On the Run (Again!)

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 119:105-112

Psalm 119:105–112 ESV

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to keep your righteous rules. I am severely afflicted; give me life, O Lord, according to your word! Accept my freewill offerings of praise, O Lord, and teach me your rules. I hold my life in my hand continually, but I do not forget your law. The wicked have laid a snare for me, but I do not stray from your precepts. Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart. I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end.

Scripture Memorization: Genesis 50:19-20

Genesis 50:19–20 “But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

Scripture Reading: Romans 12:14-21

Romans 12:14–21 ESV

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Sermon:

1

Speaker 1

00:00

Once again, and as always, good morning church. I was glad when they said to me let us go and worship in the house of the Lord. Well, to prepare our hearts and Minds for the passage that we will be looking at today. I I like to to maybe get us all thinking. In the right Avenue, get get our minds sort of clicking in the right way if that makes sense. And so I'd like you to try to think about with me for just a moment. A time in your life.

00:37

Everyone. It seems like was doing everything they can to make your life. More difficult. Maybe the people in authority Authority over you have made decision after decision that just makes your life harder. And it's some work policies changed, and they took what was going just fine, and no one had any problems. In fact, it was solving the problems that they thought existed. They there weren't. Someone has come in. They fixed all of those, and now your life's 10 times more difficult. And on top of that, the person who's supposed to be helping you to make your life more easy. It feels like, maybe they're out to get you.

01:18

And everything that once was going right is now going wrong. So then you go home, and the people who are supposed to be on your side, the people that are supposed to have your back. Well, there's now some problems there too. And now you're fighting at home. You're fighting at work and your friends are being ridiculous, and it just feels like this time in your life. Where everything's just all messed up, and everyone is out to get you. What do we do in situations like that? It's a good question. What's the right response? For many of us, the right response, maybe feels like I'm done whatever I give up.

02:01

For Jacob. As he finds himself in this similar sort of situation. He will in fact. Look to the Lord.

02:16

In the midst of all of these situations. If you were to ask me, okay, David, we're preaching Genesis 31 today. What's the one message? What's the one lesson? That we need to learn. And here's your whole sermon. We'll get it done in the first, like four minutes of the sermon. What's the one lesson in Genesis 31? At the end of the day, it's it doesn't matter. What's going on around you? Look to the Lord.

02:47

What everyone around you may mean for evil? And even if it's things they don't mean for evil, but things just turn out evil.

02:58

God needs it for good. For, we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose.

03:09

Jacob seems to know that. And we'll learn about it in Genesis chapter 31. It's a long text. It's, it's a longer chapter. We're going to be looking at the whole thing instead of reading it all at once. We will explore the story together. As it were. So, let's begin our time this morning, then with a word of prayer. Dear Lord, we do. Thank you. For your grace and your mercy. For the kindness that you have showed us. Kindness. We read that leads us to repentance. We thank you. That though our sins were Scarlet, you have washed us whiter than snow.

03:53

We are grateful that you look upon us your people. And that all who believe in the name of your son who trust in his name. You give us the right to be called children of God. May we walk and live as your children? I ask that you would teach us this morning according to your word. Reveal yourself to us. Profound and important ways. It's in Jesus name that we pray. Amen. And amen. To remind us of our context because we're sort of quote unquote. Fixing the context, as it were, Jacob. Trickster, Jacob. The the liar, the cheat Jacob, who has?

04:34

Conned his brother out of his Birthright and stolen his brother's blessing. Who then his brother wants to murder him, has fled under the cover of Darkness to his uncle's house. Fleeing for his safety. The reason he was given the reason. The external reason given for him fleeing was he needs to go find a wife. So he finds Laban his uncle. And Laban. The trickster. The cheat, the scoundrel. Has tricked Jacob into marrying not one, but two of his wives sorry, two of his daughters. Jacob wanted to return home. This was our text for last week. He cut a deal with Laban.

05:19

And just give me the speckle, the spotted, the modded goat, the ones that you didn't have before I worked here. But since I've been working God's been blessing you. You now have an abundance. Just give me the speckled and spotted and let me go home. And Levi said. Sure, that's a great deal. You all the speckled and spotted you can find or yours, and you can go. And then Laban sent all the speckled and spotted and modeled sheep away with his son. So he left Jacob with nothing, and Jacob had to work out this program this this breeding program selectively choosing to help figure out by the grace of God. How can he get some sheep and goats?

