Genesis 31 Day 1
Joy’s notes on verses 1-18
Gen 31:1
“But Jacob soon learned that Laban’s sons were grumbling about him. “Jacob has “robbed”
our father of everything!” they said. “He has gained all his wealth at our father’s expense.”
Heb 13:15
“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.”
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EVEN WHEN I’d rather …
grumble,
complain,
gripe,
groan
moan!
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To praise God in “those”
times REQUIRES personal sacrifice.
• satan knows “we enter Gods gates with THANKSGIVING & His courts with PRAISE
(“Because the Lord IS GOOD; His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through ALL generations!”)
⁃ psalm 100:4
⁃ People will “grumble” about you when GOD begins to perform miracles through you!
⁃ ENVY= (Labans son) distorts truth
⁃ GRUMBLING- Exodus 17
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• ISRAELITES grumbled against Moses when there was no water (again)
• Their grumbling made them blind —
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• BUT— MOSES COULD SEE see ROCK W/ WATER!!)
• Moses was told by God AFTER HE PRAYED- to take his staff & STRIKE rock — & water will gust out.” — & water gusted out!
(God didn’t need Moses’s ability just his availability!)
G R U M B L I N G: (a heart of ingratitude )
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ADAM & EVE
The first time we see Satan enter into the scene (Gen 3) he tries to distract Eve from a heart of gratitude for all the trees she GETS-TO eat from— & manipulates her into a heart of ingratitude for the one tree she cannot partake in.
• When we venture into a heart of ingratitude, we’re actually entering into a demonic realm (darkness that makes us stumble)
• Satan works overtime to take us from a spirit of gratitude to ingratitude
• Ingratitude blinds me.
⁃ So many stumble over the rock of God on their search for water (while grumbling), instead of realizing THE ROCK contains the living water to hydrate MY SOUL
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Gen 31:2
“And Jacob began to notice a change in Laban’s attitude toward him.”
• Envy separates intimacy between friends.
Nonverbal communication accounts for 93% of communication, while verbal communication accounts for only 7%
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But — insecurity & assumptions can often misunderstand “non-verbal” cues .
When someone’s “attitude” has changed toward you—
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— it may have NOTHING to do with you; but an insight into their own pain. PRAY!!!! FOR DISCERNMENT
⁃ we’re quick to believe they’re upset with us, when it’s possibly a window into their own hurting soul!
We need to see this “attitude change” through eyes of spiritual eyes to discern truth — (as Jacob did!)
⁃ I’ve gotten this wrong more turn right 🥲
———-
Gen 31:3
“Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your father and grandfather and to your relatives there, and I will be with you.”
• This is a repeat of Gen 28 13:15
• YHWH visits Jacob in a dream (on a rock pillow) & says:
“I am with you and
I will watch over you wherever you go, and
I will bring you back to this land and
I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
• He received this same promise the last time he hit rock bottom— and God is REPEATING IT AGAIN!
Because ….
• The remedy for FEAR= knowing the God of the Universe if WITH ME!!!
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Gen 21: 4
“So Jacob called Rachel and Leah out to the field where he was watching his flock. 5 He said to them, “I have noticed that your father’s attitude toward me has changed. But the God of my father HAS been with me.
• Peoples “attitudes” may change & they may Leave— BUT GOD DOES NOT!
• “don’t worry about the people God remove from your life. He heard conversations you didn’t, saw things you couldn’t, made moves you wouldn’t.” (Shannon keesler fb)
This is how we endure other peoples REJECTION …
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“BUT GOD HAS NOT LEFT ME!”
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6 (https://www.biblestudytools.com/deuteronomy/31-6.html)).
It’s PROTECTION- not REJECTION
• James 1:17 “He never shifts or casts a shifting shadow.
“A man who’s intimate with God is not intimidated by man.”
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Gen 31:6-7
“You know how hard I have worked for your father, 7 but he has cheated me, changing my wages ten times.
But God has not allowed him to do me any harm.
Isaiah 54:17
“But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will prevail!
You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you.
These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the LORD;
their vindication will come from me.
I, the LORD, have spoken!”
GOD SAYS:
⁃ He’ll strengthen you & protect you from evil one (2 thes 3:3)
⁃ God goes with you- He’ll never leave nor forsake you (Deut 31:6)
⁃ God will uphold you with His righteous right hand (Is. 41:10)
⁃ God spreads His protection over you (psalm 5:11)
⁃ God delivers you from all troubles (Psalm 34:19)
⁃ God is my refuge & my strength- my everlasting present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1)
⁃ God hides me in the shadow of His wings until disaster passes by (Psalm 57:1)
⁃ “My life is safe in the care of the LORD my God, secure in his treasure pouch! (1 Sam 25:29)
In spite of labans tactics, God is giving Jacob double for his trouble 👇
• Isaiah 61:7 “Instead of shame and dishonor, you will enjoy a double share of honor. You will possess a double portion of prosperity in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.”
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Gen 31:8
“For he said, ‘The speckled animals will be your wages,’ but then the whole flock began to produce speckled young!
And when he (Laban) changed his mind he said, ‘The striped animals will be your wages,’ then the whole flock produced striped young!
