Bibledoorajar Tracks Jacob's Education in Service

     Jacob had come to his uncle's house and community. His mother and father were both sure that a wife from there would make a more prosperous and godly future for their sons. Esau had rejected this wisdom and had sorely disappointed his folks. How many Christians   have been disappointed when their children did not follow this godly counsel. But Jacob was there and he had met a girl from the right community and he had fallen head over heels for her. He was so much in love with her that he agreed to work seven years for her father to receive her hand in marriage. For seven years Jacob would labor in an environment that would be greatly influenced by his uncle. As a matter of fact his influence would be paramount. Whatever Jacob did, Laban would always be there sealing him in service. But Jacob was at peace with this plan because He had been given a promise while asleep and while he was deeply moved by his sin. His heavenly father had been discovered to be in the desert with him. He was not just in his father's tent, but he was real in Jacob's life. His promises included a ladder to heaven given in a dream.

                             Dreams grow holy put in action,
                             Work grows fair through starry dreaming;
                              But where each flows on unmingling,
                              Both are fruitless and in vain.

                                                      A.A. Proctor

This dream with all its' promise was a "born again" experience for Jacob. It was an opportunity that was divine. Surely as Jacob looked at Rachel, he felt a divine peace in his inner man. We will see this inner peace guide a man through all the forces that come against him. It will start first with a trick from Laban. But lest we forget, there is an Omnipotent One that will ensure Jacob success in his necessary endeavors. What great encouragement we can take from this story: chosen to carry on the work of God with perfect confidence within our inner selves. Does that describe you today?

Bibledoorajar Looks at Serenity

Rachel ran to her father and told him of the relative's arrival. The Bible does not tell us exactly what Jacob told Laban, just that he told his "all of these things". But at the end of Jacob's comments, Laban declares that he is "bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh". Have you ever received anyone warmly and listened to their story and then later found out there was much more to the story? Often, things can go really well for a while between people, and sometimes we forget that Jacob's God runs a kingdom made of morals. Well, for a whole month the watchword was serenity and peace. But in the end Jacob's transgressions interrupted his peace.  God is is never deceived by our evil ways. is he?
Many think they have slipped past God because He is slow to anger and His retributions often do not occur immediately. But now as Jacob's story progresses we see him on the threshold of reaping what he had sown.

Laban observes that Jacob should not continue receiving his hospitality for nothing and he asked Jacob what he thought his wages should be. So the one that wanted to secure the blessing of the firstborn from his father and all the dignity that went with the position, is now being asked to give service for wages. The schemer appears to have met another schemer!

Galatians 6 tells us about a principle of God's sovereign government: "Be not deceived, God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he reap." We will see Jacob doing just this as our story progresses and as he continues to learn a life of service rather than always being first. Things will
get a bit harder for Jacob, but God will be with him teaching him all the way.

Bibledoorajar Sees Mama's Plan At Work

Mama's plan for Jacob seems to be mostly working out. He sees Rachel coming with her Dad's sheep. He tries to get the other shepherds to leave the area by telling them there is still daylight left for their sheep to graze. But alas, Rachel arrives and their first meeting is with an audience. But still, she captures a familiar feeling in Jacob:

           "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 away from the opening of the well and watered and watered the flock of Laban his MOTHER'S brother." Gen. 29:10ff.

Mama's plan seems to be working. Jacob, liking what he sees,  is overcome with emotion, and gives Rachel a warm familial kiss explaining that he is her relative. There among the sheep and the shepherds he sees his beautiful "ewe" for that is the meaning of the name Rachel, female sheep. So overcome, he weeps. When he tells her he is her father's relative, son of Rebecca, Rachel runs to inform her father. Mama's plan--so far, so good. Here's another plan that is altogether good. The Father has sent us His special Lamb for us to love. He brings us tears of joy. We give him songs of praise.

 "I love your Name, And I love your touch.
   I love your voice, how it heals my heart,
   Oh, Lord, Oh Lord, I'm so in love with you."

               Lovesong to the Lamb  by Fred Hammond              

Bibledoorajar Examines the Scene

The man Jacob has made his way and has come upon a field with a well covered with a stone. The story reports that Jacob sees three flocks of sheep near the well and a fourth coming as pointed out by the shepherds who see Rachel approaching with her father's flock. Sheep in a field in every direction-east, west, south and north. All in need of water from the covered well, but the fourth stands paramount in Jacob's mind. What a beautiful picture of God's earthly creation--a creation from which He has just assured Jacob that he will prosper. But the sheep are divided and diverse, belonging to different people. Prosperity will come to Jacob, but the division and strife so apparent in creation due to sin will be a major factor in his life. He will have to contend among the others, something his father never had to do.
However, the covered well from which comes the good water stands alone. It is undivided and when uncovered the water is made available to all flocks. All the flocks and their shepherds stand in need of it as a source. This story impresses me to ask: as I travel along life's journey is my focus more on the creation (prospering) or the Creator(Source)? I have studied a great deal of books over the years gaining a fair amount of man's knowledge about various topics. These have helped me achieve advanced degrees and interesting jobs. However, the greatest source book I have ever studied is the Bible because it has given me knowledge from God--man's Ultimate Source. I can rightly be described as a social worker trained by men, but I am much more interested in being described as a woman of God trained by His Word. This is the only book I know that claims it can FULLY EQUIP me to be a woman of God. So like Jacob, I want to take off the cover off the well. I want to drink long the living water and drink it over and over. How about you?

