Genesis #36 - Unlikely Grace #8 - "Unlikely Grace on the Long Way Home" (Genesis 30:25-31:55)

The Long Journey Home and God’s Unusual Grace

Genesis chapter 30 and We're going to read from verses 25 through to 42. Genesis chapter 30 from verses 25 through to 42. If you've grabbed one of the red hardback Bibles we give away and That's on page 25 if you need one You can put your hand up.

Are you happy like to give you one? Genesis chapter 30 beginning in verse 25. Page 25 in the Bibles that we give away. It's our custom here that when we come to the text that we're going to preach from we stand as we read it.

So if you are able to do so, can I invite you to stand as we read this portion of God's Word? Genesis chapter 30 and reading from verse.

25.

God's Word says after Rachel gave birth to Joseph Jacob said to Laban send me on my way so that I can return to my homeland. Give me my wives and my children that I worked for and let me go. You know how hard I have worked for you.

But Laban said to him if I have found favor with you stay. I have learned by divination that Yahweh has blessed me because of you. Then Laban said name your wages and I will pay them. So Jacob said to him, you know how I have served you and your how your herds have fared with me.

Well, you know, but you had very little excuse me before I came but now your wealth has increased. Yahweh has blessed you because of me and now when will I also do something for my own family? Laban asked what should I give you and Jacob said You don't need to give me anything.

If you do this one thing for me, I will continue to shepherd and keep your flock. Let me go through all your sheep today and Remove every sheep that is speckled or spotted every dark colored sheep among the lambs and the spotted and speckled among the female goats.

Such will be my wages in the future when you come to check on my wages. My honesty will testify for me if I have any female goats that are not speckled or spotted or any lambs that are not black. They will be considered stolen.

Good said Laban let it be as you have said. That day Laban removed the streets and spotted male goats and all the speckled and spotted female goats everyone that had any whites on it and Every dark colored one among the lambs and he placed this his sons in charge of them.

He puts a three-day journey between himself and Jacob. Jacob. Meanwhile was shepherding the rest of Laban's flock. Jacob then took branches of fresh poplar almond and plain wood and peeled the bark exposing white stripes on the branches.

He set the peel branches in the troughs in front of the sheep in the water channels where the sheep came to drink and The sheep bred when they came to drink. The flocks bred in front of the branches and bore street speckled and spotted young.

Jacob.

Separated the lambs and made the flocks face the street sheep and the completely dark sheep in Laban's flocks. Then he set his own stock apart and didn't want them and didn't put them. Excuse me with Laban sheep.

Whenever the stronger of the flock were breeding Jacob placed the branches in the troughs in full view of the flocks and they would breed in front of the branches. As for the weaklings of the flock he did not put out the branches.

So it turned out that the weak sheep belonged to Laban and the stronger ones to Jacob and. The man became very rich he had many flocks male and female and male slaves and camels and donkeys. Pray the Lord will bless that reading of his word and give us understanding as we Come to it.

Allow me to pray ask for God's help and we will launch into God's Word. Let's pray together. But heavenly father we ask that as we come to your word even now. You would open our eyes that we would see wonderful things from your word.

Pray that your spirit would be at work Teaching us the lessons that come from your word. And ultimately turning our eyes not towards ourselves, but towards heaven fathers. We come to this passage. Help us on our pilgrimage on our journey home.

That we would keep you front and center and all that we do. We ask all these things in Jesus name and for his sake. Amen. Please be seated. Through many dangers toils and snares. I have already come it's grace that brought me safe thus far and Grace will lead me home.

John Newton British pastor wrote those words reflecting on his conversion in the 1740s and those words reflect something of a reality that every Christian both realizes and hopes for you see every Christian I trust realizes that this world is not home.

We may choose to debate that we may choose not to like that reality. But the Bible is very clear. This world is not home. So we realize that this world is not home. But at the same time also long for and hope for the day when we as God's people will indeed Make it all the way home.

The reality is though the God in his providence has not made our journey home a short one. That between now and then between our pilgrimage in this world and our safe arrival in glory that between now and then God in his wisdom has made our Journey home a long one and like Newton said in his famous song There are quite a few dangers toils and snares along the way.

And we're gonna learn something of that as we pick up the story of Jacob this morning for those of you who are visiting we've been working our way for quite some time through the book of Genesis. It's our habit here at Redeemer to work our way through books of the Bible section by section allowing the point of the text to form the point of the sermon and so we have been working our way through the book of Genesis and in particular the life of Jacob and As we come to the life of Jacob this morning Jacob is about to encounter the reality.

That.

Regardless of our intentions on this journey home the journey home isn't always a smooth one. He's about to encounter that this journey home isn't always a smooth one and together with Jacob We're going to learn that while our journey home as God's people is indeed a long one.

However, we have the blessed hope and the blessed reality that we are not alone in that journey. In fact, we are never alone in.

That journey.

You can see from the screens that we have quite a large text to cover this morning. As I worked on this passage this week has realized this the only way for this to make sense is to treat this whole episode.

As one event, which means I'm going to do a lot of summarizing. It will not be my typical sermon where I'm going verse by verse. I will summarize and move over last sections so we can get through this material.

But as believers on the long journey home, what did this rather than interesting narrative? What does this interesting episode in the life of Jacob have to teach us as God's people? Well that kind of leads me to my big idea for this sermon this morning.

I think that is a very simple one. That on our pilgrimage as God's people God makes his presence and power known to us in a variety of unusual ways. On our pilgrimage as God's people God makes his presence and power known in a variety of unusual ways.

That's the thread I think that connects this long narrative that we're going to study together in God's Word. That as Jacob begins this journey back to the land of promise God makes his presence and his power known in a variety of Unusual ways.

That's my big idea for this morning, and I hope to kind of demonstrate that big idea by showing you in our passage four responses. To the unusual providence of God that we should adopt as we face the long way home.

Four responses to God's unusual way of working with us as we make this long journey home. So four responses. I'll do my best to be as brief as I can. Beloved as we face the long way home will be well equipped for that journey when we first of all recognize God's unusual provision.

When we recognize God's unusual provision. So jumping back into Genesis chapter 30 at least 20 years have passed since Jacob turned up on Laban's doorstep as he was running away from home when Jacob came.

He was a single man, but at this point he is now a husband of four remember the last sermon and a father of 12 11 sons and one daughter and. With 20 years having passed and remember if you've been with us in our series Genesis chapter 27.

This is only meant to be for a few days well a few days turned into. Yes, this is meant to be a short stay, but after 20 years Jacob is ready to return home. And so in verses 25 and 26, he simply asked like I'm ready to go send me on my way.

Let me take my it's interesting. He doesn't ask for anything. He simply says Verse 26 give me my wives and my children that I worked for and let me go now. This doesn't seem like an unreasonable request.

He's been here for 20 years. He's worked for a very minimal wage if any wage at all. But remember who we are deep in this we are dealing with a man called Laban and Laban is as we would say in East London where I grew up.

He is a wheeler and dealer. This is somebody who does not exactly have. Well, basically any respect for anyone other than himself, and he's not really going to lose free labor by letting Jacob go. It's been 20 years of not having to pay a wage for somebody to essentially enrich him.

And so versus 27 and 28 Laban says you can't leave essentially after all if I've I found favor with you if I've been good to you. Well stay if I live in says verse 28 name your wages and I will pay them.

Now we've heard this offer from Laban before and if I were Jacob, I would be skeptical. Because you remember that the last time he made this offer Jacob went to bed one night and woke up a bigamist. This didn't go well for Jacob last time.

But again, Jacob is not really in a position to negotiate at this stage. Doesn't have anything and if he wants to leave he's going to need some independent wealth to be able to go. And so in verses 31 to 33 Jacob says, okay.

Let's come to this arrangement. He says verse 32. Let me go through all your sheep today and remove every sheep that is speckled or spotted. Every dark colored sheep among the lambs and the spotted and speckled among the female goats such will be my wages.

Without boring you with a lesson of genetics this morning because I'm not an expert in genetics and we didn't come to it for a genetics.

