Sunday School- Gen. (12/15/2018)

Q: Anything new happen this week?

Q: Prayer Requests?

Pray

Introduction

So last week we studied where Jacob is sent by his father to take a wife from within his own kin. Now remember that the prohibition against incest had not yet been given by God so this was fine. One of the things that had prompted this endeavor was the fact Esau’s marriages to foreign women which made Rebekah’s and Issac’s life difficult.

While Jacob was embarking on his endeavor he had a vision out in the wilderness where God restated the promises He had made to Abraham. Jacob was so humbled by this encounter he built an altar there and dedicated is way and himself to the Lord. So there is where we pick up the story.

Read

Then Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east. 2 As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep lying beside it, for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well's mouth was large, 3 and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place over the mouth of the well. 4 Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where do you come from?” They said, “We are from Haran.” 5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.” 6 He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well; and see, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep!” 7 He said, “Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered together. Water the sheep and go, pasture them.” 8 But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.” 9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 Now as soon as Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, Jacob came 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 wept aloud. 12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's kinsman, and that he was Rebekah's son, and she ran and told her father. 13 As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister's son, he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things, 14 and Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month.

So we have a few things happening in the beginning of this chapter.

Jacob is heading East and he comes across “the people of the East” which we later find out is around Haran.

He begins to speak to some shepherds and finds out that these men know Laban the son of Nahor.

If do not recall, Laban is the great nephew of Abraham. But more immediately Issac’s wife, Rebekah's brother.

So Laban is the uncle of Jacob.

Rachael comes on the scene and Jacob is smitten.

So what does he do? He runs up and kisses her and cried.

Now the text does not tell us exactly why he cried but I think it may be for two reasons.

God had provided the means for Jacob to reach his goal given by his father. This journey was more than 400 miles and treacherous. It is also difficult to find people when they do not have an address.

Rachel was available and she was hot.

I guess he liked country girls because she was a shepherdess.

Rachel goes and tells her father of Jacob’s arrival and when Laban and Jacob meet they embraced and kissed.

This section ends with Jacob staying with Laban a month.

So lets us pick up in verse 15.

15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?”16 Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. 18 Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”19 Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.

15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?”16 Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. 18 Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”19 Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. 21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” 22 So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast. 23 But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her. 24 (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) 25 And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” 26 Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.”

We learn a few things here also.

Jacob desires Rachel so much he works seven years to pay the bride price.

A bride price was a common practice in which the grooms family would pay the bride’s family for a betrothal.

Since Jacob’s father was hundreds of miles away he gave his labor for the bride price. Far more than what a normal bride price would have been.

Leah, the older daughter, is not too good looking.

Rachel, the younger daughter, was a beautiful woman.

Laban agrees to give Rachel in exchange for 7 years labor.

Jacob counts the 7 years as mere days because he was so in love with her.

So let us see what happens.

21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” 22 So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast. 23 But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her. 24 (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) 25 And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” 26 Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” 28 Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29 (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) 30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years.

At the end of all his toil Jacob demands his bride. So the wedding feast in prepared and everyone is gathered. Everyone celebrates with music, food, and wine to their hearts content. Then in the evening, when Jacob is quite plastered, and brings him Leah, the wrong daughter. And Jacob promptly has sex with her. Now they were officially married. Now Jacob was rightfully angry. He had been tricked. Laban had been slick with his words from the beginning and now informs Jacob that in this land the older daughters must marry first.

Now Laban probably did this out of love for his eldest daughter, knowing that she may never be married and Jacob might have declined marrying both if he knew from the beginning. It was quite a slight of hand for now Jacob was is a tight position.

If he were to divorce Leah, Laban might not allow him to marry Rachel. All he could do is go forward for another 7 years. So he did and eventually married the woman he had first desired. We are left with the last verse saying something subtle but statement.

30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years.

Now the final verses.

31 When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32 And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because the Lord has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.” 33 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon. 34 Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be 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, “This time I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she ceased bearing.

Now we are entering into the events and thoughts of the next chapter but that is fine. Because not only does it begin another thought it also finishes what we were reading.

Because Jacob favored Rachel, Leah was ignored. So the Lord seeing the distress of Leah opens her womb and she gives birth to sons. Child bearing was a crucial duty for married women and brought them favor from their husbands.

Application

Now what does any of this have to do with us men at RSBC in the end of 2018? I’m glad you asked.

Let us begin with the most obvious.

The story of Jacob’s marriage to Rachel is a story how what goes around comes around.

I do not mean karma. That is a non-biblical principle. What I do mean is that “you will reap what you sow” to use the biblical phrase. Not only will you have to answer to God for your cheating or treachery but it may come back around to get you in this life. In this case it costed a man 14 years of his life.

God is fulfilling His promise though sin abounds.

From Jacob, who will become Israel, we will have the 12 tribes. His offspring is the beginning of the multitude of offspring the Lord has promised. Yet God is working this all out in the mist of trickery and polygamy.

God is faithful to keep his promises though we might not be.

God watches over his suffering children.

Leah was distressed yet God provided her a means of comfort and favor with her husband. We need not forget the God over us when we are in the mist of pain and suffering. God watches over His children.