WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:00.960 Amen. 00:00:02.339 --> 00:00:06.620 Please take your Bibles this morning and open them up to Genesis chapter 29. 00:00:07.320 --> 00:00:07.500 ! 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:33.719 Then Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east. 00:00:34.659 --> 00:00:39.500 As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep lying beside it. 00:00:39.859 --> 00:00:42.060 For out of that well the flocks were watered. 00:00:42.700 --> 00:00:46.960 The stone on the well's mouth was large, and when all the flocks were gathered there, 00:00:47.039 --> 00:00:51.159 the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep 00:00:51.159 --> 00:00:54.519 and put the stone back in its place over the mouth of the well. 00:00:55.379 --> 00:00:57.640 Jacob said to them, My brothers, where do you come from? 00:00:57.640 --> 00:01:00.060 They said, We are from Haran. 00:01:00.660 --> 00:01:03.299 He said to them, Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor? 00:01:03.980 --> 00:01:04.960 They said, We know him. 00:01:05.659 --> 00:01:07.480 He said to them, Is it well with him? 00:01:08.040 --> 00:01:11.960 They said, It is well, and see, Rachel, his daughter, is coming with the sheep. 00:01:12.719 --> 00:01:14.560 He said, Behold, it's still high day. 00:01:14.659 --> 00:01:17.299 It is not time for the livestock to be gathered together. 00:01:17.799 --> 00:01:19.859 Water the sheep and go, pasture them. 00:01:20.540 --> 00:01:24.240 But they said, We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together 00:01:24.240 --> 00:01:26.659 and the stone is rolled away from the mouth of the well. 00:01:26.659 --> 00:01:28.359 Then we will water the sheep. 00:01:29.079 --> 00:01:32.719 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, 00:01:32.939 --> 00:01:34.179 for she was a shepherdess. 00:01:34.959 --> 00:01:38.840 Now as soon as Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, 00:01:39.219 --> 00:01:41.120 and the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother, 00:01:41.679 --> 00:01:45.699 Jacob came near and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well 00:01:45.699 --> 00:01:48.299 and watered the flock of Laban, his mother's brother. 00:01:48.799 --> 00:01:51.159 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. 00:01:51.159 --> 00:01:56.200 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's kinsman and that he was Rebecca's son. 00:01:56.340 --> 00:01:58.119 And she ran and told her father. 00:01:59.140 --> 00:02:02.219 As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister's son, 00:02:02.539 --> 00:02:06.560 he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. 00:02:07.420 --> 00:02:09.579 Jacob told Laban all these things. 00:02:10.120 --> 00:02:13.659 And Laban said to him, Surely you are my bone and my flesh. 00:02:13.659 --> 00:02:15.400 And he stayed with him a month. 00:02:16.340 --> 00:02:17.419 Then Laban said to Jacob, 00:02:18.039 --> 00:02:20.699 Because you are my kinsmen, should you therefore serve me for nothing? 00:02:21.259 --> 00:02:23.019 Tell me, what shall your wages be? 00:02:23.680 --> 00:02:25.460 Now Laban had two daughters. 00:02:26.139 --> 00:02:29.560 The name of the older was Leah and the name of the younger was Rachel. 00:02:30.400 --> 00:02:34.840 Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. 00:02:35.639 --> 00:02:36.579 Jacob loved Rachel. 00:02:36.580 --> 00:02:41.320 And he said, I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter, Rachel. 00:02:42.300 --> 00:02:46.760 Laban said, It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man. 00:02:47.200 --> 00:02:47.820 Stay with me. 00:02:48.480 --> 00:02:50.620 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel. 00:02:50.740 --> 00:02:53.939 And they seemed to him but a few days because of the love that he had for her. 00:02:55.020 --> 00:02:59.880 Then Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife that I may go into her, for my time is completed. 00:03:00.500 --> 00:03:04.060 So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast. 00:03:04.060 --> 00:03:08.259 But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob. 00:03:08.539 --> 00:03:09.539 And he went into her. 00:03:10.400 --> 00:03:13.699 Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant. 00:03:14.360 --> 00:03:16.780 And in the morning, behold, it was Leah. 00:03:17.659 --> 00:03:20.280 And Jacob said to Laban, What is this you have done to me? 00:03:20.699 --> 00:03:22.159 Did I not serve with you for Rachel? 00:03:22.680 --> 00:03:24.039 Why then have you deceived me? 00:03:24.860 --> 00:03:28.759 Laban said, It is not so done in our country to give the younger before the firstborn. 00:03:29.240 --> 00:03:32.199 Complete the week of this one and we will give you the other also 00:03:32.199 --> 00:03:35.119 in return for serving me another seven years. 00:03:35.939 --> 00:03:38.119 Jacob did so and completed her week. 00:03:38.679 --> 00:03:41.519 Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 00:03:42.339 --> 00:03:46.060 Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant. 00:03:46.719 --> 00:03:50.239 So Jacob went into Rachel also and he loved Rachel more than Leah 00:03:50.239 --> 00:03:52.879 and served Laban for another seven years. 00:03:53.879 --> 00:03:57.280 When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb. 00:03:57.679 --> 00:03:58.819 But Rachel was barren. 00:03:58.819 --> 00:04:02.599 And Leah conceived and bore a son and she called his name Reuben. 00:04:03.139 --> 00:04:06.060 For she said, Because the Lord has looked upon my affliction, 00:04:06.239 --> 00:04:07.900 for now my husband will love me. 00:04:08.680 --> 00:04:10.620 She conceived again and bore a son and said, 00:04:11.060 --> 00:04:12.759 Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, 00:04:13.039 --> 00:04:14.459 he has given me this son also. 00:04:15.000 --> 00:04:16.539 And she called his name Simeon. 00:04:17.279 --> 00:04:19.339 Again she conceived and bore a son and said, 00:04:19.680 --> 00:04:22.219 Now this time my husband will be attached to me, 00:04:22.399 --> 00:04:24.019 because I have borne him three sons. 00:04:24.740 --> 00:04:26.680 Therefore his name was called Levi. 00:04:26.680 --> 00:04:30.160 And she conceived again and bore a son and said, 00:04:30.400 --> 00:04:32.540 This time I will praise the Lord. 00:04:33.139 --> 00:04:35.060 Therefore she called his name Judah. 00:04:35.699 --> 00:04:36.920 Then she ceased bearing. 00:04:37.879 --> 00:04:40.560 When Rachel saw that she bore no children to Jacob, 00:04:40.660 --> 00:04:41.819 she envied her sister. 00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:43.160 And she said to Jacob, 00:04:43.500 --> 00:04:45.540 Give me children or I shall die. 00:04:46.420 --> 00:04:48.280 Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel. 00:04:48.360 --> 00:04:48.819 And he said, 00:04:49.139 --> 00:04:52.620 Am I in the place of God who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb? 00:04:52.620 --> 00:04:54.399 Then she said, 00:04:54.860 --> 00:04:56.000 Here's my servant Bilhah. 00:04:56.199 --> 00:04:58.959 Go into her so that she may give birth on my behalf, 00:04:59.160 --> 00:05:01.000 that even I may have children through her. 00:05:01.620 --> 00:05:04.240 So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, 00:05:04.340 --> 00:05:05.519 and Jacob went into her. 00:05:06.259 --> 00:05:08.600 And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. 