JustJudge

The following is a quote from automaker, Henry Ford: "Money doesn't change men, it merely unmasks them. If a man is naturally selfish, arrogant, or greedy, the money brings that out, that's all." Scripture also says through Paul, "And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (1 Tim. 6:8-10). God does not forbid us to prosper. In fact, the Hebrew word for "salvation", which is yesua/yasa, which is also the root of Jesus' name, includes the meanings: welfare, prosperity, to be spacious, ample", in addition to what we think of when we hear the word "salvation". It also includes the idea of "avenging". The scripture from Timothy above warns us though that we need to have our minds renewed in regard to money. The desire for wealth or money, especially, when that desire is a priority to us, can become a snare that destroys even those in the faith. So money, and our attitudes toward it, is of importnce to God. This week's sabbath reading titled Va-yeitze, meaning "and he left", deals with wealth as it reveals the just and the unjust. Have you ever been cheated, or been taken advantage of, or have you perhaps taken advantage of others? The avenging God of Salvation has His eyes towards you either way because He has vowed to uphold justice. We are continuing in the Book of Genesis, or B'resheit, the book of Beginning, where God will establish His spiritual principles regarding how He will deal with injustice, especially as it is revealed in the acquiring of wealth. In Gen. 28, 29, and 31, we read about Jacob's dealings with his father-in-law, Laban. Jacob is the son of Isaac, and the grandson of Abraham. He was running for his life from his twin brother, Esau, who had despised his birthright, and "sold" it to his younger brother, Jacob (see previous blog entry "Kings"). In his fleeing, Jacob left Beersheba to go towards Haran, the place of his mother's relatives. "Beersheba", which means "the well of the sevenfold oath" is the name of a well established by Abraham, and confirmed to be of his ownership by a covenant that Abraham made with King Abimelech of the Philistines by sacrificing seven ewe lambs in Gen. 21:22-34. When leaving Beersheba, Jacob is leaving a sure provision established by his grandfather by covenant. He is going towards Haran/harar, which means "a place dried up or parched, burned, dried, angry, scorched, to roast, shriveled from drying, kindle (contention)". Not only was Jacob running for his life, but he was leaving behind his guaranteed provision, even a life-sustaining well established by his revered grandfather, Abraham. We can be sure that God is watching this. We know this to be a fact by what happened next. Jacob is given a dream in which he sees a ladder between earth and heaven with angels ascending and descending (Gen. 28:11-12). The LORD stood above this ladder and declared to Jacob: "I am the LORD God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth...and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Behold I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you." (v. 13-15). Jacob, upon waking, said: Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it:, and he was very afraid. He said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven", and he anointed a stone with oil, and called the place "Bethel", meaning "the house/family/descendants of God" (v. 18-19). He swore to give God a tenth of all that the LORD would give to Jacob in the future if the LORD would give him bread to eat and clothing to put on. Notice the similarity to what Paul wrote above in 1 Timothy 6 regarding food and clothing. Finally on his journey, Jacob found himself at another well, and discovered that this well was near his destination of Haran. There was a large, heavy stone across the top of this well, which the people only uncovered once a day when all of the flocks had been gathered. Three flocks were already there waiting, so they remained at the closed well waiting for the fourth flock. Since the meaning of Haran is a place of burning, scorching, melting dryness, we can perhaps guess why they kept the well covered, and opened it only once a day. Evaporation from the intense heat would have dried the water supply in the well. We can see a connection between the heavy stone that covered the well at scorching Haran, and the heavy stone that covered the "well of eternal life", the tomb of Jesus, a provision from God in the middle of a burning, scorched, dying world. Jesus had once cried out with a loud voice at a Feast of the LORD: "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." (Jn. 7:37-38, Isa. 55:1). Jesus is the well that can never dry up. As that stone was rolled away from Jesus' tomb, came the knowledge that Christ had risen from the dead. At the well in Haran, Jacob met his beautiful kinswoman, Rachel, who was a shepherdess of her father's sheep, and would become Jacob's future wife. Upon meeting this daughter of his mother's