Sunday Morning - June 21, 1998
Text: Genesis 29-31
Genesis 31:41-42 "Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times. 42. Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight."
JACOB'S BLESSING
Genesis 27:28-29 "Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: 29. Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee."
ISAAC'S CHARGE
Genesis 28:1 "And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan."
ABRAHAM'S CHARGE
Genesis 24:3 "And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:"
JACOB FOUND HIS WIFE
Genesis 29:10 "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, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother."
FOUND AT A WELL THROUGH PRAYER
Genesis 24:11,12 "And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water. 12. And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and show kindness unto my master Abraham."
GOD'S PROVIDENCE
Genesis 29:9-12 And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep: for she kept them. 10. And it came to pass, ...that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.
11. And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.
12. And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father.
ANSWER TO PRAYER
Genesis 24:28-29 "And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother's house these things. 29. And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well."
JACOB HAD NO DOWRY
Genesis 29:16-18 "And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah [wild cow], and the name of the younger was Rachel [ewe]. 17. Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured. 18. And Jacob loved Rachel [ewe]; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
DOWRY
A marriage present that ensured the new wife’s financial security against the possibility her husband might forsake her or might die. The husband-to-be or his father paid the dowry or bride price to the bride’s father to be kept for the bride. Payment of the dowry made the marriage a legal fact even before the official wedding ceremonies
DOWRY PAID
Genesis 24:53 "And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things."
JACOB'S LESSONS
19. And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me. 20. And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.
SERVANT ATTITUDE
Matthew 20:26-28 "But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 27. And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 28. Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."
JOSEPH SERVED
Genesis 39:1 "And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither."
JACOB'S DISAPPOINTMENT
23. And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah [wild cow] his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her. 24. And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.
JACOB'S HARVEST
Genesis 29:25 "And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?"
SOWING AND REAPING
Galatians 6:7 "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."
JACOB SOWED DECEIT
Genesis 27:36 "And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?"
DAVID SOWED AND REAPED
2 Samuel 12:10 "Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife."
OUR DISCIPLINE
Hebrews 12:5-6, 11-13 "And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children [sons], My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
FRUITS OF DISCIPLINE
Hebrews 12:11 "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
MAKE SURE YOU DON'T FAINT
Hebrews 12:12-13 12. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13. And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed."
COUNT IT ALL JOY
James 1:2-4 "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3. Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."
TRYING OF OUR FAITH
1 Peter 1:6-8 "Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7. That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8. Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:"
LIGHT AFFLICTION
2 Corinthians 4:17 "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;"
BE CONFIDENT
Philippians 1:6 "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:"