2nd.: Laban: Dead to God
Jacob had served his Uncle Laban in the country Padanaram.
After twenty years, Jacob had gotten two wives, multiple children, and much cattle (Gen. 31:17).
He grew tired of how Uncle Laban had treated him (see Gen. 31:7)
He decided to head home - but he didn't tell Uncle Laban.
They were on less than good terms (Gen. 31:2).
Laban didn't like the sudden departure.
Even worse, one of Jacob’s wives, Rachel, had stolen her father’s idols (Gen. 31:19).
Laban pursued after them (Gen. 31:23).
The night before Laban overtook Jacob, God commanded Laban in a dream,
“Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.” (Gen. 31:24).
When Laban caught up to Jacob, Laban
sought for, but could not find the false god's that Rachel had stolen.
Nevertheless, Laban honored what God had commanded.
What surprises me, is that Laban had no interest in following the one true God
(After all, Laban was still looking for false gods, even though the one true God had spoken to him.)
Whereas Jacob was sensitive to God, Laban was dead to God.
As a dead man is unresponsive to stimuli, so Laban was unresponsive to God.
We must ask ourselves, ‘Are we really dead to God, even as we pray?’
Conversely, we must ask God to make alive the Labans of the world.
“Likewise, reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom. 6:11)