Amen okay so Genesis chapter 29 and we've had a week off a fortnight ago in
Genesis 28 hopefully you can remember where we were because we were continuing
there the picture from chapter 27 of the replacement of the physical nation of
Israel with the spiritual nation Jacob represents the spiritual nation of
believers usurping his older brother Esau who was trying to work for the
blessing if you remember which you know represents the physical nation of what
was eventually known of as Jews before the replacement okay eventually being
you know just that's that southern area of Judah by the end Jacob was sent out
far and wide to take a wife from his mother's people in Padan Aram
represented the gospel and churches going out far and wide really and we
looked at how they go hand in hand without soul winning there would be no
church of believers would there and without legitimate soul-winning churches
there would be no soul-winning either okay and that's just the way it is and
we looked at that in length last week he is fleeing Esau was a picture of the
persecution of the first church which resulted in the gospel going out
everywhere didn't it and then that was a picture of that and Esau on the other
hand took worldly wives picturing the scattering emerging of the physical
nation with the world and that's they're long gone okay they really are long
goddess like I you know and I know I talk about this a lot we have been going
through this in Genesis I haven't just kind of been somehow fitting it into to
our sermons but considering what's going on in the world right now with all that
it's so silly is it they were so clearly I mean who even is of the physical line
of Abraham what a load of old nonsense all that is and obviously there's some
you know spiritual descendants of them but when it comes to physical like
that's long gone okay long gone they they were scattered with the structure
of Jerusalem they merged into all sorts of different places and that's what we
see that picture of him taking those worldly wives as well that's the end of
that physical nation that's what the picture was Jacob ended up in in Bethel
and and dreamed this amazing dream receiving those same blessings and
promises that were promised to Abraham he awoke and said how dreadful the
place was and called it the house of God and the gate of heaven and we looked
at how that applies today how the house of God is still a dreadful a fear
inducing place okay it can be gone it if you really take you in the Word of God
you really come here to hear the Word of God it can probably be scary sometimes
right because we all have faults we all have sin in our lives in one way or
another and sometimes the Word of God is going to approve you it's going to
rebuke you it can be a scary place but also it should be a place that we
therefore respect right when we come to when we're here it becomes a house of
God yeah look this is just bricks and mortar and a few other bits and pieces
however when we come together when we meet it becomes a house of God and we
need to respect it as that don't we it has eternal consequences too right so
that's another reason to treat it with respect yeah everything we do here every
way we behave here can have eternal consequences on those far and wide okay
and we need to treat the place like that I believe that Paul was pointing us here
in 1st Timothy 3 15 to that to that point in Genesis 28 warning us to behave
ourselves in church as well and finally Jacob then vowed to give the tithe the
tenth of all that God provides for him verse 27 Jacob vowed a vow saying if God
will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go and will give me bread to
eat a raiment to put on so that I come again to my father's house in peace then
shall the Lord be my God and this stone which I have set for a pillar shall be
God's house and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth
unto thee then we go to Genesis 29 and verse 1 it says then Jacob went on his
journey and came into the land of the people of the east I'd like to pray
before we get going with this chapter father thank you for your for your word
thank you for this chapter of the Bible Lord where there's a lot we can learn
some topics that we're going to look at tonight help me to just preach those
just as you'd want them preach Lord and full of your spirit help everyone to
just really pay attention to what your word saying and try and find a way of
applying it into their lives not to just be here as but do as to and Jesus
name probably so I mean okay so so remember that that he's traveling from
north from well he's traveling northeast so he directs the direction being
northeast to an area that would now be on the borders of southeastern Turkey
and sort of North Syria okay that's where he's traveling to now from Bethel
he's gone about 500 miles to get here which is you know a good 10-day trek of
walking all day every day okay so he's really really put some miles in here
he's putting some effort in and he's gone a long distance it says that he
came into the land of the people of the of the east and it like I said it's
specifically northeast it says in verse 2 and he looked and behold a well in the
field and lo there were three flocks of sheep lying by for out of that well they
watered the flocks and a great stone was upon the world's mouth so he's arrived
there and there's this well in the field a load of flocks of sheep waiting to be
watered verse 3 and there there were all the flocks gathered and they rolled
the stone from the world's mouth and watered the sheep at the stone again
upon the world's mouth in his place so I'm assuming that's keep the water from
getting contaminated with dirt etc or maybe to stop everyone helping
themselves but whatever this is what they do so they haven't done this at
this point it's saying that that's like the way that they do things there verse
4 says in Jacob said unto them my brethren went to be here and they said
of Haran are we and he said unto them know you laban the son of Nahor and they
said we know him now laban being his uncle the brother of his mother Rebecca
and he said unto them is he well and they said he is well and behold Rachel
his daughter cometh with the sheep and he said Lord is yet high day neither is
it time that the cattle should be gathered together water ye the sheep and
go and feed them so remember that Jacob was described as a plain man dwelling
in tents and they had flocks so he clearly knows something about animal
farming doesn't he okay he's of a fair age now as well so he's got experience
of this sort of thing animal husbandry and I believe that the point he's making
is that it's too early to gather them in for the evening basically water them and
