Genesis 29: 15 – 30
The Wedding Planner
15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages be?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah’s eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance. 18 Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.” 19 And Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her. 21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.” 22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast. 23 Now it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. 24 And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid. 25 So it came to pass 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 you? Why then have you deceived me?” 26 And Laban said, “It must not be done so in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me still another seven years.” 28 Then Jacob did so and fulfilled her week. So he gave him his daughter Rachel as wife also. 29 And Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as a maid. 30 Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban still another seven years.
Did you ever want to be a minister? It involves a lot of things than just working one day a week. Here is one segment of your service responsibilities.
A couple comes up to you and ask you to marry them. You are honored and say ‘yes’. Then they want to know want a wedding ceremony is all about and what does it entail. What are the marriage traditions that they should consider doing in their wedding? Would you know how to answer them?
Today we are going to look at a portion of chapter 29 where Jacob wanted to marry the love of his life -Rachel. In this chapter alone, we will see a few things happened that are incorporated in wedding ceremonies we perform. I also included the reasons why other certain traditions were added in weddings. I will start from the start of a romance and discuss the different wedding traditions through the honeymoon.
So, a man finds the perfect woman whom he wants to be his partner for life. Now it is time to consider things he might want to do.
. Why does the man getting down on one knee to ask woman to marry him?
Knights would get down on one knee in front of their lord as a display of respect, obedience, and loyalty. It was also a common occurrence in religious ceremonies, and in those days marriage and religion were intrinsically linked. "So when a courteous gentlemen was proposing to his lady, pledging his allegiance to her and declaring his undying love for her, getting down on one knee was the natural thing to do."
. Why does the man go to parents of bride to ask for their permission to marry their daughter?
Genesis 29. Jacob asking Laban for Rachel
16 Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah’s eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance. 18 Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.”
. What is the purpose of engagement and engagement ring?
The engagement ring is a promise to fulfill vow of marrying woman. It will be replaced by the wedding ring. Our Precious Holy Spirit Is given to us (as the bride of Christ) also as a promise that we will be with the Lord forever. Engagement and wedding rings are worn on the fourth finger of the left hand because it was once thought that a vein in that finger led directly to the heart.
. Are the ‘dowry’ and pre-nuptial agreement the same?
No. A dowry is a pre-paid divorce settlement. If the man did not want his wife after marrying her she would of course return home to her parents. At this point she would have difficulty re-marrying. This money was for her to live off of the rest of her life after being divorced. We will see in future chapters of Genesis that both Leah and Rachel are upset that their father never gave them their dowries. Laban received compensation for Jacobs 7 years of work. He should have invested those earnings for the benefit of his daughters.
Genesis 29, “19 And Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.”
A pre-nuptial agreement is somewhat like a dowry. The difference is that both men and women benefit. In most cases these agreements are put in place by older couples to protect their assets collected prior to being joined together.
. Why is the Wedding dress white?
The white wedding dress has a twofold significance. It is a symbol of the wife's purity in heart and life, as well as her reverence to God. It's also a picture of the Righteousness of Christ described in Revelation 19:7–8. Christ clothes his bride, the church, in his own righteousness as a garment of "fine linen, bright and clean."
. Why Maid of Honor and Best Man – Two witnesses – Deuteronomy 19: 15, “One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.”
. Why bridesmaids and groomsmen?
. Women – Song of Solomon chapter 1 verse 4, “The Daughters of Jerusalem We will run after you.”
. Men – Judges 14, “10 So his father went down to the woman. And Samson gave a feast there, for young men used to do so. 11 And it happened, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.”
. What is the point of flower girls and ring bearers
These mini grooms and brides has everything to do with fertility superstition actually. They represent the biological children the couple are expected to have. By incorporating them into the ceremony, they act as good luck charms so that the couple will have no problem conceiving (there’s no precedent on what it means when the ring bearer loses the ring or the flower girl takes a tantrum). The tradition originates from when old school wedding tradition believed the sole the point of marriage was to procreate. This also explains why flower girls throw flowers. Flowers are also fertility symbols and by throwing the petals around, it’s like blessing the wedding with even more fertility.
. What about bad weather on the wedding day?
Rain on your wedding day is considered good luck. Since prior to the Industrial Revolution the world is an agriculture society. If it rained then all your invited guests will most likely show up not only to the reception but also to the wedding ceremony.
. Why even have a ceremony?
Christian marriage is more than a contract; it's a covenant relationship. For this reason, we see symbols of the covenant God made with Abraham in many of today's Christian wedding traditions. In Genesis 15:9–10, the ‘Blood Covenant began with the sacrifice of animals. After splitting them precisely in half, the animal halves were arranged opposite each other on the ground, leaving a pathway between them. The two parties making the covenant would walk from either end of the path, meeting in the middle.
. Why is the seating of Family on Opposite Sides of the Church?