9 In this way, God has taken your father’s animals and given them to me.”
• Although Laban treated Jacob unfairly, God poured his favor, on Jacob
• ‘’God’s power is not limited by lack of Fairplay “
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He has the ability to meet our needs, even when others are miss treating us!
🔥Stanley story of elders/ being punched!
🔥(Stanley story - 7 elders / punched in face)
1 Corinthians 6:7
“Why not just accept the injustice & leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated? Instead, you yourselves are the ones who end up doing wrong….”
Why not? (Root of unbelief/ orphan thinking)
Promise or payback— but you can’t have both.
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Gen 31:10
“One time during the mating season, I had a dream and saw that the male goats mating with the females who were streaked, speckled, and spotted. “
• The LAST time Jacob had a dream, he encountered the LOVE/BLESSING He’d been longing for his entire life
• This GOD- DREAM changed the entire trajectory of his life
• Jacob takes GOD DREAMS very seriously… do you!?
• YHWH spoke to Jacob in a dream— and Jacob did what God called him to do even when it seems ridiculous to others.
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Gen 31:11
“Then in my dream, the angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ And I replied, ‘Yes, here I am.’
‘Here I am’ is INVOLUNTARILY RESPONSE to reverence.
Gen 22:1
• Some time later, God TESTED Abraham’s faith. “Abraham!” God called. “Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.”
• “Here I am”
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• Isaiah 6:8 “then I heard the lord asking, “who should I send as a messenger to the people?” I said, HERE I AM. Send me.
• 1 Sam 3:4 “Then the LORD called Samuel. Samuel answered, “HERE I AM.”
every morning, God calls out your name.
Are We responding “here I am!” ??
• There’s always a miracle waiting in the door way of “Here I am!”
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Gen 31:12
“The angel said, ‘Look up, and you will see that only the streaked, speckled & spotted males are mating with the females of your flock. For I have seen how Laban has treated you. “
• the spotted, speckled & streaked sheep were scraps/scrapes/set-asides (how Jacob felt)
• In a posture of “LOOKING UP” the scrapes, scrapes/left-overs are seen as VALUABLE & WORTHY.
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STORY: Pharisee & tax collector
LUKE 18:9-14
“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would NOT EVEN LOOK UP to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves (look up to themselves) will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted
• It’s here= the scraps become the sacred!
1 cor 1:27
“Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.”
Psalm 3:3
“ But you, Lord, our shield around me, my glory, the one who lifts my head.”
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Gen 31:13
“(remember) I am the God who appeared to you at Bethel, the place where you anointed the pillar of stone and made your vow to me.
“NOW”— get ready and leave this country and return to the land of your birth.’”
Remember 👉 Now
In order to obey the NOW— we have to remember the THEN!
Remembering isn’t passive
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Deuteronomy 6:6-9 “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
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• Impress them
• Talk about them
• Tie them (on hands)
• Bind them (on foreheads)
• Write them (on doorframes)
The Jordan river - priests held up the ark (containing Manna, Aaron’s budded staff & the 10 commandments)=
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REMINDERS OF GOD’S MIRACLES!!!
🔥REMEMBERING Gods faithfulness — will move us into obedience !
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14 Rachel and Leah responded, “That’s fine with us! We won’t inherit any of our father’s wealth anyway. 15 He has reduced our rights to those of foreign women. And after he sold us, he wasted the money you paid him for us. 16 All the wealth God has given you from our father legally belongs to us and our children. So go ahead and do whatever God has told you.”
• Leah & Rachel FINALLY agree on something— because they recognize this isn’t a human idea, but a God-idea
we’ve learned from this family that:
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HUMAN-IDEAS= pain/ jealousy/rejection
GOD-IDEAS = PEACE/ UNITY
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The FRUITS will reveal if it’s a GOD IDEA or HUMAN IDEA
Matt 7:16
“You will recognize them by their fruits…”
• to move his entire family was a HUGE undertaking & quite dangerous— but because his family BELIEVED in the dream Jacob was given by God— he was encouraged to obey it!
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• STORY: Jamie & building B45 building B45
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(CONCLUSION)
Gen 31:17
“So Jacob put his wives and children on camels, 18 and he drove all his livestock in front of him. He packed all the belongings he had acquired in Paddan-aram and set out for the land of Canaan, where his father, Isaac, lived… (“secretly” -31 “I rushed away because I was afraid,” Gen 31:20)
What?!? In SECRET? You were AFRIAD?!
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• The same way Jacob fled TO Paddan-Aran; (runing in secret/afraid) is the same way Jacob fled FROM Paddan-Aran (RUNNING IN SECRET;AFRAID)
But Jacob— God just confirmed you don’t have to retreat to your old survival mechanisms any longer— “HE IS WITH YOU!!”
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You no longer have to be afraid!
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Remember that promise, Jacob?
🔥The main character in this story IS NOT Jacob, it’s YHWH.
I AM JACOB 🖐🏻
When I’m fickle, feeble, fearful (like Jacob) ….
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God is revealing His character of faithfulness
& patience & grace & His
inexhaustibility
in your life!