34 NEW BEGINNING

This chapter reveals the fulfillment of God’s plan for Jacob after he escapes from Esau’s anger. It records an out-working of God’s promises made to him in the preceding chapter. He was brought in safety to his journey’s end, and directed to his relations there, who heartily welcomed him. He happily arranged with Laban, his uncle, to marry Rachel whom he loved. During this time great nations were about great projects, but nothing here is said of any of them. The narrative stays with the more important history of Jacob and the four women through whom he had twelve sons who became the twelve tribes of Israel. Later in the history the spiritual aspects of Israel’s march to Canaan are distinctly recorded, but nothing spiritual is mentioned after Jacob’s meeting with God at Bethel. That wonderful night was intended for a feast, but he must not expect it to be his daily bread. Eventually God told him when to return to Canaan.

Verse one says, “Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples.” We may assume he travels cheerfully in his journey after the rich communion he had with God at Bethel. Being assured of God’s gracious presence with him he would not be burdened with his cares, nor cramped with his fears. He may have even been excited, adventurous and expectant. After all, surely he had heard the story of Eleazar going to the same place and bringing his mother, Rebekah, back with him.  And Rebekah had spoken to Isaac about her desire that Jacob not marry a Hittite. After the visions we have had of God, and the vows we have made to Him in solemn promises, we should run the way of His direction with enlarged, optimistic and expectant hearts. Hebrews 12:1 says “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,” This was a new beginning for Jacob. New beginnings occur for us too.

Jacob happily arrived at his journey’s end. God’s guidance brought him to the very field where his uncle’s flocks were to be watered, and there he met Rachel, who would be his wife. Did he suspect it when he first met her? Maybe. The divine Planner of everything is to be acknowledged in all the little circumstances which converge to make a journey, or other undertakings, comfortable and successful. If, when we are at a loss, we meet in a timely way with those that can direct us, or on the other hand, if we meet with a disaster, and someone is at hand who is willing to help, we must not say that it was a coincidence, chance, luck, or that fortune favored us, but that it was by the hand of God who favored us. For the Christian there is no such thing as a coincidence. “A person’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand their own way?” (Proverbs 20:24) Give glory to God, my friend.

Those that have flocks must look well to them, and be diligent to know their state. Proverbs 27:23 says, “Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds;” This was written by Solomon in an agrarian culture. The principle is important. Few of us are shepherds, but we all have domestic responsibilities to which we should pay due attention. We may value Bible study, sermon preparation and prayer, but we also need to pay attention to our other earthly responsibilities. Verses 2, 3, 7 & 8 reveal the situation of these shepherds. Each situation would be unique, but each requires attention just as our Shepherd gives us His attention, protection and rescue. What is said here of the constant care of the shepherds concerning their sheep may serve to illustrate the tender concern which our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, has for His flock, the church, since He is the good Shepherd, who knows His sheep, and is known of them. The stone at the well’s mouth, which is referred to several times, could protect their property since water was scarce and not there for everyone’s use. Or it was to keep the well from being damaged from the heat of the sun, dirt, dust, any hateful hand, or even to prevent the lambs of the flock or wild animals from being drowned.

We can learn a lesson about neighborly cooperation. Separate groups can work together and benefit from mutual help. When all the shepherds came together with their flocks, then, like cooperating neighbors, at watering-time, they watered their flocks together.

When we are friendly, others tend to be so too. Here is also a practical illustration of the human tendency to respond in kind; we call it reciprocation. We can learn to use it to advantage. Or even learn how to reverse a negative cycle. It makes us look good for us to speak civilly and respectfully to strangers. Though Jacob was probably not like a winsome politician or like Absalom who stole the hearts of the people of his day, yet though even a plain man, dwelling in tents, and is a stranger, he addresses himself very kindly to the people he met and calls them his brothers saying “My brothers where are you from?” It was a simple thing. Yet the Scripture tells us how he greeted them. The law of kindness in the tongue has a commanding power. Perhaps he calls them brethren because they were of the same trade, shepherds like himself. He was not ashamed of his occupation.

Those that show respect usually have respect shown to them. As Jacob was civil to these strangers, so he found them civil to him. “Look,” he said, “the sun is still high; it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture” (7). When he undertook to teach them how to do their work more efficiently, they did not tell him to mind his own business and leave them alone; but, though he was a stranger, they gave him the reason of their delay, “We can’t,” they replied, “until all the flocks are gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep” (8). Those that are neighborly and friendly will have neighborly and friendly response. This exchange showed us Jacob’s personal charm and character from which we can learn.

Then Rachael appears and the story becomes even more interesting. As Rachel arrives we immediately see her humility and industry in verse 9: “While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherd.” She kept her father’s sheep, that is, she took the care of them, having servants under her that were employed about them. Rachel’s name means “ewe.” Honest useful labour is something of which nobody needs be ashamed, nor ought it to be a hindrance in considering a person’s character. Work is good. It makes us look good. It is good for us to work.