Lesson.

Let me simply know. This would be an incredibly small portion of Laban's flock because all of these markers think back to six at school. These are all recessive. These are not dominant Markers, this would actually be a very small part of Laban's flock in comparison to what Jacob could ask for.

If we can pause for a moment, can we take a moment to appreciate the fact that Jacob?

The swindler.

The hustler is not resorting to any scheming tricking or just general chicanery here. Can you appreciate that fact for a moment? It's almost as though he has given up on trying to obtain a blessing by deception like he did with Esau.

No, this time he's going about this on the straight and narrow. He asked for an honest wage and he leaves it at that. I Mean again, this is perfectly reasonable. How could Laban possibly refuse after all?

He wouldn't be out that much as a result of this. I mean, this is no big deal. Why would he not do this? Surely he's going to pay Jacob what Jacob is worth, right? Wrong verse 35. That day. So they haven't even finished having this conversation.

The ink is still dry on the contract as it were. That day Laban removed the streaked and spotted male goats and all the speckled and spotted female goats and every dark-colored one among the lambs. And he placed his sons in charge of them.

So he's like, yeah, I'm gonna go ahead and not do that. And to make matters worse, he does this.

Puts his sons in charge.

And he doesn't even have the courage To withstand the consequence. Because verse 36 He puts a three-day journey between him and Jacob.

Takes off.

Of course Laban was not going to let this happen. If we've discovered anything about Laban Laban loves his wealth and he's not going to share with anyone. Especially not the likes of Jacob. Beloved, a temptation is now in the pathway of Jacob.

He has been conned by Laban once again. Beloved, think about this. The question that now faces Jacob is How do I respond to this? Does Jacob give in To that natural tendency of his To try and make something happen Even if he has to bend Pretty much all the rules in the process.

Or does he trust.

In the providence. And the provision of God In this moment. That's the test that is facing Jacob in this moment. And might I suggest.

As a point of application.

That that's a temptation that we are often faced with As well as God's people. So the world around us Mocks the people of God relentlessly. The choice that we face is Do we respond with equal derision and scorn and mockery.

Or do we choose.

As God's word calls us to To rise above it Maybe you're here and you've got unbelieving family. Your unbelieving family mocks your faith in Christ. After all, who would be stupid enough To believe in Jesus in 2024.

Do you cave.

Or do you stand firm. As believers we seek to fight Against our sin with the power Of the gospel and with the power of the spirit. And at times that fight against sin Can get harder and harder. Do we sit there and say I'm going to either grip my teeth Apply willpower Try harder or do better.

Or do we rest in the promises of God's word That says that the one The spirit, the one who Raised Jesus from the dead Will give life to our Weak and mortal bodies. And by the way that passage isn't just talking about resurrection.

It's talking about even in the here and now. The reality is all of us will face The temptation to either go God's way Or our own way. And the question that we face just like Jacob does in this passage Is what will We do.

And again I think Jacob is to be credited here. Because Jacob does not give in to the easy choice Of think about this Fighting fire with fire. Jacob is naturally a hustler. If he wanted to get back at Laban he could do it.

He could probably do it better than Laban could.

But he chooses.

Not to in this moment He chooses not to and God Provides in an unusual Way. In verses 35 to 42 There's a lot of debate about what's Going on in these verses about what Jacob is doing here. I'm personally not going to get into all of the debate As to whether there was some scientific reason.

Was this just a folk thing that Jacob does. Superstitiously. I think there's an easy answer but I'm going to save that answer For later in our message. So file that away we'll come back to it soon enough.

But for now Allow me to point your attention to the end of that section. Verse 42. So it turned out That the weak sheep Belonged to Laban And the stronger ones.

To Jacob.

And the man became very rich He had many flocks Male and female slaves And camels and donkeys. Despite the Scheming and the machinations Of Laban Jacob ends up being More than provided for. And can I put it to you that this is less about Jacob's ingenuity as a shepherd.

