Genesis 31:1-16 // Materialism & Deception

Genesis 31:2

Genesis 31:2 ESV

And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before.

Need to understand what happened (at least) in .

Jacob ready to leave Laben’s house.

Laben says what are your wages?

Jacob, “My honesty will answer for me…” ()

When dishonest people lean on “their honesty”

(worse) They are corrupting the word honesty.

(BUT) Laben isolated flock that would produce Jacobs wages.

Jacob leans on an ancient superstition.

Fear of mother effect color of offspring.

God still blesses Jacob through his ignorance.

Jacob puts together a “Get rich quick” scheme and it appears to work!!!

Genesis 31:9 ESV

Thus God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me.

The temptation to live a materialistic life is that sometimes it appears to work.

You see people who scheme and they seem to be blessed.

Maybe we need to ask if we are measuring success correctly.

What does Jacob really have?

More importantly what doesn’t he have?

Broken relationship with his twin brother.

Hasn’t even seen them in years.

In-laws are against him.

This only time his wives (sisters) get along is now that they are about cash in.

At this moment Jacob’s entire idea of success is centered on his material possessions.

But God is guiding Jacob to realign his perspective.

Genesis 31:13 ESV

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.’ ”

(ESV)

God is reminding Jacob of the vow that he made.

More importantly reminding him of who God is and what God is doing.

Jacob’s Dream

Recap Jacob’s dream...

Genesis 28:13–15 ESV

And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

Gene

(ESV) : “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac.”

“Abraham your father”

I am the God who establish a covenant with Abraham.

The covenant you have inherited!!!

The same mission that was handed to Father Abraham.

(ESV) “Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.”

This phrase repeated to Jacob was also told to his father and father before him.

In fact we can follow it all the promise all the way back to the Fall of man.

Jacob (like us) was called to be apart of something much bigger than material gain!!!!

The misleading nature of materialism is that it appears material gain is the evidence of a successful life.

God was not about blessing Jacob, He is about bringing the savior.

· We know Jacobs heart by how he responds to the dream.

Genesis 28:20–21 ESV

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God,

Genesis

(ESV)

Genesis 28:20–21 ESV

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God,

If God does this for me…then I will serve Him as my God.

If I have material evidence to show the world, then I will proclaim God to the world.

This is not worshipping God.

This is treating a relationship with God like a business deal.

When Jacob ultimately told Rachel and Leah, “It’s time to go.”

Should have just said, “God has called back to me homeland.”

Instead got this whole explanation about wealth.

When you finally see Jacob deciding to leave it has nothing to do with his calling to be a part of what God is doing.

It just seems to be better for Jacob…so he is leaving.

Over valuing material gain always seems to cheapen grace!

Jacob is the heir to the promise of Jesus Christ, the saviour of the world.

And we see him scratching at material wealth.

We are also heirs to the promise!

Question for us is:

Where does materialism fit in our priorities.

Jesus asked a simple question, “It is better to gain the whole world but lose your soul.”