Wednesday, July 10, 2019

Genesis 29:1

Genesis 29:1 says, Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.  Jacob completed his journey after he had a personal assurance from God.  Wherever we go in life, if we have God's assurance that He is with us, and we are being obedient to His will, we should feel free to go.  Jacob left under Isaac's blessing and direction, but he arrived under God's.  Verse two states, And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well’s mouth.  Jacob, like Abraham's servant, came to a well, this one used to water sheep, but the well had a great stone across it.  Jesus said He is Living Water for those who accept Him, but until someone does, sin is the same as having a rock blocking him or her from that water.  Verse three adds, And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well’s mouth in his place.  After all the flocks were gathered, they removed the stone, watered the flocks, and then replaced the stone.  We all have equal access to the Living Water that Jesus provides, but faith in Him is like the stone.  It is removed for those who accept Jesus as their Savior and Lord, but it still blocks those who do not from having access to the Living Water.  Verse four says, And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we.  Jacob asked the people at the well who they were.  They told him that they were from Haran.  If someone asks us who we are today, would our answer include anything about being God's people?  I know that these people did not say that, but we should always ensure that when we are telling people who will are, as followers of Christ, that should always be one of the things we tell them.  Verse five adds, And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.  Jacob asked if they knew Laban, the son of Nahor, and they said they did.  When someone asks us today if we know Jesus, the Son of God, hopefully we can honestly say that we do.  Verse six continues, And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.  Jacob asked if Laban was well, the people said that he was and then Rachel came with her sheep to water them.  Jacob had found at least one of Abraham's people.  If we were to continue to equate this with coming to Christ today, then we could say that when people are going about their everyday life, hopefully they will encounter someone who can point them to Christ.  Though Jacob had left simply to find a wife, after his encounter with God, he was now there also as a representative of God.  Once we encounter and accept Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, wherever we go we are His representative, whether we want to be or not.  Verse seven states, And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them.  Jacob told them to water and feed the sheep.  We likewise have a command from God to feed His sheep.  Verse eight adds, And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.  They told Jacob that they couldn't water the sheep until all the flocks were gathered.  Again, when equating this to Jesus as the Living Water, we all have equal access.  Verse nine declares, And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep: for she kept them.  While Jacob was talking with the men, Rachel came to water her father's sheep.  Verse ten adds, 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 well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.  Jacob saw Rachel, who was indeed his mother's relative, and he rolled the stone from the well and watered her flock.  The time might not have been right in the tradition of those at the well, but Jacob was there on a mission from God now.  We cannot allow tradition to keep us from doing what God leads us to do, even if it might be risky.  Verse eleven states, And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept.  I believe that Jacob felt that Rachel was the one he was looking for.  We might question his kissing her when he first met her, but a kiss was a normal greeting back then.

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