DEDICATION (GEN. 29)
1) At times I have said to some of you, “I need one more minute.”
2) That one minute, unintentionally, has sometimes turned into 2, 5, or maybe longer.
3) If I didn’t get to you within 60 seconds, perhaps tonight’s scripture reading will be helpful.
4) Jacob had received the blessing and this made family members unhappy.
5) Esau was so angry about the matter that he wanted to kill Jacob.
6) Isaac (the father) was not very pleased because he had been deceived.
7) The mother in this story (Rebekah) believed that Jacob needed to go away.
8) Jacob needed to leave town until things had cooled off.
9) She suggested that Jacob leave “for a few days”, Gen. 27:43-44.
10) Do you know how long these “few days” turned out to be? 20 years.
11) The next time someone says, “It will only be another minute” and it is longer than that,
12) Maybe this story will help you.
13) The delay you experience will be a lot less than 20 years.
14) LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE JACOB WENT.
15) Gen. 29:1 says that he came to the “land of the people of the east.”
16) He finally
came into contact with the people of
17)
18) It was in this area that Jacob met a woman. This woman was Rachel.
a) The meeting of these two is described in verse 9.
b) Rachel was working.
c) Her job, shall we say, was not one that required business attire.
d) Rachel was dressed in a way that was consistent with taking care of sheep.
e) Jacob didn’t mind.
f) There is a subtle hint in verse 10 as to what Jacob thought when he saw this woman.
g) Read verse 10.
h) At least a few males in this assembly have found a woman that got their attention.
i) After meeting a woman some in this assembly tried to make a good impression.
j) Jacob was out to impress Rachel. He rolled away a stone so the flocks c/be watered.
k) If you doubt that Jacob was trying to impress Rachel, back up to verse 7-8.
19) Some of the young men who had brought flocks said, “We can’t move the stone.”
20) This statement tells us several things.
21) There was a rock blocking entrance to the water.
a) This stone was heavy.
22) Jacob apparently did not offer to help the boys move the stone.
23) However, when Rachel showed up (verse 10), what was done?
24) The text says, “when Jacob saw Rachel” “he rolled away the stone.”
25) Jacob didn’t ask for help.
26) This man saw the chance to impress a beautiful woman and he took it.
27) If any men in this assembly have tried to impress a lady they are not alone.
28) We sometimes hear about love at first sight.
29) This expression is not found in the Bible but the idea is certainly expressed.
30) Jacob moves the rock and then he kissed the lady he hadn’t been properly introduced to.
31) For all practical purposes these two people were strangers, yet – verse 11.
32) Some point out that those related to each other in this culture kisses were exchanged.
33) This is certainly true. However,
34) Looking at all the verses shows that this was more than a reunion of relatives.
35) After the initial heart flip was over Jacob identified himself.
36) He was Rachel’s cousin. This was significant.
37) Jacob’s mom (Rebekah) had been gone from these family members for about a 100 years.
38) While Rebekah did not return to the family, one of her sons come.
39) This was one of the reasons that caused Rachel to run home.
40) The coming and the presence of Jacob allowed Laban to receive news about his sister.
41) According to the story laban presented Jacob
with an offer.
42) Verse 15.
43) Laban’s offer sounds like modern times.
44) Some companies want certain employees so badly they say,
45) “What do you want in exchange for your working here?”
46) “What will it take to have you come and work for us?”
47) From what is said Jacob must not have needed much time to think about things.
48) Verse 18.
49) Laban was a shrewd businessman.
a) Think about some facts.
b) Jacob’s love for Rachel must have been obvious.
c) Remember how Jacob acted when he came to the water supply.
d) He didn’t offer to move (or help move) the stone till Rachel arrived.
e) Then he offered to immediately move the stone (and apparently w/out help).
f) The marriage of these two would have likely occurred anyway.
g) Having Jacob as a son-in-law was desirable.
h) Jacob was an excellent worker.
i) Laban surely would have been willing for his daughter to marry Jacob. However,
j) This man saw that in addition to getting a good son-in-law, he c/get 7 years of free labor.
k) The text indicates Laban’s shrewdness in another way.
l) The text hints that Laban’s daughters were past the time when most ladies married.
m) This made the deal even more appealing.
n) Any concern about his daughter’s continuing to age but not be married would end.
o) Laban appeared to be getting the deal of a lifetime.
50) The bargain was struck but Laban didn’t keep his part of the bargain.
51) Jacob worked for seven years. Did Laban remember when the 7 years expired?
52) If he did he didn’t say anything – verse 21.
53) At the end of the seven-year period Laban didn’t come forward and say, “Time’s up.”
54) “Let’s have a wedding feast and allow me to give my daughter in marriage.”
55) Laban was apparently willing to let things go and have Jacob continue to work.
56) Jacob must have been counting the days. He knew when the 7 years were up.
57) He said to his employer, “Give me my wife.”
58) Laban gathered together a group of people and made a feast (verse 22).
59) Then this man did one of the sneakiest tricks that one might imagine.
