No Match for God Part 1

Guest (Male): Pastor John Randall shares these thoughts about the way God works in our lives.
John Randall: I want to say to you tonight that God sees the circumstances that we are in. God knows your condition. God knows what you're experiencing right now. He's mindful of it. He knows what's happening. He sees. He's aware of it. He can intervene. Jacob realized for I think really for the first times in his life, you know, this is God's doing. Before it was all Jacob's doing, but he's seeing something. God is working in his life. It took 20 years. But he's learning.
Guest (Male): Thanks for joining us today for a daily walk. In just a few moments, we will continue in the book of Genesis with more about Jacob's life journey. You know, we wonder at times, what is God's will for my life? That generally crosses our mind when we're about to make a major life decision, like the one Jacob is faced with in today's message. And we'll learn through this a thing or two about how to discern God's will and how he often confirms it to us. Here is Pastor John Randall in Genesis chapter 31.
John Randall: Genesis chapter 31 as we continue our study through the Old Testament chapter by chapter, verse by verse, finding ourselves now in the 31st chapter of Genesis. And I want to draw your attention to the very first three verses, the first three verses, if you'd follow along with me. Now, Jacob heard the words of Laban's son saying, Jacob has taken away all that was our fathers. And from what was our fathers, he's acquired all his wealth. And Jacob saw the countenance of Laban. And indeed, it was not favorable toward him as before. And then the Lord said to Jacob, return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you. Over the last few weeks, we've been considering now the next patriarch in line. We went from Abraham to Isaac, and now we are into the life of Jacob. And we've been looking at his life's journey. It began with Jacob running for his life because he had deceitfully taken his brother's birthright and his brother's blessing. And Esau's only comfort and consolation was the fact that he had vowed to kill Jacob once their father Isaac had died. Jacob then was sent by his mother to flee to her family in Haran, a 500 mile trek away from all of the family drama. A few days into the journey, and Jacob stopped. And that evening, you remember, he laid down and he used a rock for a pillow, and he dreamed this incredible dream. He saw this ladder, and he saw angels ascending and descending. And he said, surely the Lord was in this place, and I didn't know it. And it was there that the Lord revealed himself to Jacob, and Jacob took that rock that he had and used for a pillow, and he set it up, and he poured oil upon it. And there he said to the Lord, listen, if you will provide for me, if you will take care of me, if you will fulfill all these things that you promised me, and you will bring me back, well, then you will be my God. And he named that place Bethel, which means house of God. And then for the next 20 years of his life, Jacob worked for his uncle Laban, who was even more deceptive than Jacob was. And Jacob's work environment, it was difficult. The compensation he received for shepherding his father's father-in-law's flock was a bride. Actually, it was two brides. He wanted one, he got two. The original agreement was for Jacob to marry Laban's younger daughter Rachel. She was beautiful and form and appearance, but Laban switched the girls out that night of the wedding. And somehow he didn't realize that it wasn't the one he signed up for until he woke up the next morning and saw her weak eyes. He knew it was the other one. Leah, she had weak eyes, the Bible says. And so Laban then said, Jacob, I'm sorry, it's a custom. You need to You know, you worked seven years for Rachel, but you know, you got to marry your older sister first, but here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to How about you work another seven years? And And we'll You know, we'll call it square. What do you say? And so Jacob agreed, and he worked another seven years. It was 14 years. To say that Jacob's home life was dysfunctional would be an understatement. He had 11 kids and four wives. I mean, there were some serious issues in that home. By the way, God meant one man, one woman for life. That's how That was the original intention. But they messed up here in Genesis. And then you remember that Jacob after a while he'd been deceived, he'd been taken advantage of, but here's the thing. Through it all, God had his hand on Jacob's life. Jacob was in a difficult place, and yet God was still blessing him and using all of the painful circumstances in his life to make him into the man that he had called him to be. Now, when you reach chapter 31 as we have tonight, it comes to a climactic moment when the writing's on the wall, and the Lord has revealed it was time for Jacob to return to his home to the promised land there in Canaan. And you consider the first three verses, and you realize what God revealed. In verse one, it said Jacob heard the words of Laban's son. It says in verse two, Jacob saw the countenance of Laban's face. And verse three, Jacob heard the Lord give him a command and a promise. Folks, so often when the Lord is seeking to direct us where he wants us to go, he will use different means to guide us. It was 6 years earlier that the Lord had put the desire in Jacob's heart to return to his own country, and that desire had had never left him. In other words, the desire for a change, God started it years earlier. And God put it in his heart. And in Jacob's case, the Lord used all of the circumstances in his life to get him going in a particular direction. The circumstances for Jacob had become unfavorable. His father-in-law had been blessed by having Jacob care for his sheep, but Jacob really had nothing to show for it. And we find out that Jacob overheard what his well brothers-in-law were saying. They saw that God was blessing Jacob and that the flock was now His flock was growing in comparison to Laban's flock that was shrinking. And Jacob saw the visible countenance of Laban, and obviously something had changed. Guys, what I'm telling to you what I'm trying to say to you is God told him it's time to go. God showed him it's time for you to move on. There's something else that God has for you. And And now just because the circumstances weren't favorable doesn't mean that that's the only thing that God uses. Sometimes God wants us to stick it out and work through it and not just give up on it. Doesn't always mean you're to move on, but in this case, it meant it was time to go. This was time for him to get back to where he began, where God met him the first time. And the ultimate confirmation that we need to move on when it's the Lord, let me tell you what it is. It's the word of God. This is the confirmation that you need. The Lord spoke to Jacob and told him to return, and he promised, I'm going to be with you. I'm not going to You're not going to go by yourself. I'm going to be with you. Folks, can I say to you, when it comes to the will of God for my life, I always look to the word of God for my life. That's where I find the answer. I I need something to go on. I want I don't want to just go off my own thoughts or my heart feels this way. I want God to confirm it in his word. I need scripture. God, show me in your word. Confirm it through your word. And if I have your promise and And maybe the circumstances aren't favorable, maybe this doesn't look like it's going to work out, but I know you said this. That's what I 'm going to camp on, and I'm going to I'm going to step out in faith based upon what you said. Jacob then takes another step in this process, and he gets his family together. Look at verse four. So Jacob sent, and he called Rachel and Leah to the field to his flock. And he said to them, I see your father's countenance. It's not favorable to me as before. But the Lord God of my father has been with me. And you know that with all my might I've served your father. Yet your father has deceived me. He's changed my wages 10 times, but the Lord didn't allow him to hurt me. If he said thus, the speckled shall be your wages, well, then all the flocks bore speckled. If he said thus, the streaked shall be your wages, then all the flocks bore streaked. So God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me. You know, in Jacob's life earlier, he took things for himself. He deceived people and got what he wanted. That's kind of how he operated. But here we find And Jacob even acknowledges, this is God's doing. I didn't do this. This is something that God did. God was the one that increased my flock. And And you see here he points out that he worked and labored. He wasn't a slacker. He gave it 100%. He wasn't lazy. Jacob's wages had been changed 10 times, and yet through it all, you see the hand of the Lord strengthening, sustaining, and protecting Jacob. If the sheep were bearing one kind of whether they were spotted, then he would say, hey Jacob, all all the streaked ones are yours. And then they would all bear streaked, and those would be Jacob's. And if Laban said, okay, um all the streaked ones are mine, all the spotted ones are yours, then they'd all bear spotted. And his The Lord was doing it. It wasn't like Jacob just came up with this plan. God had said, I've seen everything that you've gone through. I know what's been happening. I've seen how you've been taking advantage of it, and I'm about to do something about it. And God did. Jacob then revealed to his family how all of this came about, that it was divine intervention. I I want to say to you tonight that God sees the circumstances that we are in. God knows your condition. God knows what you are experiencing right now. He's mindful of it. He knows what's happening. He sees. He is aware of it. He can intervene. Jacob realized for I think really for the first times in his life, you know, this is God's doing. Before it was all Jacob's doing, but he's seeing something. God is working in his life. It took 20 years. But he's learning. Jacob describes this divine intervention of the Lord, and look how the Lord intervened in verse 10. And it happened at that time when the flocks conceived. I Look at this. I lifted up my eyes, and I saw in a dream and behold the rams which leaped upon the flocks were streaked, speckled, and gray spotted. Then the angel of God spoke to me in a dream and said, Jacob. And I said, here I am. And he said, lift up your eyes and now and see all the rams which leap on the flocks