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Bro. Otis Fisher
It's been some time since we met with Jacob, but in this episode, the chicken's going to come home.
Then Jacob went on his journey. He came into the land of the people of the east, some 500 miles total.
The original is very remarkable. It says, And Jacob lifted up his feet, and he traveled into the land of the children of the east.
There's a certain cheerfulness marked in his original, which he had after the vision of the latter.
And he looked, and behold, a well in the field. And lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it.
For out of the well they watered their flocks, and a great stone was laid upon the well's mouth.
How had God's providence worked here? Clarence?
You're inferring that he was? Yes. For some reason, he was brought from this well.
That's right. But God's providence brought him directly to his relatives.
And thither were all the flocks gathered, and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth and its place.
Now, that's simply telling us what they do. They haven't done it yet. The stone was for scarcity of water and to keep the animals out of it.
And Jacob said unto them, my brethren, whence be ye? And they said, of Haran are we?
And he said unto them, know ye Laban, the son of Nahor? They said, yes, we know him.
Jacob does not know him yet. He's going to get acquainted, though. And he said unto them, is he well?
They said, he is well. And behold, Rachel, his daughter, cometh with the sheep. And he said, lo, it is yet high day.
Neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together. Water your sheep and go feed them.
Here's a man about 55 years of age. I used to say 70, but I've revised that.
He's a stranger to them. And he's telling them what to do. How do you suppose that's that with them?
Jacob's just as cocky as he ever was. And he said, we cannot until the flocks be gathered together, till they roll the stone from the well's mouth, that we water the sheep.
And while he had spake with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she kept them.
In order to prevent the consequences of too frequent exposure to the place where water is scarce, the well is not only covered, but it's customary to have all the flocks gathered around before they uncovered it.
And one of the owners' presents had to be there. That's why they were waiting on Rachel.
And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban, his mother's brother, following Jacob's law.
Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. Now, I'm sure the next time he kisses her, he doesn't weep.
But he did this time. Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was
Rebecca's son. And she ran and told her father. And it came to pass, when
Laban heard the tidings of Jacob, his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, embraced him, kissed him, and brought him to his house.
And he told Laban all of these things. Laban said unto him,
Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.
They talked all night. Jacob told him all about his tricking
Esau, about the ladder, about the Lord appearing to him, and on and on.
All of it was about himself. Laban said unto
Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for naught, tell me, what shall thy wages be?
Now, he's been there a month. But Laban can't stand that.
He brings up the subject of just what shall your wages be, instead of asking him if he's going to work more wages or whatever.
He goes straight to the heart of it. And Laban had two daughters.
The name of the elder was Leah. The name of the younger was Rachel. Leah and Rachel.
Rachel was very, very beautiful. Leah was cowhide.
Ugly is what she was. Leah was tender -eyed, but Rachel was beautiful and well -favored.
Jacob loved Rachel and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel, thy youngest daughter.
Now, if it's a custom, right here is where Laban should have spoke up. But whether it's a custom or not, he didn't speak up.
And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee than I should give her to another man. Abide with me.
Jacob served seven years for Rachel. And they seemed to him but a few days for the love he had for her.
Love does strange things, doesn't it? And Jacob said unto
Laban, Give me my wife. For my days are fulfilled that I may go in unto her.
Well, Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast. Jacob didn't think too much about that.
And it came to pass in the evening that he took Leah, his daughter, and brought her to him, and he went in unto her.
Now, they didn't have flashlights or other lights to inspect the merchandise.
He just knew that Laban was doing what he should do. And he went in unto her without seeing her.
Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for a handmaid. And it came to pass that in the morning, behold, it was
Leah. And he said to Laban, What is this that thou hast done to me?
Did not I serve thee for Rachel? Wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?
What was it that Jacob failed to recognize in all of this? His father was blind, could not see, and he tricked him.
Well, Jacob was taken advantage of in the same way, only he could not see because it was night.
He could see all right, but not at night. Little did
Jacob remember this. And Laban said, It must not be so. In our country,
Lo, give the younger before the firstborn. Fulfill her week, and we will give thee this also for the services which thou shalt serve for me yet another seven years.
Now he was getting fourteen years out of him instead of seven for the same contract, he thought.
And Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, Bilhah his handmaid, to be her maid.
Fulfill her week, and we will give thee this also for the services which thou shalt serve yet another seven years,
Rachel his daughter, to Wyatt. What did
I skip? Now we see the evils of polygamy here.
God never intended such a thing. And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also
Rachel more than Leah. He served with him yet another seven years.
And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
What is envy? Wanting something that other people have.
Alright. Grieving at the good of another. And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name
Reuben. You need to write that down. Reuben is the firstborn. For she said,
Surely the Lord hath looked upon my affliction, now therefore my husband will love me.
And she conceived again, and bare a son, and said, Because the Lord hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also.
She called his name Simeon. Number two. And she conceived again, and bare a son, and said,
Now this time will my husband be joined unto me. Because I have borne him three sons, therefore was the name called
Levi. Number three son. And she conceived again, and bare a son, and she said,
Now will I praise the Lord. Therefore she called his name Judah. Number four son.
And left off bearing. So we see Jacob getting settled into his life away from home.
He is beginning with a family. And it's very important that we get these boys all born and working.
Is there anything from anybody? Yes, he did.
He conceived. Had all these children in that seven years?
That seven year period? Or the fourteenth is right. But just seven after seven.
After what? After she married. After seven years.
So it's only seven years. Well, we're into the second seven.
Yes. Anything else? Well, Bill, will you dismiss us and we'll go home.