HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 19.-Teraphim. "Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's." This the first direct mention of images in connection with worship, tho~gb tradition llpeak.s of Nimrod as an idolater (cf. Josh. x.x.iv. 2). Laban calls them his god~ (ver. 30); yet he and his family knew the Lord. His use of them was a corruption of worship. I. THE IMAGES. Teraphim. Had some resemblance to the human form (1 Sam, xix. 13). Of different sizes and materials. The manna~ of t~1eir use not_very cl~ar, but used in some way for worship. Apparently not as mtentional l"~belhon agamst God. Rather ae a help to worship him, but a help chosen in self-w1ll. It was the error forbidden in the second commandment ; a departure from the way of Abel, Noah 1 .Abraham • tho device of a soul out of harmony with spiritual things, and unabl e to realis; God's presence in worship (cf. ~xod. x~!i. 4; Jud~es viii. 27; xvii. 3 • 1 Kings xii. 28). "'e live in midst of tlungs clanmng attention. Neces- sities of life compel it. .And the go~d- effect_ of d_iligence is quiclt_l_.r felt. 'fhis n~t evil, but becomes a snare unless spmtual hfe vigorous (Matt: xm. 22 ; 1 Cor. vn 29-31 ). The habit of Jooldl'.g earthward grows. The walk wit~ Go_d becomes l~ss close. Then unreality in worship. Then t!1e attempt _by material_ aids_ to reconcile worship with an unchanged life. Hence, m the old time, teraph1m ; m our days, will worship. ll, TEE EFFECT OF THIS ON THE MORAL CllARACTER AND ON TllE SPIRI'l'UAL LIFE; exemplified in Laban, Compure him as presented in ~h. xxiv. with what he now en. XXXI. 22--44.] THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 379
oppetlrs. Thero ho is hospitable, frank, 11nd Iibernl; here he is sordid, ungenerous, deceitful even to hie own nephew. There he acknowledges the Lord as the Guide of actions (eh. xxiv. 60, 61); here he speaks of "the God of your father," and of 11 my gods." The love of wealth had made God no longer first in his thoughts (cf. Ps. x. 4; Phil. iii. 19). Thus worship became a thing of times and seasons, a thing separate from daily life, and therefore possessing no influence on daily life. So in the Christian Church great nttentio,i to external aids and extravagant symbolism were the resources of a pervading spirit less spiritual tliar, in times before ; and these too often were as clouds hiding the foce of God . . III. RACHEL'B ACT, Stole teraphim. Why? Some have thought to wean her father from them. More probably wished to make use of them. Had not escaped her father's influence. Hence the want of a submissive spirit (cf. eh. x.xx. 1 with 1 Snm. i. 11). The evil spread in Jacob's household (eh. xxxv. 2). The necessity for innking a stand against it (Josh. xxiv. 23). IV. THE LESSON FOR OUR TIMES. The second commandment meets a real danger in every age,-of leaning upon secondary means in religious service. Teraphim no longtir tempt U"• But amid whirl of active life, danger of leaning too much on out- ward impressions for spiritual life ; of cultivating the emotions in place of spiritunl earnestness (Pa. cxxx. 6; Matt. xi. 12); of putting religious services (1 Sam, xv. 22) or work (Matt. vii. 22) in place of walk with God. Amid much apparent religious activity the striving against self (Luke ix. 23) and growth in grace may become languid (1 John v. 21).-M. Vera. 20, 21.-The separatwnfrom Laban. "And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian," &c. A great lesson on- I. THE EVIL OF DISSIMULATION. Hatred and wrong the fruits of crafty ways. Family dissensions where the things of this world uppermost. Separo.tione which are made in the spirit of dependence on God rend no true bond, but rather strengther. affection . . .:II. THE F0RBEABA.NCE OF Goo. No justification of Laban, much imperfection in Jacob ; yet the shield of Divine patience and mercy thrown over the man who vowed the vow of service, in whom his grace would yet be abundnntly revealed. Laban's nction controlled by God. He forbad the evil design. He stilleth the enemy and the nvenger. "Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad " (ver. 29). "Touch not mine anointed," &c. When we are doing God's work nnd walking towards his chosen end we may leave it with him to speak with those who would hinder or ha1m us.-R.
EXPOSITION. Ve1·s, 22, 28.-And it was told Laban on employed, neither because the section beloar-i the third day-i. e. tho third after Jncob's to the fundnmentnl document (Tuc1, DleeK, departure, the distance between tho two Colenso, et alii), nor becnuse, though Laban sheep-stations being a three days' journey had an outward acquaintance with Jehovah (v,icle eh. xxx. 36)-that Jacob was fled. (vi"de ver. 49), his real religious knowledge And he took his brethren-i. e. his kins- did not extend beyond Elohim (Hengston- men, or nearest relations (cf. eh. xiii. 8 ; bcrg), but simply beco.use tho historian xxix. 16)-with him, and pursued after wished to cb-iracterise the interposition which him (Jncob) seven days' journey (litero.lly, arrested Laban in his wrath ns supernatural a way of seven days); and they overtook (Qu11rry)--0ame to Laban the Syrian in e. him in the mount Gilead. The distance dream by night,-(cf. eh. L"C. 3; Job xxxiii. between P11d11n-aro.m 11nd mount Gilead was 15; Matt. i. 20). 'l'his celestial visitntion o. little over 300 miles, to perform which occurred the night before tho fugitives wero Jacob must nt least have taken ten days, overtaken (vide ver. 29). Its intention was though Lnbo.n, who wns less encumbered to guard Jacob, according to the promiso of thnn his son-in-law, accomplished it in seven, eh. xxviii. 15, agninst Labnn's resentment- which might easily be done by travelling and (accordingly God) said unto him, Take from forty to forty-6.vo miles 11 day, by no heed-literally, take heed for thyself, tho 111cl11s 11 great feat for 11 camel. verb being fcllowed by nu ethical dative, ns Vers. 24, 21i -And Gcd-Elohim is here in eh. xii. 1; xxi. 16, q. v. -that thou 380 THE DOOR OF GENESIS. [en. x...nt. 22-44,