Message Notes

INTRODUCTION

1. There was a confrontation between Laban and Jacob

2. Jacob had taken his huge family, his great wealth and secretly fled from Laban

3. Laban went after him and sought to find his stolen household idols

4. However, he could not find them

5. Rachel was secretly sitting on them

6. Laban could not find any fault with Jacob

a. All that Jacob had earned was rightly his

b. He had earned every bit of it through hard work

c. He had not taken anything from Laban that was not his

d. He was going to leave with his daughters to Canaan

7. Laban could make claims on all that Jacob had

8. This was his right as chieftain

9. He decided to make a covenant with Jacob

MAKING A COVENANT

1. Making of covenant between Laban and Jacob

a. A covenant is an agreement

b. A treaty between two equals

2. Witnesses of the covenant Genesis 31:44-50

3. Covenant details Genesis 31:50

a. No hurting of daughters or adding more wives

b. No crossing of demarcation line

AN IMPORTANT POINT IN JACOB’S LIFE

1. He had worked for Laban for 20 years

2. He was coming to the end of this episode in his life

3. He was deceived by Laban many times

4. But the Lord God had always been with him

LEARNING THAT GOD WILL ALWAYS KEEP HIS PROMISES

1. The Lord’s promises to Jacob (Looking back)

a. Specific promises Genesis 28:13-15

i. The land which the Lord would give to him and his descendants

ii. His descendants would be like the dust of the earth

iii. All the families of the earth would be blessed

iv. He will be with him and keep him

v. He will bring him back to the land

vi. He will not leave him

b. Jacob’s response – Setting up a pillar and made a vow Genesis 28:18-22

i. If God were to be with him

ii. If God were to keep him in his way

iii. If God were to provide for him

iv. If he were to come back to his father’s house in peace

v. The Lord would be his God

2. The Lord had fulfilled His promises

a. The Lord’s presence had been with him Genesis 31:5, 42

b. The Lord’s power protected him Genesis 31:7

i. Laban changed his wages 10 times

ii. The Lord did not allow Laban to hurt Jacob

iii. The Lord specially protected him through a warning to Laban

a) The Lord warned Laban not to harm Jacob

b) The Lord rebuked Laban

c. The Lord’s provision for him

i. He had a huge family

ii. He was blessed with great wealth

3. The Lord’s call for Jacob to return to Canaan

a. To return and He would be with him Genesis 31:3

b. To get out of the land and return to the land of his family Genesis 31:13

PERSONAL APPLICATION OF FAITH

1. Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac Genesis 31:53

a. There was that reverence for the Lord

b. He called God the Fear of Isaac

c. The God of Isaac had become his God

d. There was that reverence to God

e. He involved the Lord in the making of this covenant

2. He made an offering to the Lord Genesis 31:54

a. He expressed that reverence in worship of the Lord

b. He offered a sacrifice on the mountain

c. He worshipped and gave thanks to the Lord

3. He ate bread with his brethren Genesis 31:54

a. There was a meal after the sacrifice

b. He was gracious to Laban

c. He called his brethren to eat bread with him

CHALLENGES

1. Having faith in the Lord and His promises

a. God’s promises are true

i. Promise of His presence

ii. Promise of His power in keeping us

iii. Promise of His provision

b. We too can count on God’s promises being fulfilled in our life

c. Our part is to exercise faith in the Lord and His promises

2. Learning to have that fear and reverence for God

a. To fear the Lord for who He is

b. It is to give the Lord great respect and reverence

c. Jacob sought to worship the Lord with this reverence

3. Learning to be gracious to each other

a. Despite what Laban had done in the past, Jacob still had a meal with Laban

b. At least, things were ending on an amicable note

c. Jacob sought to end things on a good note

d. He was gracious to Laban

e. It is good for us to learn to be gracious to each other