All right, Genesis 29. We would always do well to remember
that the blessed truth of the Holy Scriptures is concerning
the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ in the redemption and salvation
of his bride. In the New Testament, we behold
the glorious fulfillment of our Savior who came into this world,
paid the debt owed to the law for the guilt incurred by their
fall in Adam. and lived for them before God
according to the law and earned the righteousness that is imputed
to every one that believeth, which is everyone that God has
chosen who shall be called out in time. So everything that we
behold in the accomplishment was foretold in the law, in the
prophets, in the Psalms. Everything is set forth in the
Old Testament concerning the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. So let's consider our passage
tonight, not as history, I told you before, we can look at this
thing and see a historical account of what that set forth in the
lives of these men and women that we're considering. But let's
look rather, asking the Lord for understanding. Open our eyes
to behold the declaration and the promise of our redemption
in this beautiful picture and type set forth concerning Jacob
and Rachel. Now, Jacob is here. He's in Haran. He's at Laban's house. Laban is Rebecca. This is Jacob's
mama. Laban is her brother. And so
here he's there by God's good pleasure. He's an object of God's
love and mercy. Jacob here is a picture type
of the Lord Jesus Christ, the beloved son whom the father's
well pleased And he's here searching out a bride. And just as the
Lord Jesus Christ, whoever knew his bride, the scripture says
he came to seek and to save that which was lost, lost in Adam's
transgression. He came to find out his people. He always knows where they are.
Providentially, we behold as we see it now. We see how God
is pleased to call his people out. Well, Jacob has crossed
paths with Rachel. Rachel has been one that brought
some sheep there. There was a stone over a well,
a great stone, and Jacob removed that stone. We looked at that
last time, a picture Jacob being a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ,
removing all the obstacles that the people of God might freely
drink from himself, who is the fountain of life. Well, tonight,
we're gonna pick up right here where we left off. Rebecca has
spoken with Jacob there at the well. He's told her who he is,
and she runs back and tells her family that Jacob is here and
now he's here. And the scripture says, starting
up, I'm gonna pick up and read something that we ended with
last time. And Laban said to him, verse 14, surely thou art
my bone and my flesh, your family, that's what he's saying, your
family, your family. But now here, now let's just
stop right there and remember, now we're talking about the events
of God's family. This is concerning the family
of God, the people of God. So here he is, he said, your
bone, my bone, flesh, my flesh. He bowed with him the space of
a month. Now, again, the Spirit of God
doesn't put words in here just for our information. There's
a reason. He told us something. He told
us that Jacob had abode with him, that is Laban, the space
of a month, means a month of days and without doubt, now we
know what's getting ready to happen. We know the story. We
know that what's gonna happen concerning what, but let's take
it verse by verse and just consider these things as the Spirit of
God sets them forth. Here's Laban has had a month. That's what it says, a month
of days is in the margin there He's had some precious time to
observe. Now this is what crossed my mind.
He's living with Laban. He's in Laban's house and he's
had a month to watch him and observe him. Observe him, his
daily walk. You know, you might can slip
something past somebody if you're there just for an hour or so,
you know. They maybe can fake it. But you know, after about
a month, You know, you're gonna start to pick up a few things.
You're gonna see, you're gonna learn a little bit about something.
This is what's going on here. He observes him, he's had a month,
but even here, what crossed my mind, now this is Jacob, and
Jacob is interested in Rachel. Rachel is Laban's daughter, and
so there's a bride to be involved in this. There's a son-in-law
to be. There's a bridegroom to be in
this thing. And Laban, as the father, you
know, I see this thing starting to look, and looking at it with
spiritual eyes, there's a beholding of Laban, the bride-to-be's father. And he's watching the bridegroom
to be. And so here I behold this observation,
and I cannot help but think about with Jacob being in communion,
interaction, day in, day out, all day, all night, there, he's
seeing, he's watching. And I can't help, turn with me
to Proverbs 8, this is where I'm going, and I can't help but
consider the beauty. Now, This is so wonderfully mysterious
to me. But here's Laban observing the
bridegroom-to-be. And now over in Proverbs 8, we're
going to look at the observation that is spoken of by the Spirit
of God. The observation that was taking
place by the father concerning the son. who was the bridegroom,
the eternal bridegroom of the bride of his church. And as I thought about Laban
having a month to watch Jacob, listen to what the Spirit of
God says concerning this. And these things are wonderful. I mean, with Laban and Jacob,
okay, if we're just looking at history, that's just history.