Family and friends of the bride and groom are seated on opposite sides of the church to symbolize the cutting of the blood covenant. These witnesses—family, friends, and invited guests—are all participants in the wedding covenant. Many have made sacrifices to help prepare the couple for marriage and support them in their holy union.
. Is there any significance of the Center Aisle and White Runner?
The center aisle represents the meeting ground or pathway between the animal pieces where the blood covenant is established. The white runner symbolizes holy ground where two lives are joined as one by God (Exodus 3:5, Matthew 19:6).
. Why the ceremony of Seating of the Parents?
In biblical times, the parents of the bride and groom were ultimately responsible for discerning God's will concerning the choice of a spouse for their children. The wedding tradition of seating the parents in a place of prominence is meant to recognize their responsibility for the couple's union.
. Why does the Groom Enters First?
Ephesians 5:23–32 reveals that earthly marriages are a picture of the church's union with Christ. God initiated the relationship through Christ, who called and came for His bride, the Church. Christ is the Groom, who established the blood covenant first initiated by God. For this reason, the groom enters the church auditorium first.
. Why does the Father Escort and Give Away Bride?
In Jewish tradition, it was the father's duty to present his daughter in marriage as a pure virgin bride. As parents, the father and his wife also took responsibility for endorsing their daughter's choice in a husband. By escorting her down the aisle, a father says, "I have done my very best to present you, my daughter, as a pure bride. I approve of this man as your choice for a husband, and now I bring you to him." When the minister asks, "Who gives this woman?" the father responds, "Her mother and I." This giving away of the bride demonstrates the parents' blessing on the union and the transfer of care and responsibility to the husband.
. Why does the father lift the Bridal Veil of his daughter?
Not only does the bridal veil show the modesty and purity of the bride and her reverence for God. Also in Genesis 29 due to Laban’s deceit the father lifts the veil to show that the groom gets the right woman.
Genesis 29, “23 Now it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. 24 And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid. 25 So it came to pass 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 you? Why then have you deceived me?” 26 And Laban said, “It must not be done so in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
What is the purpose in Exchanging of Rings?
While the wedding ring is an outward symbol of the couple's inward bond, illustrating with an unending circle the eternal quality of love, it signifies even more in light of the blood covenant. A ring was used as a seal of authority. When pressed into hot wax, the impression of the ring left an official seal on legal documents. Therefore, a couple wearing wedding rings is demonstrating their submission to God's authority over their marriage. The couple recognizes that God brought them together and that he is intricately involved in every part of their covenant relationship.
A ring also represents resources. When the couple exchanges wedding rings, this symbolizes the giving of all their resources—wealth, possessions, talents, emotions—to the other in marriage. Seventeen tons of gold are made into wedding rings each year in the United States.
. What is the purpose of the Pronouncement of Husband and Wife?
The pronouncement officially declares that the bride and groom are now husband and wife. This moment establishes the precise beginning of their covenant. The two are now one in the eyes of God.
. Is it important for a Presentation of the Couple?
When the minister introduces the couple to the wedding guests, he is drawing attention to their new identity and name change brought about by marriage. Similarly, in the blood covenant, the two parties exchanged some part of their names. In Genesis 15, God gave Abram a new name, Abraham, by adding letters from his own name, Yahweh.
. Whose responsibility is The Reception?
Father of the bride’s responsibility _ Genesis 29 – Laban hosts wedding. A ceremonial meal was often part of the blood covenant. At a wedding reception, guests share with the couple in the blessings of the covenant. The reception also illustrates the wedding supper of the Lamb described in Revelation 19.
Genesis 29, “21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.” 22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast.
. Why the big deal about the wedding cake?
The cutting of the cake is another picture of the cutting of the covenant. When the bride and groom take pieces of cake and feed it to each other, once again, they are showing they have given their all to the other and will care for each other as one flesh. At a Christian wedding, the cutting and feeding of cake can be done joyfully but should be done lovingly and reverently, in a way that honors the covenant relationship. The tradition of a wedding cake comes from ancient Rome, where revelers broke a loaf of bread over a bride's head for fertility's sake. The custom of tiered cakes emerged from a game where the bride and groom attempted to kiss over an ever-higher cake without knocking it over.
. Why did people throw rice?
The rice-throwing tradition at weddings originated with the throwing of seed. It was meant to remind couples of one of the primary purposes of marriage—to create a family that will serve and honor the Lord. Therefore, guests symbolically throw rice as a gesture of blessing for the spiritual and physical fruitfulness of the marriage.
. Why the honeymoon and why is it seven days?
Seven days as also listed in Genesis 29 where Jacob had two wives each having a week’s honeymoon.
27 Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me still another seven years.” 28 Then Jacob did so and fulfilled her week. So he gave him his daughter Rachel as wife also. 29 And Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as a maid. 30 Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban still another seven years.
The groom carries the bride across the threshold to bravely protect her from evil spirits lurking below.
The couple’s consummation on their honeymoon itself is a picture of the blood covenant (thus the importance of wife being a virgin).