brother, Laban, Jacob kissed her and wept. (Gen. 29:9-11). When Rachel took Jacob to her father's house, Jacob told Laban all that had happened to him (v. v. 13). From that moment, Laban did nothing but deceive and cheat Jacob, both in the matter of marrying Rachel, and in his wages as he worked for his father-in-law (v. 20-25, Gen. 31:4-7, 38-41). Laban had been prospered and favored while Jacob had worked for him, and wanted to keep Jacob bound to him. Laban said to Jacob: "Please stay, if I have found favor in your eyes, for I have learned by experience that the LORD has blessed me for your sake." Jacob agreed saying: "For what you had before I came was little, and it has increased to a great amount; the LORD has blessed you since my coming. And now, when shall I also provide for my own house?" (Gen. 30:27-30). However, Laban again cheated Jacob (v. 32-36). The LORD then miraculously provided flocks for Jacob: "Thus the man (Jacob) became exceedingly prosperous, and had large flocks, female and male servants, and camels and donkeys." (v. 38-43). Jacob's labor for Laban had lasted twenty years. The LORD then spoke to Jacob in a dream and said: "...I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. I am the God of Bethel...where you made a vow to Me. Now, arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family." (Gen. 31:12-13). Jacob took his wives, children, and flocks that belonged to him, and fled from his father-in-law, who chased after him. In a dream, God warned Laban about how he should speak to Jacob (Gen. 31:22-24). Jacob then confronted Laban at Gilead (meaning "hard, stony region"), where Laban had caught up with Jacob. Jacob said 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." (v. 42). Jacob then continued his journey home with his wives, children, servants and flocks, and was able to make a kind of peace with his brother, Esau. The other sabbath readings for this week also have something to say about the unjust actions of those who have fallen into the trap of the corrupt desire for money or wealth of some kind. Again, money and wealth are neutral. It is what the desire for it magnifies about a man's soul that becomes a problem in God's eyes. Christ was sold into betrayal for the price of thirty pieces of silver. The silver offered to Judas Iscariot only revealed and magnified the resentment and bitterness that was already in the heart of the betrayer. In some cases as shown in this week's sabbath readings, God has used an oppressive enemy of Israel's love of money to entrap him into his own appointed destruction (1 Kings 20), but God's own people have also fallen into this trap (Hosea 11 and 12). In the end times prophesied in scripture, the single-minded pursuit and love of wealth will be one cause for destruction (Rev. 18, 2 Tim. 3:1-2). In the words from another of this week's sabbath readings appointed for our wisdom, the scriptures say: "A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold." (Prov. 22:1). Again the question that was asked in the beginning of this post: Have you been cheated or taken advantage of? Hopefully it was something similar to these words of Jesus: "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth (see Ex. 21:24-25).' But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two...You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust...Therefore you shall be perfect (teleios/telos - finished, perfect, lacking nothing to completeness, fully grown, adult, mature/the end, the goal, the purpose, eternal), just as your Father in heaven is perfect (teleios/telos - same as above)." (Mt. 5:38-48, Lk. 6:27-36). The sabbath readings for this week, to me, require an honest examination of our hearts regarding the question asked at the beginning of this post. Our own welfare and future prosperity will be affected by these issues. After fleeing from home, Jacob was repeatedly cheated for twenty years by the relatives with which he had sought safety, until God miraculously provided wealth for him, and told him to leave and return to his homeland. Would we have reacted in the same way as Jacob did if placed in a similar circumstance of long-term betrayal and greed? God sees the injustices, and turns them against the enemy, and for His people: "...they hired against you Ba'laam the son of Beor...to curse you. Nevertheless the LORD your God would not listen to Ba'laam, but the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you. You shall not seek (daras - search after, require, resort to, demand, ask for, follow, to frequent, consult) their peace (salom/salam - welfare, prosperity, safety, friendship, covenant relationship/reward, repay, restore, restitution, recompense, covenant of peace) nor their prosperity (tob - good, wealth, prosperity, precious, happiness, bounty, cheer, delight) all your days forever. You shall not abhor an Edomite (descendants of Esau and a continual enemy of Israel), for he is your brother. You