He clearly is good at his job. But this isn't just a man who's good at his job And is able to make some good investments. No this is more about The grace of God In caring for Jacob. Laban might have Schemed to cheat Jacob But God was more than Laban's match.

And again.

Let's be clear Jacob is not perfect. We've seen it those of you who are regulars who've been through This study in Genesis with us. Jacob is a man who was Marked by being feeble. By being foolish and at times just a little bit.

Fickle.

But before we point our fingers at Jacob Who of us can say that we've not been any of those at some point. Like Jacob we will have moments Where we don't know how God will provide.

But we are.

Called to trust the fact that Though we don't know how God will provide We can trust that he will.

Indeed provide.

Isn't that why Jesus could say I'm not going to read the whole thing but Matthew chapter 6 From verse 25 to 34. Don't Worry yourself with What you're going to wear What you're going to eat And what you're going to drink.

Doesn't he provide for all the birds in the sky. You ever seen a wildflower. They look beautiful. God is able to dress those. If you can do all of that He will take care of you. Your job, Matthew 6 .33 Seek God's kingdom And all these things will be added Will be provided for you.

And so how does Jesus in that section. He says Therefore don't worry about tomorrow Because tomorrow.

Will worry about itself.

We may not know how God will provide But we know that.

He will.

And as pilgrims on the long journey home We will be well served on our journey to Recognize those moments Of God's unusual.

Provision.

We also do well to Receive God's unusual.

Direction.

To receive God's unusual.

Direction.

So we come back to our narrative. We're moving now into chapter 31. Jacob has amassed some serious wealth And amassing this Wealth has not gone unnoticed. So look at verses 1 and 2. Now Jacob heard what Laban's sons were saying.

Jacob has taken all that Was our fathers And has built this wealth from what belonged.

To our father.

And Jacob saw from Laban's face that his attitude Toward him was not the same. As before I mean if we can just pause for a moment There are a few things I have an issue with With this right here. First of all talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

Are we really going to have Laban and his family Accused Jacob of stealing. Second of all no stealing actually took place. Because Laban agreed to this deal. Apparently there really isn't any honor among thieves.

And of course Jacob hadn't Taken anything more than what was Rightfully his. It's bad enough that this is a ridiculous claim. But I have to imagine that Jacob hears this. And he's concerned because again He knows who Laban is.

This is a man who is Fundamentally untrustworthy. And being fundamentally untrustworthy All bets Are off where he is concerned. He could do anything at any point in time. Jacob knows that this is A volatile situation.

This is not Going to end well This is a volatile situation. But can I put it to you That God actually likes when things are a little bit volatile.

Can I put it to you that.

God doesn't always like when things are easy.

And so it's into that.

In verse 3 God speaks and says Jacob it's time to go home. Apparently Jacob had put His plans to go home on pause. But God says no no no Hit play it's time for you to go. It's interesting the language that God Uses here in verse 3 Of going back to the land of your ancestors And to your family and I'll be with you.

It's kind of the reverse of what God told Abraham In Genesis 12. Remember Genesis 12. He says He should leave His father's house and his family To the land that I will show you Where Jacob is now being told to do the opposite.

Leave here go back to the land of your ancestors And your family. God wants Jacob to be aware of the fact that This is not home. This was not the land of promise. And God essentially is calling Jacob back To that land.

In the midst of a tense situation Yahweh has stepped in with.

Incredibly clear direction.

For his servant Jacob knows he obviously Can't do this alone. And so in verses 4 through 16 He calls his wives And he explains To them. He narrates to them the story Of why he.

Needs to go.

I studied it this week. I got the sense that Jacob Almost feels like he needs to convince them a little bit.

Like.

Look I know this might not Be high on your to do list Right now but listen here's what's Happening this is why we need to do this. And I want to note a couple of things About again we won't read that whole section Verses 4 through 16 but I want to just note a couple Of things about Jacob's Narration of what's happened.

To him.

First of all Jacob notices that God's Presence is clearly The difference maker. So in verse 5 he says That the God of my father Has been with me. Verse 7 he says but God Has not let Laban Harm me. Verse 9 God has taken away your father's Herds and given them To me.

