History Repeats Itself…

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Opening Prayer

Mighty, loving God, today as I read and study Your Word, infiltrate my whole being with Your wisdom and grace.

Read Genesis 29:1-14

^[1] Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples. ^[2] There he saw a well in the open country, with three flocks of sheep lying near it because the flocks were watered from that well. The stone over the mouth of the well was large. ^[3] When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone away from the well’s mouth and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well. ^[4] Jacob asked the shepherds, “My brothers, where are you from?” “We’re from Harran,” they replied. ^[5] He said to them, “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s grandson?” “Yes, we know him,” they answered. ^[6] Then Jacob asked them, “Is he well?” “Yes, he is,” they said, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.” ^[7] “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.” ^[8] “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.” ^[9] While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherd. ^[10] When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of his uncle Laban, and Laban’s sheep, he went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep. ^[11] Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud. ^[12] He had told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and a son of Rebekah. So she ran and told her father. ^[13] As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he hurried to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, and there Jacob told him all these things. ^[14] Then Laban said to him, “You are my own flesh and blood.” After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month,

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Meditate

“Obeying the Spirit instead of your own self-centered whims will lead you to places you have never been, challenge you in ways you have never been challenged …” (Bill Hybels).

Think Further

Jacob has a two-fold purpose in journeying to his mother’s relatives. His mother tells him he should go to escape the retribution his brother Esau wants to visit on him (Gen. 27:42-45), and she persuades his father to send him there to find a wife who won’t be a Hittite (Gen. 26:34,35; 27:46). In some ways, this pattern of behavior echoes that of the past generation. Abraham didn’t want Isaac to marry a local girl, but one of his relatives; here Jacob is also to look for a spouse from among his own kindred. However, while Abraham sent his chief servant to act as a go-between, Jacob is sent himself in order to be taken, conveniently, out of harm’s way.

There are other echoes of the past: meeting at a well, watering flocks or herds, the right girl coming at the right moment, the realization of being among relatives. Jacob creates a good impression, as he rolls away the stone from over the well, introduces himself as a relative and greets Rachel with a cousinly kiss; perhaps the tears indicate that he is overwhelmed to have arrived at this place–or perhaps he’s overwhelmed by her beauty and falls head over heels! News of Jacob’s arrival is met with welcome and affection from his uncle. A major difference is that what’s missing from this account is God. While the earlier occasion was full of God, this one, at least from the perspective of the narrator, is not.

The parallels in these stories, and the similarities and differences, deserve close attention. They have important things to say about the purpose of telling the story. The parallels also extend to the individuals here and the history of Israel; and the repetition of seeking a bride resonates with our Christian understanding.

Apply

Looking back through your own life, reflect on any lessons which you have had to learn on more than one occasion. How have they helped you?

Closing prayer

Father, I constantly need the gift of discernment to distinguish between my whims and Your leading. Today I want to live a full-throttle faith, fueled solely by You.

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