shall not abhor an Egyptian (former haven and then slavemasters), because you were an alien in his land." (Deut. 23:5-7). While the LORD is saying not to hate a person or people who have grievously injured us, He also is saying that we are not to search for, nor ask for or demand, their wealth, their peace, their happiness, a covenant relationship, even rewards, restitution or re-payment from their wealth. God's eyes are upon them, and upon us. He is using what is revealed in the heart by the exchange or pursuit of wealth and prosperity in order to make His determinations as the Just Judge. God prospers His people in a time and a manner that will not draw them into traps of destruction, if we will learn His B'resheit or foundational principles, and walk in them. He wrote to His people by the Holy Spirit: "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers." (2 Jn. v. 2). If you would like to know more about the snare of the love of wealth to our hearts, you can pray with me: "Dear Father, Your eyes are upon my heart, and the hearts of all men. Renew my mind and a right spirit within me regarding the difference between how God's people are to prosper, and how the world pursues prosperity. Let me always be content as You prosper me as You also prosper my soul. Teach me the wisdom and power found in Christ's words regarding the difference between the Kingdom of God, and the kingdoms of this world regarding prosperity, and its acquisition. Fill me with the Spirit of wisdom and understanding that keeps me from temptation, and from the love of money. Fill my heart with the understanding of the Just Judge. I ask this in Jesus' name. AMEN."

Departure

There is a point in our lives when we make a departure. We leave our parents' house, and begin a life on our own. We leave the familiar and begin a path that is unknown. Spiritually speaking, when God calls us, He leads us from what we have known, and we begin a journey into newness with Him. When the moment comes that God separates us out, He does it in a way that we remember all of our lives. In the most challenging circumstances, we look back at that moment, and we are reminded that God has His hand on our lives in a special way. This moment happened in Jacob's life also. He was forced from his parents' home because of his brother's threats against him. He also began a journey to his mother's family in Syria to find a wife from among her people. This past Sabbath's assigned reading comes from Gen. 28, and is titled "Va'yeitzi", meaning "And he went out". Jacob left from Beersheba (meaning "well of seven-fold oath)" towards a place called Haran (mountainous, to loom up). He went from a place of being well watered, and a place of sabbath (seven) promises, to an arduous, and looming destination. Shortly after his journey began. Jacob fell asleep one night taking one of the stones of the place under his head for his pillow. He had a dream in which he saw the angels of heaven: "...a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, "I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and to the south; and in you and in your seed all the famiies of the earth shall be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you." (Gen. 28:12-15). Jacob awoke and thought, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it." The use of the word, ladder, here in the dream is the only time it is used in scripture. Notice that the ladder goes from earth up to heaven, rather thn the other way around. The Hebrew word for ladder is cullum. It means "ladder, raise up, exalt, extol, esteem highly, to cast up in a heap like a pile of rocks that are piled on the side as a road is leveled". Worship, thanksgiving and praise raise up that ladder from earth. Relationship with God through Christ (the stone under Jacob's head: Ps. 118:22-24, Isa. 28:16, Mt. 21:42, 1 Pet. 2:4-8) raises up that ladder from earth to heaven. As Jacob began his exile from his home, he now had seen the activity between earth and heaven, he had heard the LORD's voice himself, and he had received a covenant promise from the LORD. In that promise, the LORD also told Jacob that he would someday return to the land he had left. Jacob now knew the LORD for himself, rather than from what his grandfather and father had relayed to him. He had a personal experience. In the days and years ahead, including twenty long years of servitude in his conniving uncle's house, Jacob must have recalled that experience with the LORD, and encouraged himself by it. His uncle's name was Laban. The root meaning is "to make white, to purify, to cleanse, to purge oneself, to make bricks". Although his uncle tricked and took advantage of Jacob at every turn, it would be for a cleansing and building experience for Jacob. A spiritual structure was being built within Jacob from the bricks of cleansing in his trying experience. He must have thought again and again about seeing the angels of God ascending