[Linux4christians] Genesis 31:36-55 [32:1] (Saturday)

[pastordavid at bibleseven.com]

/It appears that the Saturday study did not make it to you all,
I apologize.

I guess everyone must be having a busy July 4th weekend and no
one noticed the missing daily study in their Inbox!

Please E-mail me when you do not receive the study so that I am
aware of such a failure.

Praying in-agreement for our leaders to turn towards God./

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Genesis 31:36-55 [32:1] (Saturday)


31:36 Jacob became angry and argued with Laban. "What did I do wrong?" 
he demanded of Laban. "What sin of mine prompted you to chase after me 
in hot pursuit? 31:37 When you searched through all my goods, did you 
find anything that belonged to you? Set it here before my relatives and 
yours, and let them settle the dispute between the two of us!


31:38 "I have been with you for the past twenty years. Your ewes and 
female goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from your 
flocks. 31:39 Animals torn by wild beasts I never brought to you; I 
always absorbed the loss myself. You always made me pay for every 
missing animal, whether it was taken by day or at night. 31:40 I was 
consumed by scorching heat during the day and by piercing cold at night, 
and I went without sleep. 31:41 This was my lot for twenty years in your 
house: I worked like a slave for you -- fourteen years for your two 
daughters and six years for your flocks, but you changed my wages ten 
times!


31:42 If the God of my father -- the God of Abraham, the one whom Isaac 
fears -- had not been with me, you would certainly have sent me away 
empty-handed! But God saw how I was oppressed and how hard I worked, and 
he rebuked you last night."


31:43 Laban replied to Jacob, "These women are my daughters, these 
children are my grandchildren, and these flocks are my flocks. All that 
you see belongs to me. But how can I harm these daughters of mine today 
or the children to whom they have given birth? 31:44 So now, come, let's 
make a formal agreement, you and I, and it will be proof that we have 
made peace."


31:45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a memorial pillar. 31:46 
Then he said to his relatives, "Gather stones." So they brought stones 
and put them in a pile. They ate there by the pile of stones. 31:47 
Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.


31:48 Laban said, "This pile of stones is a witness of our agreement 
today." That is why it was called Galeed. 31:49 It was also called 
Mizpah because he said, "May the Lord watch between us when we are out 
of sight of one another. 31:50 If you mistreat my daughters or if you 
take wives besides my daughters, although no one else is with us, 
realize that God is witness to your actions."


31:51 "Here is this pile of stones and this pillar I have set up between 
me and you," Laban said to Jacob. 31:52 "This pile of stones and the 
pillar are reminders that I will not pass beyond this pile to come to 
harm you and that you will not pass beyond this pile and this pillar to 
come to harm me.


31:53 May the God of Abraham and the god of Nahor, the gods of their 
father, judge between us." Jacob took an oath by the God whom his father 
Isaac feared. 31:54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and 
invited his relatives to eat the meal. They ate the meal and spent the 
night on the mountain.


31:55 (32:1) Early in the morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his 
daughters goodbye and blessed them. Then Laban left and returned home.


Prayer: Lord, the world sees through blindly-selfish eyes, may I be 
faithful in seeing things through Your eyes of truth.


Commentary


Jacob declares his innocence (not knowing of the stolen idols) and his 
right to claim his family and property after 20 years of sacrificial 
service to Laban.


Laban falsely declares ownership of Jacob's daughters (he gave/sold them 
to Jacob) and of all of Jacob's property (earned by Jacob under an 
agreement with Laban).


They make peace as neither desires a conflict and Laban remains fearful 
due to the vision from God.


The differences are illustrated in their names for the place of the 
"memorial pillar", the God/gods to whom they "swear", and their 
perspective of their own righteousness.


*Interaction*


*Consider this:* Jacob was clearly righteous in his claim to his wives 
and property, Laban was not.


*Discuss this:* If not for the intervention of God -- placing fear in 
the heart of Laban -- what might have happened between Laban and Jacob?


*Reflect on this:* Does the fear of God cause us to be peacemakers, 
despite differences, or do we sometimes rush to demand what is "ours" 
without regard to God?


*Share this:* When have you experienced or observed a situation where 
God, though His Holy Spirit, has caused a peaceful resolution to what 
would otherwise have been an unnecessary conflict?


*Faith in Action*


*Prayer:* Ask the Holy Spirit to protect you from those whose 
selfishness might cause them to harm you, and from your own 
rush-to-action where you might unnecessarily create conflict with others.


*Action:* I will prayerfully partner with the Holy Spirit to seek a 
peaceful settlement where there is conflict. I will not sell-out truth 
or be abused I any way but I will not make unreasonable demands nor will 
I insist that the other agree with me where it is clear that they cannot 
[for doctrinal or maturity or spiritual or other reasons]. I will find a 
middle ground where a parting and/or a resolution is possible with 
minimal conflict and/or harm.


Be Specific 
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/*Sunday's text will be: Genesis 32*/



-- 

Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day!  Pastor David
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Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com
Bible Resources: http://bible.org
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