Reaping what you sow

• 1^st – Finding a wife… vs. 1-14
  • 1^st – Jacob left Bethel – traveled about 700km north to the city of Haran… vs. 1
    • The modern city of Urfa – located in south eastern Turkey – near Syrian border…
    • The journey would have taken him several months!
    • Haran was the city where Abraham lived till his father Terra died – Acts 7:4
    • It is also the home of the brother of Abraham – Nahor – the father of Laban and Rebekah…
    • The city where Abraham had commanded his servant to find a wife for Isaac – Genesis 24:10
  • 2^nd – The well in the field… vs. 2-5
    • Possibly the SAME WELL where Eliezer had first met Rebekah – Genesis 24:11
      • That is not to say if you want to get married – go to a WELL – it worked for Isaac and Jacob!
      • The WELL simply represented a place where people regularly gathered…
      • There is truth that if we desire to get married – we need to be around people!
      • Then – like Jacob – we can be in a place where we meet our future spouse!
    • When Jacob arrived – three flocks of sheep were gathered…
      • They were waiting for the fourth flock – Laban – to arrive…
      • There was a stone on top of the well – presumably to protect it…
      • The assumption is it took all of the shepherds to uncap the large stone…
      • Jacob asked if the shepherds knew Laban – they knew him well…
      • Just like Eliezer – because Jacob was walking – God led him to just the right place!
      • There are no accidents or coincidences when it comes to out walk in Christ…
      • Just because we do not see how God is working – does not mean He is not there…
      • God never sleeps / never rests – and is always working for our good!
      • Often the only thing we have to do – is step out in faith and be amazed by what God does!
      • Psalm 46:10 – “Be still, and know that I am God.”
  • 3^rd – Rachel arrived to water the flocks… vs. 6-14
    • When Rachel – daughter of Laban – arrived with the flock of her father…
      • Jacob went and single handedly rolled away the stone – and watered the flock!
      • The same stone it presumably took several men to lift – Jacob did alone…
      • Apparently – Jacob wanted to impress Rachel – like a giddy schoolboy showing off!
        
    • When Laban heard the story from Jacob – the son of his sister – whom he had never met…
      • He said – surely you are bone of my bone / and flesh of my flesh – true family!
      • One has to wonder just what story Jacob told – lying to steal the blessing…
      • As we see the character of Laban – perhaps Jacob did tell him the whole story…
      • That is how Laban recognized his nephew – he was a SCHEMER like his uncle!
    • Where did all this SCHEMING come from…
      • Rebekah had SCHEMED to take away the blessing from Esau…
      • We will soon see Laban SCHEME to keep Jacob from leaving…
      • No doubt Rebekah and Laban both learned to SCHEME from their father…
      • Jacob now seemed to have the same tendencies – did it run in the family!
      • My father was NOT raised in a Christian home – he was raised in the world…
      • But when Jesus got a hold of his life – he DID NOT pass on the pattern he had been given…
      • He realized he was not bound to that ungodly example – he now had the Word!
      • We can choose what example we pass onto our children – whether good or bad…
      • We can choose to give them lessons we learned from the world – or from the Word!

