A God You Can Sit On

Gen 31:33 Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them inside her camel’s saddle and was sitting on them. Laban searched through everything in the tent but found nothing.

Here is a story about a very weak god. Laban (who owns the household idol) can’t find his god. Jacob can’t see him and Rachel (who stole the god) is sitting on him. I think this is a funny story. I think it makes a powerful point.

Any god I can sit on, is of no value to this world. I confess that I sometimes want god to fit my plans, but that is pure selfishness. The true God is not my servant. I am His!

Kidner thinks Rachel's actions were mostly practical. He says that possession of the family idols was like having your name in the Will. It would be strong evidence at court that Rachel was heir to her father’s wealth. This was something she was worried about (Gen 31:14).

Brueggemann says Rachel’s actions were mostly comical. A Hebrew of the time would have retold this story with gales of laughter. I can see the humour.

1. The irony of strength. Rachel has everyone twisted round her little finger. This helpless daughter, largely dispossessed by her own father, has a quiet power. She is in possession of the family-sacred-idol. Her father has no power to find it. Her husband is out of the loop. And she seems not to care about it as long as her father doesn’t have it. She even uses her womanliness to her advantage: “Sorry, Dad, can’t stand-up just now, that time of the month *grin*! (Gen. 31:35)”

2. The irony of weakness. What every Hebrew could laugh at most loudly is the position of this pagan god. The language of worship is all about facing, bowing and honouring. Now what are we to make of a God that we can sit on?

What should I learn from this?  

• GOD, is NOT like these household idols. I can’t steal him or sit on him! Why would I try? Why do I ever pretend that I can control him?  
• GOD is with the weak and the disposed. He helps forgotten daughters, and lost children, and locked up captives. And sometimes, he helps them right under the noses of those who want to harm them.  
• GOD is not above a good laugh.  
• All other gods can’t save themselves let alone us.

Questions

When are you tempted to "sit on" your god?
When did you last experience the power of GOD who helps the weak?

Epilogue
I notice that all the family-gods are disposed of eventually and Jacob's entire household worships GOD at Bethel (35:2).

(Figurine of the Canaanite God El from Megiddo (Modern Israel) Stratum VII Late Bronze II (1400-1200 BCE). Photographed at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.)