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1 So Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the East. 2 And he looked, and saw a well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks. A large stone was on the well’s mouth. 3 Now all the flocks would be gathered there; and they would roll the stone from the well’s mouth, water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the well’s mouth. 4 And Jacob said to them, "My brethren, where are you from?" And they said, "We are from Haran." 5 Then he said to them, "Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?" And they said, "We know him." 6 So he said to them, "Is he well?" And they said, "He is well. And look, his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep." ~ Genesis 29:1-6
Today, we transition into Genesis 29 which is about Jacob the son of Isaac. The stories about Jacob contain pictures within pictures. As always, Bible stories are meant to show us what really happened in those days and what God desires to do in our lives today. Although the narratives of the Old Testament teach us really good lessons about life, eventually, everything points us to the Lord Jesus Christ and our relationship with Him.
In v.1-2 of today's passage we read, "1 So Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the East. 2 And he looked, and saw a well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks. A large stone was on the well’s mouth."
Within these two verses is a journey of 400 plus miles. After traveling for weeks, probably three weeks on foot, we find Jacob nearing Haran. It was then that he saw a well in the field. This was not the same well where Abraham’s servant met Rebekah, Jacob’s mother, many years before; That well was close enough to Rebekah's house so that she could carry a jar for use by the family. Also, the description of the two separate wells is quite different in how the water was obtained from each of them. This was a well in the open field which was used by the shepherds specifically to refresh their flocks. When Jacob came to this well, there were three flocks already there and there was a large stone covering the well.
This was actually a spring well which flowed underground and bubbled up to the surface. Because of shifting sands and evaporation, the well was covered with a giant flat stone that had a hole cut in the middle of it. On top of that hole was a big heavy stone which had been placed over the mouth of the well, the pressure of the stone kept the water from coming up and being wasted on the ground.
In v.3 of today's passage we read, "Now all the flocks would be gathered there; and they would roll the stone from the well’s mouth, water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the well’s mouth."
The shepherds waited for enough flocks to arrive and then they removed the stone so that all the animals could drink. They did it this way so that there would be no wasted water. The watering of the animals involved a process and Jacob was a man in process. God wasn’t done with him yet; He was slowly, but surely, molding Jacob into the servant leader He desired him to be. In just a few more chapters God will have his full attention and he will be far more developed than he was in today's narrative.
We don’t like slow processes, but God loves them! God values processes not just finished products. He created the universe in six days when He could’ve done it so much more faster. God changes His people "from one degree of glory to another" through the lifelong process of sanctification. Whereas justification is our ticket into heaven, sanctification is our ticket to get heaven in us now.
We don’t like processes because they’re slow and we are always in a hurry. We prefer rapid download speeds, fast food, and instant gratification. But not God, He is not in a hurry. He prefers steady growth whereby we are learning to trust in Him so much that we are in the habit of giving to Him our hearts.
In v.4-5 of today's passage we read, "4 And Jacob said to them, 'My brethren, where are you from?' And they said, 'We are from Haran.' 5 Then he said to them, 'Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?' And they said, 'We know him.'"
Here, Jacob was in a foreign land and he certainly didn’t want to appear as a stranger and so he referenced the shepherds as his brothers and then he inquired where they were from. Their answer to him undoubtedly peaked his spiritual senses for Haran was the land that his dad had told him to visit. After inquiring if they knew Laban and they responded in the affirmative, Jacob was undoubtedly blown away by the sovereignty of God.
In v.6 of today's passage we read, "So he said to them, 'Is he well?' And they said, 'He is well. And look, his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep.'"
No sooner did Jacob inquire about Laban than the shepherds identified the daughter of Laban, Rachel. This was no coincidence. In fact, God’s hand and His timing were all over this story and it shows He is in complete control over whatever is happening in this world right now. Rachel, the daughter of Laban, came with her sheep at the perfect time.
Everyday we wake up to the grand idea of what will God do in and through our lives today. Looking for God to lead and to guide even through those disappointments that come into our lives. With the changing of just one letter, we will go from disappointment to His appointment.
Despite the sorted past of Jacob, God led him providentially to the girl who would eventually be his wife. Providence does not mean that God has predetermined everything and He pushes it into our lives. Rather, God's providence means that there is a creative and saving possibility implied in every situation of our lives, which cannot be destroyed by any event. What is required of us is that we welcome the will of God into our lives and we trust Him to work out all things in accordance with what is best for us and that is His will for our lives.
