SERIES B --- A CHOSEN PEOPLE -- LESSON 3 --- PART 1
RACHEL
AT THE WELL OF HARAN
From Genesis 29
From Bethel, Jacob continued his journey to the Land of the East, the land of Padan-aram. Beside a well in an open field, he saw three flocks of sheep waiting to be watered. It was the custom of the shepherds of that land to wait until all of them had gathered at the well with their flocks before rolling away the large stone and drawing water for the sheep. When the flocks were watered, the stone was rolled back to its place over the well. Hello! Jacob called to the shepherds who were waiting by the well. Where do you live? At Haran, they answered. Then you must know Laban, the son of Nahor. Of course. We know him well. Is everything well with him? Things are very well with him. By the way, here comes his daughter Rachel with their sheep. But why are you waiting here in the middle of the day? Why don’t you water your sheep so they can graze again? We don’t do it that way, the shepherds answered. We wait until all the shepherds have come with their sheep so they can help us roll the stone from the mouth of the well. Then we water our sheep. While Jacob was talking with the shepherds, Rachel came up with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. When Jacob saw his cousin Rachel and his uncle Laban’s sheep, he rolled the stone from the well and watered Laban’s flocks. With tears in his eyes, Jacob kissed his cousin Rachel and told her how they were related, that his mother, Rebekah, was her aunt. Rachel ran immediately and told her father the news. When Laban heard about Jacob, he ran out to meet him, threw his arms around Jacob, and gave him a kiss. Laban invited Jacob back to his home, where Jacob told his uncle all about his trip. Well, here you are, said Laban, my own bone and flesh! Jacob stayed with Laban about a month. One day Laban approached Jacob about his work. Just because we are related, you shouldn’t work for me for nothing, he said. What kind of wages would you like? Your daughter Rachel, Jacob answered. I’ll work for you seven years if I can marry her. Now there were two daughters in Laban’s family. The older was Leah. She had beautiful eyes but little more than that. Her younger sister, Rachel, was beautiful in every way. Rachel was the one Jacob loved, so he offered to work for the right to marry her. I’d rather have her marry you than a stranger, said Laban. I accept your offer. For the next seven years Jacob served Laban so that he could marry Rachel. The time passed so quickly that the seven years seemed but a few days. I’ve completed my part of our bargain, Jacob told Laban one day. Let me marry Rachel now so that we may live together. Laban had a big feast and invited all of the men in that place to celebrate. Later that night, he presented the new bride to Jacob. She was veiled so Jacob could not recognize her. With the new bride, Laban also gave his maid Zilpah to be her maid. But when morning came, Jacob discovered that his new bride was not Rachel, but Leah. Immediately he went to find Laban. What have you done to me? Jacob demanded. Didn’t I work seven years for you to get Rachel? Why have you tricked me in this way? We have a custom here that the oldest sister must marry first, said Laban. Now finish your bridal week with Leah and then you can marry Rachel right away. However, you must promise to work for me another seven years. Jacob spent the rest of the week with Leah. Then he married Rachel. Laban gave Rachel his maid Bilhah to be her maid. Trees are scarce and lumber precious in the area near Haran. Most villagers build their homes out of sun-dried mud bricks just as their ancestors did before them. Sheep and goats graze together in the fields of Haran. Although the vegetation is sparse, the herds are free to wander over many miles of unbroken plain. While Jacob served Laban for another seven years, he lived with both Rachel and Leah, hut he loved Rachel more than Leah. YHVH felt sorry for Leah because Jacob did not love her and gave her a child, but Rachel had none. Leah named her new son Reuben, which meant Look! A Son! Since YHVH has looked upon my trouble, perhaps Jacob will love me more, she said. Later, Leah had another son and named him Simeon, which meant -- Heard. YHVH has heard how I am unloved, she said, so He has given me another son. Once more, Leah had a son. Surely Jacob will love me now, she said, For I have given him three sons. So, she named this boy Levi. Later, a fourth son was born to Leah. I will give praise to Adonai, she said, and she named the boy Judah, which meant Praise. Then, for a while, Leah had no more children.
Thought for Today: Sunday December 11:
You are a priceless vessel of the Love YHVH wants the world to see – may you take very opportunity He gives you to express it. May the blessings of Adonai be upon you, dwell in you and flow through you today.
Being all alone in the universe is scary. The good news is that we are not alone: there is a Creator Who wants to dwell with us. However, it’s still scary when we realize there’s a long, painful process involved in becoming the precious vessels He designed for His dwelling.
https://thebarkingfox.com/2021..../11/20/bruises-in-pe
Being all alone in the universe is scary. The good news is that we are not alone: there is a Creator Who wants to dwell with us. However, it’s still scary when we realize there’s a long, painful process involved in becoming the precious vessels He designed for His dwelling.
https://thebarkingfox.com/2021..../11/20/bruises-in-pe
Search until you have found the truth
And then search some more.