There is a conscious understanding on his part That God has been at work. But not only is Jacob Conscious of Yahweh's direction. Remember how I told you we should Shelve that question of why Jacob does this Weird thing with the branches.

Well now we get our answer.

Verse 12.

Verse 10. Excuse me he says When the flocks were breeding I saw In a dream that the street Spotted and speckled males were mating With the females. In that dream The angel of God Said to me Jacob And I said here I am And he said look up and see All the males that are mating with the Flocks are streaked spotted and speckled For I have seen All that Laban Has been doing To you.

What looks like an act of craziness on the part Of Jacob is actually following the word.

Of the Lord and despite Jacob's.

Sins and failings and very Clear flaws. Jacob is conscious of the fact that God has been with him All the way From the moment where God Met him at Bethel Now in the land of Haran And he would be with him on the way back.

That's why he feels this confidence That it's time for us to go. But you know what I find sad about this narrative. Verses 14 through 16. The response of the daughters. They put up zero resistance to this.

In fact they're like.

No this needs to happen. After all they knew exactly what their father was. After all remember this He basically sold them.

To Jacob.

And then tried to cheat them Out of the provision he needed To take care of them. You get the sense that these young No they're not so young now I suppose. But that these women are keenly Aware of who their father is.

And they really weren't about to lose Any sleep or cry any tears About leaving their father. And there's a sense in which they at least Pay lip service to Yahweh's Direction in this. If I can pause God's direction of us might Not be as extraordinary And as direct as this.

We can debate whether he does that today or not. That's for another time. But though I would argue that God's direction of us Might not be as direct and as extraordinary As this that doesn't mean that we as God's People are left without any.

Direction.

Because beloved We are left with God's word. And in the Word of God, God makes his Will and his way Known to us and he makes it Known to us perfectly. As the psalmist would say in Psalm 119 Your word is a lamp for My feet and a light on My path.

God is good to us in that he gives us Direction in his word.

For life.

But again we are faced with the same Conundrum that we Thought about in the first point. Will we trust that direction. Or will we trust Ourselves.

Now you may think Kofi.

You're making this way. More clear cut than it Actually is. Sometimes Yes we know we have the bible. But sometimes you've got to finesse this thing a little bit. Though sometimes It's not just following the bible.

No.

I agree that there might be some work in Accurately applying God's Direction in his word. To our situation, I'm not going to deny that. Some things are wisdom. Calls we have to weigh up. What's the best way for me to do this especially where there's no clear command.

Definitely would not deny that. But the reality is It's still going God's way.

Or your way.

Even if we're not sure how to go God's way.

And so the.

Question that we receive. This morning is very simple. Which way will you.

Choose.

On our long journey home to glory There will be times where we need to recognize God's unusual provision. We need to receive his unusual direction. And there will be times where We need to rest in his undeserved protection.

There will be times where We need to rest in his undeserved.

Protection.

So in verses 17 to 21 of our passage The fly is on.

Jacob.

Laban goes for what was a practice for sheep herders And sheep owners in this day. The sheep shearing Could be up to two weeks long The sort of period where all the sheep go to get sheared. It was usually a Time that was accompanied with partying.

And what have you. Because you're gone for a while. And it's kind of a happy event. So this annual sheep shearing Provides a perfect opportunity To leave. Jacob is not even going to try Risk having a conversation because that didn't go well Last time.

Now it's pack my things and leave.

It's in the midst of this that.

Rachel does something that's completely inexplicable. It doesn't make any sense. She decides to steal. The text says the household gods That belonged to Laban. Household gods were basically miniature idols.

They were not the full scale ones that would be in a temple. Or a shrine. It's kind of like how some Roman Catholics Have their little statues of Mary. They're not obviously the big huge thing in their churches.

It's kind of like that. The decision to steal it doesn't really make any sense though.

Either she thinks.

That it will grant them some magical good luck On this journey. Or she's doing it to spite her father. Either way. And I leave you to pick which one because the text doesn't explicitly say Either way.

This is not good. Of course Jacob isn't privy to any of this He doesn't know that Rachel took these things He just sees an opportunity.

