Unit 9 – Family
Lesson 25 – A Family for Jacob – Gen. 29:1-30
Preparation for the Teacher
1. Aim: To lead the people to understand that God proportionally gives out a balance of crosses and comforts so that we do not become too elevated and proud or too depressed by difficulties.
2. Explanation of the Aim: God gives us great insights in the way He allows Jacob, Rachel, Leah and Laban to reap what they have sown. Our lesson today teaches us how God perfectly balances out hardships with blessings to keep everyone humbly dependent on Him for real satisfaction. In this chapter we learn how the Lord continued to fulfill His promises to Jacob. We learn how God brings Jacob safely through his journeys and directs him to relations. The Lord teaches us how He builds up Jacob’s family and gives him four sons through Leah. We come to a greater appreciation of how the “memory of the just is blessed.”
3. The Bible Story: Jacob goes on a journey to Haran as the Lord’s providential care is demonstrated throughout the entire experience. We learn how important it is to acknowledge divine Providence in the little circumstances as well as the bigger events of life. Only the Lord is able to give us the comfort, care and counseling that we need to successfully navigate through life’s journeys. It is Providence that leads Jacob to the exact field where his uncle’s flocks were to be watered and where he meets his future wife Rachel. The Lord’s guidance is nothing to be taken for granted in every aspect of our lifestyle, relationships and activities.
4. Prepare to Teach: The INTRODUCTION helps the people consider how fair the Lord is when he gives out gifts, abilities and blessings. Ask the people why they think the Lord can be counted on to allow exactly the best amount of blessings and difficulties? Ask the people why God blessed Rachel with beauty and the love of Jacob, but he blessed Leah with four sons? How does the Lord equally distribute spiritual gifts in the body of Christ so that we learn unity and equal reliance on God for our happiness? The BIBLE STORY teaches us how the Lord providentially cares for everyone regardless of their rank, status or role in life. The MEANING FOR OUR LIVES helps the people make applications to the Biblical principles found in our lesson. Ask the people if they need to be more grateful for all of the positive as well as difficulties that God allows to come into our lives? Let the people share with each other and the whole class how they need to gain a greater appreciation about God’s sovereign wisdom in balancing trials and triumphs in their lives as well as in their families.
CLASS TIME (Begin With Prayer)
Introduction
We can rely on the Lord to give pleasantness when we learn to count all trials as joy for the sake of God’s greater purposes to be fulfilled in our lives. Jacob is a good and honest man who wants to see God’s promises fulfilled in and through His life. However, in our study of Jacob’s journey and his quest to find a wife, we learn about the many hardships involved in starting a family. Help the people consider how fair the Lord is when he gives out gifts, abilities and blessings. Ask the people why they think the Lord can be counted on to allow exactly the best amount of blessings and difficulties? Ask the people why God blessed Rachel with beauty and the love of Jacob, but he blessed Leah with four sons? How does the Lord equally distribute spiritual gifts in the body of Christ so that we learn unity and equal reliance on God for our happiness?
The Bible Story
Jacob travels to Haran assured that God will fulfill His promises of “Your descendants will be like dust of the earth and you will spread out to the west and the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” (Gen. 28:14,15) When God makes a promise, we can be completely confident that He will fulfill it as long as we trust and obey His will.
Jacob learns to acknowledge the kind Providence of God demonstrated throughout his life. Even at 77 years of age, he falls in love with Rachel and works seven years to earn the right to take her back to his homeland. We can count on God’s comfort, concern and protection whenever we are moving along the lines of God’s pathways. In contrast, Laban’s life is an example of one who lives by his fleshly desires and cunning, to his own regret. Whenever people try to deceive, cheat or manipulate people for their own selfish purposes, they will always fail in the end. Laban cleverly used Jacob for his own benefit but in the end learned that we reap exactly what we have sown.
God blessed Jacob as he demonstrated faithfulness, industriousness, and care of his flocks. When the Lord gives us responsibilities He expects that we will faithfully do our duties as unto Him and not just to please people. Jacob teaches us that separate interests should not deter us from seeking mutual benefit and help for those around us. Jacob’s concern for the other people was rewarded by God in special ways that encourage us to not only look out for our interests but also for the interests of others. As Jacob respectfully served others they gladly reciprocated in kind. People do not care how much we know until they know how much we care about them.
Rachel teaches us that in humility and hard work no one ever needs to feel ashamed. Jacob is immediately impressed with the beautiful woman and seeks to show his affection for her. When we are following the will of God He always gives one an inner sense of peace and joy. The inner beauty of a person is far more attractive and profitable than the outward beauty than inevitably fades away. Let us concentrate on developing our internal qualities of love, joy and similar fruits of the Holy Spirit instead of focusing on superficial appearances.
The fair contract with Laban and Jacob was set for seven years of labor in exchange for the hand of Rachel in marriage. When we love someone, labor is never a burden. Jacob loved Rachel so much that the time flew by for one so filled with hope for a better tomorrow. Love always helps a person overlook the faults of others – such as Laban’s trickery with Leah. Those who love the Lord will not find His commandments a burden. The powerful love of the Holy Spirit motivates us to serve the Lord with gladness despite the outward difficulties of circumstances.
Laban sinned against both Jacob and Rachel in his pursuit for selfish control. He tricked Jacob into having to serve him for another seven years when Leah was found in his bed he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me?” I served you for Rachel. Why have you deceived me?” Laban said, “It is not our custom to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one.” (Gen. 29:25,26) Never allow culture to over ride truth. Whenever people try to use their cultural traditions over the weight of truth, honesty and Biblical principles, they will suffer.
Inevitably God saw to it that Providence dispenses comforts equally with crosses. The Lord allowed Leah to bear four healthy sons, but shut up the womb of Rachel. Even though Leah was less loved by Jacob, God overshadowed her sadness with four strong sons. God always keeps blessings and difficulties in balance according to what is best for each individual. Learn to thank God for the way He perfectly knows how to humble some and elevate others at the proper time.
Memory Verse – Job said, “Lord now I know you can do all things well. No purpose of yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:1,2)
The Meaning for Our Lives
Help the people make applications to the Biblical principles found in our lesson. Ask the people if they need to be more grateful for all of the positive as well as difficulties that God allows to come into our lives? Let the people share with each other and the whole class how they need to gain a greater appreciation about God’s sovereign wisdom in balancing trials and triumphs in their lives as well as in their families.
Response
Song: “Lead on O king eternal, the day of march has come.”
Prayer: Ask the Lord to help you to thank God for the way that He perfectly balances out crosses and comforts in our life for His purposes.
At Home: Have the people ask their parents how the Lord’s Providence has perfectly balance out blessings with adversity throughout their lifetimes.
