?" by replying, "I was afraid because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force." Jacob has enough past experience with Laban to know he's not getting away easily by being honest or fulfilling any conditions set by Laban as they always change one way or another. He's learned that from day one! So, Jacob again, enters into his own deception by running away deliberately at the time Laban will be away shearing his sheep. He doesn't allow Laban to say goodbye or even have a chance to do things right, so he robbed him of that, though chances were slim in that with all all other events considered....but.... Laban should have been given the chance. Seems Jacob is pretty honest though in only taking what was really his. His family, his accumulated wealth from God....but then Rachel decides to take Laban's household gods along too! That's her deception. I believe it was unjust for Jacob to leave in the way he did. I think he could have trusted God for a better outcome or at least faced his father-in-law honestly about going in an expression of more strength of character. He knew he could go. God had told him to go....but there is still the matter of integrity in it. Rachel was unrighteous in it by stealing from her father and trusting in foreign gods herself and then lying about it all in the end. Her father had of course stolen from her over the years too....but she had the choice to meet wrong with a right and she didn't. In this world, we try to justify wrongs, but we should not answer a wrong with another wrong....but constructively deal with the issue and if there is no agreement, then we just still have to act with truth and integrity. That's what Jesus taught too and it really is a better way. Though very difficult! But with God's help after suffering for awhile...we will see good come out if it.

OK.....this has always been a confusing passage for me, so this is a "figuring it out" answer and any help is welcome. At what point does Jacob realize his breeding technique is not causing the growth of his wealth? Did he ever realize it through the mating season? It seems to me he was making a good old try at depending on the branches and at using only strong animals and placing the weak ones in Laban's flock. God was prospering Jacob, but it seems he was trying that "plus" himself. If he didn't believe the branches were helping....why use them? If he really thought God was in complete control to prosper him, why did he work it out that only the strong mated for him and all the weak went to Laban? I suppose that was good breeding technique to prosper....but did he trust God yet? Later, he sees that Laban and son's are grumbling....and he is concerned. God comes and tells him to go back to the land of his father and to his relatives and that He will be with him. I'm brought to mind at this point, of Jacob's vow. "If God will be with me and watch over me on my journey and give me food to eat and clothes to wear, so that I return safely to my father's house, then the Lord will be my God.....and of all you have given me, I will give you a tenth." Then, he goes to his wives with concern about their father and his attitude. And at this point, I think he really turns and he confesses that God has been with him. That God caused the flocks to prosper for him and God had given them to him. It is interesting to me that everything Jacob asked of God at this point is proven true and from God. He even shares a dream he had at breeding season where God showed all that would happen. I really think this is where he realized not anything he did caused any wealth on his own. This was God faithful to him and the promised covenant and Jacob declares not (as before) "if" God would do it He would accept Him as God....but "God of my father has done this!" Then, in obedience, he goes. Any accumulated wealth is a danger to us if we come to believe that we have gotten it for ourselves. Not only in matters of pride or in arrogance to others, but also in not giving back to God what is God's. I've also seen predjudice come out of it in social classes....even in the church that God is not with those without money and that some are more elite because they have money. There are sinners who are rich and there are devout who are poor. I personally love Proverbs 30:7-9.

I agree. Free will. Sin. God is faithful....even when we are not! From Jen: Q1. (Genesis 29) Why do you think God allows Jacob to be tricked into 14 years of labor for two wives? What purposes do you think God is working out through these circumstances? Why does God allow any of the things that go on? He gives man free will and man abuses it. Maybe in this case we can just say it was in the genes. Jacob had something in common with one of his relatives. Trickery but Laban had the advantage in being older and wiser in the ways of trickery. I suppose as Jacob served for 14 years he had many times to reflect on the home he left and how his actions hurt his brother and his father. He had time to reflect on his mother's encouragement of tricking her husband into giving the blessing to Jacob instead of Esau. Isaac trembled with anger and I believe Jacob probably trembled with anger when he realized he had been tricked. We can say what goes around comes around but it is a sad commentary on the human condition. The very wretchedness of our sin I believe has had God trembling with anger. So we are so much more indebted to His total and complete mercy. I wonder if God allows so much so that we can see for ourselves just how very despicable we are capable of being and would never believe it if we did not see it for ourselves. So it seems to me we can't be told much of anything either. We are blind to our own sin until it is done to us. And then we see ourselves for who we are. It seems to take the hard lessons of life to mature us and I am sure God is maturing His child and teaching him His ways as he serves this man who seems to get away with anything while Jacob is fortunate to be under the heavy hand of God. After all who wants to be left in this dreadful and fatal condition called sin. It is interesting that Jacob's own sons deceived him most cruelly about Joseph years down the road. It seems so very tragic for this man but God had such good plans that came out of it all. In the end we can only thank God and praise Him for His faithfulness in the good and the bad. " We leave it to Himself to choose and to command. In wonder filled we soon shall see how wise, how strong His hand."

Jacob's promise to tithe indicated that he was very serious in entering into a relationship with God. A vow was a solemn, holy promise that was binding. This had very deep meaning and was very serious. In itself it was sacred. I liken his conversion experience to ones we all have. Up to a certain point we all "know" about God, have been taught about God but we have not experienced God. Jacob experienced God and knew without a doubt that's who he had a living encounter with in his experience. Once we experience God we don't have doubts anymore. We know absolutely there is a living spiritual being that desires to have a relationship with us! Jacob's conversion is this and he responds by saying, "All right then! This is my vow to you as you reveal more of yourself to me!" His promise to tithe I believe was to say he would be thankful for all the things he had asked for as he received them and he would give in return to God. That's a relationship!

Jacob set up a pillar as an altar to God. This was often done in the Bible to commemorate remarkable events that took place. Jacob set a pillar as a memorial and as a witness to a vow he would make to God there. Annointing was an intention to set an object or a person apart for a sacred purpose. For Jacob, anointing the pillar was to sanctify it. I believe he did these things because he had all of the above experiences. He was shaken, afraid and in awe. He knew he had experienced something sacred. A divine revelation. He wanted in turn, to make a vow and make a memorial as a witness to the vow. I think his vow is interesting. He promises to give a tenth of "all you will give me" and that was only after his stipulations of "If" God would do certain things. A vow given was a pledge of faithfulness expressed in a specific way. It wasn't like a covenant as in the law of Moses to tithe, so what Jacob was doing here was different. A covenant originates with God. A vow is a pledge. He was making a holy promise to God. I think he was agreeing to enter into relationship with God and as that grew, to be thankful in return with all that was given to him.

I love that after receiving the covenant blessing, Jacob sets off to travel to go to Laban, his relative and stops for his rest near the place that Abraham (Abram) had God appear to him also as he set out with Sarai and Lot for the land of Canaan. Abraham himself had built an altar there (Genesis 12) and as Jacob came to this holy place, though probably unaware of the significance,(Genesis 28 vs. 16) he stopped to rest there and also like Abraham had an encounter with God there. I see this as a confirmation from God of His purposes for Jacob's life and his will for the covenant to be through Jacob. Everything parallels the same experience and covenant blessing given to Abraham. God assured Jacob in the dream that He is the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and then God Himself gives Jacob the "covenant" blessing. Assuring him, he would never leave him until the promise was secured. Jacob was afraid and in awe at all he has seen and experienced and calls the place the Gate of Heaven, The House of God. He saw the angels ascending and descending as symbolic of that gateway from the Heavens to Earth. This is a time of conversion for Jacob as he vows to God, "If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear, so I return safely to my father's house, then the Lord will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God's house, and all that you give me I will give you a tenth." Jacob is tenatively choosing God also and setting out on the journey with Him.