send them back out to pasture so obviously it's hot conditions there they
need regular watering however it wasn't the time to gather them all in together
is what he's saying like they need to go out and and actually feed back in the
pasture again yeah which is what they should be doing in the daytime he's
saying it's high down I'm gonna imagine it's somewhere around noontime right
verse 7 says and he said lo it is yet high day neither is it time the cattle
should be gathered together water ye the sheep and go and feed them okay so
that's what he's saying to them and they said we cannot until all the flocks be
gathered together until they roll the stone from the world's mouth then we
water the sheep so they've got a way of doing things some sort of communal
watering agreement maybe to cut down on the moving of the stone or maybe this
whatever reason they all seem to do it together verse 9 says and while he yet
spake with them Rachel came with her father sheep for she kept them and it
came to pass when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of laben his mother's brother
and the sheep of laben his mother's brother that Jacob went near and rolled
the stone from the world's mouth and watered the flock of laben his mother's
brother so Jacob just took control here didn't he okay he decided to move the
stone himself why was it because he wanted to show off his strength maybe to
to Rachel maybe he wanted to kind of like do a bit of a he-man kind of thing
but I don't think that's necessarily why for me it's because he saw Rachel being
one of his kindred and he saw the sheep of his kindred it said and it came to
pass when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of laben his mother mother's brother and
the sheep of laben his mother's brother that Jacob went near rolled the stone
from the world's mouth the water the flock of laben his mother's brother so
he basically wanted what was best for them remember they're his kindred right
so he did something that was likely pretty hard I can imagine this stone
probably wasn't that easy to do hence they weren't just doing it all day every
day and he did something that was likely unpopular remember he's just been told by
the men of the area that's not how we do things and he's just seen them and he's
just gone ahead and done it anyway right turn to Matthew chapter 28 because I
believe there's a picture here with with I think if we're continuing that picture
Jacob still represented the spiritual nation of believers going out far and
wide to find a bride his his kindred represents believers along with their
flocks of sheep right needing access to the water and the water for me
representing the Word of God right something that is a common picture in
the Bible one of many places Ephesians 5 26 speaking across the church says that
he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word okay
and one of many place we see that the water representing the Word of God the
word being described or pictured by water often and Jacob here is removing
that obstacle to the water the Word of God by rolling away the stone isn't he
that's what he's doing he's removing that obstacle and isn't that something
that we do when we preach the resurrection of Jesus Christ don't we
don't we remove that obstacle to the Word of God we remove that stone the
rolling away of that stone over the two really giving access to the Word of God
doesn't it in Matthew 28 Jesus has been crucified and it's coming up to the
third day and it says in verse 1 Matthew 28 verse 1 in the end of the Sabbath as
it began to dawn toward the first day of the week came Mary Magdalene and the
other mayor to see the sepulcher and behold there was a great earthquake for
the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the
stone from the door and sat upon it his countenance was like lightning and his
raiment white as snow and for fear of him the keepers did shake and became his
dead men and the angel answered said unto the women fear not you for I know
that you seek Jesus which was crucified he is not here for he is risen as he
said come see the place where the Lord lay so the stone was removed they see
that he is risen so they go and tell others verse 7 and go quickly until his
disciples it is risen from the dead and behold he goes before you into Galilee
there shall you see him lo I've told you and they departed quickly from the
sepulcher with fear and great joy and did run to bring his disciples word so
believing the resurrection of Christ is key to the gospel isn't it okay that's
key to the gospel and its belief in that resurrection the stone being removed
that gives us access to Jesus Christ isn't it you have to have faith in the
whole gospel you have to believe the gospel to therefore have that access to
Jesus Christ right that's what gives us the access to Christ turn to Romans
chapter 10 Romans 10 which makes that very clear a verse that we you'll read
so often when you're getting people saved in fact I I've read that to
someone tonight in Romans 10 verse 9 says it clear that says it if thou shalt
confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that
God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved and with faith in that
death bell of resurrection with the sealing of the Holy Spirit we then have
access to the entire Word of God don't we we have access through that faith in
the resurrection through that that that that blockage going then to the Word of
God you have to turn the first Corinthians 2 14 saying but the natural
man receiveth not the things the Spirit of God for their foolishness unto him
neither can you know them because they're spiritually discerned okay so so
in Genesis 29 you'd have to turn there yet we're gonna stay in Romans 10 the
pictures of Jacob the sole winning church plant spiritual nation I believe
removing that blockage to the Word of God make it available to all which is
what we do when we preach the gospel don't we okay we make we make the Word
of God therefore available to people by getting them saved okay on firstly we
preach the gospel we're we're making the gospel available to them we preach the
gospel to them we take the Word of God and we explain to the lost only that's
what we do we take the Word of God we go to the lost and then we explain those
verses to them yeah and it doesn't need explaining doesn't it and sometimes
you've got to remember and I was just saying it to someone earlier just saying
just always remember when you're preaching the gospel sometimes you just
reading these verses you just think yeah well that just because it just makes
such sense it doesn't even need explanation but it does doesn't it
really does because the natural man just doesn't get it I mean how many people