60) Laban gave Jacob the lady that he didn’t want – verse 23
61) Jacob worked 7 years to make Rachel his wife and on his wedding night he got tricked.
62) Perhaps the deception brought to mind the deceit Jacob practiced on his father.
63) We all
remember how Jacob dressed up and pretended to be Esau.
Jacob found out first hand the painful sting of deception.
64) When Jacob confronted Laban about the deception he received an underhanded reply.
65) He was told that custom required that the older daughter must be married first.
66) Before Rachel would be married Leah had to have a husband.
67) The time to make known this custom would have been when the deal was first made.
68) Jacob had made an agreement for Rachel, not the “oldest daughter.”
69) Because Laban was such a conniving man maybe he made this argument:
70) If the daughter you don’t want has been worth seven years, what is Rachel worth?
71) Jacob received wife # 2 after a week had passed & after agreeing to work 7 more years.
72) Jacob worked many years to have the right to be married to the woman he loved. He did this in spite of the fact that…
73) By the time the specified years passed he or his wife might not be alive..
74) Rachel might not love him after the first seven years.
75) Before the seven years passed Rachel might be married to someone else.
76) The guarantee to be married to Rachel was not a 100%.
77) Yet, Jacob invested a significant amount of time and energy to make Rachel his wife.
78) This old testament story shows us that there
are some goals that are worth ALL OF our time and effort.
79) Jacob wanted Rachel to be his wife.
80) He was willing to give 14 years of his life to make
this happen.
81) He was willing to work for a dishonest man so he
could marry who he wanted.
82) Even after he was cheated he didn’t quit. His determination remained firm.
83) Many Christians could learn a lot from Jacob.
84) As a Christian our number one goal is to be heaven.
85) Our attitude should be like Jacob’s: we will do what is necessary to reach this
place.
86) Heaven is worth everything that we have. We will not be deterred from our goal.
87) Even though heaven is our ultimate goal, how is it
approached by many brethren?
88) Let’s draw some contrasts between Jacob and the
Christian.
a)
Jacob was
working for a temporary goal.
b)
A day would
come when both he and his wife would die.
c)
On the other
hand the Christian is working for an eternal goal.
d)
Jacob’s
temporary goal was attained by working for 14 years.
e)
This work was
not some kind of part time job. He had a
real job.
f) This man put his heart and soul into obtaining the
right to marry Rachel.
g)
How do some
Christians approach their journey to heaven?
i) Maybe I’ll read the Bible sometime this week. Should we go to worship today?
ii)We did go to worship but we didn’t want to sing.
iii)
Maybe I will
pray later in the week.
iv)
I don’t feel
like teaching my Bible class.
v)
These attitudes
are not the spirit described in Gen. 29.
89) Jacob had a goal that he wanted to attain.
90) He was unwilling to let anything prohibit him from
marrying Rachel.
91) In trying to win this woman for his wife he showed
some enthusiasm.
92) Remember the kiss that he gave when he met Rachel?
93) Remember how when asked about pay he quickly
said: I want Rachel.
94) When Christians deal with spiritual matters they may
not be so enthusiastic.
95) When songs like “There is a name I love to hear” are
sung they may sound like,
96) The name of Christ unloved and is not very dear in
the heart.
97) Another comparison.
Jacob was anxious to help.
98) When the stone needed to be moved (Gen. 29:10) this
man moved it by himself.
99) When a goal is of interest to us we are willing to
put forth effort.
100) What can be said about a congregation that calls for
volunteers to somehow help
with the cause of Christ and few or none respond?
101) This is not an indictment against this congregation.
102) We have called for volunteers at times and there has
usually been a good response.
103) What can be said of those who are capable of
responding but don’t?
104) Does not the Christian's response to the call for
volunteers indicate a lack of interest in the
cause (which for the Christian is
heaven)?
105) It does and this becomes the basis for another
comparison.
106) Jacob loved Rachel.
He was willing to give his all for this woman.
107) When it comes to Jesus, do
those in the church love Christ, or is
Jesus just okay?
108) If the Lord is loved and He is first, something
similar to Gen. 29 will occur.
109) People will give their all to serve Him and further
His kingdom (church).
110) The last comparison I will make is the one of
disappointment.
111) Jacob was disappointed when he was tricked.
112) Did this disappointment cause him to quit?
113) Did the fact that he was hurt by a family member
cause him to turn from his goal?
114) Though this man was mistreated he continued to
pursue the woman he loved.
115) How many Christians have failed to do the same thing
though their goal is eternal?
116) How many brethren have said, “I was hurt; I was
disappointed; not treated well. I quit.”
117) CONCLUSION:
118) Gen. 29 says that if we really love the Lord we will
not quit.
119) Gen. 29 teaches us to give everything that we have
to achieve our goal of heaven.
120) If this takes us 40 years or 100 years we will not
be deterred.
121) If we are mistreated or deceived by men we will stay
on the Christian path.
122) We will help at every opportunity to advance the
gospel.
123) Have we made heaven our goal no matter what the
cost?