That's just two men, two humans. But this is God. These are the
words of the Spirit of God concerning God with God. Proverbs 8, verse
27 through 31. When He prepared the heavens,
I was there. When He set a compass upon the
face of the depth. When He established the clouds
above, when he strengthened the fountains of the deep, when he
gave to the sea his decree that the water should not pass his
commandment, when he appointed the foundations of the earth,
then I was by him, as one brought up with him, and I was daily
his delight, rejoicing always before him, rejoicing in the
habitable part of his earth, and my delights were with the
sons of men. Now those are the words of the
Lord Jesus Christ, the bridegroom. And setting forth the glory of
the Father, observing him, observing him, I was daily his delight. Here is the one, the servant
of Jehovah, chosen by the Father in covenant grace. And considering
the Son, this is God, and I'm thinking, this is God, this is
God. But the Spirit of God writes
these beautiful scriptures and sets forth this Word in such
a way that He was talking about how the Father was with Him.
I was with the Father, He saw me. Before the foundations were
ever laid, I was there. When He made the cloud, I was
there, and I was daily His delight, always before Him. And this,
my friend, when I consider, I'll just turn over to Ephesians,
having considered Him, seen Him eternally, watched Him, and again,
I realize, I'm so far over my head right here, But here in
Ephesians chapter one, it's talking about the father who had, according
to Proverbs eight, been with the son before anything else
was, before anything was, I was there. When he laid the foundations,
I was there. When he made the heavens, I was
there. When the fountains were made, I was there, always before
him. In Ephesians 1, 11, in whom also
we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according
to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel
of his own will, that we should be to the praise of his glory
who first trusted in Christ. The Father trusted him. He trusted
him. I thank the Lord to help us here.
Help us to behold the glory of what's being set forth. The scripture
says that He abode with him the space of a month. These says
in verse 15. And Laban said unto Jacob, because
thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for naught,
tell me, what shall thy wages be? Now, here's a marvelous question
that is set forth to Jacob from Laban. Obviously, Jacob had not
said anything. Been there a month, and from
the wording of Laban, Rachel's father, they hadn't even talked
about money, wages, pay. He asked him, he said, because
thou art my brother, have his nephew, because you're my family,
your bone, my bone, flesh, my flesh, because you're my brother,
Shalt thou therefore serve me for nothing? You can't, I mean,
you can't stay here and work for nothing. You know, what is,
what's it gonna cost? What's gonna be the payment? What am I gonna owe you? Well,
verses 16, 17, and Laban had two daughters. The name of the
elder was Leah. The name of the younger was Rachel.
