Day 2 of Week 6 The Patriarchs

October 17, 2008
Day Two of Week Six
An Unexpected Bride
 
Today's Treasure: Genesis 29: 25
"When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, 'What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn't I? Why have you deceived me?' "
 
Today's lesson will focus on the marriage(s) of Jacob. You will watch a scene fro m a soap opera play out with Jacob, Laban, Rachel and Leah being the main characters. As you read through the Scripture you will find that Jacob agreed to work for his uncle for seven years to win the right to marry Rachel. He was truly in love with Rachel and felt the seven years of labor would be worth the reward. Rachel was the beautiful (in appearance) one between her and her older sister, Leah. However, Leah had first rights to marriage because of her place in the family. After Jacob worked seven long years to marry the girl of his dreams, he wakes from his wedding night with Leah next to him instead!!! Of course, Jacob is astounded by what has happened. Where is the woman he worked seven years for? Well, at this point I have to be honest in telling you I can't help but snicker. Has anyone ever heard the term "turn about is fair play"? Don't you kind of feel like Esau is getting a little revenge on his brother for the tricks he played on him in the past?
 
The story in Scripture today will also bring up polygamy in the culture of Jacob and the idea of a father giving both of his daughters in marriage to the same man. This is not God's plan for marriage. His plan for marriage is one man and one woman. If you need Scripture to support this, consider the following:
Genesis 2: 24
"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh."
Matthew 19: 4 -6
"Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."
Ephesians 5: 31
"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."
Jacob's world commonly practiced polygamy as a means to many children, not as an act of obedience to God.
 
Please read Genesis 29: 14 – 30
Identify and describe both the characters that follow on the information given in this text. You might even describe what you think they were like, creating a character sketch of sorts.
 
Leah: The older daughter of the two. Leah is described as having weak eyes. Leah had to have been humbled by the fact that she was looked over by Jacob. Being the oldest daughter, as I said, she was first in line to marry. &n bsp; She must have felt very insecure about her appearance if it was strong enough to be mentioned in regards to describing her.
Rachel: The younger of the two daughters. Rachel is described as being lovely in form and beautiful. Jacob was in love with Rachel and willing to work seven years for her hand in marriage. Talk about an ego boost. How would your head swell if a man was willing to wait/work seven years just to marry you?
 
No matter who we are we have suffered the slings and arrows of painful comparison at some point. How would you describe the feeling of being negatively compared to another person?
I remember a scene that played out in my office one day when I worked for First Union right out of college. Another girl was hired at about the same time I was. She truly was a beautiful girl and had a great personality . This story in no way reflects my feelings about her because she became a great friend to me. However, the first day she came into the office, the supervisor took her around to introduce her to everyone. She was standing at the cubicle in the front of our department and she called out my name. She said, "Tiffany I want you to meet _______. I had to come introduce her to you because we now have someone working here that is prettier than you." I was so crushed when she made that statement in front of everyone. The girl was so embarrassed too!!! I will probably always remember the way it made me feel when she did that.  
 
What excuse did Laban offer for deceiving Jacob in verse 26 after he gave Leah to him on the wedding night instead of Rachel?
"It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one"
 
In all, how many years did Jacob work for Laban to win Rachel?
Jacob worked seven more years for Rachel's hand in marriage…a total of fourteen years
 
Beth purposely overlapped yesterday's text with todays by including verse 14 in both. I believe this verse in strangely foretelling in the Jacob/Laban sage. What did Laban say when he met and embraced Jacob?
"You are my own flesh and blood"
Jacob was deceived by his own flesh and blood. Some believe that Laban was so anxious to create a covenant with Jacob because he was expecting the great riches his family received for Rebekah. However, Jacob came into this situation empty handed. Don't feel sorry for Jacob because God used this situation to teach Jacob a life less on. He would reap the sowing of his past with the deceit he used to get ahead with Esau and his father.  
Suspect an ulterior motive in virtually everything Laban offers. The first example appears in verse 15. How does Laban at first seem thoughtful?
Jacob was living with and working for Laban for a month, and Laban comes to Jacob to explain that he should not be working for free just because they are relatives. I am sure Laban is keenly aware of the affection Jacob has for Rachel, and is conjuring up ways of getting both of his daughters married.
By hiring Jacob, Laban is binding Jacob to him. Jacob now owes Laban something for the rights to his daughter.
 
Let's back up a bit and reread verses 20 and 21. Explain why seven years could seem like only a few days. If you have a personal example when time seemed to pass similarly, share it as your explanation.
I believe time passes without notice when we are at our happiest!!! I am sure Jacob woke up each morning anxious for the day Rachel would be his. Work was not a bother because the reward would be worth it. I know the time in my marriage has passed so quickly. Brian and I have been married for almost eleven years, and it truly seems like yesterday that we were in that church. Since then, we have built a family with two amazing little boys. Brian has proven to be a husband and father that women and children could only dream of having. Our home, overall, is a very happy one. We spend a lot of time rushing through the day to day activity of living. Yet, we laugh a lot and love on each other even more. The happiness in our home makes time just pass without notice of the toilsome things of life.  
 
Many commentaries feel certain that the deception of the wedding night was not a difficult one. I am sure the sisters resembled one another greatly. We also need to consider the fact that a lot of drinking probably took place at the wedding feast. So, Jacob did not have the blinders of alcohol on his side. (Yet another con on the "reasons not to drink" list). Also, it was dark when Laban lead his daughter to Jacob's bed.  
We can have stars in our eyes in more ways than romantic love. God calls us to love, but He never calls us to love blindly. In your own words, what was Paul's prayer for believers in Philippians 1: 9?
"And this is my prayer that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,"
 
Laban did Leah such a disservice by attempting to honor his customs. Jacob promised seven more years of labor to marry Rachel.
Complete the following from Genesis 29: 30
"Jacob lay with Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah"
Try to imagine Leah's life of being the one that is loved less. I am sure her heart ached more and more with each passing day. I feel certain that time did not pass quickly for her as she was trapped in a loveless marriage.
Thank God for the love he showers us with because it is the only love that can carry us through such difficult situations!
 
Thank you for sharing your time with me today
In Him 
Tiffany