COME AS A CHILD LESSON 78 JACOB MAKES PLANS TO MARRY RACHEL

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

So we hear that Laban welcomes Jacob as a house guest and calls him his own flesh and blood.  One can’t read this after all the symbolism that just took place in this story by the well, without thinking of how Jesus came down to earth and took on flesh and blood, so that he could be like us, yet live without sin.  Laban was saying to Jacob “You are like me!  I will show you favor because you are like my own family!”

So Jacob stayed awhile.  After he had been there for a month Laban said to him “Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing?  Tell me what your wages should be.”   

Laban had two daughters.  The oldest was named Leah and the youngest was Rachel whom Jacob had met at the well.  The scriptures describe Leah as one with weak eyes.  This isn’t as harsh as it sounds.  The Hebrew word for weak is rakkot and it’s plural form is rak.  It means soft and tender.  Instead of meaning she was unattractive; it means she probably cried a lot.  Her eyes were most likely red and swollen from constant crying.  Jewish legend has it that since Jacob was the younger son of Rebekah and he wanted to marry Rachel, that Rebekah’s older son should marry Leah.  Perhaps this was yet another “to his own gain” plan that Laban was cooking up behind the scenes.  Maybe Leah overheard him discussing this plan with someone else and she became afraid of whatever arrangement Laban might make for her eventually with Rebekah’s older son.  The bible does not mention this at all, it is just the way that the Rabbi’s have used to describe the odd definition of Leah’s eyes.  

So the sages say Leah did not want to marry Esau; hence she cried all the time that Jacob knew her and he noticed her “weak” eyes.  

We are told that Rachel’s eyes sparkled and lit up a room whenever she entered it.  This indicates to me that Leah probably had a serious and introverted personality and Rachel had an outgoing extroverted personality.  Jacob’s mother had been such an extrovert and Jacob would have probably preferred the type of personality that Rachel had.  Once again, it is all speculation.  All the scriptures actually tell us is that Leah had weak eyes and Rachel was beautiful to look at. 

So, with all of Laban’s schemes going on in the background, Jacob naively stayed awhile.  After he had been there for a month Laban said to him “Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing?  Tell me what your wages should be.”   

Jacob was in love with Rachel and he said to Laban:  “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.”

Laban said, “It’s better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.” 

So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.

COME AS A CHILD LESSON 76 JACOB ENCOUNTERS A WOMAN BY A WELL IN A FIELD

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

After an amazing time of worship at Bethel, Jacob continues his journey toward the house of Rebekah’s brother.   He was still in hiding from Esau, and he was still in pursuit of a suitable wife.

Eventually Jacob comes to the land of The Eastern People.  This does not mean the people of the east in general, but is referring to  the eastern limits of the migrations of Abraham’s family.  It is most likely the area close to the Euphrates River in northern Syria and Southeastern Turkey, which was near the location of Haran during the time of Jacob’s life.

While traveling down the open country road Jacob sights a well where three flocks of sheep are grazing, and waiting to be watered.  Their shepherds were with them and they stood talking to each other around the well.

Wells in this dry land were very valuable and often hard to maintain.  Anyone raising livestock needed access to well water.  This was dry desert land and the winds often blew the shifting sands inside open wells which stopped them up and ruined their use.  Also the sun shining down so hot often evaporated small supplies of uncovered water.    It was good to keep a well covered, and this one was protected. 

 Jacob noticed that the top of the well was covered with a very large heavy stone.  The stone was large enough that it usually took three people to move it away and replace it over the covering of the well again after the flocks were watered.  The size of the stone and the requirement for so many to move it probably kept people who were unwanted from having easy access to the well, and it also kept people passing by from using up the water supply without asking permission.  Animals could not fall inside and get trapped in the well either.  There were many reasons for this protective covering.

    

All of the shepherds were standing around with their flocks, just waiting.  Jacob wondered why they would be wasting this good grazing time while the sun was still high in the sky.  Why didn’t they just remove the stone and water their flocks?  He was soon to discover the reason.

He greeted the men and asked them where they were from.  They told him they were from Haran.  So Jacob asked them if they knew Laban, Nahor’s grandson.  They replied that they did.

“Is he well?” Jacob asked.

“Yes, he is well, as a matter of fact here comes his daughter Rachel now with his sheep.”

They all had been waiting on Rachel to arrive.  This told Jacob that the well probably belonged to Laban and he was allowing them to use the water after his own livestock were watered.

 

The beautiful daughter of Laban was a shepherdess.  This was not an unusual occupation for a young lady in these parts.  The sheep were always tended either by the bondservant or the youngest child in the family.  Rachel was Laban’s youngest daughter.   The other shepherds had been waiting on her to bring Laban’s sheep so that they could drink first and then they all would be invited to share the bounty of Laban’s well.

When Jacob saw Rachel he quickly rushed to her side, pulled the huge stone that usually took three people to move off the opening of the well all by himself, and proceeded to water her sheep. 

Rachel must have been greatly surprised and impressed with his actions.  Jacob became overwhelmed with joy on finding out that God had led him straight to Laban’s household.  He was so happy to have found Rachel here!

When Jacob first gazed into Rachel’s eyes, he fell instantly in love. 

He explained to Rachel that he was a relative, and she quickly ran to tell her brother Laban who rushed out to meet Jacob and welcome him into the family household.  Laban exclaimed over and over that he was glad to see someone of his own flesh and blood, and he invited Jacob to stay at his home for as long as he liked.