God ‘WILL’ protect US from our ENEMY!
January
11 Bible Reading: Genesis Chapters 31-33
God ‘WILL’ protect US from our ENEMY!
And Laban was told on the third day that
Jacob had fled. Then he took his brethren with him and 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 that
you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad." (Gen 31:22-24)
Jacob had
served his uncle and father-in-law Laban now for twenty long years out of which he served fourteen years for his beloved wife Rachel and six years for his flock (31:41a). During this period, Laban had
deceived Jacob and cheated him on his wages ten
times (31:7, 41b). Moreover, Jacob had personally borne all the losses of the
flock, and had worked day and night faithfully (31:38-40). After all these
years of faithful service, now Laban’s sons had started accusing Jacob of acquiring
all his wealth by cheating Laban (31:1). Jacob also saw that Laban did not favor
him as before, and heard God telling him that it was time to return to his
father’s home where he belonged.
Jacob knew
full well that Laban would not normally let him take his daughters and his
grand children and leave his home for good. So, while Laban was away shearing
his sheep, Jacob secretly ran away with his wives, children and all his
possessions. When Laban came to know about this after three days, he took his brothers and pursued after Jacob for seven days intending to kill him for
treachery.
However, God
intervened in this matter and warned Laban through a dream in the night that he
should not even speak good or bad to Jacob, let alone injure or kill him
(31:24, 29). Neither good nor bad is an idiomatic expression meaning ‘not to speak any threats’. Jacob was
defenseless against Laban, and he escaped with his life only through God’s
protection over him. While expounding this passage, Kidner tells that “it was only by divine prospering and
protection that Jacob brought anything, even his life, back from exile”. In
fact, we can see that God had protected Jacob throughout the entire twenty years of his stay in Laban’s
home, and did not allow Laban to hurt Jacob at
any time (31:7b).
God
sovereignly protected Jacob as He had protected Abraham (12:17; 20:3) and Isaac
(26:8). This is the promise that God had made to Jacob regarding his protection:
But now, thus says the Lord, who created
you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have
redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass
through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not
overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor
shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel,
your Savior" (Isaiah 43:1-3)
As His
children, God will protect us as well from all our enemies. We have a real
enemy Satan, who is always intending to do us harm “like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8b). Let
us rely on God’s protection all the
days of our lives!
