Genesis 29:1-35
Notes
Transcript
Genesis 29:1-35
Genesis 29:1-35
Last week, Andy took us on a journey thru Genesis 20-28. He was reminding us of the fact that we need to take our Bibles seriously. He talked about the fact that we often look at our issues thru a microscope, and that distracts us so much from the big picture.
I was thinking of myself with a microscope. I love looking at the detail in those images, but when I’m looking thru that microscope, my other eye is closed so I can see clearly. I see nothing else. That’s a compromise to be blinded to everything else.
He also talked about the fact that when a non-believer sees a Christian compromise, it drives them from believing because we can’t agree on our arguments. I feel the same way about humanistic evolution…is it Savannah man? Or aqua man? Scientists are split as to whether we came from fish, or from monkeys. If you can’t agree, why would I believe you?
As Christians, we need to major in the majors, and give grace in the minors. If the Bible is clear about a subject, make yourself clear about it. Weigh that with the question: “Is this a salvation issue?” If it is not, then ask yourself why you’re arguing about it. There are hills I will die on. I have reasons why I’m not a reformist. I have reasons why I’m not a Calvinist. I am confident God has a plan for Israel and the church won’t replace it. I am also confident God knows everything and has planned everything, as well as the fact that we have free will to make our choices.
Where the Bible says both, we must believe both and trust God knows what He means.
9 But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless.
There are things we need to reason with each other about. Please remember the audience…AND be humble enough to realize you may need to learn something…AND that something might be that the Lord needs the 2 of you in each other’s lives, so take those divine appointments and learn from them. Be humble, it’s an admirable trait, one we see over and over in the Bible is something that is taught by trials, which leads us back to Genesis 28.
2 weeks ago, in Genesis 28 we saw spent some time with Led Zeppelin, didn’t we? Jacob was sent away from Isaac and Rebekah’s home due to Esau’s anger. Why was Esau angry? Because Jacob stole his blessing by wearing a goat pelt, Esau’s stinky clothes, and his mom making a bowl of goat. Please, I’m not making fun of goat meat…that’s what it is. It’s a bowl of steaming goat. It just sounds terrible when you say it out loud.
After stealing Esau’s blessing, Rebekah is afraid for Jacob’s life so she suggests that they send him off to Laban’s house, who is Rebekah’s brother in Haran. Where Isaac and Rebekah live is the land of the Philistine’s, and there Esau had taken 2 wives for himself and mom and dad weren’t proud of that were they? They were not!
So, once he’s sent away, Esau overhears ANOTHER blessing for Jacob and decides to stick it to mom and dad by going to Ishmael’s descendants and taking a 3rd wife from that family.
When Jacob leaves, he walks all day and gets tired and lays down in a place called Bethel, formerly Luz, and laying on the ground there, no tent, just a rock under his head, he has a dream about a stairway to heaven. Go ahead, get the riff out of the way in your mind.
On this ladder or stairway, the angels of heaven were walking up and down, and God spoke to Jacob for the first time from Heaven saying: Gen 28:13-15
13 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. 14 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 the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. 15 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.”
18 Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it. 19 And he called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of that city had been Luz previously.
Jacob thought that because this ladder was there, this must have been where God lived. That’s what Bethel means. Beth - House of. El or Elohim means God. Now, we talked about what Luz means also, and it means almonds, so it was probably an almond grove. Almonds play a significant role to the Jewish people, it’s the first tree to bud in the spring symbolizing regeneration, it’s also a sign of leadership, Aaron’s staff in the ark of the covenant would not only bud, but would produce almonds miraculously signifying him as the representative of God to the Israelite people in the desert.
What happened next? Jacob made a vow:
20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, 21 so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God. 22 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.”
What do we see about this vow. IF GOD will be with ME and do these things, THEN I will give Him a tithe. Was God making a covenant with Jacob? NO, He’s confirming the covenant he made with Abraham. Jacob came from a family that looked out for number 1. Esau went out and got what he wanted. Jacob stayed home and schemed to get what he wanted. Jacob recognizes this is the Lord talking to him, but he’s missing the fact that there’s one reason why the Lord will protect him…because He made a covenant with Himself for Abraham.
