Genesis 29 -- Watching Jacob Grow

I enjoyed my commentary’s focus on how Jacob’s character was developed through his trials in this chapter.  “With Jacob, marriage wasn’t an option; it was an obligation.  The success of the covenant promises God gave to Abraham depended on Jacob’s finding a wife and with her, building a family … that would bring the promised Redeemer into the world.”

Jacob’s sighting of Rachel at the well wasn’t “a fortunate coincidence” as the world might say, but a divine appointment.  God used his attraction to her to initiate His plans for His covenant promises.  He was so enamored with Rachel that he never noticed that his future father-in-law made NO promise that he would give Rachel to Jacob at the end of his promised service.

Strangely, we see a father hurting his own daughter (Rachel) to fulfill his own schemes at the wedding.  And how awkward that next day must have been for Jacob, not to mention having to complete his marital duties during the marriage week, wanting only to be with the woman he really loved, yet having to instead spend bedroom time with her sister!  Yet in that culture, the bride’s father controlled.  Jacob “meekly accepted his lot and went back to work for another seven years,” but celebrated his second honeymoon the following week!  “Little by little, Jacob was learning to submit to God’s loving hand of discipline and was growing in faith and character.”

Laban didn’t realize the “the Lord was ruling and overruling in the entire event.  ‘There is no wisdom, no might, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.’”  Through it all, God was producing the beginnings of the twelve tribes of Israel – building a nation from which the Redeemer would come.  And God saw Jacob’s heart – that he naturally loved Rachel more than Leah, and He balanced things out by making Leah fertile (building the family, including the line of Judah from her), while Rachel couldn’t conceive.  If nothing else, that kept Jacob doing his marital duties, through which the redeemer would come, even though his heart and affections were elsewhere.

More evidence of Jacob’s spiritual growth come from this as “Leah and Rachel treated Jacob like a servant and used him as a pawn in their family bargaining, and he patiently bore with it,” my commentary said.

Father, help me to see Your hand working in my own family.  Show me how to help my sons see Your sovereignty in their own lives, even when they seem unwilling to let You lead.  I want them to grow to depend on You and not on themselves.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford