Order in the Chaos
Pastor Ryan Hurd
Part of Jacob—Deceiver & Dreamer
May 22, 2022

The Journey Resumes

Jacob resumed his journey and went to the eastern country. He looked and saw a well in a field. Three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it because the sheep were watered from this well. But a large stone covered the opening of the well. The shepherds would roll the stone from the opening of the well and water the sheep when all the flocks were gathered there. Then they would return the stone to its place over the well’s opening. Jacob asked the men at the well, “My brothers! Where are you from?” “We’re from Haran,” they answered. “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s grandson?” Jacob asked them. They answered, “We know him.” “Is he well?” Jacob asked. “Yes,” they said, “and here is his daughter Rachel, coming with his sheep.” Then Jacob said, “Look, it is still broad daylight. It’s not time for the animals to be gathered. Water the flock, then go out and let them graze.” But they replied, “We can’t until all the flocks have been gathered and the stone is rolled from the well’s opening. Then we will water the sheep.” While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. As soon as Jacob saw his uncle Laban’s daughter Rachel with his sheep, he went up and rolled the stone from the opening and watered his uncle Laban’s sheep. Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept loudly. He told Rachel that he was her father’s relative, Rebekah’s son. She ran and told her father. —Genesis 29:1–12 CSB

  • If you’ve been with us since the beginning of this series, this passage should sound remotely familiar. In many ways this account mirrors the account of Abraham’s search for a wife for Isaac.
  • In the case of the servant, the story seems to unfold effortlessly. In Jacob’s case, as you will see, the story is filled with drama, strife, and conflict.

Meeting Your Match

When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran to meet him, hugged him, and kissed him. Then he took him to his house, and Jacob told him all that had happened. Laban said to him, “Yes, you are my own flesh and blood.” After Jacob had stayed with him a month, Laban said to him, “Just because you’re my relative, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.” Now Laban had two daughters: the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel. Leah had tender eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful. Jacob loved Rachel, so he answered Laban, “I’ll work for you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay with me.” So Jacob worked seven years for Rachel, and they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her. Then Jacob said to Laban, “Since my time is complete, give me my wife, so I can sleep with her.” So Laban invited all the men of the place and sponsored a feast. That evening, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her. And Laban gave his slave Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her slave. When morning came, there was Leah! So he said to Laban, “What have you done to me? Wasn’t it for Rachel that I worked for you? Why have you deceived me?” Laban answered, “It is not the custom in our country to give the younger daughter in marriage before the firstborn. Complete this week of wedding celebration, and we will also give you this younger one in return for working yet another seven years for me.” And Jacob did just that. He finished the week of celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. And Laban gave his slave Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her slave. Jacob slept with Rachel also, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years. —Genesis 29:13–30 CSB

  • Although Isaac had blessed Jacob and said others would serve him, Jacob will instead serve another man—his own uncle—for 20 years.
  • The deceiver has finally met his match.
  • God is at work keeping promises again, but the keeping of promises can be delayed.

Sister Wives

When the Lord saw that Leah was neglected, he opened her womb; but Rachel was unable to conceive. Leah conceived, gave birth to a son, and named him Reuben, for she said, “The Lord has seen my affliction; surely my husband will love me now.” She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, “The Lord heard that I am neglected and has given me this son also.” So she named him Simeon. She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, “At last, my husband will become attached to me because I have borne three sons for him.” Therefore he was named Levi. And she conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she named him Judah. Then Leah stopped having children. —Genesis 29:31–35 CSB

  • After giving birth to each of the first three sons, Leah’s desire is that Jacob — her husband — will finally love and become attached to her.
  • Finally, after giving birth to her fourth son, Leah’s proclamation changes: “This time I will praise the Lord.”
  • It wasn’t through the wife Jacob loved that God began to fulfill His promise to Jacob, but through the wife he had neglected.

Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong. God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world—what is viewed as nothing—to bring to nothing what is viewed as something, so that no one may boast in his presence. —1 Corinthians 1:27–29 CSB

Tribe of Judah

It’s amazing to me that God could have chosen any of Jacob’s kids to bring forth the Messiah, and yet, He choose Judah — the son of the wife who wasn’t loved.

Consider this: If God can bring forth the Messiah through the descendants of any unloved and neglected wife — what might He be able to do through you?

Baby Games

When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she envied her sister. “Give me sons, or I will die!” she said to Jacob. Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God? He has withheld offspring from you!” Then she said, “Here is my maid Bilhah. Go sleep with her, and she’ll bear children for me so that through her I too can build a family.” So Rachel gave her slave Bilhah to Jacob as a wife, and he slept with her. Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. Rachel said, “God has vindicated me; yes, he has heard me and given me a son,” so she named him Dan. —Genesis 30:1–6 CSB

  • We’re reminded, once again, that outward appearances do not signify internal wholeness or peace.
  • Neither woman was happy. Each still desperately wanted what the other had: Leah wanted Jacob’s love, and Rachel wanted to bear his children.
  • When Rachel comes to Jacob and voices her frustration and despair, Jacob is quick to place the blame on God.

Order in the Chaos

  • What we see, is that God uses the chaos of Jacob’s life (often self-inflicted), to bring about the birth of 12 sons who would become the head of the 12 Tribes of Israel.
  • As we pull back the pages of Scriptures we can clearly see a God who is at work to protect His promise and to ensure its success.

Then God remembered Rachel. He listened to her and opened her womb. She conceived and bore a son, and she said, “God has taken away my disgrace.” She named him Joseph and said, “May the Lord add another son to me.” —Genesis 30:22–24 CSB

  • The 12th son is born. The promise can go on. And the loved wife finally has a son to call her own.
  • The two mothers of Israel, the loved and not loved, the beautiful and not beautiful, discover together that barrenness is not a problem for human solution. New life is God’s gift.

Summary

Jacob’s flaws are hard to miss—but we’re often eager to overlook them because we see his faults mirrored in ourselves. We understand why Jacob struggled to believe God was for him—because sometimes we do, too.

Despite Jacob’s refusal to recognize God’s hand, God was at work, giving Jacob children and thus keeping the promises He made to Abraham. And through it all, God was preparing Jacob for a time when he would fully recognize His presence.