Genesis 31:43

Genesis 31:43 says, And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born?  Laban was still claiming everything that Jacob had worked for to be his.  Jacob had fulfilled his agreement with Laban, but evidently Laban never intended to fulfill his.  We likewise cannot be certain that people will always deal fairly with us, but we must always deal fairly with them.  Verse forty-four states, Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.  Laban wanted to make another agreement with Jacob, even though he hadn't been willing to keep the ones he had already made.   Verse forty-five declares, And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.  Then verse forty-six adds, And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.  Jacob basically made an altar of stones as a place of remembrance of the agreement.  We today might say that we got it down in writing.  Verse forty-seven says,  And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.  They named the place in their own language, but the Hebrew name, the one Jacob gave it, was the one that lasted.  If we are following God's leadership, then the things that we do will last, but if we are just following our own plans, they most likely will not.  Verse forty-eight states, And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;   Verse forty-nine adds, And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.  Laban said the place would stand as a reminder before God that God stood before them.  Even if Laban did not follow God's laws, he was ready to acknowledge God's authority after his dream.  Even those who do not necessarily believe in God may not be willing to totally defy Him, especially if they have somehow seen His work in the world.  Verse fifty declares, If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee.  Laban said Jacob had to promise before God to treat Leah and Rachel right and to not take other wives.  The vows between Laban and Jacob might have been broken easily, but those made before God would not.  When we make a vow to God, we must not break it, and if God is behind it, He never will.  Verse fifty-one, adds, And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee;  Then verse fifty-two  This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm.  Then verse fifty-three concludes, The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac.  Laban said that the pillar would be a dividing point between them, and that if either ever crossed over to harm the other, then God should be their judge.  Jacob agreed with Laban's proposal.  As followers of Christ, the cross is the dividing point between the world and us, and we must never cross over it to harm others.  The cross calls for us to identify with Christ, and we cannot use our relationship with Him to act towards others in a way that contradicts His teachings.  Verse fifty-four declares, Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.  Jacob prepared a feast, and they stayed there all night.  Jacob no longer felt the need to run away from Laban.  When we know that we are following God's will, we no longer need to run from the world.  Verse fifty-five states, And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed and returned unto his place.  Laban left them with his blessing.  Even though the agreement was between Laban and Jacob, it was God Who made it possible.  If God is behind our agreements with people of the world, we need to never fear, because God will be with us forever.