06:00

End. We read thus the man Jacob Genesis 30, 43 increased greatly had large flocks, female servants and male servants and camels. And donkeys. And so now. In total. After 20 years. Jacob's ready! To go home. But he will not receive some warm send off. You can tell by the title of the sermon on the run again. He's got to leave again. Under the cover of Darkness. For slightly different reasons in very different circumstances, but here we find ourselves again. The world, it seems, is out to get Jacob everything's going wrong. What is he going to do?

06:48

We'll start. By understanding the setup to this situation. Starting in verse 1.

06:55

Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying Jacob has taken all that was our fathers. And from what was our fathers? He has gained all his wealth. And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before. Then, the Lord said to Jacob, return to the land of your fathers into your Kindred, and I will be with you. So, Jacob sent and called Rachel annalia into the field, where his flock was. And he said to them. I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. But the god of my father has been with me. You know that I have served your father with all my strength yet. Your father has cheated me and changed my wages 10 times.

07:36

But God did not permit him to harm me. If he said this spot, it shall be your wages. Then, all the flockmore spotted, and if he said the stripe shall be your wage, then all the flock bore striped. Thus, God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me. Reading season of the flock. I lifted on my eyes, and I saw in a dream that the goats were that mated with a flock were striped and spotted and modeled. Angel of God came to me in a dream and said, Jacob, and I said, here I am.

08:06

He said, lift up your eyes and see all the goats, the mate with the flock or stripe spotted and modeled for. I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. I am the god of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me now arise. Go out from this land and return to the land of your Kindred. Leah answered and said to him, is there any portion or inheritance left for us in our father's house? Are we not regarded by him as foreigners, for he has sold us, and he has indeed devoured our money?

08:38

All the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. Now then, whatever God has said to you?

08:49

It's time for Jacob to leave. Here in the setup, we start with the the burning jealousy of Laban Sons. The sons who participated in the father's scheme. We don't know how explicit they were in knowing what was going on. But they're the ones that took the sheep that were supposed to already be. Jason, the beginning of the whole ordeal. But they look around and Laban if we remember laban's testimony before. Was I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me because of you? Laban's Sons don't have this same feeling the feeling of Laban's Sons. Is Jacob's stealing all our dad's stuff?

09:28

Think we can read this into it? Jacob's stealing our inheritance? It's not okay. Everything that makes our father Rich Jacob's trying to take. It doesn't matter that Jacob was the one breeding the goats and working this out and breeding the stronger so that these are stronger and working this out. The Suns could have been doing the same sorts of things instead. They're here jealously complaining about Jacob. Are feeling. The sons of Laban has it seems to rub off on Laban. So, going from, I know God has blood. Just stay here with me, Jacob. This was all last week. Stay here with me. I'll Minister like, I need you, you. God is blessing me because of you stay here. Jacob, now Jacob does not sorry. Laban does not regard him with favor.

10:15

Lay been sick of all the strong goats going to Jacob Laban, sick of all of this stuff that's going on as well. And so things have gotten bad. So bad that God comes to Jacob and tells him it's time to go.

10:31

Much like Jacob or here appeared sorry, much like God appeared to Abraham. And said. Now, go time to leave the land of your children and go to the land. I will tell you now God comes to Jacob go. It's time to go. So, Jacob gathers his wife. Recounts the story with some added details. It's been even worse than we thought. Jacob has been serving Laban with all his strength, and yet verse 7 of Genesis 31 tells us that Laban has cheated Jacob over and over again 10 times. Ten times. Okay, Jacob. You can have all this spotted well now. The spotted ones are the favorite one. Just kidding, Jake. You can't have those I want that you can have the stripes? Oh, now, the striped are the good ones. Well, now you can have these 10 times.

11:22

Laban has gone back and changed this deal 10 times. He has changed 10 times. Over the course of years.

11:33

I don't know if we're counting in this 10, changing the wages of. You can marry this wife just kidding now. Seven more years of, we're changing the wages again. I don't know if we count those. However, Jacob's County he's been cheated and swindled. It feels like 10 times, but verse 7 God did not permit him to harm him. I said in our last story that that God was sort of the Unseen force behind all of this. They're the only people that really mention God was, Laban said. God's blessed Laban because of Jacob Jacob said God's best Laban because of Jacob, but here we see. Jacob knows God's the one providing and protecting him.

12:14

The Lord came and spoke to him and said, look, I'm doing this. Start the sticks. It's not the peeling of the bark. It's not whatever's going on with putting the stick in the truck. It's not that stuff God's the one I'm doing this.

12:29

And then we have this tragic scene, so Jacob's talking to his wives, laban's daughters. Like your dad's cheated me. It's it's time for us to go.

12:41

And the daughter's responses are.

12:47

Yeah, my dad is a cheat. Let's just get out of here. He's a cheat who only cares about money. He doesn't care about his daughters. There's no portion for the daughters left. When Jacob sorry when Laban was stealing from Jacob when he was conning Jacob, it wasn't just Jacob. It was Jacob and Jacob's wives and Jacob's children, his daughters, and his grandchildren that he was literally taking the food out of their mouth. For his own greedy reasons. The setup we have here is. Jacob is in a situation where Laban is taking advantage. Jacob's wives see that their father is a Khan who only cares about his money and his income.

13:31

And they say if God says it's time to go, it's time to go.

13:38

And so we're gonna go. Verse 17, so Jacob arose and said his sons and his wives on camels. He drove away all his livestock all his property that he had gained the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in padana Rama to go to the land of Canaan to his father, Isaac. Even had gone to sheer sheep and Rachel stole her father's household goods, and Jacob tricked Laban the aramian by not telling him that he intended to flee. He fled with all that he had and arose and crossed the Euphrates. And set his face towards the Hill Country of Gilead.

14:17

The flights. Jacob arises, sets his wife and his sons, his wives, and his sons. On camels, it's time to go. We're leaving. I'm taking everything that's mine, says Jacob. That's an important distinction. I'm taking everything that's mine. Says Jacob. All his livestock. All of the we read it in verse 43 of chapter 30. Large flocks, female servants, male servants, camels, donkeys. He gets everything that's his. And he's leaving. There's important note no word in the Bible, even I believe is. Superfluous extra for no reason. We know who Laban is. We've been reading about Laban. We've seen lots of things with Laban.

15:05

Verse 20. Jacob. Trick is what the ESV says Laban, the aramian. Laban is now painted as the Foreigner. The outside. The different one. Jacob belongs to the land of Canaan and father, his father, Isaac. He's not a Canaanite. That's the promised land. This is the land of his father and Abraham, the land that God promised to him. That's his place, Laban. You're the Aramaan. You're the outsider. Jacob takes all that's his. And fleeks. There's a little problem.

15:52

Jake is not the only one taking things.

15:58

Laban had gone to Shear as sheep. Verse 19 says, and Rachel stole her father's household. Gods. This is gonna be a problem. We'll get to the end of it, but here it is. Jacob takes all that's rightfully his. All that God has blessed him with all that God has given to him.

16:21

Rachel. Also steals the household gods. There's actually if you read.

16:33

In the original Hebrew. A bit of a pun that's hard to get exactly in the English. Rachel store, whole father's household goods. Or Gods? And Jacob. Stole labans heart. Is really what we we read here, this idea that he tricked Laban the Arammy, and he stole his heart. His heart, probably being his daughters and his grandsons, though he has warped his mind with sinful thinking. And he thinks as hard as money and all this. Other things we all get to a point where we realize that's not what's going on. We get to the point where we realized we don't just want money and goods.

17:15

We want kids and grandkids. We want friends and loved ones.

17:23

Rachel, stealing the household goods. Jacob is stealing the heart of Laban. And again, they go. They cross the Euphrates. They set their face towards the Hill Country of Gilead. We're getting out of here. The note that Laban is out sharing his sheep with a flock as great as his likely was because of God blessing Jacob. This would be an ordeal. This could be a week or two of being out in the field, just sharing sheep after sheep after sheep with all your sons and all your servants. You're going. You're getting all the wool. It's a big deal.

