JulieAnn

Reuben betrayed his father Jacob, and disrespected him. More than just sexual sin, he dishonored Jacob, as his father, breaking several commandments. The anger in the family would have been felt by everyone and affected everyone.

God is still the same. Same yesterday, same today and same tomorrow. God was letting Jacob know that nothing he could do or did would ever take that away and that His love is permanent. God's promises don't come with "conditions." God promises to bless us if we just follow Him. We remove ourselves from His grace. He does not remove Himself from us. God was reminding Jacob that He is God almighty, and the He promised him many descendents, kings and nations will be in his bloodline, and land.

Jacob's prayer reveals his humanness. Even though he is a child of God, he is still weak in his human side. Sometimes saying things outloud reassures us and maybe Jacob was repeating God's promise out loud, not to persuade or remind God, but to remind himself that God promised to protect him. He submits himself to God and goes humbly to his brother. Jacob has learned much in his time away. He realizes that is God who is in control and not him. Jacob knows he cannot do this without God on his side. His faith is strong and he chooses to do what God is leading him to do. But he is afraid and concerned for his family. So he goes in prayer, which is what we all should do when we are taking a leap of faith.

The terms are that the Lord is watching when they are apart. This should be a constant reminder to Jacob and to Laban that even though they could not keep a watch on each other, the Lord was there all the time. Laban must have had an idea of the Lord's power because of the sheep changing colors at birth and because God came to him in his dreams. This would not have been a typical dream. Laban woke with full understanding, awareness complete trust that God had spoken to him. And he was afraid. Knowing God was watching would keep them both in step.

Laban could not be trusted. Jacob knew this from living with him for 14 years. His wives also knew this. Laban thought they were going out to shear the sheep and that they would be back. Jacob and his wives used that time to flee so they could escape without threat. God told Jacob to leave. He was following what God told him. Jacob fulfilled his commitment to Laban. He had every right to leave. Rachel should not have taken the idols from her father. God had already shown her his power over and over when the lambs were born each time Laban changed the rules. Taking what did not belong to her was not just.

Jacob knew that God was in charge because God told him He was. When Laban would change the rules, the sheep would change, too. Jacob knew how breeding worked and knew there was no way the sheep could change under his own control. God promised Jacob He would be blessed and Jacob knew his wealth was part of that blessing. Jesus taught a great deal on the dangers of wealth. We start to believe we can do anything and stop acknowledging that everything we have comes from God. He can bless and He can take away, which is always a blessing even though we may not see it that way. God wants us close to Him. But if our wealth is keeping us from Him, He may choose to take it away from us. He owns it all. We are but mere stewards, honored to manage whatever He gives us.

God is working on Jacob. He could completely change him in an instant but this is not how God does things. He teaches us, renews us, restores us, transforms us over time. Through those 14 years, Jacob was learning and growing. God's prupose was being served. Everything is for God's glory.

The act of setting and annointing the stone was a cultural act with significant meaning. Jacob was making his vow to the Lord and to his descendents and the annointed stone was his seal. Jacob promises that God will always be his God, that this will be a place to honor God and that he will tithe 10 percent back to God. Jacob knew that all he received came from God. He wanted to honor God with everything he had.