God doesn’t want Jacob’s money. He doesn’t want or need any of our money. He wants us to obey His commands. Jacob also gets wrong that the Lord isn’t saying this is My House, where I dwell, but that He will be with Jacob everywhere he goes, just like He is with all of us. Do you think you can hide from the Lord? He’s right there, whether you like it or not!
:Now, one more thing before we get into this week’s chapter. We’ll talk again today about stories repeating themselves. This story of a ladder to heaven and angels coming and going up and down is not repeated again in the old testament. However, it is in the New. When Jesus meets a man named Nathaniel, who Jesus presents himself to and says:
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!”
Behold an Israelite…There was a man named Israel in the Bible, and the Lord gave him that name, not his father or mother. His name was what? Jacob, who’s name means deceiver. What does Jesus say next to Nathaniel?
50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
This is not a point the Lord is trying to make with Jacob seeing this ladder. This was to symbolize that the gap between Heaven and earth is vast, and only God can make a bridge between them. Jesus confirms He is that bridge. He is the conduit between this world and Heaven. We see with every chapter, as Andy was talking with us last week about our foundation needing to be solid and unwavering, choosing our battles. Jesus is reflected in EVERY CHAPTER of the book of Genesis. Over and over again, painting a picture for God’s people to be on the lookout for such a man. We’ll talk more about that today, let’s pray and dive into Genesis 29.
PRAY -
1 So Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the East. 2 And he looked, and saw a well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks. A large stone was on the well’s mouth. 3 Now all the flocks would be gathered there; and they would roll the stone from the well’s mouth, water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the well’s mouth.
Jacob arrived in Haran and found a well, Just like when Abraham sent his head servant Eliazar to get Isaac’s wife Rebekah. Could this be the same well? We don’t know for sure. What we can see is this, there were 3 shepherds with their flocks at the well that was covered by a large stone. Most scholars say stones like this were purposely big enough so that people couldn’t steal water form the well, therefore you needed at least one more person to be there with you to draw from the well.
There were already 3 here, they probably could have moved the stone and started, but they were waiting for everyone to be there. I’m a former sheep shearer…I know that mixing flocks together is a chore to separate. Were these flocks great? Small, we don’t know. I can tell you, separating flocks is not easy…unless they are really good shepherds who know their sheep and their sheep know their shepherd’s voice.
Let’s look a little further into this passage too for some symbolism. These shepherds brought their flocks together to draw from the well. What do I see here? I see families coming to church, fathers and mothers bringing their children to drink of the Living Water, for a time of fellowship, and then returning to their pastures to grow. Fellowship is so important. My kids hate not being here, and I love that. They miss you all. They love their big family, and so do Hollie and I. I appreciate you all and the influence and encouragement you are to all of us. Thank you!
Back to the text. These men gathered at the well, so Jacob, being social, decided to strike up a conversation with the men:
4 And Jacob said to them, “My brethren, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from Haran.” 5 Then he said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” And they said, “We know him.” 6 So he said to them, “Is he well?” And they said, “He is well. And look, his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep.”
How do you handle conversations when you don’t know the people? How’s it going? I love it when I’m in a bigger city and I tell people I’m from South Dakota, and they ask “Do you know so-and-so?” Like we’re not a state of almost a million people…How long had it been since Rebekah and Laban lived together? She was barren for 20 years, Jacob is now 77, so between 90 and 100 years.
Putting these ages into perspective makes what happens in this chapter even more difficult to comprehend. So, in this context, was the question to these men “Is he well?” a valid question? Yes, it is. He’d have been a very old man.
I’m sure this excited Jacob, and he didn’t know how to respond, so he decided to use some logic on them.
7 Then he said, “Look, it is still high day; it is not time for the cattle to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.” 8 But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and they have rolled the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.”
These shepherds were men of honor, according to their habits. They didn’t take matters into their own hands. Jacob tries to get them to move on…he sees this woman coming with her sheep and, if he’s like most of us who see a pretty girl doing something, you want to get rid of the distractions to talk to her, right?