18:01

So, Jacob takes this time. And he leaves. Doesn't announce it. Doesn't say, hey, we're going. He just leaves. Turns out Laban is not going to be happy about this. And this is why we're on the run. Now, we leave in the cover of Darkness, while Laban's outsharing the Sheep. And we get to the pursuit. And when it was told verse 22 Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled, he took his Kinsmen with him and pursued him for seven days and followed close after him into the Hill Country. But God came to Laban the aramian note, leaving the Army and in a dream by night and said to him, be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.

18:50

And Laban overtook Jacob. Now, Jacob had pitched his tent on a Hill Country with Laban. His Kinsmen pinched his tets in the Hill Country of Gilead.

19:01

And leave and said Jacob, what have you done? You have tricked me and driven away my daughters like captives. Of the sore. Here's the pursuit, Laban hears. He hears that Jacob has taken his wives, his grandsons. Jacob's things. But he's also, you know, he's heard the household goods are taken. He's going to know that I don't know how he heard, who knows? They're gone!

19:33

Either way. He pursues. The important thought here is the language of pursuit. Is very militaristic.

19:44

He pursued him even that, right? What's interesting? Following someone and pursuing something, we have the same phenomenon in English. Hey, I'll just followed him. Oh, there he goes, I'll follow him. No, I'm pursuing. I'm chasing after. I'm going to catch him. He follows close behind him. Then in verse 25.

20:09

Overtakes Jacob. This Pursuit here. Has militaristic overtones. God comes to Laban, the Foreigner, and the god of Jacob, even speaks to the fore. And he says, be careful, don't say anything to Jacob better, not mess this up. Laban, you know that all the blessing you have is because of Jacob, don't you dare say anything to him good or bad?

20:38

Now, Laban is going to say things to him. Is Labing guilty of disobeying God here? It's a little muddy. What exactly don't say anything good or bad? Maybe this, don't bless him or curse him. Maybe it means don't say anything. Just just give up your Pursuit and Laban's going to disobey, I don't know exactly. Either way, God speaks to Laban in such a way as to protect Jacob. And Laban catches up his militaristic Pursuit, and yet then accuses Jacob of being the one who's doing these things wrong. Why have you tricked me. Why have you done this and you have driven away my daughters?

21:18

Like captives of the sword, you are taking my daughters, not your wives, my daughters away. And you're doing it like some Thief. In the night who's driving them away like slaves? Like captives of the sword, like a conquered Army, you're taking away my daughters.

21:38

And this begins then the confrontation.

21:44

We'll start in verse 2016 and Label said to Jacob. What have you done that you have tricked me and driven away? My daughters, like caps of the sword. Why did you flee secretly and trick me and you did not tell me so that I could have sent you away with MERS and songs and tambourine and lie and liar. And why did you not permit me to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell?

22:06

It is in my power to do you harm, but? The god of your father spoke to me last night, saying, be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad. And now you've gone away because you long greatly for your father's house. But why did you steal my household? God steal my Gods. Big up answer. Instead of leaving because I was afraid for, I thought that you would take your daughters for me by force. Any with anyone with whom you find your God shall not live in the presence of our Kinsmen point out. What I have said is yours and take it.

22:36

Now, Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them. So, Laban went into Jacob's tent and Elias tent and the ten of the two female servants. But he did not find them. And he went out of Leah's tent and entered Rachel's. Now, Rachel had taken the household goods and put them in the camel saddle and sat on them. Laban felt all about the temp, but did not find them. And she said to her father, let not my Lord be angry, that I cannot rise before you for the way of women is upon me. So he searched and did not find the household gods.

23:10

Then, Jacob became angry and berated, Laban Jacob said to Laban. What is my offense? What is my sin that you have hardly pursued me? For you have fell through all my goods and what have you found of all your household goods? Set it here before my Kinsmen and your Kinsmen that they may decide between the two us two. 20 years. I have been with you, your youth and female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the Rams of your flocks. What was torn by wild beasts? I did not bring to you. I bore the loss in myself. From my hand, you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. There I was by day, the heat consumed me and the cold by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. These 20 years, I have been in your house.

