2018-07-15 Divine Providence, Divine Discipline

2018-07-15 Divine Providence, Divine Discipline
by Pastor Eric McNeil

Scripture Reference: Genesis 29:1-30

Jacob Meets Rachel

1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land
of the sons of the east. 2 He looked, and saw a well in
the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep were lying
there beside it, for from that well they watered the
flocks. Now the stone on the mouth of the well was
large. 3 When all the flocks were gathered there, they
would then roll the stone from the mouth of the well and
water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on
the mouth of the well. 4 Jacob said to them, "My
brothers, where are you from?" And they said, "We are
from Haran." 5 He said to them, "Do you know Laban the
son of Nahor?" And they said, "We know him." 6 And he
said to them, "Is it well with him?" And they said, "It
is well, and here is Rachel his daughter coming with the
sheep." 7 He said, "Behold, it is still high day; it is
not time for the livestock to be gathered. Water the
sheep, and go, pasture them." 8 But they said, "We
cannot *, until * all the flocks are gathered, and they
roll the stone from the mouth of the well; then we water
the sheep." 9 While he was still speaking with them,
Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a
shepherdess. 10 When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of
Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his
mother's brother, Jacob went up and rolled the stone
from the mouth of the well and watered the flock of
Laban his mother's brother. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel,
and lifted his voice and wept. 12 Jacob told Rachel that
he was a relative of her father and that he was
Rebekah's son, and she ran and told her father. 13 So
when Laban heard the news of Jacob his sister's son, he
ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him and
brought him to his house. Then he related to Laban all
these things. 14 Laban said to him, "Surely you are my
bone and my flesh." And he stayed with him a month. 15
Then Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my relative,
should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what
shall your wages be?" 16 Now Laban had two daughters;
the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the
younger was Rachel. 17 And Leah's eyes were weak, but
Rachel was beautiful of form and face. 18 Now Jacob
loved Rachel, so he said, "I will serve you seven years
for your younger daughter Rachel." 19 Laban said, "It is
better that I give her to you than to give her to
another man; stay with me." 20 So Jacob served seven
years for Rachel and they seemed * to him but a few days
because of his love for her.

Laban's Treachery

21 Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my
time is completed, that I may go in to her." 22 Laban
gathered all the men of the place and made a feast. 23
Now in the evening he took his daughter Leah, and
brought her to him; and Jacob went in to her. 24 Laban
also gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a
maid. 25 So it came about in the morning that, behold,
it was Leah! And he said to Laban, "What is this you
have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served
with you? Why then have you deceived me?" 26 But Laban
said, "It is not the practice * in our place to marry
off the younger before the firstborn. 27 "Complete the
week of this one, and we will give you the other also
for the service which you shall serve with me for
another seven years." 28 Jacob did so and completed her
week, and he gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.
29 Laban also gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter
Rachel as her maid. 30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also,
and indeed he loved Rachel more than Leah, and he served
with Laban for another seven years. 31 Now the LORD saw
that Leah was unloved, and He opened her womb, but
Rachel was barren. 32 Leah conceived and bore a son and
named * him Reuben, for she said, "Because the LORD has
seen my affliction; surely now my husband will love me."
33 Then she conceived again and bore a son and said,
"Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has
therefore given me this son also." So she named * him
Simeon. 34 She conceived again and bore a son and said,
"Now this time my husband will become attached to me,
because I have borne him three sons." Therefore * he was
named * Levi. 35 And she conceived again and bore a son
and said, "This time I will praise the LORD."
Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing.