THE LABAN

1. The Laban

a) Jacob, after 20 years, was now prepared to return to his own country, Canaan. His wife, Rachel had now given birth to Joseph. The time had come to return to Canaan’s Land. But there was a problem. Laban was not happy.

b) Who was Laban? Laban was Jacob’s uncle (his mother, Rebekah’s brother) and father-in-law.

c) Laban, for whom Jacob had worked for the last 20 years said, 27"If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me because of you.” (Genesis 30:27 NIV)

d) Laban wanted Jacob to stay. Why? Laban explained that he and his household had been blessed because of Jacob. He said that he learned it by divination. Laban was probably a diviner (fortune teller) and soothsayer (future teller) and by the teraphim (small idols representing household gods) he had in his house (Genesis 31:19). He divined and he thereby told that he was blessed because of Jacob.

@1. 19When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household gods. (Genesis 31:19 NIV)

e) One thing stood out – Jacob’s presence in Laban’s house was viewed as the reason for Laban’s increased prosperity.

f) Laban acknowledged that he had been blessed not by his own merit but by Jacob’s merit. Now there was a fear on the part of Laban that his increased wealth might drop if Jacob leaved. Laban now was desperate and so confessed and cajoled (persuaded with flattery) and pleaded.

g) The truth had now come to the surface – it was all because of Jacob that the family in Padam-Aram, which once lived in obscurity (concealed) and modesty (humble), had now grown to become one of the prosperous families in that area.

h) As Jacob persisted in leaving for Canaan, great fear came upon those who gained materially by Jacob. Laban had no choice but to tell Jacob the truth.

@1. 14This is what the Lord says: “The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, and those tall Sabeans— they will come over to you and will be yours; they will trudge behind you, coming over to you in chains. They will bow down before you and plead with you, saying, ‘Surely God is with you, and there is no other; there is no other god.’ ” (Isaiah 45:14 NIV)

@2. 17Instead of bronze I will bring you gold, and silver in place of iron. Instead of wood I will bring you bronze, and iron in place of stones. I will make peace your governor and well-being your ruler. (Isaiah 60:17 NIV)

i) What was once viewed as obscure had now become prominent!

@1. 22The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly.” (Isaiah 60:22 NIV)

j) As someone has said,” The prosperity of the wicked is, one way or other, for the sake of the Godly. Here was a wicked family blessed for the sake of one good servant in it.”

k) Isn’t it God’s desire and will to bless those with whom we are associated, so that they will know who our God is in Isaiah 45:14, “… Surely God is with you …” Even the teraphims of Laban had to finally bow before Jacob’s God.

l) The whole household of Laban was brought to a realization that there was something of Jacob that had to be acknowledged and recognized. The truth is that wherever God’s servants are placed, they bring along with them a blessing for them too. Even if there is not openly confessed, silently it will be admired and even envied. That’s what happened to the sons of Laban (Genesis 31:1).

m) Didn’t Laban long to perpetually dwell in the shade of Jacob’s blessing? And so he told him,” … please stay (Genesis 30:27).” It was marvelous and wonderful to dwell in the shade of a man blessed of God! He is like a tree that gives shelter.

n) Are we not called to be a shade of shelter to the destitute and the weak? Yet, we see some who are nothing but a burden, a shame and a pain to others.

o) Are we not in a position to bring forth the increase where there is decrease? God’s grace operating through Jacob brought an increase in Laban’s prosperity.

p) May the houses of Laban in our churches see a breakthrough in health, well being and prosperity.

q) May many Jacobs in our churches rise up under the favor of God to bring forth a repeated fulfillment of Genesis 30:30, “The little you had before I came has increased greatly, and the Lord has blessed you wherever I have been …”

r) May our new Jacobs stand everywhere and testify the contemporary fulfillment of Genesis 30:30. May our storehouses fill up again, not that we need to accumulate wealth but to disburse them to the more of our need brethren, many of whom are behind the bamboo curtain, starving and persecuted for the Lord’s sake.

s) The Labans of the old wanted to selfishly keep everything for themselves but the Labans of today must give – for it is more blessed to give than to receive. The Laban of the old told Jacob to “stay” but the Laban of today must tell the Jacobs to “go” and be a blessing to the forlorn (abandoned, deserted) and the destitute.