have said they've read through the Bible and they they still just don't get
salvation do they because they need it explained so whenever you even the most
simple verse you know a good rule of thumb if you need to preach in the
gospel is read a verse explain the verse read a verse explain the verse read a
verse explain the verse don't just read it and think oh well they'll get that
because it says you just got to believe yeah you got to actually make it clear
it's believe look believe put your faith your trust yeah etc and we have to
explain it don't we but Romans 10 and verse 14 says this so how then shall
they call on him in whom they have not believed and how shall they believe in
him of whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without a preacher so it
definitely needs someone to preach it doesn't it someone needs to preach the
Word of God we have to give that access don't we we do that by preach the Word
of God by a spirit filled man of God explaining the gospel to someone Romans
10 to 17 says so then faith cometh by hearing in hearing by the Word of God so
it it's still the Word of God though so then you got some people go too far the
other way and we were talking about this a little bit over in South Africa then
I was actually explaining it to a guy that was new to soul winning there
because he always preached some kids are you saying you know what don't you think
maybe you should just kind of like basically paraphrase it you know into
kiddie language and all those verses and I was like whoa no no so no they need
they need the Word of God and it doesn't matter whether you're preaching to a 9
10 year old you know who's maybe first language is Afrikaans or you're
preaching to someone who's you know 40 50 years old you have to preach the Word
of God then you explain the Word of God but they have to hear the Word of God
because faith comes by hearing the Word of God not by hearing our own kind of
cute paraphrasing of the Word of God right no one's getting saved that way
it happening and you know there's many many many place in the Bible and you
don't have to turn to these but Ephesians 1 13 in whom you also trusted
after that you heard the Word of truth the gospel of your salvation whom also
after that you believed you were sealed with that Holy Spirit promise 1st Peter
1 23 says being born again not of corrupt will see but of incorruptible by
what by my explanation no by the Word of God which liveth and abideth forever so
we have to preach the Word of God but then we have to explain the Word of God
and understand the Word of God so it's it's a twofold thing isn't it however
it's the Word of God but but it is from faith to faith okay so it has to be
someone that's saved preaching the Word of God it requires a preacher a
spirit-filled man of God to remove that stone basically to remove the stone to
remove the blockage on the Word of God and we do that by preaching the gospel
to them right and back in Genesis 29 Jacob removed that removes that stone to
water the sheep says in verse 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 world's mouth of
watered the flock of laban his mother's brother and just to add it it didn't
seem like he was being encouraged to do that either was it so the men the
brethren of you know that he called them the men of the of the area they were
kind of saying well no this is we don't do it like that this is how we do it
right we do it this way but it doesn't matter does it and it doesn't matter
whether you know whether most of the world don't want us to do it that way
they don't want us to remove that stone we're still going to go and do it aren't
we we're still going to we're going to always just go forth and preach the
gospel from this church we'll always do it no matter how unpopular it gets no
matter how every other church in the area wants to do a new different way and
why don't we try doing it this way oh well this would be a good idea we could
just give out some flyers oh well you know well why go door to door because I
don't think this would be very receptive going door to door no we still go door
to door yeah we still knock on doors we still preach we're still gonna go out
and preach the Word of God to people and that is a tried and tested way and it's
the way that God tells us to do it right and that's how we'll always do it and
here he removes that sign however unpopular however much he was being told
not to do it that way well you know you can imagine it and the the version we
see today is well just you know maybe you just want to get him in the church
maybe a bit more appealing maybe we need like a better a different kind of a more
understandable Bible or you know and you can you can there's a hundred different
versions right of that but no verse 11 says Jacob kissed Rachel lifted up his
voice and wept now by the way this is a greeting as opposed to a passionate
embrace in case anyone's wondering laban kisses him in verse 13 so in case
anyone's thinking wow he's like pretty full with Jacob here you know he's only
just met up it's a greeting okay and now remember that Jacob has been like we
said earlier on a well over 10 day cross-country trek he started out in
Beersheba so you can add another 60 miles or so to the 500 right so he's
happy to have arrived and found his relatives there and I'd imagine that was
a pretty emotional time remember he was fleeing his brother he saw as well he's
gone on a long journey maybe didn't really know what he's gonna find maybe
didn't really know who was gonna be there what was going on whether or not
you know there was even any of those relatives left I mean I don't know
there's a lot of dodgy people around right maybe he's wondering if they'd
still be alive or something else or what was going on maybe they've moved or who
whether there's even people left well he's gone there the relatives are there
he's like this is great you know I've come to where I was meant to come and
what's more it seems you know she was you know she's described as very
beautiful as well so he's just like well this is great you know it's all worked
out after 11 day trek so he weeps and it says in verse 12 and Jacob told Rachel
that he was her father's brother and that he was Rebecca's son when she ran
and told her father now he was a nephew of Laban so why was he calling himself
Laban's brother notice that said and Jacob told Rachel that he was her
father's brother now remember back in Genesis 14 we're not going to go there
but lot was referred to as Abraham's brother do you remember when we looked
at that briefly as well and again lot was Abraham's nephew and it's because
they're brothers as the same kindred okay so they're all of Abraham's father