are streaked, speckled, and gray spotted. For I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. And then notice what the Lord said, I am the God of Bethel where you anointed the pillar, where you made the vow to me. Now arise, get out of this land and return to the land of your family. Jacob reveals that the Lord had spoken to him, giving him a dream, and that the Lord said he had seen everything that had been done to Jacob. He was aware of the mistreatment and what he had to endure. Sometimes we wonder if God sees. Sometimes we question whether God's really aware of what's happening. And if he is, why hasn't the situation changed? Why haven't they come home? Why haven't they repented? Why are they still running from God? Why are we not reconciled? God's timing is perfect. God has his own plans and his own ways. And I find it fascinating that the Lord revealed himself to Jacob as the one who revealed himself to Jacob 20 years ago. I mean, it's 20 years that has gone by. You know, you God speaks something to you, you just kind of go, that was awesome, but you kind of forget about it. You know, you you kind of forget about what God did, and God says, hey, I'm taking you back to that very first place. Remember when I when you met me the first time, you had your first encounter with me, same God. Remember how you poured out that oil on that pillar there and you you made that that's me, and I'm calling you out and I 'm telling you to go back to the land that you came from. As I read this again today, I I found this so encouraging because I realized that the same God who was with Jacob at the very beginning was still with him. Still. Every step of the way. And now it was time for him to return to the place where he started. This was going to be a new chapter in Jacob's life. And the things that the Lord reminded Jacob of were the things that God had spoken so long ago. Can I ask you, is there anything God spoke to you a really long time ago and you just kind of thought, ah, that couldn't have been the Lord. Why couldn't it have been the Lord? Because it hasn't happened yet. And Jacob waited 20 years. Mm. I'm not waiting 20 years. Well, what You never know what God's going to do. Maybe it's just a matter of timing. Maybe God hasn't done it the way you thought. It's not overnight, but it's over time. And you forgot all about the experience. And then all along the way there's little there's little points along the road where there it is again, and you just think, okay, I I don't want to think about that again. And there it is. If it doesn't go away, it's a good chance it may be the Lord. And here is Jacob in this place. So he shares with his family what the Lord had shown him. And notice how they respond. In verse 14, then Rachel and Leah answered, and they said to him, is there still any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house? Aren't we considered strangers for him? For he has sold us and completely consumed our money. All these riches which God has taken from our father, they really are ours and our children's. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do it. The response of Jacob's family is that they were in agreement. And really that was a first for Rachel and Leah. These These ladies didn't get along well at all. And you can read about it in the previous chapters if you weren't here last week. But these daughters, they came to the realization that their father had sold them and devoured their proceeds. And And the price of the bride, Jacob's 14 years of wages was supposed to be held in a trust in the event that they were abandoned or widowed. But basically what happened is Laban took that money for himself. And they realized that they'd been taking advantage of by their own father. Jacob had already heard from the Lord what he was to do, but I love how that God confirms it. And they say to him, look at this passage verse 16. Whatever God has said to you, do it. That That's great advice. What has God said to you? What What has God shown you? What has God said? What Whatever he said, do it. Do what God says to do. Follow his lead. Listen, I like the fact that he is in agreement with his spouse is but spouse, you understand. There's agreement in the home. This is a major step. We're moving. We're leaving. We're We're going down the road. We're We're traveling back 500 miles back to where we started. I mean, that's a big trip for this family. And all that they had. And I love the fact that they are in agreement and they say whatever whatever the Lord says, let's do that. Husbands, wives, you need to be in agreement when it comes to making big decisions. You have to be. You want to be on the same page. You want to be united in this because you're one. And if you just We're doing it. So there. That's how it is. Deal with it. You going to You going to have problems, man. Don't do that. Don't do that. Pray. If they're not in agreement yet, pray. Ask the Lord to work. But they're united. And then this advice, whatever he says to you, do it. If you say, well, I I feel that I am the exception to what God has said, or I feel in my heart, you're not the exception, do what God says. Don't disobey God's word. Peo- People sometimes want to like justify things that aren't justified in the Bible as somehow they're the exception. Oh, listen, do it do what God says to do. And that ensures the greatest blessing. After conversing with his family, Jacob was clear on what the next step was. It's time to leave. Look at verse 17. There's a separation now from the family. Then Jacob rose and set his sons and his wives on camels, and he carried away all his livestock, all his possessions which he had gained and acquired livestock, which he had gained in Paddan Aram to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan. Here we find out that Isaac is still alive. Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel had stolen the household idols that were her father's. And Jacob stole away unknown to Laban the Syrian in that he did not tell him that he intended to flee. So he fled with all that he had, and he arose and he crossed over the river, and he headed toward the mountains of Gilead. Jacob's departure now from Laban was done secretly. He was fearful that his father-in-law would try to stop him. And so he gathered all of his belongings. His father-in-law had gone in a different direction. They were shearing the sheep. The timing was right, and so they left rather quickly heading for home. But in the process of leaving, it says that Rachel also secretly stole her father's idols. And this is a little bit concerning because Rachel apparently still had a place in her heart for idolatry, and her husband was unaware of it. Interesting. After they left, notice verse 22, and Laban was told on the third day Jacob had fled. So he took his brethren with him, and he pursued him for seven days journey. And he overtook him in the mountains of Gilead. But God had come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night and said to him, be careful. Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good or bad. So Laban overtook Jacob, and Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountains, and Laban and his brethren pitched in the mountains of Gilead. Jacob and his family had a fairly good lead and a head start on Laban. But after a week of pursuing them, he caught up with his family. And Laban had the chance to confront Jacob. Probably his intention was to take everything from him and leave Jacob with nothing. Probably that's what he was preparing to do. But in the process of apprehending Jacob about to the Lord speaks to him. And he said, you better be really careful what you say to Jacob. I mean, Jacob has no way to protect himself. He's basically defenseless. He's got his wives and his kids, and and Laban could easily overtake him. But I find it interesting that the Lord had spoken to Laban and was Jacob's defense. You better be careful what you do, how you respond. He had given him a warning. And so after that, we find this confrontation within the family. I want to make a note here that interesting that it points out that Laban the Syrian There is a distinction here in people groups also, by the way. Israel separating from Syrian, the Syrian. They're separating themselves. It's starting to get back to the line ultimately that would lead eventually to the Messiah. But there is a separation. They could not be together. Laban and Jacob they just they had to be separate from one another. There were There were family problems there. And although they were related, it just it they had to separate from one another. And it's it's rather painful when you sometimes are in a family dynamic where you have relatives, extended family that it's really difficult to be around them or you're not able to. Not that you don't want to, but the circumstances are what they are because of this situation that's going on there, and you have to We We got to separate. I'm going to make a decision. This is what's best for my family. This is what's best for my wife and kids. And so this is This is the decision we're making. It's not easy. Jacob had to do this. This is God He had to separate. And so he's now confronted by Laban. And Laban said to Jacob, what have you done? That you've stolen away unknown to me and carried away my daughters like captives with a sword. Why did you flee away secretly and steal away from me and not tell me? Now notice notice Laban here. See if you can read between the lines. I might have sent you away with joy and songs with a timbral and harp. I would have hired a band. I mean, this could have been a really good party. We could have sent you off. I could have kissed my grandkids, but no, you had to run away. You can try to make you feel guilty. Manipulation. Manipulate the situation. That wasn't his intention. The intention was I want everything you got. And if it wasn't for the Lord speaking to me, I would have taken it. He's trying to manipulate, you know, trying to make him feel guilty. How could you do this? That's my Those are my girls. Those are my kids. I would just And all, okay, all right. It's It's It's manipulation. Watch out for that. And you didn't allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters. Now you've done foolishly in so doing. You know, it is in my power to do you harm. But the God of your father spoke to me last night saying, be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad. And now you've surely gone because you greatly long for your father's house. But why did you steal my gods? I find it kind of humorous that