• 2^nd – The problem with the wedding… vs. 15-35
  • 1^st – Seeing true beauty… vs. 15-17
    • Laban had two daughters – Leah (the older) and Rachel (the younger) …
      • The eyes of Leah (weary) were delicate – or she literally HURT your eyes to look at her…
      • Apparently – Leah was just not a very attractive woman…
      • For that reason Jacob did not have much interest in her!
    • Rachel (sheep) was beautiful – both in her FORM (body) and APPEARANCE (looks) …
      • Apparently – Rachel was REALLY beautiful – all around knock out!
      • For that reason Jacob was really interested in her!
      • Beauty is a funny thing – what really is beautiful…
      • We think to be dark is bad – but in the US and Europe – being white is bad…
      • Where we have whitening soap – then having tanning lotion!
      • Who decides what beauty really is – in the eye of the beholder!
      • A 70 year old man looks at his bride and sees the most beautiful woman…
      • We do not see what he sees – because he sees through the eyes of LOVE…
      • The most beautiful woman – is the one who has the heart of her husband!
      • Jesus looks at us – whom He loves – and He sees incredible beauty!
  • 2^nd – Working for a wife… vs. 18-20
    • Jacob had not just been sitting around enjoying the hospitality of Laban…
      • He had been hard at work helping out his uncle…
      • God said he would bless Jacob – Genesis 28:15 – but that did not mean he did nothing…
      • Laban saw the work ethic on the part of Jacob – he was a hard worker!
      • Being blessed be God does not mean we do not work – just the opposite…
      • We work harder – but recognize it not about our efforts – but by the Grace of God!
      • I Corinthians 15:10 – “Whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than all the other apostles, yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.”
    • Just because Jacob was family (brother) – was no reason for him NOT to be paid…
      • Laban told (imperative) Jacob to name his wage – compensation for his hard work…
      • Laban did not want to take advantage of Jacob (yet) …
      • Jacob offered to work for seven years – in return for marrying Rachel…
      • So he served seven years – and they seemed like just a few days – because of his LOVE!
      • Many people hate their work – dread the start of a new day…
      • The problem is not the work – the problem is the heart!
      • If we are striving to work so we can get lots of money – we will be miserable…
      • We will be miserable because we are working hard – with no results!
      • If we work hard – because we LOVE the Lord – and want to be a good example…
      • We will find that our work is not an effort – but a blessing that we enjoy!
  • 3^rd – The wedding veil… vs. 21-29
    • The day of the wedding arrived – a traditional wedding – the bride wore a veil…
      • Jacob could NOT see whom he was marrying – he thought it was Rachel…
      • But Laban made (hiphil) Leah marry Jacob instead of Rachel…
      • In the morning – no veil / sunlight – Jacob realized the deception!
      • That is why Jews to this day – always remove the veil before they say – I do!
    • Jacob was furious – why have you intensively deceived (piel) me!
      • The excuse of Laban – it cannot (niphal) be done in our country…
      • The younger cannot be married before the older!
      • It was an excuse – he could have been mentioned that before the wedding!
      • The real reason was to keep Jacob around for another seven years…
      • He would give Rachel (after one week with Leah) – but for another 7 years!
      • Laban saw he was blessed because of Jacob – greedy – he wanted more of the blessing!
    • Reaping what we sow…
      • Jacob bought the birthright from Esau (for a bowl of soup) …
      • But that was not enough – greedy he wanted more – he wanted the blessing…
      • So he SCHEMED – and he stole what was not his – much like what Laban did to him!
      • We REAP what we SOW – this is a truth when it comes to farming – but it is also in life!
      • If we cheat / steal / mistreat others – it should come as no surprise when get the same…
      • We should treat others the same way we desire to be treated by them!
      • Matthew 7:12 – “Whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them…”

• 3^rd – It is not about marriage… vs. 31-35
  • 1^st – Leah was unloved… vs. 31
    • Jacob had two wives – but he loved Rachel more than Leah…
    • Hebrew – HATED (participle) – the suggestion is HATED by Rachel…
    • The Lord saw – Leah was NOT loved by Jacob – and HATED by her sister Rachel!
    • As a result (sequential imperfect) – He caused Leah to have kids / but Rachel was barren!
  • 2^nd – Four boys… vs. 32-35
    • 1 – Leah had a son (sequential imperfect) – she called him Reuben – See I have a son…
    • Because she said – the Lord has seen my affliction…
    • Not surely now my husband will LOVE me – because I have given him a son!
    • 2 – Leah had a second son (sequential imperfect) – she called him Simeon – Heard…
    • Because the Lord HEARD that I was HATED!
    • 3 – Leah had a third son (sequential imperfect) – she called him Levi – Joined…
    • Because I have given my husband three sons – he will be attached (niphal) to me!
    • 4 – Leah had a fourth son (sequential imperfect) – she called him Judah – Praise….
    • Now I will praise (hiphil – causative) the Lord – in SPITE of the lack of LOVE from Jacob!
  • 3^rd – Leah looked for the LOVE – approval – the companionship of Jacob…
    • But even though she gave him four sons – she did not find it…
      • She finally came to the place where she was willing to just – Praise the Lord!
      • When she realized that – she stopped having children (sequential imperfect)!
        
      • If we are looking for our spouse to LOVE us – we may or may not find it…
      • Even if we find it today – there is no guarantee there will not be problems tomorrow…
      • Marriage is not about finding LOVE – it is about learning to CLING to Jesus…
      • Dying to self – depending DAILY on Him – in spite of our circumstances!
      • Luke 9:12 – “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”
    • In the end Leah would become the one Jacob loved – Genesis 49:29-31
      • Not because she gave him sons – but because she PRAISED the Lord!
      • It is only when we are focused on the Lord – we will LEARN be content…
      • When we can just say like Leah – in ALL things – PRAISE the Lord…
      • And as we look to Jesus – we will find we have a GREAT marriage!

• 4^th – ENVY… vs. 1-24
  • 1^st – The DANGER of ENVY… vs. 1-2
    • When Rachel saw she was barren – she ENVIED her sister…
      • ENVY – (piel – intensive) – to become red faced – jealous!
      • Ironically – Leah ENVIED Rachel for the love of Jacob – Rachel ENVIED Leah for kids…
      • Neither was happy – because they looked at what they did NOT have!
      • Funny how we are never happy with what we have – only with what we do not…
      • We might be richer 50% of the world – but we look to the 50% who have more…
      • We want nicer clothes – rather than being thankful for clothes…
      • We want a better job – rather than being thankful for a job…
      • ENVY is about wanting – not being content with whatever we have!
      • If we focus on what we do NOT have – we will have an empty miserable life…
      • It is when we give thanks for what the Lord has given us – we are blessed!
    • Give (imperative) me children – or else I die!
      • Rachel being barren was not the fault of Jacob – Leah had four kids already…
      • Yet Rachel wanted someone to blame – so she took it out on her husband!
      • Who responded in anger – I am in the place of God – who withheld the fruit of your womb!
      • When we do not get what we want – we want someone to blame…
      • We cannot blame God – or at least we cannot see Him to blame Him in person…
      • So we look for someone else to blame – often someone who is close to us…
      • Because we are not content with what we have – we end up hurting those we love!
  • 2^nd – The RESULTS of ENVY… vs. 3-8
    • Looking to the world…
      • Rachel could have waited on the Lord for Him to provide a child…
      • But ENVY of Leah caused Rachel to look to the world for faster answers…
      • Her solution was to give her servant Bilhah to Jacob as a wife…
      • The children of Bilhah would be counted as hers – I will have children by her…
      • This was not an uncommon practice in those days (even today – surrogate mother) …
      • But as with Abraham and Hagar – looking to the world – is never a wise choice!
      • God promises to provide for all of our needs – not necessarily our wants…
      • Therefore if we do not have it – we must not need it!
      • When we ENVY – we are saying God has not given us what we need…
      • So we go to the world – doing things the worlds way – to get it…
      • ENVY will take our eyes off the Lord – and put them on the world!
      • James 3:16 – “Where envy and self–seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.”
        
    • Bilhah bore a son (fifth son of Jacob) – Rachel named him Dan – God is my Judge
      • She said – God has judged my case – and heard my voice…
      • Rachel was ashamed because she could NOT have kids…
      • Her voice was a bitter cry because Leah COULD have kids… 
      • But the best Rachel could do on her own – was claim someone else child!
      • When we settle for answers from the world – we come up with second best…
      • What we get never seems to be as quite nice as what we wanted…
      • Whether clothes – job – friend – it is never as nice as what we ENVIED…
      • Because we are not waiting for God – we took the answer the world offered…
      • As a result we become BITTER – as if somehow – we have been ripped off in life!
    • Bilhah bore a second son (sixth son of Jacob) – Rachel names him Naphtali – Wrestling
      • With GREAT [אֱלֹהִים] wrestling – Rachel was first and foremost wrestling with GOD!
      • Because she was not CONTENT with what God gave her – the love of her husband…
      • Therefore she wrestled with her sister – she had no children – Leah had four…
      • In the bitterness that came from her ENVY – Rachel turned children into a competition!
      • If we are content – we really do not care much what others think…
      • But if we are not content – we compete with others to prove we are…
      • Showing our clothes / job / kids / etc. are as better than everyone else…
      • We are miserable because we are competing in a race – we CANNOT win…
      • No matter how much we have – we will always ENVY and want more!
  • 3^rd – The EXAMPLE of ENVY… vs. 9-13
    • Leah saw she no was no longer having children…
      • Her solution to being barren was to give her servant Zilpah to Jacob as a wife…
      • She saw a solution that seemed to work for her sister – so she copied it!
    • Zilpah bore a son (seventh son of Jacob) – Leah named him Gad – Troop / fortunate
      • The idea is that Leah had now given Jacob an army – compared to Rachel…
      • Because Leah had copied Rachel – she also copied the competition!
    • Zilpah bore a second son (eighth son of Jacob) – Leah named him Asher – Happy
      • Leah was happy having given Jacob six sons (really just four) …
      • She thought others would call her (piel) blessed because of all her children…
      • But Leah was still not content – she still longed for the LOVE of Jacob!
      • Happiness is not the same thing as Joy – happiness depends on our circumstances…
      • Joy is far deeper – it is not based on your circumstances – it is based on Jesus…
      • Jesus never changes – the same Yesterday / Today / and Forever – Hebrews 13:8
      • So no matter what our circumstances – we can ALWAYS have Joy because of Jesus!
      • In fact the only way to have Joy in life is through knowing Jesus and knowing His Word…
      • So if we want a Joy filled life – get into the Word – get into the presence of Jesus!
      • Psalm 16:11 – “In Your presence is fullness of joy…”
  • 4^th – The FOOLISNESS of ENVY… vs. 14-16
    • Rueben – found mandrake in the field (during the wheat harvest) …
      • So what was is mandrake – the Hebrew word means – love apple…
      • We are not sure what kind of plant it was – but it apparently helped in procreation…
    • Rachel wanted the mandrake – she still had not children (thought it could help) …
      • Leah scoffed – steal my husband – and the mandrake of MY son!
      • Rachel offered to pay for the mandrake – by giving Jacob to Leah for the night…
      • So when Jacob came home – Leah picked him up – you are mine tonight!
      • This has to be one of the more humorous – and awkward – stories in the Bible!
      • One has to ask why the Holy Spirit would choose to include it…
      • It is not necessary to the story – it does not give us any critical information…
      • What is does show is how petty or silly things become when we are NOT content! 
  • 5^th – The CONCLUSION of ENVY… vs. 17-24
    • Leah bore a fifth son (ninth son of Jacob) – she called him Issachar – Reward / dowry
      • She believed God had rewarded her for giving Zilpah to Jacob…
      • Leah bore a sixth son (tenth son of Jacob) – she called him Zebulun – Dwelling
      • She thought Jacob would live with her (instead of Rachel) having given him 6 sons…
      • Leah also gave Jacob a daughter named Dinah (important later) – Genesis 34
      • But in the end Leah was no better off than where she began…
      • She had eight sons – won the battle of numbers – yet she still did not have LOVE!
    • God remembered (imperfect) Rachel…
      • Not that He ever forgot her – he was ALWAYS thinking about her…
      • It was just finally her TIME to bear a son – so God opened her womb…
      • Rachel called him Joseph (eleventh son of Jacob) – Yahweh has added…
      • God had finally given Rachel a son – the youngest of the children of Jacob…
      • But in the end Rachel also lost – she still was jealous of the eight sons of Leah!
      • She had the LOVE of her husband – but she was NOT content!
      • In the end – there was no change – ENVY left both EMPTY!