and descending that ladder from earth into heaven. As God has promised to those who love Him and are "the called" by Him, He will make all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28). After Jacob woke from this powerful dream, he took the stone upon which he had laid his head, and poured out oil upon it, and called it a pillar (monument, image, to fix, establish, be determined) in the place "Bethel", meaning "the house of God". As Jacob set apart Bethel as the house of God, he also made a promise to God that ended, "And this stone, which I have set as a pillar shall be God's house, and of all that you give me I will surely give a tenth to you." (v. 22). Paul in Ephesians wrote about a structure that is built from that same type of stone to become the house of God: "Now therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you are also being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit." (Eph. 2:19-22). This is a very special stone indeed, that begins the building of the house of God in Spirit. Peter described this beginning stone as a living stone. In this living stone, Jesus, we also are made living stones that complete this special dwelling of God. As God promised, in Jacob, all the families of the earth will be blessed. As Jacob established a pillar of the house of God with that anointed stone, he also promised God a tenth, or tithe, of all that Jacob would possess in the future. Some today have a problem with tithing. They believe that it is legalistic, something done under the Law. However, with both Abraham and Jacob, tithing is practiced before the Law of Moses was given to the people. However, Abraham and Jacob were not being legalistic in the giving of their tithe. They both had experienced the miracle and revelation of God directly, and they expressed their worship and thanksgiving through the tithe they gave. They gave as part of their covenant with God. God didn't need their tenth, but He accepted it as their thanks, awe, and worship. Remember, the ladder in Jacob's dream represented the exalting and extoling of God, according to the meaning of the word. He received it as their recognition that nothing they had came from their own efforts, but by the unmerited favor and covenant promises of God. Surely a tenth is not too much to give as "Bethels" are built from our lives, as ladders to heaven are extended through our worship and thanks. All things done by the Spirit bring forth fruit in the Spirit, including tithing. The haftarah portion of this past Sabbath reading is from Hosea 11 and 12. The LORD points out how Jacob sought God's favor for his provision in the unknown, yet God mourns for Jacob's descendants who have walked away from God in their hearts, and have sought wealth through man, and the ways of man, rather than through God's favor: "I taught Ephraim (a grandchild of Jacob and a tribe of Israel and used to refer to the Northern Kingdom) to walk, taking them by their arms; but they did not know that I healed them. I drew them with gentle cords, with bands of love, and I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped and fed them...My people are bent on backsliding from Me. Though they call to the Most High, none at all exalt Him." (Hos. 11:3-7). Though God touched Ephraim from the time they began, they did not know Him personally nor recognize Him. Though they knew His name, they never exalted Him. In a similar manner, Jesus talked about the fact that not everyone who claims to know Him will enter the kingdom of heaven, even if they did works in His name. Only those who do the will of His Father in heaven will enter. Jesus will say to them, "I never knew you; depart from Me..." (Mt. 7:21-23). In our spiritual walk, each of us must know God personally, having an experience with Him, as Jaoob did. We cannot know God because our father or mother knew Him. Though Ephraim had the evidence of God's hand upon them, according to these verses, they never established a personal, living relationship with Him, never sought to do His will, and therefore drifted away from God. May we each understand our place as a living stone, in the likeness of our chief cornerstone, Jesus, building up the house of God. Our Father has called us to establish His house. If you would like to experience Jesus, our living chief cornerstone, for yourself, and be established by Him in the House of God, you can do that with the belief in your heart that Jesus died on the cross for your sin, and the confession that God raised Him from the dead: "Lord Jesus, I believe that You died for my sins, and that You rose again from the dead, so that I may have eternal life in You. I believe that You will shepherd all of my days in You, turning all things, even tryng times, for my good. I believe that by You, I enter into the household of faith, the House and family of God. Fill me with the Holy Spirit as I become part of, and build, the House of God, in Your name, AMEN."

When??

Jacob was in a tight spot. His brother, Esau, was angry with him, even threatening to kill him, because Jacob, pretending to be his older brother Esau, had tricked the blessing from their blind father, Isaac (Gen. 27:1-29). Their mother, Rebekah, overhearing Esau's murderous threats, told Jacob to go to her family in the east, to the house of his uncle, Laban in Haran:
"Surely your brother Esau, comforts himself concerning you by intending to kill you." 
                                                                                          Gen. 27:42 (Ps. 64:5)
Jacob was running for his life, because if there was one thing Esau knew how to do, it was how to hunt and kill. His mother assured Jacob that his exile would only be for a few days, until Esau's anger had cooled, however, Jacob would not return for twenty years. Their father, Isaac, was told that Jacob was going back to the old country to find a wife from their own people, and he gave Jacob another blessing:
"May God Almighty bless you...and give you the blessing of Abraham."  Gen. 28:3-4
After Jacob began his journey, he slept and dreamed. In his dream, God appeared to him. The LORD identified Himself as the God of Abraham, and the God of Jacob's father, Isaac. God promised that He would give the land, and many descendants to Jacob. It was very similar to the promise that God had given to Abraham, like the blessing that Isaac had prayed over Jacob. God concluded by promising:
"Behold, I am with you, and will keep you (shamar, root word of "Samaria", meaning to keep, watch, protect, to keep covenant and Sabbath, be a watchman) wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you."  Gen. 28:15
Jacob was in awe, and called this place Bethel, meaning "House of God (El-root:the ram of sacrifice)". Jacob vowed that if God did as He promised, then He would be Jacob's God, and Jacob would give the LORD a tenth of all that he would possess (Gen. 28:20-22). Jacob only knew God as the God of Abraham, and the God of his father, Isaac. Jacob did not know the LORD as God for himself at this point in his life and journey, but God was not done with Jacob yet.
As Jacob came to the place of his mother's family at Haran, he immediately saw and fell in love with Rachel, when she came to the well. He even kissed her right there, and wept (Gen. 29:11). She had come to the well with her family's sheep at the beginning of the day, well before the accustomed time for bringing the flocks (v. 7-8). Jacob discovered that this beautiful girl was the daughter of his mother's brother, Laban.
Because of the trickery of his uncle, Rachel's father, Laban, Jacob ended up agreeing to work for his uncle for fourteen years, in order to receive Rachel as his wife. After the seven years of the previous agreement, Laban had deceived Jacob and substituted his older daughter, Leah (weary, impatient, grieved, offended, faint, tired, disgusted), to be Jacob's wife instead. Though angry, Jacob agreed to work an additional seven years, if he could have Rachel as well (Gen. 29:27). Jacob must have wondered "When will I finish working this off, and when will I be able to finally return home? How much longer?" As it happened, Jacob also worked an additional six years for Laban to receive his own flocks and herds. Along the way, Laban continued to trick and deceive Jacob to try to get the better of their bargain. Jacob had indeed met his match with his father-in-law, as far as trickery was concerned. However, at each instance of deception, Jacob was still able to prosper out of the situation. He prospered in children, and in flocks and herds, so much so, that Laban became fed up, and, after twenty years, the LORD told Jacob that it was time to take his household and go back to the land of his fathers (Gen. 31:1-7). The LORD again promised to be with Jacob. Although Jacob admitted that it was only because of the LORD that he was able to prosper so under a very crafty Laban, Jacob still referred to God as "the God of my father".