24:00

I served you for 14 years for your two daughters and six years for your flock and you have changed my wages 10 times. If the god of my Father, the god of Abraham and the fear of Isaac had not been on my side, surely you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my Affliction and the labor in my hands and rebuked you last night. That's the confrontation. Jacob here. There's no pushover. Laban comes full of puffery and lives. We know their lies because the daughters know the heart of their son, they said. Our dad's done with us, he treats us like foreigners, he gives us nothing everything he steals from you. He's stealing from us.

24:51

Jacob comes, they're leaving comes Jacob. He's, like, well, why'd you leave if you would have told me you were leaving? We could have thrown a party. I would have cared for you. We would have sent you away. No, you wouldn't. You would have changed his wages 11 times. But here, Laban accuses him. But why did you steal my household Gods? That's not yours. The deal is striped and spotted a model, and I try to steal. I tried to con you whatever. But you stole my household Gods? And here, Jacob. Ignorant of the fact that Rachel has stolen the household gods.

25:27

Stands on what he believes to be, is right, and true. I didn't take your stuff. No one here. In fact. Jacob. Is so confident. He says, you know, what? I don't have your stuff. No one here has your stuff. And if you find that stuff, you can kill them. Whoever has your household Gods? Their life is forfeit. Anyone with whom you find your God shall not live whatever? Because they're not here. Look around all you want. And here we see the danger part of this confrontation. Because for Jacob, he has unknowingly. We read this. We know for certain verse 32, says Jacob, did not know that Rachel had stolen them.

26:15

He unwilling unknowingly. Places the. Of his most beloved wife in danger. He has just sentenced her to a death sentence.

26:32

So, leaving goes, and he searches. He goes into Jacob's tent. They're not there. Goes nalia's temp. They're not. There goes with the 10 of the two female servants are not there.

26:43

Now, he's going into Rachel's. They are there?

26:50

He ends up not finding them.

26:54

What's the lesson to learn from Rachel stealing her father's household goods, hiding them in a camel bag sitting on them? And saying, I can't stand up. You can't look here. Because the way of women is upon me. She's in her cycle. She's considered unclean. So I, I can't stand up. We can't go here, so she she ends up living. I don't know. I don't know the lesson from that one.

27:30

I know the end result here. Though she means evil stealing, though Laban means evil. Killing. God means it for good. In that Rachel will live and eventually bear another son.

27:53

But after Laban's done with his confrontation, he finds nothing. He searched and did not find these things. The confrontation, swips, and out switches. And now, Jacob's the one who's lived? And Jacob goes on a tirade full of Truth and passion. What is my offense? Okay, you searched. You're here, chasing after us. What did I do wrong? The answer? Nothing? What is my sin? Jacob is clean, his conscience is clean, and in fact, his actions. He has been justified. He did not do anything. Yet, you come after me, Laban, you Chase, and you hound, and you pursue.

28:39

And you catch up and you threaten us. You say all these things? But Jacob's, now, in this time where it's, not just this, it's the 20 years of pent-up rage just come exploding out of Jacob. These 20 years, I served you and Jacob recounts his service, and it is Flawless, impeccable service, and it is selfless service. The flock is labans. And yet, sometimes when you have a flock, even the best Shepherds. One might get away. Or the Lions come, and they get one, and then you drive them away. Or something happens in thieves. Come in the night, whatever happens.

29:23

And Jacob recounts for us that every loss that he had Jacob. Who was the poor one? The one who had nothing is the one who Bears the responsibility. Because I. Bring these before me. Like, oh well, you lost a sheet, but it's one of yours. I'm still keeping mine. Jacob makes up for every loss. For 20 years, he serves him. Here's how we know 20 years. I've been in your house verse 41 14 years for your daughter six years for your flock. Seven years for Leah, seven years for Rachel's six years for the flock 20 years of service, and you cheated me time after time after time after time times 10.

30:08

And if I would have left when you wanted me to, you would have sent me away with nothing. You just said fine, you can leave, but I'm keeping it all. So, what do you you would have broke your word again? So, God. Saw my Affliction. God answered me, God provided for me, and we're leaving. There's this sub text here that the household gods of Laban he has to go around searching and trying to find them. He's the one who has to try to rescue them. He's the one that has to do all this stuff. He's the one searching he can't even find him because Rachel lies.