The men kept to the rules, though. I’m sure that irked Jacob, who liked to connive to get his own way, and he keeps watching this woman get closer and closer:
9 Now while he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept. 12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative and that he was Rebekah’s son. So she ran and told her father.
This stone was massive mind you…and when she got there, he had had enough of the waiting and went and started pushing. It doesn’t seem like he could have been strong enough to move the stone by himself, but the Bible doesn’t say he had help…and what’s to stop a man with hearts in his eyes?
Seriously, guys, think about the day you met your brides? I met mine at a bar she didn’t even want to go to. For some of us, it was slow motion and “Take my breath away” playing in the background…or “Back in Black” like it was for me.
Anyone standing in your way from having time with that woman is no friend of yours, is he? Heck no he’s not. You’ll move heaven and earth, and that’s what Jacob does, he goes and moves some earth.
She is a shepherdess…that’s not a common job in Bible times, let alone today. Some idiot got me a book when I was living in the camper before I met my wife. I didn’t have much free time while shearing, you get up before the dawn breaks, and you’re home after the sun goes down, but one day this book showed up. I think it was my dad that sent it to me, maybe it didn’t come from an idiot, but someone who knew what they were doing.
The book was named Sheep: Life on the South Dakota Range by Archer Gilfillan. It’s a great book and I so could relate. In the book, he talks about life as a shepherd. At one point he goes to a town bar loathes how hard it is to find a respectable woman in the town, especially while all the girls are attracted to the cowboys. He says at one point: These girls swoon over these men who break their backs for $6 per day, and make fun of me when I’m in charge of $30,000 worth of livestock (in 1929) have the trust of the rancher.
She’s in charge of those animals, the only woman. That says something about Rachel. We don’t know how old she is, but the men are waiting on her. She had their respect. That doesn’t come easy in that culture. Her father Laban must have trusted her as well to tend those animals. Further drawing Jacob’s eye.
So she hears who he is and runs, probably because she’d heard of the wealth of the man that Rebekah had married. Jacob kissed her, as family would, not romantically, and cried out. She knew Laban would want to hear Jacob was here and to hear Jacob’s story.
13 Then it came to pass, when Laban heard the report about Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. So he told Laban all these things. 14 And Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him for a month.
Most of us could do with family for a month, right? That’s about the max time that you can tolerate your own hospitality. I can only stand being around someone for about 30 days, unless your name is Hollie. My kids are trainees, they’re different. I have to live with them for now…I kid.
A 70 something year old man, I would have serious issues with after 30 days as a free-loader. Laban felt the same way, we see it right here:
15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages be?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah’s eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance.
It had been a month, in that mean time, Laban was sizing up this man Jacob. Finding out what he wanted was easy. He then had to find out if Jacob would be useful to him. Some people really know how to play the game. Jacob was in new territory, and he was no longer the most cunning man in the land.
Laban, no doubt, saw Jacob’s attraction to Rachel. Leah’s eyes were delicate, we don’t know what that means exactly. With the description of Rachel right afterward, I draw the conclusion that Leah’s eyes were probably pretty, but Rachel’s everything was pretty.
Rebekah told Jacob that she would send for him in a couple of days, once Esau’s anger had subsided. After these 30 days, obviously now it was time to get to work.
Laban knew the art of the deal before Donald Trump wrote the book on it. He had baited the hook and was about to set it. If only Jacob would play ball with him.
18 Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.” 19 And Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.
Have any of you ever been in love before? That’s a softball for you men.
Ladies, if your husbands didn’t respond appropriately, Hollie and I do offer couples counseling, and we will make him understand.
When that feeling goes thru your mind, that “I’m in love” feeling it makes you dumb. It takes a while to settle in that love is a choice you make, not an emotion you feel. Every emotion you feel can change at any second. Love is a lifelong choice. You younger kids, take that seriously. Love is a choice.
What has Jacob done here? Is there an agreement here? Where is the contract? Where is the covenant? Where is the acknowledgment of the 7 years for Rachel? He gets a backhanded comment, and Laban just says “Stay with me” to seal it. Jacob is fat, dumb, and happy. This is the original “labor of love” story in history. So Jacob works, for the first time in his life, for Rachel.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.” 22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast. 23 Now it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. 24 And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid. 25 So it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?”
