1.  Jacob’s family had drifted away from God, before he could fulfill his promise to God he had to deal with the idolatry in his own family.

2. To deal with their defection from God, Jacob called them:

- to be single-minded in their devotion to God (to put away their idols and charms). James 4:4-10

-to be holy (to purify themselves, to put away sin) Ephesians 4:22-5:15; Colossians 3:9-14

-to bury the idols and charms (even as they buried the idols and charms associated with their idolatry, we must bury the old life of self and sin.) Luke 9:23; Galatians 2:22

3.  One author called the years from Jacob’s leaving the land until his return to Bethel, “lost time.” Lost years, “blanks” in which he was not living by faith.  Years of “so much wood, hay, and stubble,” a reference to Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 and 2 Corinthians 5:10 which challenge believers about the quality of their Christian lives and work.  That which is done by faith  will bring reward.