Jacob’s immediate tenderness and affection for Rachael is described. We don’t know for sure, but possibly he had heard her name before. He would have had to know who she was to claim to be a relative of her’s. If not a relative why would he tell her that Rebekah, Rachael’s aunt, was his mother? When he understood that she was his kinswoman, knowing what his errand was to that country, we may suppose—it’s an informed guess—it struck his mind immediately that this may be the one that was to be his wife. Being already smitten with her pretty, though probably sun-burnt, face and seeing that she was dressed as a shepherdess, he is very naturally eager to get to know her and happy to help her by watering her father, his uncle’s, sheep. We don’t know if he kissed her cheek or lips but we read that he wept with joy so we can know he had immediate strong feelings of some kind. 

Rachel reacts to all this by running to tell her father, for she will by no means entertain her kinsman’s kind treatment without her father’s knowledge and approval. These mutual respects, at their first meeting, are good indications of a loving relationship. Just as Abraham’s servant, Eleazar, had immediate success when he arrived there years before, so did Jacob. It is like a fairy tale, but it is a true story. Psalm 32:8 says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” You too have had experiences of God guiding your path. It will happen again for you since you are God’s child/sheep and He loves you.

We met Laban, Rebekah’s brother and Jacob’s uncle, earlier in this series in the story of Eleazar finding Rebekah. Laban had suddenly become very interested in the stranger at the well when he saw the nose ring and bracelets Eleazar had given Rebekah. Though Laban was not the best-humored man as we will eventually see, nevertheless he now made Jacob welcome. To his credit he was satisfied with the account Jacob gave of himself and the reason for coming in such poor circumstances. Here is some practical wisdom. Laban avoided the extreme, on the one hand, of foolishly having or showing too great a readiness to believe just anything and, on the other hand, also that he was not jealous, suspicious or closed to a new development. This is a good example not to believe everything without checking it out and when we do check it out, to give the case a fair hearing. Eventually, Laban owned Jacob for his kinsman and said, “You are my own flesh and blood” (14). Isaiah 58:7 tells us what God is looking for, “Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? We choose our friends, but we don’t choose our relatives. God does. Yet we have a moral obligation to be accepting towards them.

After the month that Jacob spent in Laban’s house as a guest the two made a business deal. Evidently Jacob had not been idle nor did he spend his time in play or sport, but like a man of business. Though he had no stock of his own, he had applied himself to serve his uncle, as he had begun by watering his uncles’s flocks. Even if we have the respected position of a pastor, Christian teacher or evangelist, it still is good wherever we are to employ ourselves in some useful business, which will turn to a good account to ourselves or others. I recall that at one period in my life I was busy starting a new church and also finishing my education at my own personal expense. I painted a building for a lawyer and with my profit paid my school fees. Paul the Apostle made tents. Again, work is good and good for us.

Laban, it seems, was impressed enough with Jacob’s ingenuity and industry about his flocks that he wanted him to continue with him. Laban is the one who proposed the deal: “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.’” (15). Even if Jacob was so respectful to his uncle as to give him his service without payment, yet Laban will not be so unjust to his nephew as to take unfair advantage of either Jacob’s necessity or good-nature. We should not misuse or take unfair advantage of inferior relations. If it is their duty to serve us, it is our duty to reward them. Laban continues in this part of the story to be a good example. He and Jacob begin on good terms. It is not until later that Laban begins to misuse Jacob as we shall see in future lessons.

Now Jacob had a good opportunity to tell Laban of the affection he had for his daughter, Rachel, if Laban did not already know it by observation or the neighborhood stories, which is more likely. Jacob, having no worldly goods in his hand with which to pay the bride-price, promises Laban seven years’ service, upon condition that, at the end of the seven years, Laban would give Rachel to him for his wife. If you add up the years of Jacob’s life thus far you will see that he was a mature man, not a young man. Both Jacob and Esau were over forty years old when Isaac asked Esau to bring him food from the hunt and other years had also passed. It was a fully matured Jacob, 71 years of age, that now agreed to serve for seven years to receive a wife. Rachael may have been much younger than Jacob, Jewish scholars say she was twenty-two. At any rate, later Hosea could record, “Jacob fled to the country of Aram; Israel served to get a wife, and to pay for her he tended sheep.” Jacob’s descendants seemed to rather take pride in Jacob’s humble beginnings—humble, yet new beginnings as there was a future for Jacob. Rachel was young, scarcely marriageable, when Jacob first came, which made him more willing to stay for her until his seven years’ service was complete. “So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her “(20). This was as if it were more desirable to earn her than to have her. He was more patient than I would have been. He knew about delayed gratification.