00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:10.220 Then Rachel said, 00:05:10.740 --> 00:05:14.379 God has judged me and has also heard my voice and given me a son. 00:05:15.100 --> 00:05:16.780 Therefore she called his name Dan. 00:05:17.740 --> 00:05:21.120 Rachel's servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 00:05:21.120 --> 00:05:22.360 And then Rachel said, 00:05:22.480 --> 00:05:25.740 With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed. 00:05:26.180 --> 00:05:27.899 So she called his name Naphtali. 00:05:29.120 --> 00:05:31.420 When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, 00:05:31.959 --> 00:05:35.120 she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 00:05:35.680 --> 00:05:38.120 Then Leah's servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 00:05:38.420 --> 00:05:39.139 And Leah said, 00:05:39.220 --> 00:05:40.280 Good fortune has come. 00:05:40.399 --> 00:05:41.980 So she called his name Gad. 00:05:42.899 --> 00:05:45.319 Leah's servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 00:05:45.379 --> 00:05:45.920 And Leah said, 00:05:46.220 --> 00:05:47.019 Happy am I, 00:05:47.280 --> 00:05:48.680 for women have called me happy. 00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:50.780 So she called his name Asher. 00:05:52.019 --> 00:05:53.399 In the days of wheat harvest, 00:05:53.819 --> 00:05:57.259 Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. 00:05:58.079 --> 00:05:59.360 Then Rachel said to Leah, 00:05:59.899 --> 00:06:01.680 Please give me some of your son's mandrakes. 00:06:02.360 --> 00:06:03.280 But she said to her, 00:06:03.759 --> 00:06:06.019 Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? 00:06:06.500 --> 00:06:08.439 Would you take away my son's mandrakes also? 00:06:09.360 --> 00:06:10.120 Rachel said, 00:06:10.500 --> 00:06:13.560 Then he may lie with you tonight in exchange for your son's mandrakes. 00:06:14.280 --> 00:06:16.199 When Jacob came from the field in the evening, 00:06:16.199 --> 00:06:17.680 Leah went out to meet him and said, 00:06:17.680 --> 00:06:19.160 You must come into me, 00:06:19.240 --> 00:06:21.459 for I have hired you with my son's mandrakes. 00:06:21.920 --> 00:06:23.579 So he lay with her that night. 00:06:24.240 --> 00:06:25.579 And God listened to Leah, 00:06:25.860 --> 00:06:28.500 and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 00:06:29.240 --> 00:06:29.759 Leah said, 00:06:29.819 --> 00:06:31.000 God has given me my wages, 00:06:31.139 --> 00:06:32.920 because I gave my servant to my husband. 00:06:33.400 --> 00:06:35.500 So she called his name Issachar. 00:06:36.379 --> 00:06:37.579 And Leah conceived again, 00:06:37.680 --> 00:06:39.579 and she bore Jacob a sixth son. 00:06:39.939 --> 00:06:40.560 Then Leah said, 00:06:40.620 --> 00:06:42.460 God has endowed me with a good endowment. 00:06:42.860 --> 00:06:44.439 Now my husband will honor me, 00:06:44.439 --> 00:06:46.240 because I have borne him six sons. 00:06:46.800 --> 00:06:48.540 So she called his name Zebulun. 00:06:49.459 --> 00:06:50.560 Afterward, she bore a daughter, 00:06:50.980 --> 00:06:52.360 called her name Dinah. 00:06:53.259 --> 00:06:54.779 Then God remembered Rachel, 00:06:55.000 --> 00:06:56.199 and God listened to her, 00:06:56.420 --> 00:06:57.600 and opened her womb. 00:06:58.100 --> 00:06:59.680 She conceived and bore a son, 00:06:59.740 --> 00:07:00.180 and said, 00:07:00.399 --> 00:07:02.519 God has taken away my reproach. 00:07:02.879 --> 00:07:04.740 And she called his name Joseph, 00:07:05.560 --> 00:07:05.839 saying, 00:07:05.920 --> 00:07:09.300 May the Lord add to me another son. 00:07:09.300 --> 00:07:11.400 The grass withers, 00:07:11.520 --> 00:07:12.400 and the flower fades, 00:07:12.480 --> 00:07:15.139 but the word of the Lord endures forever. 00:07:15.300 --> 00:07:15.560 Father, 00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:20.000 we pray once more as we open up your word this morning. 00:07:20.100 --> 00:07:23.560 God, would you rightly order our desires? 00:07:25.319 --> 00:07:26.920 God, would we put you first, 00:07:27.060 --> 00:07:29.120 and seek you first in all things? 