Jacob didn’t even see it coming. Hook, line, and sinker. All because of his feelings. And Laban knew it. My senior year in high school, I played flag football with my quarterback coach. He was in his 50’s, and had a team of old boys. He asked me to play that spring on his flag football team which consisted of me, him, and 4 60 year olds, and the quarterback, who was 72.
I was a good quarterback, I thought for sure he wanted me for that. But no, I was fast and bulky, obviously that’s a good recipe for flag football. This guy who was our quarterback was amazing. I never missed a stride, and it’s like he read my mind with every pass he threw to me. As good a quarterback I was, I’m a better receiver. I catch just about everything. That’s why he wanted me for the team.
Why are you telling me this story here Aaron? I’m telling you this, because we blew out every team we played. High school and college athletes and we won running away. I was taking no look passes. I was breaking my route with a ball on my nose. These guys knew each other so well, and from me they just said run, and catch it. After the last game, I’m sitting eating pizza with the guys amazed, and I tell them, I can’t believe we won this tournament. My coach looked at me and said: “I needed you to learn, a game is just a game. Youth, speed and power will never prevail over age, experience and treachery.”
He taught me more that year about strategy and leadership than I ever had. I’m a loser at games, and I don’t care. If you play me in anything, you will beat me. Often. I’m learning from you. Laban had been around the block a few more times than Jacob had.
Don’t you love seeing someone get their comeuppance? You want to see how they respond, don’t you? You want to see them fumble with their words, make excuses, get super angry because they were duped, and that’s what happens here. Is there any repentance? That’s what we’re longing for. Someone who responds righteously and learns their lesson.
How does Laban respond?
26 And Laban said, “It must not be done so in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me still another seven years.”
Laban informs Jacob “You need to know the rules before you play this game.” I always read the rules, and instructions before I do things. If you’re a gun owner, you must know the gun rights in the places you travel, otherwise you’re going to have a bad time. It’s irritating when I ask people for the instructions or the rule book, but I am not a great fool, and I want to know when I’m being cheated, so I can cheat legally.
He worked 7 years for Rachel, the more beautiful daughter, just to be deceived. How does this happen you might ask? Wouldn’t he know? Most of us here live in South Dakota…the nights without the moon are dark nights. Like I mentioned in that sheep book, that’s one of the things he talks about is that you can see silhouettes and where you can go when the mood is out, but when it’s not, it’s a black expanse.
Not only that, couple it with a vail, which covered most of the face (except the beautiful eyes), and Laban making sure that the bridal suite is wireless too, which means there would be no light in the tent either. Laban’s plan was now complete.
However, there’s one more part of this grand scheme plan. Leah would have to go along with this plan too, right? Jewish tradition is that the father of the bride makes the decisions on who marries whom. Leah didn’t protest. She could have revealed herself to Jacob that night and threw a monkey wrench into this whole situation. There must have been something desirable about this man Jacob that she was willing to follow her father’s deception. Jacob is now in dispair, he’s been fooled, but there is no divorce in those times. He couldn’t simply say “Nope, this is null and void.” Marriage was not breakable. It was designed to not be breakable. We are to be husbands of one wife. This, however, wasn’t the wife Jacob choose, certainly not the one he thought he was paying for with 7 years worth of labor.
What does Jacob do now? How old is he now? He’s in his 80’s. I calculated he was 77, other scholars say he was 70 when he stole Esau’s blessing. So at best, he’s 77, at worst 84 years old. Does Jacob act like me? And start cheating now that he’s been cheated? No:
28 Then Jacob did so and fulfilled her week. So he gave him his daughter Rachel as wife also. 29 And Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as a maid. 30 Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban still another seven years.