30:50

Of Jacob delivers him, provides for him, gives him all of this blesses him mightily. The god of Jacob is so much better, so much stronger than the gods of Laban. And so God will deliver. God will take care of him. Though Laban sought to cheat him, Jacob trusts in the Lord, and God protects him. Though Rachel lies and puts herself and all of this in danger, God protects Jacob. So, Jacob looks to the Lord.

31:28

And we end then with the tree. Jacob, calling Laban out. It seems like it works. Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, the daughters or my daughters, the children of my children. The flocks are my flocks and all that you see is mine. But what can I do? This day for these my daughters or for their children whom they have borne. Come! Now, let us make a covenant. You and I. Let it be a witness between you and me. So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. And Jacob said to his Kinsmen, gather stones.

31:59

And they took stones and made a heap. Ate by the Heap Laban called it jagar shahuda, but Jacob called it galide. Laban said. This Heap is a witness between you and me today. Therefore, he named it Gleed. And mizpah, for he said the Lord watch between you and me when we are out of one another's sight. If you oppress my daughters, or if you take wives beside my daughters, although no one is with us. Me, God is witnessed between you and me. Then, Laban said. Did Jacob see this Heap and pillar, which I have set between you and me? This Heap is a witness, and the pillar is a witness.

32:33

Will not pass over this Heap to you, and you will not pass over this Heap and this pillar to me to do harm. The god of Abraham, the god of nahor, the god of their father, judged between us. So, Jacob swore by the fear of his father, Isaac and Jacob, offered a sacrifice in the Hill Country and called his Kinsmen to eat bread and they ate and spent the night in the Hill Country. Early in the morning, Laban arose and kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then, Laban departed and returned. This is a fascinating scene here that then takes place.

33:08

A covenant is made between Laban and Jacob and the further distinction of Laban, the army and the Foreigner. And Jacob. God's chosen. Is solidified. We see that they, they keep calling these things by two different names. Laban calls it jagar shahudutha. An Aramian name for this place. Jacob calls it galid.

33:43

His name for the place. The Hebrew name for the play? It's called Gleed. It's called mizpah. We have this. It's called the Treaty of mispla, and this is an often misunderstood portion of scripture. This is not like a God will watch out for us, so we'll be bonded together, happy-go-lucky sort of thing. It's, I don't trust you, and so God's going to watch you. And if you mess up, God will get you. The Lord watch between you and me when we are out of one another's sight. I don't trust you God's going to have to watch you.

34:19

Laban now has changed his heart a little bit. It seems he does care about his daughters. For his treaty is don't come harm me. That's part of it, but also. Don't oppress. My daughters don't take wives beside my daughters. Make sure he's saying, in effect, you care for them and provide for them and take care of them.

34:42

But then Laban. Swears by. The god of Abraham and the god of nahor. The god of their father.

34:55

Well, the god of Abraham, that's good. Who's the god of nahor? Is this the same God? Most people agree, no. The god of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is different than the god of dehor. The god of nahor is likely the god of these family Gods that he's looking for.

35:17

So, Laban. Is looking to Jacob's God and his own. Jacob looks to the one true God.

35:30

So, Jacob swore by the fear of his father, Isaac. It's not an end. We often hear for God, but it's a good one. The fear of Isaac? The one Isaac fears. The one, his father. Fears. The one who promised? To Isaac, many great promises. Recapitulating the many great promises he made to Abraham again, restating the same God that would come to Jacob meet him in Bethel. And if we remember, that's how God introduced himself. He said, I am the god of Bethel in verse 13. The same God. That's who God who Jacob's going to make this promise to.

36:18

And offers a sacrifice. To God.

36:24

And we're done. Though, Laden looks to other gods his own greed. Jacob looks to the Lord and God provides. Though, Rachel, the one who's supposed to be on Jacob's team, is stealing household gods and doing the stuff that even he's not aware of God. Provides. For Jacob. And Jacob. Rightfully correctly. Looks to the Lord. It doesn't matter. What's raging around us? What's going on? What other people mean, what other people intend, what all of this other stuff? Look to the Lord. He will be. Our provision. Let's pray.