Havasu Christian Church
October 25, 2026
Character Studies in Genesis
Genesis 29:1-30
“Jacob gets some of what he’s been giving!”
INTRO: Last week, we saw Jacob “getting out of Dodge.” He’s following his Dad’s orders, but he’s also getting gone before his brother has a chance to kill him! We saw him sleeping with a rock for a pillow, and God giving him a vision of a “Ladder going to Heaven” with angels going up and down, and God above, looking down.
We saw Jacob bargaining with God, even though God had already promised to be there for him in his life.
Today, we’ll see Jacob come to the end of his journey, and we’ll see him “getting some of what he’s been giving.”
Genesis 29:1–8 (NASB95) 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.”
- Jacob comes upon an interesting scene.
- There is a crowd of shepherds and sheep, clustered around a well.
- Jacob has questions!
- This isn’t how things usually work.
- Usually, the sheep are out grazing this time of day.
- If they are being watered, they go back.
- “That’s not how we do things around here” is the response.
- It could be this way because the stone is really heavy and it takes a combined effort to move it out of the way.
- It could be that “This is just always how we’ve done this.”
- Why was did Jacob stop at the well?
- Perhaps it’s because he grew up hearing the story of his Grandfather’s servant, and where and how the servant met Jacob’s mother, Rebekah?
- He could be hoping to meet his future bride in the same way the servant met his mom.
- Maybe it’s just a convenient spot to gather information about what’s going on.
- Along comes Rachel!
Genesis 29:9-14 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.
- Jacob makes himself useful. (and shows off a bit!)
- By himself, he takes the stone from the mouth of the well.
- Why would there be a large stone over the opening of the well anyway?
- To keep people and animals from falling in or just stomping around it.
- To help keep out dirt and sand.
- To slow the amount of evaporation.
- Jacob then proceeds to water the sheep that Rebecca has brought to the well.
- At this point, we don’t know if Jacob is trying to “score points” with Rebecca or just making the effort to show his relatives he isn’t a bum.
- He will “make himself useful” for as long as he is living with Laban’s family.
- Jacob kisses Rachel.
- NOT THAT KIND OF KISS!
- This is a kiss of greeting.
- It’s similar to the “kiss on the cheeks” you might receive from a European.
- In fact, right after this, he shares a kiss with his Uncle Laban!
- Rachel runs to get her Dad!
- Besides the kiss, Jacob gets an invitation to stay, and he does, for a month!
- After a month, Jacob has settled into life with his Uncle Laban’s family.
Genesis 29:15-20 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.
- Uncle Laban appears to be a fair man.
- “Should you serve me for nothing? Tell me, what your wages should be?”
- Jacob has already fallen in love with Rachel.
- Jacob asks that he be allowed to work for Laban seven years in exchange for marrying his daughter Rachel.
- Laban agrees, and here in the bible, we have a “Christmas movie moment.”
So Jacob served seven years for Rachel and they seemed to him but a few days because of his love for her.
- Aaaawww!
- Much has been written about the physical descriptions of Leah and Rachel.
- “Weak eyes” could mean anything from bad eyesight, to having “kind eyes.”
- “Beautiful in form and face” tells us that whatever the standard of beauty at that time, Rachel had it!
- Everything was going great until… it wasn’t!
- The “Christmas movie moment” goes sideways!
Genesis 29:21-30 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.
- Jacob says “I’ve done my 7 years, I want my wife.
- Laban obliges.
- He gathers everyone around for a wedding feast!
- He gives Leah (the older daughter) to him as his wife instead of Rachel!
- WOW!
- How did Jacob not know?
- Apparently the wedding outfit includes a veil.
- It’s dark.
- Leah was probably told by her Father not to say anything.
- Jacob wakes up in the morning with the wrong woman! ARGH!
- He isn’t a happy man!
- YOU HAVE DECIEVED ME!
- I worked the seven years for Rachel, not Leah!
- Laban responds… “We always marry off the oldest daughter first around here!”
- If Laban was honest, you would think that would have come up before year 7 ended and the wedding was held!
(I like all my Sisters-in-Law, but I would have been greatly disappointed if my father-in-law had walked the wrong daughter down the isle at the wedding!)
- Laban makes an offer.
- Work another 7 years and I’ll give you the one you really wanted!
- This isn’t how Jacob expected or wanted things to go, but he agrees.
- What else can he do? Laban holds all the power here.
- So in the course of a week, Jacob has not one, but two wives, and he also has their two servants in his small household.
- We’ve all heard the expression “what goes around, comes around.” During my childhood, “he got his Comeuppance!” was a common way of expressing this idea. Another way to say it was “He got what was coming to him!”
- These sayings have a biblical truth at their hearts.
Proverbs 22:8 (NASB95) He who sows iniquity will reap vanity, And the rod of his fury will perish.
Galatians 6:7 (NASB95) Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
Galatians 6:8 (NASB95) For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
- The things we do have an effect on the things that happen to us.
- Pagans call this “Karma.”
- Even those who don’t believe in God still can see the principle at work.
- This principle has certainly made its presence known in the life of Jacob!
- This tendency toward deceit seems to be a “family trait.”
- This trait, is not passed down genetically, but by example.
- Apparently, Laban and Rebekah had someone in their life that modeled this kind of behavior.
- Rabekah modeled this behavior to Jacob…
- Apparently, Laban modeled this behavior to Leah and Rachel!
Conclusion: As we look at this part of Jacob’s life, what can we see here that we can apply in our own lives?
- Maybe the first thing to see here is that if you make a contract, get it in writing!
- There are those in this world who will try to swindle you! Pay attention!
- You can change!
- It appears that for the entire seven years of his service, Jacob was not trying to swindle anyone!
- Your past does NOT have to define your future!
- WHO’S FAMILY DO YOU BELONG TO NOW?
- Beware! Your life before becoming a Christian will do it’s best to affect you!
- But with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, not only can we change, it is expected!
- Your past may “haunt” you, but it doesn’t have to control you!
- Jacob made a practice to “earn his keep!”
- First he waters Laban’s flock.
- I guess this also shows us that showing off a bit isn’t such a bad thing if we don’t do it all the time!
- Jacob impresses his future Father-in-Law with the fact that he’s doing whatever needs done.
- He’s not just an idle guest.
- Then he is diligent for the seven years he works for Laban.
- God expects us to do our best at whatever He puts in front of us to do.
Proverbs 12:24 (NASB95) The hand of the diligent will rule, But the slack hand will be put to forced labor.
Proverbs 21:5 (NASB95) The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, But everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.
Romans 12:10–11 (NASB95) Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
2 Timothy 2:15 (NASB95) Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.
- We are to do our best in the service of our King, JESUS!
- No Halfhearted measures.
- Jesus demands our FULL DEVOTION!
- Don’t give up!!
- Jacob didn’t quit!
- Neither should we!
Hebrews 12:1–3 (NASB95) Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
In all you do, FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS!
