Genesis 31: 17-24 – God undertakes to protect those who are His

Jacob, having the consent of his wives, settled his children and the two of them on camels and the family stealthily left for the land of Canaan. Laban was probably fully engaged during this time for it was wool shearing time. It is said that during such a time if one had a large flock the shearing crew could go as many as 400 shearers for a period of three complete days. And Laban was too busy to notice anything else so it was the perfect time for the family to inconspicuously escape. Without telling Laban, Jacob left and cross the Euphrates River making a go for the hill country of Gilead. 

One thing unsettling though was the fact that Rachel should steal the household idol of her father. It was probably a carved figure of a human. What could be her reason or reasons for stealing the idol? It was believed that possession of such an idol substantiates one’s claim to the family inheritance. Another explanation is that the idol was what Laban would use to practice his divination. And Rachel wanted to make sure that he did not have the ability to detect their escape. The plain and simple reason is that Rachel was just showing spite for her father, and showing disdain and disrespect for Laban’s gods. What Rachel did not know was that she was putting Jacob in jeopardy. Notice the uncle is known as an Aramean. This is deliberately done to distinguish him from Jacob and his children.

It took Laban three days to realize what had happened. News came to him that Jacob had fled. By this time Jacob had come to Gilead. There was a distance of seven days between Laban’s pursuing force and Jacob’s family. We can imagine Laban to be furious and went in hot pursuit of Jacob with murderous intent. He would have massacred his nephew if not for the intervention of the Lord. Prior to his confrontation with Jacob, verse 24 tells us that “God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream of the night and said to him, “Be careful that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad.” This is what happened when God is on your side. Like Jacob, when we get on God’s side, He will make it His business to protect us. So Paul asked in Romans 8:31, “…If God is for us, who is against us?” Yes, truly, nothing can ever threaten us or separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus!