Jacob’s Exodus – Genesis 30:25-31:55
The grand story of the Bible is God rescuing His people and bringing them home. In Genesis 30 & 31 we see the experience of Jacob prefigures Israel’s Exodus from Egypt. The similarities between our passage and the Exodus are striking. Just as Jacob’s family multiplied in his exile, so the tribes of Israel would multiply in Egypt. Just as Jacob plundered Laban, so also Israel would plunder the Egyptians. Just as God protected Jacob from Laban when he pursued, so God would protect Israel from Pharaoh when he pursued. In this sermon, Pastor David will explain that God in His sovereignty chose to rescue Jacob from Laban in a way that previews how God will rescue the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt, and how God will ultimately rescue His people in Christ and lead them out of slavery to sin.
Genesis 31:3, 17-29 Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”… 17 So Jacob arose and set his sons and his wives on camels. 18 He drove away all his livestock, all his property that he had gained, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac. 19 Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father’s household gods. 20 And Jacob tricked Laban the Aramean, by not telling him that he intended to flee. 21 He fled with all that he had and arose and crossed the Euphrates, and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.
22 When it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled, 23 he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him for seven days and followed close after him into the hill country of Gilead. 24 But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night and said to him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.” 25 And Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsmen pitched tents in the hill country of Gilead. 26 And Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have tricked me and driven away my daughters like captives of the sword? 27 Why did you flee secretly and trick me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with mirth and songs, with tambourine and lyre? 28 And why did you not permit me to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell? Now you have done foolishly. 29 It is in my power to do you harm. But the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’