Jacob has no other choice, he needs to fulfill his duty if he wants what he’s been working for. He fulfills the wedding week, a literal 7 days, then Laban gives him Rachel, but now he owes Laban another 7 years of work. He was not going to do this relationship dirty. He had a reputation. You have a reputation. What are you willing to do about it? Are you willing to do 14 years worth of work, in good faith, as unto the Lord to change your reputation? That’s a long time. My oldest son just turned 14. Those were hard years. I started changing my reputation 15 years ago when I rededicated my life to Christ. It has been a hard walk. The Lord still has a lot of work to do too. I need to let him. Let’s conclude this chapter and look at some more application:
31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. 32 So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, “The Lord has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.” 33 Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon. 34 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi. 35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she stopped bearing.
Do you think Leah wanted a righteous husband? Do you think she was deserving of it? Do you think Laban knew it? I’m not going to get into the politics of who was right or wrong with this story. At the end of this chapter, does it sound like Jacob has learned anything? The Lord blessed Leah and had mercy on her. Was Leah the preferred wife to Jacob? No, Rachel was. Which of the women was his true wife, though? Leah was, right? He and Leah were joined together first. Was Leah loved? Could you say she was despised and rejected according to this portion of scripture? The Lord is the one who levels the playing field. We’re allowed to make our selfish choices, or our righteous ones. The way Jacob acted was childish, for a 84 year old.
What about names? Do the names mean anything? The names of her 4 boys were: Reuben, which means “Behold a son.” Simeon, means “God hears.” Levi, means “to join oneself to.” And Judah, meaning “the Lord be Praised.”
Her sons can be told “Behold, a son from whom God hears, and join them and let the Lord be Praised.” These are the oldest boys, the heads of the tribes of Israel. There is one name that stands out, isn’t there? The youngest son of Leah was Judah. There is something special about that child. In a few chapters we’ll read of the blessings to each child, and of Judah we read this:
8 “Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father’s children shall bow down before you. 9 Judah is a lion’s whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him? 10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people. 11 Binding his donkey to the vine, And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, He washed his garments in wine, And his clothes in the blood of grapes. 12 His eyes are darker than wine, And his teeth whiter than milk.
This prophecy will be fulfilled when the events of Revelation 5:5
5 But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”
From the despised and rejected wife, would come King David, and thru King David will come the Lion of Judah, which we read a few verses afterward would look like a lamb who was slain. Again, the symmetry of the Bible showing us who the Messiah truly is, is undeniable. If you take the events that are going on in the Middle East in the past year, we are coming closer and closer to the rapture of the church.
The Lord is calling to Israel, gathering His people back to the land. Preparing for the Ezekiel 38 and 39 war, where He miraculously protects Israel from it’s enemies. All of the major players are on the tables except 1. The world needs 1 world leader. The cashless society is upon us. The world is calling for one world government, and the religions of the world are being melded together. This is exactly why we are going thru this book, so we know, without a doubt, that this whole book is for us, and about God’s love for us, that He had mercy on us to send His Son to bridge the gap between Heaven and earth, because we can’t do it ourselves.
We named ourselves the church @ Rapid City for a reason. We aren’t the only church, that’s why it’s a little t and little c. We settled on that name for such a time as this. The Church needs warriors. They need shields, archers, swords, and arrows. They need people who want to be on the front lines, who are capable of being on the front lines. Who are our shields? The men of our church, who defend their families, as well as God’s Word. Who are the archers? You ladies are the archers, you’re the ones that will launch our children as arrows into enemy territory, preparing them to do battle away from you. And we all need the sword of the Word of the Lord.
KC Smith and I had lunch the other day, and he said he heard from Pastor Adrian Rodgers say something that hit me in the middle of the chest like my dad’s finger when he was making a point. It was: “There are 2 types of Christians, either Soul Winners, or Back Sliders.” We need to realize we are one or the other.
The Church has been given a reprieve for the next couple of years. Are you going to stay hot for the Lord? Or are you going to allow the lukewarm to overtake us again. It’s on us pastors to stir you up and lead, but YOU are the church. You are the soldiers. You are the mouths of the Lion. Confront evil. James 5:19–20 “19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.”
Like our memory verse says, 2 Corinthians 3:3
3 clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.
The name of this church body is named after the letters Paul wrote to the church. We are the epistles of Christ. We are the letters, the messengers. Take that message and be vocal about it. Don’t be fooled, the devil wants our silence. Be the light that this dark world so desperately needs.