And Leo was tender-eyed, but Rachel was beautiful and well-favored. Now here's a beautiful picture
set forth concerning the redemption of God's sheep. And as this scripture
opens up in these later, in the following weeks that come on,
because there's gonna be a lot happening. Again, I know you
know the story, but again, we're gonna take it verse by verse
and just consider as it unfolds. Pray that the Lord will give
us some sweet honey out of this precious passage, he said. What
will be the cost? Well, he had two daughters. The
older daughter, her name was Leah. Her name means weary, weary. The younger was Rachel, which
means a U, E-W-E, a ewe lamb. And Leah, the older, of the two
was tenderized, tender-eyed. She was weak, soft in outward
appearance. And Rachel was beautiful, well-favored. She was bright, eyes comely,
and pleasant in countenance. And is this not the way the Lord
Jesus Christ looks upon His bride? This woman, Rachel, turn with
me to Song of Solomon 2. This woman, Rachel, she was beautiful. She was a beautiful woman. She was the youngest of the two. Song of Solomon 2, verse 9 and
10. Here's how the Lord describes
his bride. Here she's talking now. The bride
is speaking of the Lord. Verse nine, my beloved is like
a roe or a young heart. Behold, he standeth behind our
wall. He looketh forth at the windows,
showing himself through the lattice. And my beloved spake and said
unto me, rise up my love, my fair one, come away. You that are Beautiful to me. Come away. He told her in Song
of Solomon 4.9, thou hast ravished my heart. I've quoted that passage
so many times, it just amazes me. Just this precious love revelation. You have stolen my heart. You have unhearted me, is what
he said. Thou hast ravished my heart,
my sister, my spouse, thou hast ravished my heart with one of
thine eyes. One look from you in faith, and
you've stolen my heart. Well, the scripture says that
Laban asked him, what's the wages? How much it gonna cost? What's
the price? Verse 18 says this, and Jacob,
loved Rachel, and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel,
thy younger daughter. Now, here we behold the love
that Jacob had for Rachel. But again, though it's a beautiful
picture, a beautiful story, history story, Look at the beautiful
picture that's being set. Remember, these scriptures are
concerning Christ. You see that right there. And
Jacob loved Rachel. You know what that says? Spiritually
speaking. And Christ loved his bride. He
loved her. He loved her. And this is what
he said to Rachel's daddy. Picture now the father. What's
going to be your wages? What's it going to cost? Here's
what he said, I will serve thee. I will serve thee. What's it
gonna cost to have her? I will serve thee seven years
for Rachel, thy younger daughter. Now, do we not behold a beautiful
reminder here of the love that the Lord Jesus Christ has for
his bride, Jeremiah 31.3. The Lord hath appeared of old
unto me saying, yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love. Therefore, with loving kindness
have I drawn thee. With Jacob, love began in time. No doubt about it. It has to,
because we're in time. But with the Lord, he who changes
not, love never began with him. Love for the bride never began. It always has been. Again, I
don't know how to speak eternal. Everything comes out of my mouth
and I say the word eternal, but it comes out saying like time.
It doesn't begin. It never began. If you ever got
to a point, in my mind right now, I'm just thinking in my
mind, Neil, it's kind of going, I'm going back. I'm going left.
But I'm just thinking that way. But as far as I can think back,
that wasn't the beginning. I can't even go back that far.
I've loved you with an everlasting love. Jacob loved Rachel. What's it gonna cost? I will
serve thee seven years. Can we possibly miss this part
of the servant of Jehovah? According to God's everlasting
covenant, that I will, I will, I will serve you. I will. My meat is to do your
will, the will of Him that sent me. This is the will of the Father. And of all which the Father has
given me, I should lose none. What's it going to cost? I will
serve thee seven years for Rachel. my younger daughter. She was his desire. He was going to serve seven years. Now that number seven, I wanted
to look it up. I wanted to look it up and see
what does the number seven mean? Blue Letter Bible gives the definition
to be from a root word that means to swear, to assure, take an
oath. Okay, so it had that number seven
has to do with a promise, an oath. I will, that's what he
said. I will serve these seven years. So it has to do with a
giving of your word. Strong's adds the root word to
also mean the sacred full one. So here's what seven means. All
that's required. I'll give everything. I will
serve thee seven years for Rachel. What did the Lord Jesus Christ
give for his bride? He gave himself. What more can
a man give than himself? You say, well, he could give
this, he could do this, he could do this. If he gives himself, you
have all of it, everything. I will give the full. I swear,
give you my word, I take an oath. So here we are, Jacob's oath. What will you give? What is your,
what do you want? I want her. I want her. What are you gonna give? I'll
give you the full requirement. I'll give everything that's due.
When the Lord Jesus Christ came into this world, he laid down
his life. Greater love hath no man than
this, that he lay down his life for his friends. He said, you're
my friends. If you do that, which I command
you. If you follow me, it's because I gave you a heart to follow
me. So here's Jacob. He's gonna do the service for
the full time justly demanded to earn Rachel's hand, to earn
it. So if this thing's not gonna
be done, it's not gonna be done, it's not gonna elope, they're
not gonna, whatever is demanded, I'm gonna give you everything.
Now here we behold the truth of the bride of Christ being
the reward. of the Lord Jesus Christ, the
obedient servant of Jehovah, paying the full due, redeeming
his precious bride. So Jacob agreed with Laban, and
it was a set amount of time, but it was a set amount of time
that meant the full payment. That would have been the full,
the right to her hand, and his reward of Rachel, was according
to Jacob's promise, his covenant. I give you my word. The scripture
says that he has said his word above all of himself, everything. Above all of his name, his word,
his word, he got my word on it. His word's not gonna return void,
it's gonna perform that which was the purpose for which it
was sent. What do you got? I give you my word. And I think
about how honorable that is. Used to, that was it, and still
is among people that are honorable. If I tell you I will do something,
be sure, and when you do that, please put in there, if the Lord
wills, don't foolishly provide. You could depend on me. What
if I get sick? What if I break a leg? What if
I get killed? If the Lord wills, I'll do the best of my ability. I'll do it. But there's an honor. Somebody tells you something,
you can't depend on them, you don't believe nothing. What do
you got? You don't have anything. But
if I got your word, got your word. So here he is. It's an agreement, it's a covenant.
Covenant between Laban and Jacob. This is what I'll do. I want
her. And I'll do what's demanded.
Oh, but just think of the covenant agreement between the persons
of the Godhead, the Father, in covenant agreement. I will choose,
I will choose my people, and I'll give them to the Son. And
the Son, in covenant agreement, I will be their surety. I will answer for them. I will do that which is demanded. I'll make the full payment. I'll
live for them and I'll die for them. I'll answer the law. I'll
answer to the law. And he finished it. He finished
it. Father trusted him and he did
it. And so here, seeing our precious Savior who paid our due, shed
his blood at Calvary and earned the righteousness demanded by
the law for justification and acceptance of God. This was David,
this was all David's hope right here. We've read this. 2 Samuel,
you wanna turn there? 2 Samuel 23, five. 2 Samuel 23, verse five. What a precious foundation of
hope. Although my house be not so with
God. And I've read A lot of things
there. Was he talking about his own
family? Absalom was his son, and you
know all that. He had a son that didn't love
his daddy. And David loved Absalom. He loved him. And it was his
son. But his house, his house was a mess. And it was just all
kinds of things. Although my house, or was he
talking about this house right here? Although my house. Be not so with God. I would rather
believe it was talking about his own personal household, but
that's okay, that's just me. Although my house be not so with
God, yet he hath made with me. There may be some within my household
that don't know God, and I pray God have mercy on them. I pray
God told you this so many times. I've got some kids, I've got
four kids, and I've got grandchildren. And I pray God have mercy on
my kids. I pray God save them. My grandchildren, had some of
them here the other day. Love them. That's my family.
Although my house be not so with God, yet he's made with me. He's
made an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things insure.
For this is all my salvation. And this is all my desire. God
has made a covenant with me. And he's given me his word. He's
given me his word. The Spirit of God has borne witness
to my heart, given me faith to believe him. I believe him. He
that hath the Son hath life. He that hath not the Son hath
not life. I believe that. Lord, I need
you. Lord, have mercy on me. So here's
Jacob. He loved her. I'll serve you.
