RETURNING TO THE FATHER’S COVENANT!

After Jacob’s encounter with the LORD at Bethel, he goes to his Uncle Laban’s house and falls in love with Rachel.  He agrees to work for her for seven years, and Laban tricks him with Leah!  He then works another seven years again for Rachel because of the love he had for her!  (Gen. 29)  Leah has child after child, and Rachel is barren.  Rachel cries out, “Give me children or I die!” (Gen. 30:1)  Jacob worked another six years for the flock of Laban. 

Jacob decides to take his wives and flee from Laban’s house.  Laban had deceived Jacob and changed his wages ten times.  Jacob had a dream where the Angel of God appeared to him and said to him, “I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and made a vow to me.  Now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family.”  (Gen. 31:13)  Of course, Laban comes after him, but the LORD does not allow him to hurt him.

In there heated exchange with one another, Jacob finally tells Laban, “Thus I have been in your house for 20 years:  I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times.”  (Then, the LORD spoke generationally to him)  “Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed.  GOD HAS SEEN MY AFFLICTION AND THE LABOR OF MY HANDS, AND REBUKED YOU LAST NIGHT.”  (Gen. 31:41,42)

Many have been running away from their promise and their Father’s house and have had to serve another one under the guise of deception!  Some have fallen “in love” with ministry, and would do anything to be married to their ministry!  So, therefore, you have to work twice as hard for it and labor with your own strength.  He worked six more years ( the number of man) for a total of 20 years, which is the number for redemption.  Laban changes his wages “10” times, which ten is number for “measure of order!”  But the LORD still protected him from being destroyed!

That’s why Jacob had to leave, because he had come to his “wit’s end” and it was time for him to be redeemed and time to come back into order.  Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. Here he makes another pillar, as he did at Bethel in Gen. 28.  He gathers more stones and set them up as a heap and He and Laban make covenant and eat on the heap. (Gen. 31:45,46)  Jacob is still not reconciled with Esau, and he hasn’t had his name change, but He is in position now to fulfill His generational blessing! 

It is time to return to the place of your “generational inheritance and blessing” so that the Father can fulfill His purpose and destiny in you!  The “heap of stones” is a witness that God has established covenant with Jacob because of his obedience to honor the Father through sacrifice.  “Return to the stronghold you prisoners of hope.  Even today I declare that I will restore double to you.”  (Zech. 9:12)