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Study No.14 : Jacob decides to Leave : Genesis 31:1-21

A. Find Out:

      

1. What changes come to Jacob's attention? v.1,2

2. What did the Lord tell him? v.3,13

3. What did Jacob say Laban had done? v.7

4. To whom did Jacob attribute his success? v.8,9

5. What did Rachel & Leah feel about his suggestion? v.14-16

6. How did they do wrong as they left? v.19,20

 

B. Think :

1. How again, in today's reading, is Laban portrayed?

2. How did the Lord identify Himself to Jacob?

3. How would you describe Jacob's position by this time?

 

C. Comment :

      Jacob hears that Laban is getting upset at his success. It becomes clear that Laban has been changing the rules to start claiming whichever sheep are breeding most strongly. Every time, however, the Lord blessed Jacob and the other sheep flourished. It is almost a competition between the Lord and Laban to see if Jacob can be blessed.

      Eventually the Lord speaks to Jacob and tells him that it is time to return home, so Jacob calls his two wives and shares with them his feelings and what God has said. They both side with him and so it is decided they will all return to Jacob's home. Unfortunately at this point their unbelief creeps in and they, not being convinced of the Lord's protection, decide to go without telling Laban. Not only that, Rachel foolishly takes her father's idols. Jacob is rich and powerful and the Lord is with him. What has he got to be afraid of, and yet he leaves in a way that is bound to cause upset. Rachel has all she needs, so why steal? How silly of them both!

 

D. Application?

1. Do we know the Lord's presence with us, that brings blessing to all that

    we do?

2. Do we trust in His presence with us, so that we don't have to be devious

     with other people?

3. Today declare, that with God's grace, you will be open & honest in all

     your dealings with others.

 

Study No.15 : Laban Catches Jacob : Genesis 31:22-35

A. Find Out:    

       

1. How long did Laban chase Jacob? v.23

2. How did the Lord intervene? v.24

3. What was Laban's first complaint? v.26-28

4. What was his second complaint? v.30

5. What was Jacob's response to the 1st complaint? v.31

6. What was his response to the 2nd complaint? v.32

 

B. Think :

1. What do we learn again about Laban from this passage?

2. What does it show about Jacob?

3. What does it show us about the Lord?

 

C. Comment :

     Laban is understandably upset at Jacob's sudden departure and so goes in hot pursuit of him. After a week's travel he catches up with him and presents his complaints: you took my daughters, you left in secret and what is more, my gods (idols) have been taken. Jacob confesses his fear of Laban but denies any knowledge of Laban's gods. At that point there might well have been violence if the Lord had not already intervened by speaking to Laban the night before in a dream. Although Laban does not know the Lord he understands who it is that has spoken to him in his dream, and this encounter has taken some of the steam out of him.

     As, with Jacob's willing consent, he searches for his gods, Laban is prevented from finding them by the devious plea of his daughter, that she feels weak and unable to get up. The crafty man is outsmarted by his crafty daughter. Again and again with this family we see guile, deceit and self interest coming out in all of them. Gradually though, something different seems to be emerging in Jacob, perhaps as a result of the Lord's presence with him. Yes, the Lord is there in the midst of this crafty bunch, changing His man!

 

D. Application?

     Again today, challenge your own heart: do you seek to get your own way by clever words or cunning action, or are you open, transparent and totally honest, trusting fully in the Lord.

Study No.16 : Making a Covenant : Genesis 31:36-55

A. Find Out:

       

1. How long had Jacob been with Laban? v.38

2. What did Jacob say he had done? v.38-40

3. How did he say Laban had treated him? v.41,42

4. What did Laban suggest? v.44

5. What would the stones do? v.48,52

6. What did Laban call on Jacob to do? v.50

 

B. Think :

1. How does Jacob show "righteous indignation"?

2. How is the Lord involved?

3. How does Laban speak untruth? How does he avoid loosing face?

 

C. Comment :

   When Laban fails to find his gods Jacob feels in a strong position to express indignation and challenge Laban over his past behaviour in front of the rest of the family. He reminds Laban that God has looked after him in the face of Laban's unfair rule-changing. Laban, in the face of this tirade, belatedly claims everything that Jacob has belongs to him which, of course, is not true because Jacob earned it through their agreements over the past twenty years. There is an expression about "when thieves fall out..." and here we have these two twisters pointing fingers at each other. They are as bad as each other!

 

     Eventually they agree on a mutually protecting covenant. Laban demands that Jacob look after his daughters and also that neither of them would pass that point again to harm the other. This they agree to and the heap of stones is made to establish a reminder of what had taken place there. It also acts as a boundary marker for them both. They both take an oath, each one expressing something of their limited understanding of the Lord: Laban by the God of their ancestors, but Jacob by the God who had revealed more of Himself to Isaac, which generated fear (awesome respect).