• 5^th – Blessed by the Lord… vs. 25-43
  • 1^st – Having four wives / eleven sons – Jacob was ready to go home… vs. 25-36
    • He had served his 14 years – he was no longer obligated to work for Laban…
      • But Laban had learned (piel) by EXPERIENCE – practice divination…
      • He was blessed (piel – intensively) for the sake of Jacob – he wanted him to stay (prefect)!
      • He was willing to pay any wage – if only Jacob would stay!
    • The deal – speckled and spotted…
      • Some of the animals of Laban were pure white – some were brown – some had both…
      • Jacob wages – all the speckled / spotted / brown animals from the flock of Laban…
      • That way there would never be a question as to who owned what animals!
      • Laban heartily agreed – we assume most of the animal were solid white…
      • He then removed the speckled / spotted / brown animals – guarded by his sons!
      • From the perspective of Laban – he was guaranteed to come out on top!
      • Jacob had a small flock – three days journey – from the large flock of Laban!
  • 2^nd – Selective breeding… vs. 37-42
    • Jacob used pealed almond / chestnut trees – to control breeding…
      • If the strong animals came to breed – he would place the pealed branches in the water…
      • If the weak animals came to breed – he would NOT place the pealed branches in the water…
      • In that way all the strong animals became the streaked / speckled / and spotted!
      • In other words – ALL the strong animals became Jacobs!
    • At this point you should be confused…
      • Does the color of sticks change the color of the children of sheep – obviously NOT…
      • The color of sheep is completely dependent on their genetics…
      • And since all speckled / spotted / brown animals were removed from the MAIN flock…
      • There was VERY little chance of any of the animals being born with those traits!
      • So what happened – GOD intervened – it was NOTHING Jacob did!
      • As we will see next week – whatever color / kind of animal Laban agreed to give Jacob…
      • That is the color / kind of animal that the WHOLE flock would produce – Genesis 31:8
  • 3^rd – Jacob became VERY – VERY wealthy… vs. 43
    • We will see next week this caused a lot of problems for Jacob…
    • His cousins became very envious of his prosperity and wealth…
    • Because when one person is blessed by God – others tend to be jealous!
    • Rather than looking to the God who had blessed him!
    • If we have been blessed by the Lord. – we will find others ENVY us…
    • Even though they could be JUST AS blessed by looking to the Lord!