The scriptures read are Genesis 31-33, Psalm 11 and Matthew 11.
Genesis 31. Jacob hears the murmurings about himself from Laban's son and then gets the word to move from God. He passes his plan onto his wives, in the fields away from the tents. They pack and flee while Laban is away having his sheep sheared. Oh, and Rachel grabs his household gods, which would have meant prosperity and good fortune to Laban. Even with a 3 day head start, Jacob's entourage is found by Laban. Laban probably wants everything back but is warned in a dream that God is paying close attention to how Laban acts towards Jacob.
Laban dances around what he wanted to actually say and do to Jacob. He is very concerned about recovering his household gods. Jacob says "Go ahead and look. If you find anything that's yours, kill the person who has it." Jacob is unaware that his beloved Rachel has the household gods. But Rachel hasn't been living with 2 conmen this long not to have picked up some tricks. She's sitting on the idols. When her dad comes to search she says,"Sorry, I can't get up and greet you. It's that time of the month." Laban comes up empty-handed and Jacob loses it. He tells his father-in-law off!
The upshot is the 2 men sets up a memorial stone, make a covenant, and part, reminding each other that God will take care of whoever breaks the deal. The Mizpah is in reality the worst thing to give your wife or girlfriend.
Genesis 32. Jacob thinks he's home-free until his messengers return and say his brother is coming to meet him...with 400 men! Jacob springs into action, making plan after plan to dissuade Esau from wiping out his family.
Suddenly with no warning we read that a man is wrestling with Jacob. Jacob in "friend or foe" mode tells the guy, "I will not let go of you until you bless me." The blessing comes in the form of a new name: Israel, he who wrestles with God. Which alarms Jacob. Or should I say Israel? Anyway, he has wrestled with God and lived. Esau will be a cinch.
Genesis 33. It turns out Esau has done well himself so Jacob need not fear. The brothers embrace and the Hollywood version would end right here. But Jacob still doesn't trust his brother to bring up the rear and they part and take different paths. Betraying your brother leaves lasting damage.
Psalm 11. A short psalm about how God really likes righteous behavior and really dislikes wickedness. You have been warned. (P.S. Is the part about God raining down blazing coals and sulfur what Paul was talking about in Romans 12:20?)
Mathew 11. Even his cousin John the Baptist is wondering whether Jesus is the Messiah. Everyone's looking for a King David 2.0, a holy warrior king. Jesus isn't like that. But he's healing every disease he encounters, even death, and things are looking brighter for those on the bottom rung of the ladder.
Jesus riffs on John, denounces some inhospitable towns, prays and talks a bit like he does in John's gospel. Then he talks of how less than heavy his yoke is should we choose to accept it.
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