your gods could be stolen. I mean, how powerful if your God if stole my God. Where is it? Ah, what are we going to do? How are we going to pray to it? It's not powerful enough to to You understand. Having been warned by the Lord already, Laban knew that he wouldn't be able to force Jacob to return. So he made it about another issue. He made it about his household gods. And Jacob didn't know that his wife Rachel had actually stolen them. He had no idea that they were with them. Some have suggested that these idols, known as teraphim, were often used as deeds to property, that she was actually taking her inheritance, perhaps. Others say she stole this household idol simply to get back at her father because she felt mistreated. Perhaps. Others say that Rachel took the teraphim because she wanted to keep her father Laban from idolatry. Suspect. But whatever the reason, she stole them, and Laban he wanted his God back. And so it says in verse 31, Jacob answered and said to Laban, because I was afraid, I said perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force. With whomever you find your gods, don't let them live. In the presence of our brethren, identify what's yours, take it with you. Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them. And so Laban went into Jacob's tent, into Leah's tent, into the two maids' tents, but he didn't find them. Then he went out of Leah's tent and he entered Rachel's tent. Now Rachel had taken the household idols, and she put them in a camel's saddle and sat on them. And Laban searched all about the tent but didn't find them. And she said to her father, let it not displease my Lord. I cannot rise before you for the manner of women is with me. She was in that time of that month. And so she said, I can't get up to greet you. She lied, of course. But that's what she said so she wouldn't have to greet her father and reveal where the idols were hidden. And so he searched, but he did not find the idols. So now I mean, Laban is so upset. Fine, search search the camp. And he just tears everybody's tent apart. I mean, he just tearing everybody's tent. I'm in your tent. I'm in your And Jacob You can just see Jacob just like he ain't going to find it. He's not going to find I can't believe he's tearing my tent apart. And he just You can see it's just starting to get to this boiling point. And so in verse 36, then Jacob was angry, and he rebuked Laban. And Jacob answered and said to Laban, what's my trespass? What is my sin that you so hotly pursued me? Although you searched all my things, what part of your household things have you found? Set it here before my brethren and your brethren that I may judge between us both. These Now Now he really Now he's like, you know what? All right. I'm going to I'm going to tell you what's really going on. Let me tell you what's happened over the last 20 years. Laban Look at it. He lays into him. Verse 38, let me give you a piece of my mind. These 20 years I've been with you. You're used your female goats. They haven't miscarried. They're young. I I haven't eaten the rams from your flock. I never took what was yours. That which was torn by beasts, I didn't bring it to you. I bore the loss of it. In other words, if somebody if Laban's flock was torn apart, Jacob would take one of his and and put it back. He never took advantage of it. Oh, sorry, that's Laban. It's no worries. That's all right. That's That's not a big deal. It's not mine. No, he wasn't like that.
Guest (Male): You're listening to a daily walk and part of our through the Bible study from Pastor John Randall. If you missed a portion of today's look at Genesis or would just like to hear it again, visit adailywalk.org or oneplace.com. Check out the Calvary Chapel OC church app. It's a great way to listen to John when you're on the go. Have you had a chance to check out Pastor John's 8 minute daily devotional? It's a great way to start the day. You can watch them at adailywalk.org or we can even start texting them to you. Just text the word adailywalk to 877-242-0828. That's 877-242-0828. Those are released Monday through Friday at 7:00 a.m. Pacific. We're really excited about this month's offer, a book from Pastor Charles Stanley titled How to Listen to God. His voice waits to be heard. In this helpful book, Charles Stanley shows you how to distinguish God's voice from all the other voices around you and how to respond in joyful obedience. Get a copy today for the cost of $12 at adailywalk.org or call 877-242-0828. That's 877-242-0828 and adailywalk.org. Think of it this way. When you support adailywalk, you're helping people listen to God through his word, and it's having a tremendous impact. So thank you for helping us remain a biblical voice on stations like this one all across the country. Again, make a donation online safely and securely at adailywalk.org or call 877-242-0828. In these difficult days, it's so important that we be praying for one another. So please send in your prayer requests today. Pastor John loves to read your emails. Our email address is adailywalk@gmail.com. That's adailywalk@gmail.com. Well, that's all the time we have for today, but we'll pick up where we left off in Genesis next time. This has been adailywalk with Pastor John Randall.
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