Serve you seven years for Rachel. thy younger daughter. And now
we behold this precious agreement as it begins to unfold in verse
19. And Laban said, it is better
that I give her to thee than that I should give her to another
man. Abide with me. You know, it's
better, it's good. It's good that I give her to
thee, and that I should give her to another man. While Laban
beheld the good in Rachel being the wife of Jacob, it's good,
it's good. I could not help, my heart kept
going back to this scripture in Genesis 2, 18. It's good that
I give her to you. In Genesis 2.18, I went back
and I kept reading that and I thought, you know, this is what the Lord
actually was saying. This is the way the Spirit of
God says. And the Lord God said, it's not good that the man should
be alone. Jacob, I mean Laban said to him, it's good that I
give her to you. It's good, it's good. The Spirit
of God said, it's not good that the man should be alone. I will
make him and help meet for him. So there was good, this was a
good, this was going to be a good union, a perfect union, a union
that was a picture type of the perfect union, let me say it
like that, between the Lord Jesus Christ and his bride. And Jacob
would be blessed having Rachel as the one of his affection. Likewise, the Lord Jesus Christ
is honored and magnified as the redeemer and savior of his people. Look at the good. I mean, it
was good that Jacob and Rachel, according to Laban's words, be
one, be married. But all the good that we behold
in the Lord Jesus Christ in redeeming his precious bride who had fallen
in Adam's transgression. Look at the honor that was given
him. He prayed. He prayed in the high priestly
prayer. Think about John 17, I'll wrap
this up. John 17, as the Lord was praying,
these words spake Jesus, lifted up his eyes to heaven and said,
Father, the hour has come. Glorify thy son that thy son
also may glorify thee. Render glory unto me as your redeemer. as your lamb. Render glory unto me. He was going to the cross soon.
He was going to the cross. And he knew he was going to the
cross. Render unto me the glory that you've bestowed upon me
and chosen me to be your servant. and glorify me that I may glorify
you as the electing God and the merciful God, the God of all
grace to save a people from their sins by my shed blood. It's good. It's good. It's good. That's what he said. It's good.
Laban said, verse 19, it is better that I give her to thee than
I should give her to another man. Abide with me. Last verse for this evening.
And Jacob served seven years for Rachel. They seemed unto
him but a few days for the love he had for her. You know, Jacob
was sent of his mother and father to this very place to search
out a bride from among the brethren, their family. And having providentially
found her, he served seven years. That's what he said. Jacob served
seven years. And it seemed but a few days
for the love that he had to her. Now, I think about this in closing,
and I want to leave us with this thought. Again, I wish I had
the capability of saying what's in my heart, I don't even know
how to form the words. But he served seven years and
it did mean the fullness, it meant the full, complete. But I think about having read
Proverbs 8, before anything was ever here, when there was God,
covenant God, Father, Son, Spirit. Before the Son was made flesh,
before Christ took upon Himself the form of sinful flesh, before
He took upon Himself flesh, He was, He is, He is, He is. He had not taken flesh yet, but
He's still the servant in covenant agreement. And here we see And
Jacob served seven years, and it just seemed like to him a
few days. And I think about eternally how the Lord, having been with
the Father, it was daily His delight, and how eternity has
unveiled so much, and the love that the Lord has for His people. The wording there just seemed
like to Jacob. It was just a few days. The service,
the time that he was putting in, that wasn't the issue. The
time that Jacob put in, that wasn't the issue. What was the
issue? He loved her. Rachel was his bride to be. And those days, I mean years,
seemed unto him but a few days far are because of the love he
had for her. When I think of that which the
Lord has borne eternally, his bride was given to him. We were chosen in him before
the foundation of the world. We were always His. We've always
been in Him. He's always had us. He's loved
us with an everlasting love. Betrothed us unto Himself. Everlasting. Everything that
has been unfolding before our eyes is the opening of God's
providence. That which has always been purposed. And to Jacob, we can speak in
time. We speak in words, but time in
the years seemed like days to him because of his love. But
consider the love that the Lord Jesus Christ has had. And the
final consummation of all this, we'll stand before God Almighty
and the books will be opened. And the Lord who divides the
sheep from the goats, sheep on his right hand, goats on his
left, and he says to those on his right hand, enter in, enter
in to that which was prepared for you before the foundation
of the world. I think to myself, Lord, help
us just just get a glimpse, a glimpse of something of your love and
forgive us where we think so lightly of you for Christ's sake.