Daily Devotions
Genesis
"Let them curse, but You bless; When they arise, let them be ashamed, But let Your servant rejoice." Psalm 109:28
Text: Genesis 31:1-55
THE PROTECTIVE HAND OF GOD
Jacob knew and appreciated the mighty hand of God in his life. Without His protection and blessing, he would not have grown so wealthy!
“Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham
and the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now
you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has
seen my affliction and the labour of my hands,
and rebuked you last night.”
GENESIS 31:42Invoking the Name of God
If Laban feared the loss of his idols, he would have even more reason to fear the God that Jacob worshipped! With great effect, Jacob invoked God’s Name in his speech.
‘The God of my father, the God of Abraham…’
Though Laban appeared to have worshipped idols now, surely there was a time when he held a high regard for the God of Abraham and Isaac! Jacob owned the same God!
‘The Fear of Isaac…’
Jacob added a new title for the God he believed in. Over the past twenty years, he had seen God’s mighty hand protecting him and blessing him. He grew to have a strong sense of reverence for the Lord. He coined a new name for this God of his. He called Him ‘The Fear of Isaac’.
Why did Jacob coin this phrase in his argument with Laban? Yes, it was because he feared the Lord. But surely it was also because he wanted to read the fear of God into Laban’s heart as well!
‘God… had been with me…’
This great God he owned had been with Jacob, as He had promised! He prevented Laban from taking advantage of Jacob. His ten schemes to cheat Jacob had all failed miserably because God had been with Jacob!
‘God has seen my affliction and the labour of my hands…’
God had seen all the sufferings of Jacob. He had sympathized with Jacob. He had also seen how hard Jacob had worked these past twenty years! Even if Laban had ignored his efforts, God hadn’t! He had rewarded Jacob according to the effort that he had poured into his work.
“And rebuked you last night…”
Had God rebuked Laban? Well, he deserved it. Jacob did not express sympathy for Laban, but felt that he had deserved the rebuke from the Lord for his sinful ways!