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"That I may see the benefit of Your chosen ones, That I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, That I may glory with Your inheritance" Psalm 106:5

Text: Genesis 31:1-55

THE CONFRONTATION

Whatever threats that Laban had planned to hurl at Jacob were now withdrawn completely. The confrontation had to take place, but not as planned.

“So Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent
in the mountains, and Laban with his brethren pitched in
the mountains of Gilead. And Laban said to Jacob:
‘What have you done, that you have stolen away unknown to me,
and carried away my daughters like captives taken with
the sword? Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away
from me, and not tell me; for I might have sent you away with joy
and songs, with timbrel and harp? And you did not allow me
to kiss my sons and my daughters. Now you have done foolishly
in so doing.'”
GENESIS 31:25-28

Laban admonished Jacob for surreptitiously spiriting away his family without a formal farewell. He was well within his legal rights to have made such demands on Jacob! Laban was a master at using such language! He knew how to turn the table on just about anyone, no matter how much of a corner he found himself in! Jacob would never have come up with a reply to Laban’s recriminations!

Laban may or may not have performed any of the things he said he would have liked to do. However, the issue of whether he would have given a grand farewell to Jacob and his family was moot!

RECOUNTING GOD’S WORD OF WARNING

Laban had to admit that he could have and would have harmed Jacob, if not for the warning that he had received from God.

“It is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father
spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you speak to Jacob
neither good nor bad. And now you have surely gone because
you greatly long for your father’s house, but why did you
steal my gods?'”
GENESIS 31:29-30

Laban could not forget what God had spoken to him! Yes, he would have tried to prevent Jacob from leaving Padan Aram. He would have ordered an attack on Jacob if God had not personally warned him against it. Laban had decided that he would pay heed to this dreadful dream that he had figured must have been from a truly Powerful God. He must not risk the having the wrath of this God fall upon him!

Thwarted by Divine intervention, Laban felt that the only thing he could demand was that his household gods be returned to him! He was not afraid to admit that he had worshipped other gods. Why had Jacob, who worshiped the Invisible God of his father stolen his idols? What would he do with them?