Those who are closest to the truth
Are also often the farthest from it.
#proverbs
Bitcoin satisfies Deuteronomy 25:13-15.
#bitcoin #bible #scripture
SERIES B --- A CHOSEN PEOPLE --- LESSON 2
BETHEL
THE LADDER OF HEAVEN
From Genesis 28
After Rebekah warned Isaac that Jacob might marry a Hittite girl, the old man became concerned about his son and called him in to have a talk with him. [You must not marry a Canaanite girl,] Isaac urged. [Go to Padan-aram where your grandfather Bethuel’s family lives. Choose a daughter of Laban, your mother’s brother, and marry her. Adonai will bless you and give you a large family and you will become the head of a great nation with many tribes. May Adonai also give you the same blessings that He gave to Abraham and his family. May you some day possess this land where we now live, for YHVH gave it to Abraham.] With this blessing, Isaac sent Jacob away to Padan-aram, to visit Rebekah’s brother Laban, the son of Bethuel the Aramean. Before long, Esau heard what Isaac had done and realized that it would please the old man if his sons married distant relatives instead of foreigners. Although Esau already had foreign wives, he married Ishmael’s daughter Mahalath, who was Abraham’s granddaughter and the sister of Nebaioth. Leaving Beer-sheha, Jacob journeyed toward Haran. By sunset he had arrived at a good place to stop and set up camp for the night. As he lay down to sleep, he took a stone and placed it under his head for a pillow. That night Jacob dreamed of a ladder that was set up between heaven and earth. Angels of YHVH walked up and down the ladder and YHVH Himself stood above it. [I am Adonai, the YHVH of your grandfather Abraham and your father Isaac. The land where you are lying is My gift to you and your descendants. They will be as numerous as the dust on the earth, covering the land from west to east and from north to south, and by you and your descendants shall all nations of the world be blessed. I will go with you and take care of you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. I will stay with you until I have fulfilled all My promises to you.] Jacob woke up suddenly and said, [Adonai is here in this place and I did not realize it. I have walked into YHVH’s home, the gateway to heaven. What an awesome place it is!] Early the next morning, Jacob arose and set up the stone on which he slept as a memorial pillar, pouring olive oil on it to dedicate it. Then he named the place Bethel, [The House of YHVH,] although it had previously been called Luz. Jacob made a vow that morning. [If YHVH will go with me on my journey, and take care of me and give me food and clothing so that I may return safely to my father’s home, then Adonai shall be my YHVH. This stone will become a house of YHVH, and of all that Adonai gives me, I will give back a tenth to Him.]
COMMENTARY
TRAVEL AND TRADE ROUTES
Jacob was forced to flee from the anger of his brother Esau. Night overtook him on a barren hill. He slept there, lonely and afraid. But that night YHVH spoke to Jacob in a dream. The old promises were reaffirmed, and YHVH added, [I will go with you and take care of you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land.] Jacob named that hill Bethel: The House of YHVH. Travel was slow in Old Testament times. Rocky ground and deep ruts made wheeled wagons impossible for long trips, and people walked or rode on surefooted donkeys and long-legged camels instead. Ancient roads cut an irregular course through Palestine. They had to follow the easiest route, and so they went around mountains and cut across open plains. Sometimes the road divided in two; a summer and a winter route. The summer route might be more direct, but floods caused by winter rains forced travellers to take the higher route, which stayed dry. Two main highways carried international traffic through Palestine. The Via Maris [Way of the Sea] ran from north to south along the Mediterranean coast. Another north-south road, the king’s highway, crossed the plateau between the Jordan River and the desert. Merchant caravans followed these routes through Palestine as they went between Egypt and Mesopotamia. Finding water was a constant concern for long-distance travellers. A spring or river became a regular stopping place for merchant caravans. As time passed, these stopping points grew into important centres of trade along the major highways. But water could be a barrier as well as a blessing. There were no permanent bridges across the rivers, and travellers had to wade through the water. Caravans were often forced to make long detours before they found a shallow place to cross. The desert was the greatest barrier of all to travel. The major highways went along its borders, following a course that added many extra miles to the journey between east and west. Few travellers tried to cross its endless stretches of dry wasteland. They preferred more miles to the possibility of death in the desert. Travelling merchants arrive in the city marketplace with their goods balanced on the backs of donkeys and camels. These seasoned travellers were accustomed to the dangers of the road.
https://natsab.com/2022/12/10/....livestreaming-with-t
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