terror is is really I suppose a physical reason but Galatians 3 29 says and if
you be Christ and a Abraham seed and heirs according to the promise so you
know point being the reason we call each other brother really and sister as well
and sometimes it is up to you okay it's because of that right it's because
ultimately we are kindred okay we're kindred because we are all Abraham seed
right we're brothers and sisters in Christ and we have more in common
amongst each other then we do then you do with people who aren't saved you
really do and you should have more of a connection and more really a love and
everything else for even then and look you can have don't get me wrong you're
gonna love your family right you're gonna love your unsaved mum and dad and
brothers and sister and everything else but there is more of a connection really
with each other isn't there and you do find that don't you as time goes by that
just like just does get harder doesn't it gets harder with the unsaved family
and friends and and and you just seem to have less and less in common and if you
don't have less and less in common then it's the reality of it is and there's
probably a bit of a problem there right why isn't why is that because you know
if you're living for God and serving God you're growing in the Word of God you're
gonna have more in common with God's people than you are with really in one
way or another the devil's people I'm not saying all children of the devil but
ultimately they're worshipping him in one way or another right well that's why
we call each other brother and sisters but but like our preachers before it is
up to you okay so and you know I just like to preach these messages sometimes
because you know you know we don't have to be weird and insist that people call
each other brother and sister okay okay there's no rule in our church okay
people don't have to call you brother or sister and don't make them call you
brother or sister it's so it's meant to be a loving title that's the point right
it's a loving title and and we're brothers assists in Christ but it's not
rude or like suggestive that you must be unsaved if someone doesn't call you
brother or sister okay just to make it clear because I know like people get a
bit carried away with this stuff and I've preached this before and explain
this before as well you know we don't have much of a kind of what's the word
we don't really have much of a Baptist sort of background in this nation really
okay you got some clown church they call themselves Baptists and they're nothing
of the sort okay so it's even more sort of a bit strange to most people and we
don't care if things are of the Word of God we're gonna do it right but the Word
of God doesn't say you have to refer to someone by the word brother before their
name so it is a choice you can make okay and again if that's how you want to talk
to people great you know and and you know it can be you know it's a nice
loving time to give someone and I do believe with leadership it's different
and not because I happen to lead the church I've always called our pastor and
previous pastors pastor okay I'm not one of them that wants to like turn them
into you know kind of you know best buddy name instead because I do believe
it's healthy for a church to have that with the leadership right and and I've
used the same with non pastoral leadership deacons or brothers you know
it you know we'll use the term brother to separate that evangelist right and
and the wives as well it's good to I've always referred to their wives by
something respectful as well but but with that it's you know it's probably a
good idea for your children to use something a bit less buddy ish when
referring to adults but again that's your choice right it's your choice and
you don't have to raise your kids like that and there's no rule in the church
so if your if your kid calls someone else by their first name I mean that's
between them and their kid isn't it it's not really you know because I know
sometimes people do things like correct your child or or give themselves a title
when referring to themselves and that is a little bit weird okay just it's a bit
strange I'd release myself slightly different even myself if something
comes up and especially well you know what about sold his stuff like that just
like yeah my name's Ian you know and and you know sometimes I think this
sometimes adds a strength to the message of going well I'm the pastor of the
church sometimes a world but you know especially like you know if you like hi
let me introduce myself as you know brother this or sister that to some kid
in the church it's a little bit odd okay so you know can be a bit delusion of
grandeur type stuff you know it's just like just say hi you know if they if
they want their kids to call you brother or sister something that we try and
encourage that with our special older kids younger kids won't always get that
for a while you know we think probably it's a good thing for them to just give
an adult a slight you know different we want them to have respect for adults
basically respect for and you know I would potentially instead get them to
call someone mr. or mrs. if not you know I think that's probably a good idea as
well you know it's up to you how you want to do things the point being that
the whole idea of it is it's just a sign of love and affection isn't it not
something that can become a bit of a burden and it kind of does because I
know there are some people and I've been around people before that kind of you
can see it really irksome if you don't call them by like brother or sister
something it's like okay and I try I don't want to upset people so sometimes
people I try and make that point because I know that they like that really
offended because I didn't call them brother something else is something it
is a bit weird right it's like I'm not trying to suggest you unsaved it's just
that's your name you know it's kind of a bit more normal to just call you by
your name I don't want to upset you so I'm gonna be a bit careful and gentle
with it you know and I've been trying over the year or two to gently just
encourage people to not have to feel like they can't say anyone's name in the
church let's say use the word brother or sister first or something else it's
just it's not it's not like a biblical rule it's a nice thing if you want to do
that and you want to give someone a nice term of endearment you can but you don't
have to every time okay just make it clear yeah okay so verse 12 it says and
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 and embraced
him and kissed him and brought him to his house and he told Laban all these
