Title: Service for Love/Genesis 29:14-20
Contents Hymn of the Week: 448 May 19, 1995
Text: Genesis 29:14-20 Youngjin Church Dawn
Title: Service for Love 33.HWP
Jacob stayed at Laban's house and was working hard without being paid. Here we see Jacob, who is faithful and industrious, not Jacob who is sly and deceitful.
This suggests that after the vow (28:20-22) Jacob had matured more in faith. At Laban's request for remuneration, Jacob offered to serve 7 years to take Rachel as his wife.
After that, Jacob served seven years in consideration of Rachel, but he regarded seven years as just a few days. Here we see the power of true love and what Christ's love for the Church is.
1. The outward life is an exercise of the inner mind.
It was because of his passionate love for Rachel that Jacob was able to carry out the seven years of service as if it were just a few days. Depending on what kind of heart a person has, the appearance of his life changes.
That is, a person's actions are nurtured by that person's heart. That is why the Bible tells us to guard our heart above all else (Proverbs 4:23).
2. The service of love requires sacrifice and effort.
Jacob's seven years of service means that he was able to bear any sacrifice and toil for his love. True love always requires sacrifice, courage, and hard work.
3. Christ's love for the church.
Jacob is a type of Christ, and Rachel is a type of the Church, the bride of Christ. Jacob's loving service makes us think of the service Christ performed because he loved the church. In love with Rachel, Jacob served 14 years, but Christ gave himself all for the church.
Jacob deceived by Laban (29:21-30)
After serving seven years, Jacob made a legitimate request for Rachel as his wife (21). However, Laban deceived Jacob and replaced Leah with Rachel to enter the chamber (25). What was the cause of that?
1. It is a mistake made because of Jacob's carelessness. Jacob must have lost his discernment because of the thrill and excitement that the tensions of seven years had been relieved and that he now had his beloved Rachel as his wife. Even though it was evening and he had his face covered with a veil, it must have been Jacob's mistake that he recognized Leah only when he woke up in the morning. The saints must be careful not to make a mistake by being vigilant for even a moment.
2. It is due to the trick of Laban and Leah.
Laban and Leah deliberately deceived Jacob. Of course, Leah had a painful conscience, but that night must have been the most painful night of Rachel's life. This was the price Jacob had to pay for his sin. Jacob, who received the blessing of the firstborn by deceiving his father and older brother by conspiring with his mother, suffered the same price for their sins. Jacob suffered the same thing with his sons in the case of Joseph later. Jacob is also deceived by his sons during the Joseph case (37:31-36). Are we living with the truth of the Bible (Galatians 6:7) in mind, 'You reap what you sow'?
3. God's training.
God wanted to train Jacob through this event. Jacob had to undergo refinement in order to realize his past mistakes, repent, and become a more mature man of God. What Jacob had gained through 14 years of pure labor and service must have been enormous indeed. Laban's ranch and farm were the training ground God had prepared for Jacob.