 

D. Application?

1. Do we have a clear understanding of the Lord who has revealed Himself

     in history through His word.

2. Worship this Holy God today.

 

    

Study No.17 : Esau Comes - Jacob Prays : Genesis 32:1-12

A. Find Out:

       

1. What did Jacob see first of all? v.1,2

2. What message did he send to Esau? v.3-5

3. What news came back? v.6

4. How did Jacob feel about this? v.7

5. So what precaution did Jacob take? v.7,8

6. Of what did Jacob remind the Lord? v.9,12

7. So what did he ask the Lord? v.11

 

B. Think :

1. What do you think was the point of the Lord revealing the angelic army

    to Jacob (look up Hebrews 1:14 & 2 Kings 6:16 ,17)

2. Why do you think Jacob warned Esau he was coming?

3. Why do you think he was afraid of Esau?

 

C. Comment :

     Some time after leaving Laban, Jacob has a revelation of angels, the indication that the Lord was there looking after him. He sends a message ahead warning Esau that he was coming, perhaps to prepare Esau for the thought of Jacob's return, perhaps to give time to see what sort of reaction it would provoke. News comes back that Esau, with a large band of men, is coming. Jacob, perhaps rightly remembering their past history, fears the worst and so, as a precaution, splits up all his possessions so that at least half of them might be saved.

      Then Jacob does something we have not seen him do before: he prays! Jacob's prayer is worth noting. He first reminds the Lord of what the He said previously. Our confidence is in what the Lord has said. Jacob also acknowledges with thankfulness that he had nothing when he had left his home but God has made him what he now is. Perhaps it is as if he says "Please look after me, don't waste all you have done for me!". He finally asks the Lord to save him. Great!

 

D. Application?

1. Do we pray boldly on the basis of what the Lord has already revealed

    through His word?

2. Do we pray in humility recognising we are what we are because of what

    He has done and giving thanks for it?

 

Study No.18 : Jacob's Strategy : Genesis 32:13-21

A. Find Out:

       

1. What did Jacob start doing? v.13

2. How many herds did he separate out for Esau? v.14,15

3. How did he say they should be sent? v.16

4. What instruction did he give to each herdsman? v.17,18

5. What else did he want them to say? v.20a

6. What did he hope to achieve? v.20b

 

B. Think :

1. What aspects of Jacob's character do we see here?

2. What impression was he trying to create?

3. How was he hoping Esau's attitude would gradually change?

 

C. Comment :

     Having just prayed, Jacob now appears to have wisdom that might bring about a change of heart in a potentially angry brother. Wisdom, so often comes from the Lord as we are praying. His strategy was really very simple: he would separate out five large herds of different animals and send them ahead to Esau as presents for him, with a big gap between each one.

     His hope was that as each one arrived they would act as a soothing agent and, no doubt, also impress Esau in respect of the size of the coming retinue. If the presents are this big, how big and powerful must be all the possessions and household that followed? In such a way he was hoping to calm Esau and make him think twice about any hasty action against his brother. Quite brilliant! It would be a hard man who would be able to resist such a procession of gifts. As we have said, although there is no indication that it was so, it is true that very often wisdom and revelation come WHILE we are praying, and that was certainly true of Jacob in this situation.

 

D. Application?

1. Jesus said "Blessed are the peace makers". Do we seek wisdom from

     God  to know how to bring peace when there is a disturbed situation?

2. Consider your life today and note any potential problem situations or  

     people, and ask the Lord for His wisdom to know how to act.

 

Study No.19 : Jacob Prevails : Genesis 32:22-32

A. Find Out:

       

1. How did Jacob spend the night? v.24

2. How did the man overcome Jacob? v.25

3. But what did Jacob do? v.26

4. What did the man do? v.28

5. What did Jacob ask which was refused? v.29

6. What did Jacob recognise? v.30

 

B. Think :

1. What is the point of wrestling?

2. What therefore was God trying to do?

3. For what was Jacob commended and what did he get out of the night's

    activity?

 

C. Comment :

     A strange encounter! God comes and wrestles through the night with Jacob. The point of wrestling is to get your opponent to give up, and so God is clearly out to get Jacob to submit to Him and stop striving in life. Because God cannot be beaten it is easy for Him to bring Jacob to a place of weakness and this He does simply by putting Jacob's hip out of joint. It is at this point that Jacob's greatness comes through. He clings onto God and refuses to let go until the Lord has blessed him. For that he is commended with a new name that becomes the most famous in the history of nations.

      Before He gives him the new name, the Lord forces him to face his old name: Jacob, twister, schemer! It is as if the Lord says, "Face who you are and I'll then change you". The Lord then blesses him and Jacob leaves the encounter with a constant reminder of the Lord's power, a new name and the blessing of God on his life, and we have seen from earlier studies how important a blessing was! This blessing, this promise of good, he has obtained from God by "prevailing". It is clearly an example for us to follow in prayer and he is commended for it.

 

D. Application?

1. Can God deal with our selfish self-reliance?

2. Do we give up easily or do we prevail until we have received?

 

Study No.20 : Jacob meets Esau : Genesis 33:1-11

A. Find Out:

       

1. How did Jacob arrange his family? v.1,2

2. Where did he place himself? v.3

3. How did Esau greet Jacob? v.4

4. What was Esau's first question? v.5

5. What was his second question? v.8

6. On what did Jacob insist? v.10,11

 

B. Think :

1. What signs were there that the past was now very much in the past?

2. What emotion do you think Esau is showing by his questions?

3. How does Jacob testify to the Lord?

 

C. Comment :

     As Jacob prepares to meet Esau again, he no doubt wondered what Esau would be feeling after twenty years. Would Esau still be harbouring anger over all that Jacob had done to him before he had left home? Had bitterness built up over the years? As they meet it seems clear that there was nothing of that in evidence, for Esau appears to welcome Jacob gladly and there seems only warmth in his greeting. Then as Jacob's family start arriving in groups Esau's warmth turns to amazement at their numbers.

     Eventually Esau asks the meaning of all the herds that had gone before Jacob. It seems he can't believe they are really to be his, but Jacob insists he keeps them. Esau has obviously also done well but eventually he agrees to receive the herds as Jacob testifies to God's goodness towards him during his time away Can it be that the Lord has soothed Esau's heart in preparation to receive Jacob back? He has been with him in everything else; He was probably in this as well. Again and again in Scripture there is the promise of blessing upon those who walk with the Lord, and that is certainly true of Jacob.

 

D. Application?

1. As there any relationships you fear to face? Could it be that the Lord will

    go ahead of you to prepare for a reconciliation?

2. Thank Jesus that He is the Prince of Peace.

Study No.21 : Jacob arrives home : Genesis 33:12-20

A. Find Out:

       

1. What did Esau offer? v.12

2. Why did Jacob reject his offer? v.13,14

3. What did Esau then offer to do? v.15a

4. What did Jacob ask in return? v.15b

5. Where & how did Jacob settle in the land? v.17-19

6. What did he do there? v.20

 

B. Think :

1. What, from their conversation, does it appear the two men are feeling?

2. Why do you think Jacob didn't go back to his original home?

3. Looking at the footnotes, what does the name Jacob gave the altar tell

    about him?

 

C. Comment :

      Although there seems to have been a real welcome for Jacob, one cannot help sensing a measure of suspicion between the two men. Esau suggests first that he accompanies Jacob home and then, when that is refused, suggests that at least some of his men travel with him. For what purpose? Presumably to keep an eye on him. Jacob, on the other hand, wants to get clear of Esau as soon as possible it seems, for as soon as he is left he moves off and settles in a different part of the country. Perhaps we ask more of him than can be expected if we want him to return back to his old home. Instead he settles near Succoth, which regrettably turns out to be a wrong move (read chapter 34 sometime)

      Nevertheless, he honourably buys some land and settles there, where he establishes an altar identified as "the God of Israel". He recognises that he is back by God's grace and acclaims God as his God. Maybe he has still got room for some changes in his life but he has certainly changed from when we first met him!

 

D. Application?

1. Do we sometimes reveal suspicion for others?

2. Do we sometimes say one thing and then do another?

3. Are we sometimes afraid to publicly identify with the Lord?

RECAP No.3  "Jacob returns Home"  Genesis 31:1 - 33:20

SUMMARY :  

         

In these 8 studies we have seen:

- Jacob leaving without telling Laban

- Laban pursuing & making a covenant with him

- Jacob preparing to meet Esau

- Jacob wrestling with God

- Meeting Esau

- Arriving back in Canaan

 

COMMENT :

     Jacob fearfully leaves Laban and is then pursued by him. Eventually they make a covenant and Jacob is allowed to continue on his way back home It is then he has his most significant encounter with God and shows his perseverance by refusing to let God go until he receives His blessing. For this he is commended by the Lord.

     He then continues on until he meets Esau with wise strategy and is rewarded by a warm welcome.

 

LESSONS :

1. The Lord is with us, and that to bless

2. We are to trust in the Lord and not in guile

3. God has revealed Himself in history

4. We should pray on the basis of what God has already revealed

5. We may seek God's wisdom to bring peace

6. God wants to deal with our selfish self-reliance

7. We are to seek peace in all our relationships

 

PRAY :

      Ask the Lord to draw you closer to Him in your relationship with Him

 

PART 4 : "Jacob in Old Age"

      In this last Part we will see contrasting aspects of Jacob. First there is the foolish father who spoils one son to the detriment of the rest of the family, and then the man of God who moves in faith. Especially in the latter part watch for this man who once was a twister but who now powerfully moves in faith.