After some contention during Jacob's departure, he and Laban eventually made a covenant of a kind of peace treaty, designated by a heap of stones. Jacob even received a blessing from Laban:
"May the LORD watch between you and me when we are absent one from another." 
                                                                                                      Gen. 31:49
Now Jacob, arriving back in his homeland, would once again have to face his brother, Esau. How would Esau receive him? He found out that Esau had heard of his coming, and was coming out to meet him with four hundred men. Accompanied with so many men, it was doubtful that Esau had forgotten any of his anger against Jacob. Jacob had three separate gifts of flocks and herds sent to Esau ahead of his own arrival. These flocks and herds cost him six years of his life, now to be given to appease his maniacal brother. Would the gifts turn away Esau's anger, and his plan to go to war with Jacob? Jacob considered the loss well worth the benefit of safety. Esau's name means "hairy", but the hairiness refers to the shaggy hair of the he-goat (see Gen. 27:16). The he-goat has been an age-old symbol for Satan, as the Concordance mentions.
That night, Jacob had another awesome encounter with the LORD. Jacob wrestled with a Man until daybreak, and demanded a blessing from Him. The only way the Man could break Jacob's hold was to dislocate Jacob's hip. The blessing the Man gave to Jacob was to change his name to "Israel" (God Prevails: contend, have power (as a prince), persist, exert oneself, persevere, contend with), "for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed." (Gen. 32:24-28). King James Version says, "...for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed." Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "I have seen God face to face. Many say and believe that Jacob wrestled with an angel, but it was not an angel in scripture- it was a Man, the God-as-Man, Jesus.
Esau, like Satan, turned his back on his Godly purpose and future because he coveted the satisfying of his hunger and desires of the now. Jacob instead coveted the blessing at every opportunity. It is the blessing that fills both the now, and the tomorrow, into eternity. The blessing is truly the gift that keeps on giving.
As Jacob then prepared to meet Esau face to face, he placed both wives, two concubines, and all of his many children ahead of himself, and the remainder of his flocks. In the face of the previous gifts, and with the sight of all of the children, including eleven sons at the time, and the repeated prostration of Jacob, Esau met Jacob with a hug, and kisses, asking, "Who are these with you?" Though the initial meeting went well, Jacob had to use the excuse of the slower pace of the suckling animals in his remaining flock and herd, and the  slow travel needed for the women and children, in order to avoid travelling with a still volatile Esau and his men.
While Jacob must have asked himself many times, "When?", all of the 20 years spent laboring for his crafty, deceitful father-in-law were needed to produce the fruitfulness that saved his life, and secured his future. 
Most of us in our walk with Christ have asked the same question, "When, God?", as we seem to have to wait through fear, discomfort, contention, injustice and trial for the promise of God to manifest. However, even as God kept His promise that He would be with Jacob, and would not leave him until He had done all that He had promised, so He is with us until He has kept all that He has promised us. And, as with Jacob, all that we go through on the journey, even if meant by others for evil, God produces from those very things abundant fruitfulness in our lives. We trust in that. It is the strength of our faith.
Upon his arrival at Shalem (peace, covenant of peace, whole, perfect, safe, to be requited), Jacob built an altar in this place of his purchase in Shechem (back or shoulders, place of burden), and called the altar, "El Elohe Israel", meaning God, the God of Israel (Gen. 33:18-20). Jacob no longer knew God only as the God of Abraham, and his father, Isaac, but Jacob now knew God as the God of Israel, himself (and his posterity).
As a final thought, let me tell you what the name Laban means. It means "white". Looking deeper to the roots, it means, "to make white, become white, purify, to purge, to cleanse from the filthiness of sins", and finally, "to make bricks". Through the "Laban experience", while we are asking, "When God, how long?", God is doing a cleansing, purging and purifying work in us, building something with us as living bricks or stones. He reveals who He is to us, personally, through this journey. And as promised, He is with us to the end.

Our Father is with us, and keeps us until He accomplishes all that He has said.