And again.

Knowing the man he's dealing with He kicks his plan into gear. In fact, Jacob is so cautious about this I wish I had time to go into all of this. But essentially he takes a slightly longer And more scenic route Shall we say To get to where he's going.

But he intentionally goes this way Because it's easier for him To hide if he needs to.

You get the sense that.

Jacob is somewhat terrified of this man. And it seems to be With some good reason. Because verse 22 -24.

Says.

On the third day Laban was told That Jacob had fled. So he took his relatives with him Pursued Jacob for seven days And overtook him in the hill country of Gilead. Jacob's sore trepidation Kind of pays itself off.

Because what does Laban do. He essentially rounds up a militia And he gives chase. The irony of this is. You may remember this. Those of you who have been here in our study of Genesis Remember when Abraham had a nephew That was called Lot.

And Lot decided to go live in a place He had no business living in And then found himself a prisoner of war. And the Bible says That Jacob takes men of his own household 318 of them Essentially his own private militia And he goes to war And he liberates his nephew.

Laban is doing The reverse of this. Abraham mounted an effort To liberate his nephew. Laban mounts an effort to essentially Re-enslave his nephew. Everything about this man And the way he operates is back to front From the way a righteous man should operate But just as he gets close.

He overtakes this.

You've got lots of animals. You've got kids. If you try going anywhere with kids You move significantly slower. Try 12 of them. So he gets overtaken And just as Laban as it were Gets close. The good news is that so does God.

And so God says verse 24 He comes to him in a dream at night. I love how God starts this.

He says watch yourself.

Make your next move your best move. Because what you're about to do is not smart.

He says watch yourself.

God warned him Don't say anything to Jacob Either good or bad. Essentially leave that boy alone. And of course. Did Laban listen to that? Of course he didn't. He's warned not to so much as breathe the word In Jacob's direction.

And he promptly ignores that warning. And so in verse 26 he starts this. What can only be described as a sob story. Laban said to Jacob. Verse 26 what have you done. You have deceived me And taken my daughters away like prisoners of war.

Why did you secretly flee from me.

Me.

I would have sent you away.

With joy and singing And with tambourine and lyres.

But.

You didn't even let me kiss my.

Grandchildren and my daughters. You have acted foolishly. I could do you great harm. Can I just pause for a moment. How did we go from.

You didn't even let me greet you.

To.

I could do you great harm. But last night the god of your father said to me Watch yourself don't say anything to Jacob. Either good or bad. Well why are you talking now then.

I have to put it to you just for a moment.

This little speech just reeks of self-centeredness. And self-importance. Did you catch how many times he uses the Personal pronoun. You deceived me. You have taken my daughters like prisoners of war.

Why did you secretly flee from me. Why did you deceive me. Not tell me. You didn't even let me kiss my grandchildren. And my daughters. Me, me, me, I, I, I.

The only.

Semi-legit thing he can say is. And on top of that you stole my gods I say semi-legit because someone took them. It was just wrong, it was Jacob who did it. And that's about it. And of course the worst part of this is God told him not to say A word to Jacob.

And he proceeds to go and say a lot of words Jacob I think You get the sense that Jacob is just kind of tired of this man at this point. He just wants him gone.

So he says you know what.

Go around, look for your idols. Now we know Rachel's taking it. Because the text tells us a full search takes place And the actual thief has a pretty ingenious Plan to deal with this. So verse 35 Father comes into her tent, starts looking around.

He says, text says she said to her father.

Don't be angry my lord that I cannot. Stand up. I am having my period. The Hebrew is much more euphemistic. About this, it says the manner Of women or the way of women Is on me, it's that time of the month.

I hope you can understand. Men in the room let's be honest If a woman says that to you it's like okay. I really don't want more details about that. He's like I'm not going to argue I'm not really going to probe into that, cool.

And so she gets away with it. Or so we think. But pay attention to verse 32. Because in verse 32 Jacob says if anyone Takes it they will not live. I'm not going to spoil the rest of my sermon series. But file that away.