Scripture: Then Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east. As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep lying beside it, for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well’s mouth was large, and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place over the mouth of the well.
Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where do you come from?” They said, “We are from Haran.” He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.” He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well; and see, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep!” He said, “Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered together. Water the sheep and go, pasture them.” But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.”
While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. Now as soon as Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob came near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s kinsman, and that he was Rebekah’s son, and she ran and told her father.
As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things, and Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!”
Genesis 29:1-14a ESV [Click here to read the entire chapter.]
Observation: Recapping Yesterday’s Daily Focus, en route to his uncle’s homeland, Jacob sleeps overnight in Haran, where he dreams of a ladder extending from Earth to heaven on which God’s angels ascend and descend. Amid the dream, Yahweh announces he is the God of Abraham and Isaac and promises to Jacob that his countless heirs will settle around the world and be blessed. Additionally, Yahweh vows that he will remain with Jacob in all his travels until he has completed everything he promised Jacob. When Jacob awakes, he fearfully praises the Lord for this moment, declaring that this place is God’s house and gateway to heaven. At sunrise, Jacob tilts his stone pillow upright (forming a pillar), consecrates it with oil, and names the monument Bethel and its location Luz. Jacob then vows to worship Yahweh alone if Yahweh will sustain and lead Jacob to his life’s end in peace. Jacob adds that the pillar he erected will demarcate God’s house and that he will tithe a full tenth to God.
Today’s reading takes us to a family reunion with Uncle Leban and his clan. Spotting three flocks of sheep and their shepherds next to a water well with a massive stone covering its top, Jacob inquires where these men reside. Learning they are from Haran, Jacob further asks if they know Laban and if he is well, which they confirm. And they add that the young lady walking toward them is Laban’s daughter, Rachel. As she approaches, Jacob tries and fails to persuade the shepherds to water their sheep and move on to pasture (desiring privacy). Still, when Rachel arrives with her sheep, Jacob promptly rolls the stone away from the mouth of the well, waters her sheep, and, overwhelmed with emotion, kisses her and weeps. He then explains that he is her father’s nephew.
So Rachel runs and tells her father. Hearing the news, Laban hurries to meet Jacob. Upon arrival, Laban embraces and kisses Jacob and welcomes him to his home, where Jacob shares all the news about Laban’s sister’s family. Overjoyed, Laban declares that Jacob is his bone and flesh and encourages him to stay.
Takeaway: There are notable similarities and differences between Isaac’s (Chapter 24) and Jacob’s search for a wife. The similarities regard the destination (Laban’s homestead in Haran) and the prospective bride appearing at the well. The differences are marked. For Isaac, Abraham sends his head servant to bring back a wife. The servant prays earnestly to the Lord to guide him to the right woman based on fulfilling his particular dialogue with her. Upon meeting the criteria, the servant wastes no time gaining permission from Bethuel, Laban, and Rebekah and expediently returns with Isaac’s bride-to-be to his master’s homeland.
In contrast, the prospective groom (Jacob) seeks his future wife without praying to God for confirmation. However, his previous encounter with the angel of the Lord gave him confidence that the Lord was with him and would bless him for the rest of his life. Still, here, his means of discerning is through circumstances and discernment. So, with no direct communication from the Lord, Jacob would go with the flow upon arrival—encountering many obstacles and delays before returning to his homeland with not one but two wives and eleven children (more to come in subsequent Daily Focus devotions).
So, how did circumstances and discernment guide Jacob? First, he traveled to a hot spot for news: a well (think of it as the breakroom in your workplace). Shepherds would be the best source of knowledge for finding his Uncle Laban and meeting his daughter(s). Then, uncannily, the beautiful Rachel approaches while they’re conversing. With adrenalin rifling through his body, supercharged Jacob accomplishes what would take several herders to do: roll the large stone away. At this point, Jacob is confident that he has met his future wife and is ready to meet her family. But he does not have to seek their company, for Laban is just as excited to meet his nephew. Thus, Jacob confidently continues to move in the direction his Lord is leading through the discernment of circumstances.
Our takeaway? Prayer and Scripture are paramount to walking out our faith, but we must not be legalistic about discerning God’s will. The apostles combined prayer with the casting of lots to ascertain God’s choice for Judas’ replacement (Acts 1:24-26). Gideon combined prayer with a fleece to seek confirmation that God would deliver Israel through his leadership (Judges 6:36-40). Israel’s kings found direction through the prophetic word. And Jesus often discerned his next steps based on circumstances, whether the wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11) or the feeding of the five thousand (John 6:1-15). Moreover, Christ has gifted us with the Holy Spirit, who directs our paths through all these means. Indeed, as the breadth of Scripture reveals, the Lord will guide us who seek his will by our circumstances.
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for your Son, who used prayer, Scripture, and circumstantial evidence to discern your will and complete his mission to redeem us. We also thank you for your Holy Spirit, who speaks to our hearts and minds and guides us through circumstances. Still, we sometimes need help to discern the facts of our surroundings. So, please help us stay attuned to our environment and weigh the evidence based on what we know to align with your will, trusting that you will otherwise redirect us. Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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