       "All scripture is God-breathed and is valuable for teaching the truth, convicting of sin,
correcting faults and training in right living; thus anyone who belongs to God may be fully equipped for every good work."   2 Timothy 3: 16-17

Bibledoorajar Watches as Jacob Begins to Serve

"Do something for somebody every day for which you do not get paid."
                                                             Albert Schweitzer

"Do something wonderful, people may imitate it."
                                             Albert Schweitzer

     There is something wonderful that happens when somebody lends a hand. Bearing each other up is a part of both Jewish and Christian ethics. The root of this service can be found in the early stories of the Bible. Today we find God moving in Jacob's life as he comes upon a group of people tending sheep. Jacob approaches them and asks if they know his uncle, Laban. "Yes, we know him and there comes his daughter Rachel who tends his sheep." Jacob wondered why everyone was at the well when there was still daylight. They explained that they gathered all the sheep together and then watered them.  Jacob looked and saw that the stone that covered the well from where the water was drawn was still in place. He moved to it and removed it so the shepherds could begin to draw water.  Immediately, a bond between the people there at the well took place. 
     Jacob gave Rachel a kiss. Some view this as an immodest act. But let's look at the progression of his acts. He saw her, he watered, he kissed Rachel and wept. Surely, Jacob was overwhelmed with finding his kin. His desire to be of service is paramount.
Jesus met a woman by a well and He was concerned about her. His desire to be of service was paramount and while some may have found his visit with her immodest and, even against Jewish law,  He gave her living waters.

   "I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold service was joy."
                  Rabindranath Tagore

Bibledoorajar Explores the Power of Humiliation

     "Humiliation is the beginning of sanctification."
                              John Donne

     "There is no neutral ground in the universe; every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God." - C.S. Lewis

There is no way to get around it. Jacob was selected or "elected" by God--claimed by God to carry forth spiritual DNA to future generations. Does that mean that God had no use for Esau? No, the Bible implies that as a part of the "whosoever" that populate the earth, Esau was well blessed and happy with his family. He had actually acquired more earthly possessions than Jacob had when they would at last meet again.  I am sure he performed many good acts for his family and others, but let's face it, he was not elected to be on the frontline of spiritual service for generations to come. He was not to be remembered as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the history of Judaism and Christianity. 

Do you ever think of the "slings and arrows" you have endured in your walk with the Lord? If you honestly have, you have to admit that the humiliation that came with them has brought you closer to God and has placed service to others in a bigger place in your heart. They have stripped you of your need to "acquire" and have caused you to see the "bigger picture".

The story of Jacob continues that after his dream experience, he continued on his journey.  The older Bible versions say he "picked up his feet...". One step closer to understanding that his life was to be "all God and less Jacob".

Bibledoorajar Explores Humility

                            "I wandered so aimless, life filled with sin
                              I wouldn't let my dear Savior in
                              then Jesus came like a stranger in the night
                              Praise the Lord, I saw the light."

                                                               Hank Williams

     At Luz (which means "light"), Jacob's eyes were opened to a greater reality. That greater reality was  that the majesty and authority of God was willing to help someone who had not merited one bit of help.   He learned a foundational lesson: that the God of the Universe seeks to relate to and provide for  earthly citizens. But there does seem to be this one requirement that repeats itself over and over and that requirement is humility. Knowledge of the Holy One who was now communicating with Jacob is based on the disclosure of his need for God. Pride in ourselves, in our abilities, will ever get us in trouble ("goes before a fall" Proverbs 16:18). Jacob was to be mightily used by God but they had to get things straight from the beginning. Jacob, though made in God's image, was not God, and Jacob had to learn that understanding Him required faith and love.  Jacob lay on the dirt of the earth and fell into a deep sleep. There probably is no greater picture of our sin than that of Jacob laying in his dusty bed in total darkness. He did not create the light that came to him; he did not create the vision that he saw. He did nothing but sleep. It was God that came with the lofty goal: spirit must overcome flesh. Those recipients of Divine favor must humble themselves in the sight of the Lord. We are but of the earth, and marred by sin.
      We know that Jacob's knowledge of God increased at Luz, for he declared surely the Lord was in that place. And he renamed the place Bethel which means "house of God" and marked the place of great import with a standing stone. And he responded to the declaration which God had made (see last week's lesson) with a declaration of his own.
 
      "If God will be with me and will guard me on this road I am traveling, giving me bread to eat and
        clothes to wear, so I return to my father's house in peace, then the Lord will be my God; and this
        stone, which I have set up as a standing-stone, will be God's house; and of everything you give
        me, I will faithfully return one-tenth to you." Genesis 28: 20-22

Faith and love mixed with appropriate awe of God can be seen clearly in his declaration. May it ever be  so with us.