things so that's the point there isn't it there's love he's showing love for
his kindred isn't it okay he is showing love that it's it's a it's kindred and
that's what we want to show love for each other don't we as well and Laban
said to him surely thou art my bone and my flesh and he abode with him the space
of a month and labors Laban said unto Jacob because thou art my brother should
a sow therefore serve me for naught tell me what shall thy wages be now
remember that they they had sheep okay so he Jacobs obviously pretty hands-on
considering the whole well incident that we saw earlier I'd imagine he's a pretty
handy worker but notice the point here he says as well you know just because
you're my brother should you therefore serve me for naught and I think that's a
good reminder to have in church and around church life when you make you
know you're making friends you know in a church with each other and stuff you
know it doesn't mean that everyone just has to do each other like a hundred
different favors and especially if you're getting someone who's like it's
their work and it's their business something good at and and you want to
use that you know you shouldn't really be looking for mates rates I don't think
I mean for me if I know someone I think's honest and trustworthy you know I
think they're worth they're worth full wage aren't they like it's not what they
better do the work cheap for me because they know me from church I think that's
a bit of a weird mentality isn't it because really you just kind of take
your money out of their pocket so if I was like okay for example I was like
right Jack I need you to I'd love you to you know do some personal training for
me and everything else I don't expect him to do that for free that's his job
isn't it right and if and if I was and I'm kind of basically asking him for
just like free work and it's a bit weird isn't it if you would do that a lot
don't like you know well I know I know this person so what what cheat deal can
you do it's like well it's my business and and in a way if if you're dealing
with something you know then it should be the other way around I think right
you should be willing to give them full whack and know that okay at least I'm
gonna get an honest trustworthy job from that person so just something to bear
in mind and he makes that point here verse 16 says a layman had two daughters
the name of the elder was Leah and name the younger was Rachel Leah was tender
eyed but Rachel was beautiful and well favor now tender could mean soft or it
could be maybe weak-eyed as well so perhaps she had some sort of eye issues
I know I don't know about I mean I'd be interested what people think after I've
always looked at this verse it just wonder what does that really mean and I
think at first I thought maybe she's not really like maybe even maybe it was like
a kind of compliment she was tender eyed like you know soft-eyed or something but
now I'm thinking I don't know I think maybe she had some sort of eye
disabilities I don't know but uh but Rachel was beautiful and well favored
now was it the only reason that she was well favored because she was beautiful
do you think as it did say she was beautiful and well favored and and I
think that like her auntie Rebecca she seems to have some good qualities too so
so she she may have been beautiful but Rachel still came with the sheep in
verse 9 didn't she if you notice she was the one that led the sheep to be
watered she wasn't sitting around trying out new hairstyles and you know
new camera pouts or something was she so she was I'm so beautiful I don't have to
do anything no she was actually hands-on she was working she was grafting she was
obviously of some use and in verse 12 when he told her like who he was she
didn't just kind of saunter off trying to look as kind of alluring as possible
she ran off to tell her father right so she's obviously there's some good
elements however in later chapters we do see some bad qualities as well so
just to warn you in case you start picking her up at a pedestal she does
have some faults as well right but I think it's probably a bit of both she's
beautiful and well favored and verse 18 says in Jacob loved Rachel and said I
will serve these seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter so did did Jacob
say I'm going to marry your daughter see he also did it is another question did
he approach Rachel and then run it by laban afterwards did he he's asking her
father first have you noticed that ultimately what's he doing is he's
asking her father why because she's under the headship of her father she's
under the headship of her father so he's asking her father you know if that's
okay but he's saying look I will he's actually not just asking he's saying I'll
serve you for seven years for your daughter I mean he he's basically saying
I work for free for seven years for your daughter but he's but he's talking to
her father right and the reason I say that is young men out there and whether
you're young or not right you'd better respect that until a young lady is
married her father is the boss and you need to understand that right and
respect that and especially because that's very separate to the culture we
have out there now right and I know some people do this sort of token before they
ask the wife the lady to marry them they might kind of contact the father first
but I'll tell you how it will run with my family and and again it's up to you
as dad's out there how you want to do it but he'll run with my family is there
ain't no one going on any dates with anyone until I'm consulted and they
better come to me first do you know what I mean they better not be trying to work
things out and you know kind of behind my back and then oh I'll just quickly go
and mention it to him no no he better come to me first right because I'll put
a stop on it straight away if it's not someone I think is suitable because at
the end of the day foolishness has been the heart of a child and and they don't
suddenly stop being foolish when they get to 19 20 21 or whatever age you
think is acceptable for dating that ain't happening and you know full well
that their father and mother are going to have their best interest for it right
and you're going to know what works for them so you know and but also what aside
from that anyway that's a respectful thing isn't it and of course you know
you're not going to be like well tough anyone you know obviously you want them
to like the person but they need to like you know young men need to understand
that the father is a boss and and here he's not only asking her father he's
offering to work for seven years for her and basically do not he's offering he's
offering a dowry that's what he's doing really he's offering a form of dowry
without coming with the cash without coming with something like that he's
saying I'll just work for free for seven years and and he's clearly a good worker
as well by the way and we see that in later chapters as well and why because
a maiden is of great price they are a maiden is of great price it's not you
you don't just deserve some someone's daughter then out there you know look
especially if you do things our God wants you to do things a young lady in
a household is of great price and is of great use and and no one deserves to
just well oh well I like her she seems I've managed to like kind of Connor a
bit or something else she should be mine that's not how it works they better be
because persuading that parent that it's worth him worth that father basically
losing all of that all of the things that are made will bring to a household
and all the many skills and many things she could do in the work I mean this
what this this young lady what she's doing she's watering the sheep so he's
gonna have to find someone else to do that for starters let alone what else
she was doing right and proverbs you know I've done it problems 1822 says
whoso findeth the wife findeth a good thing and obtain a favor of the Lord a
wife's a good thing it's not just an automatic that everyone deserves is it
and those of us who are already married we need to remember that as well right
we need to remember that come out from among the world all of us need to do
that right we need to come out from among the world a wife's not something
to be used and abused is she a wife is a good thing a wife is something that we
should appreciate sometimes we need to remind you that don't remain sometimes
because we can often just start to get pulled back into the world where she's
just kind of like this disrespected thing because really like sadly look at
all those women out there and and they kind of are disrespected things a lot of
time for good reason right but that could kind of wash on you a little bit
can't it and you start to kind of act can be like that and really they're a
good thing they're of great price she's of great price so we need to treat our
wives like that she's to be honored she should be nourished she should be
cherished according to Ephesians chapter 5 she is of great price and we need to
remember that treat our wives like that someone's we can go too far with the
kind of wash you know and when I say too far look a wife should submit to a
husband a hundred percent all day long okay the Bible's very clear about that
however we don't have to they like it's it's not we don't have to kind of show
that approve that by then treating our wives like that right no no no one else
no one does that here but some people do do that don't they they then have to
start giving them a public lecture or a telling off or you know just ordering
them to do stuff to somehow make themselves feel like well I've got a
submissive wife but that's a complete opposite to how God tells us to treat
our wives we should be nourishing them cherishing them loving them right and
and that's how we meant to treat them and because she is of great price Jacob
was willing to serve seven years to obtain his wife and maybe there's a
good picture for single men out there as well and if you want a godly wife you
want God to give you one of his daughters maybe serve him maybe serve
God for several years maybe instead of thinking well where's
that what you got saved yeah read the Bible of a few chapters a couple of
books where's the wife oh is he even there what's going on it's like well
how about you serve God you know how about you serve him and say look here I
am I'm a godly man I'm serving you and I think that maybe I might get to the
point where you're willing to give me one of your daughters because that's
what he's doing here that's what Jacob's going I'll serve you for seven
years not like well why can't I have your daughter just amazing well no it's
not amazing you know and labored said it is better that I give her to thee than
that I should give her to another man abide with me that was in verse 19 so
yeah and for us Christian dads of course it's better that we give our daughters
to one of our kindred okay to a fellow child of God right but but not just any
old Christian that comes along here it's someone who's a hard worker someone
willing to work hard right he's come along he's already like started off
great started off rolling rolling stones away feeding she you know that he's kind
of you know comes back to the house he's one of the kindred yeah like the picture
here is another believer right but he's willing to serve he's saying I will
serve you for seven years for your daughter I'll tell you what that's a I
mean that is a nice quality to have isn't it so some of us dads here if you
know when our daughters get older you have a guy coming on going I'll serve
you for free for seven years for your daughter you'd think okay I'd like to
see someone drop that right and obviously look he says yeah it's better
that I give her to thee than I should give her to another man because
ultimately look you know it is we we don't want to withhold them from
marriage but you know we also want to find the right person for them don't we
well Jacob served seven years for Rachel it says in verse 20 and Jacob served
seven years for Rachel and they seemed unto him but a few days for the love he
had to her and and just back to that that picture of that spiritual nation of
God going out from the promised land to the nations just just on that that takes
work as well doesn't it it takes work to basically to grow churches to plant
churches to do all of that is work as well and and you need to kind of show
yourself a worker we need to show as a church that we're a working church right
if we want that if we want to do some real good things for God and we want to
get the blessings of God and we want to be able to plant churches we want to do
great things if we're all lazy here would we grow in time it wouldn't happen
would it would other churches get planted if we were just all a bit lazy
we just maybe had one sole winning time a week and it's like 59 minutes 59
seconds you know we just kind of do that and that's a lot and and you know what
you know do you know who's responsible every single one of us every single one
of us to be a busy church to be the the sort of church which is going to be
blessed with you know with things from God here obviously we're seeing him
being blessed with that wife and for me a picture of going out and planting and
and and basically basically going out with the gospel and creating churches
right and that's something we want to do and you know what when you do work hard
then you work hard for God time flies as well doesn't it I said and Jacobs said
unto to laban after it said that it seemed but a few days ago said unto
laban in verse 21 give me my wife my days fulfilled that I may go in unto her
and laban gathered together all the men of the place had made a feast and it
came to pass in the evening that he took leer his daughter and brought her to him
and he went in unto her so it's a bit of a strange wedding ceremony this they
kind of did the feast but he then brought him his supposed wife in the
evening once it was dark so it's all a bit bit bizarre remember that we saw the
the tradition of the veil when Rebecca was brought to Isaac so I'd imagine
there was probably some sort of veil going on as well or something I don't
think he was in the pitch black when she first came so there's some sort of con
going on he's got Conda and you do have to say well what goes around comes
around Jacob having recently conned his father and his brother this is a pretty
similar kind of thing not long after right and and again you have to turn up
at Galatians 6 7 says be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man
soweth that shall he also reap and that's a good reminder isn't it you go
around doing sneaky moves like Jacob did well you might end up with a sneaky move
done on you right and that was a sneaky move he basically got given a different
wife I mean that's pretty bad isn't it verse 24 says labor gave unto his daughter
Leah's ill prison Nathan handmade so having married she receives a handmaid
from her father so she's obviously you know that's some sort of tradition maybe
they have there and it came to pass in the morning behold it was Leah and he
said to labor what is this that thou has done unto me did not I serve with thee
for Rachel wherefore then has thou beguiled me like I said I'm assuming it
was pretty dark there must have been some similarities being sisters okay you
would imagine but what a con do you imagine how he felt just for a second
but it's over these shoes he thought this woman in love for seven years
served for seven years and he wakes up and he's been given the dodgy-eyed
sister what happened and it's too late it's too late as well I mean that tent
must be dark right and verse 26 says a layman said it must not be so done in
our country to give the younger before the first born well I asked him to
mention that seven years before or even or even before the wedding feast or
even during the wedding feast or even around the time that he just managed to
sneak in Leah instead of Rachel so these guys like he's well he's he's dodgier
than Jacob he's pretty sneaky what was he playing at layman though because you
because then you look at this you go what you did but why is layman doing
that well perhaps he didn't have hope of finding a husband for Leah that's why
I think the tender ride maybe she did have some issues or something and maybe
look he knew that Jacob would look after her maybe as well maybe he's like well
actually he's come up with his harebrained scheme because he's thinking
why am I gonna get someone for her and look I know that Jake is probably gonna
do right but also he used it as a way of getting a further seven years of work
from Jacob as well so this guy's a great worker he's he's because we see
later that he's basically says he's blessed he knows he's blessed because of
Jacob and he's being blessed by God through Jacob so he's very productive a
lot's getting done you know his kind of whole kind of flock he's just growing
and everything's going great so he's just come up with some almighty scam
then probably a few reasons for it right he said in verse 27 fulfill her week and
we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me
yet seven other years now I think likely talking about a week of feasting and
celebrations so I think he's just basically persuading him not to just put
her away or something I'll just leg it and be like you've done me up I'm off or
something else he says that I will also basically give you Rachel and and Jacob
did so and fulfilled her week I mean there is an example I think there's an
example maybe I think he may win judges with with Sampson of him having you know
it's basically like a week of feasting when he gets married so I don't know if
that's what we're seeing here something like that and he gave him Rachel his
daughter to wife also so after this week and Laban gave to Rachel his daughter
Bill her his handmaid to be her maid and he went in also unto Rachel he loved
also Rachel more than Leah and served with him yet seven other years so now
you could say well poor Leah here really can you considering you know I don't know
God's compassion there is some compassion on her we see shortly after
you get the feeling that she was probably pushed into it by Laban I don't
know it seems like God kind of blesses her so I don't think that maybe it was
her doing that I think probably she was forced into it a bit right by the sound
of it yeah but what a mess is caused by all of this right I mean what what a
mess of a family I mean this is like I don't know Jeremy Springer on steroids
is it is it Jerry Jerry Springer do you remember what was that you know I said
Jeremy because what there was this terrible English version of it called
was it Jeremy Kyle what happened to that guy did he get exposed for being weird
or something in the end right I'll do it okay did someone die oh wow because it
they used to just try any which way to get like all sorts of nightmares going
on there was it brother was it used boss was involved with all that okay that guy
was creepy wasn't it that was some creepy old man and let's I bet if
anyone's going what are you on about basically they used to have these shows
on TV where they try and get the situations half as messed up as this and
then get them all on camera to like hash it out and fight it out and prove that
someone was actually had a second marriage who had been sneaked in there
while it was dark or something I mean this is like something else isn't it but
but but what a mess right and what a mess then that causes and I mean wow I
mean laban's got a lot to answer for there because think about it this way
because I'm sure there are husbands out there and men out in the world who have
looked at these sorts of things I thought alright for Jacob he's got two
wives you know how great would that be well look if we've got a job to nourish
and cherish our wives how are you ever gonna do that with two I mean it's just
gonna be an absolute disaster it's always a disaster it's always a mess
it's always a problem this sort of thing always causes trouble right and it says
in verse 31 and when the Lord saw that Leah was hated he opened her womb but
Rachel was barren so God has compassion on Leah who was in a pretty horrible
situation a forced marriage with her husband really loving her sister I mean
what an absolute mess right and God opens her womb and basically he made a
very fertile she has a load of children which is then is bound to endear her to
her husband and that is what happens really so he makes her have children so
that her husband basically starts to favor her again to some degree now don't
get me wrong he still obviously has a lot of love for Rachel but it does work
because well we're gonna see this in a few verses time if as oh you know if a
wife gives you children it is look it's another reason to love her to cherish
her isn't it and when I say another reason because look you know we do we
should want to care for them shouldn't we we should appreciate that we should
look women go through a lot don't they you know they go through a lot to have a
child and it is something that we we and we often don't don't we as men we often
take it for granted we often kind of forget what they've
gone through what their body goes through what they mentally have to go
through all of that I mean I mean there should be enough post-traumatic stress
to make them never want to have a kid again sometimes I saw some of those
birds it and we kind of block it out don't we in fact we all do I think women
and men do because I mean the birth can be particularly traumatic on it let alone
all the other things and they go through all of that and it should be something
and the fact that they're bringing your child into the world should be something
that makes them even more endearing to us right and here I think that's what we
see verse verse 32 it says and Leah conceived and bare a son and she called
his name Ruben for she for she said surely the Lord has looked upon my
affliction now therefore my husband will love me and at first you look at this
going really now he clearly loves because you're kind of drawn into the
Hollywood sort of you know love of it's like this all to this kind of you know
sort of this responsive just love because Rachel so beautiful or something
else but he does actively love her because of this Ruben by the way means
basically behold a son it's not a foolish thought because I would say
it's probably proven in the next few verses well study three says and she
conceived again so he's clearly at least having a physical relationship with her
even though he didn't really it seemed that at least she was described as being
hated now he's having a physical relationship with her it says that she
conceived again and bear a son and said because the Lord has heard that I was
hated and I think there's past tense there for a reason right she was hated
he had therefore given me this son also and she called his name Simeon so like I
said past tense Simeon means heard or that is heard and then verse 34 she
conceived again and bear a son and we're talking like by the way we're adding
years and years here right okay I mean at the least even if they're having
Irish twins I mean we're talking a few years apart now and she conceived again
and bear a son and said now this time will my husband be joined unto me
because I've born him three sons therefore was his name called Levi Levi
means joined and verse 35 she conceived again and bear a son and she said now
will I praise the Lord therefore she called his name Judah and left bearing
so it did work didn't it and he did obviously show some love for her and and
have this relationship with her and you know and I don't know the answer for me
well at least with that is that there is something that that there should be a
natural response from us as men and as husbands our wives bearing as children
right and we should appreciate for them for that and we should have that love
for them because of that but also here I just noticed Judah by the way means
praise or praise I I think Leah does what we should do when we're blessed
right she praises God yeah she praises God she says now will I praise the Lord
therefore she called his name Judah and left bearing and she's you know and so
often we get blessings from God we get things happen in our lives things you
know we forget to praise God don't we and then we kind of expect more
blessings or where the blessings but did you really praise God for it and we're
so quick to start wanting to take the credit ourselves only so often when
something good goes on in your life or something good happens or something and
you just you know it's innate within us a lot that we want to go well it's
because I did this or I said that or I behaved in the right way well I made
this choice and and it's really most of the time it's because God is just
intervened and done something great for you right and we need to remember to
praise God praise God for all the blessings you get in life and if you're
praising God you're probably more likely to get those blessings as well right and
here you know Leah does what she should do she does praise him and you know and
God did something amazing for her there as well and at least helped out what is
just a horrendous situation really there anyway however they end up going on to
be like the fathers of the twelve tribes of Israel and it's just amazing the
Bible isn't it just kind of our God can make things work out from pretty rough
and wrong situations right and you know praise God that he does that otherwise
not much good will be going on in our lives either right but he can make
things work out but what make things work out for the best and that was
Genesis chapter 29 and we're gonna finish off in a word of prayer father
thank you for your word thank you for well you know the lessons that we got
out of that chapter Lord and lessons about you know not not only you know how
we as men should should you know respond to our wives and should love our wives
and honor and cherish our wives but also you know just other lessons there about
you know the the types of types of workers we should be the types of you
know for those looking for for wives and and you know should remember that you
know we're here to serve God we're here to serve and to prove ourselves to him
as sort of the father of us all order especially is you know those godly women
out there and and just help us all Lord to just take take you know take things
from those you know some of those smaller little points in that chapter
Lord and those little lessons that hopefully everyone's learnt something
from your word today and help us to apply it to our lives help us get home
safe sound this evening into return on Sunday for another day in your house and
Jesus name for all of this