00:07:29.300 --> 00:07:32.220 And would you show us that you are supremely worthy 00:07:32.220 --> 00:07:33.580 of our heart's attention this morning? 00:07:33.680 --> 00:07:34.600 We pray in Christ's name. 00:07:35.240 --> 00:07:35.500 Amen. 00:07:36.460 --> 00:07:37.240 You may be seated. 00:07:37.240 --> 00:07:43.300 One of the biggest lies that we are told from a young age 00:07:43.300 --> 00:07:46.199 is that we ought to listen to our heart. 00:07:47.300 --> 00:07:49.980 And that seems to be the theme of most of the Disney movies 00:07:49.980 --> 00:07:51.040 that I grew up watching. 00:07:51.460 --> 00:07:53.500 You all know that there's plenty of songs 00:07:53.500 --> 00:07:55.199 that have that very line, 00:07:55.280 --> 00:07:57.000 that we ought to listen to our heart. 00:07:57.319 --> 00:08:00.780 You may have either given that counsel in the past 00:08:00.780 --> 00:08:03.160 or received that counsel in the past. 00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:04.600 And the idea is, 00:08:04.680 --> 00:08:06.519 well, you know what you want, 00:08:07.160 --> 00:08:07.220 but you know what you want. 00:08:07.240 --> 00:08:09.120 And that is what's most important. 00:08:09.819 --> 00:08:11.360 No one can tell you no. 00:08:11.960 --> 00:08:13.240 And so go out and get it. 00:08:13.400 --> 00:08:15.060 Listen to your heart. 00:08:16.100 --> 00:08:19.699 Well, the Bible says something a little bit different than that. 00:08:19.860 --> 00:08:21.280 Jeremiah 17, verse 9. 00:08:21.379 --> 00:08:25.639 It tells us the heart is deceitful above all things 00:08:25.639 --> 00:08:27.720 and desperately sick. 00:08:27.720 --> 00:08:29.820 Who can understand it? 00:08:30.540 --> 00:08:34.060 And we're never once in the Bible told to trust our heart 00:08:34.060 --> 00:08:36.040 and let it lead us wherever it will. 00:08:36.139 --> 00:08:38.440 On the contrary, rather, we're told in Proverbs, 00:08:39.040 --> 00:08:41.460 trust in the Lord with all your heart. 00:08:42.180 --> 00:08:44.040 Do not lean on your own understanding. 00:08:44.039 --> 00:08:47.759 In all your ways acknowledge Him and let Him. 00:08:47.759 --> 00:08:49.899 He will direct your paths. 00:08:49.959 --> 00:08:52.240 What we notice as we look at this story this morning 00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:56.699 is that this is an origin story of the 12 tribes of Israel. 00:08:56.700 --> 00:09:00.360 And to be honest, the story is not pretty, is it? 00:09:01.180 --> 00:09:05.640 Oh, this story, everybody in this story is listening to their heart, 00:09:06.040 --> 00:09:08.640 and they're making the desires of their heart ultimate. 00:09:08.960 --> 00:09:12.920 And the story from beginning to end is filled with sinfulness, 00:09:12.919 --> 00:09:19.799 with manipulation, with good desires that become ultimate obsessions. 00:09:19.959 --> 00:09:22.379 And, you know, there's a biblical word for that. 00:09:22.439 --> 00:09:23.199 Do you know what it is? 00:09:24.019 --> 00:09:25.399 It's idolatry. 00:09:27.179 --> 00:09:32.519 An idol is anything, even good things, 00:09:32.819 --> 00:09:36.980 that become God things in our hearts. 00:09:36.980 --> 00:09:44.139 John Calvin famously once said that the human heart is an idol factory. 00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:49.200 And so one reason why we ought not trust our heart and listen to our heart 00:09:49.200 --> 00:09:54.779 is that our hearts are constantly fabricating and creating idols. 00:09:55.560 --> 00:09:59.680 We take good things and we make them into God things in our hearts. 00:09:59.759 --> 00:10:06.060 We see it so clearly here with the hearts and the desires of Jacob and Laban and Rachel and Leah. 00:10:06.059 --> 00:10:14.000 They all want something so desperately that it drives them to act in sinful and foolish ways. 00:10:14.099 --> 00:10:19.959 And the bad news this morning, church, is that we are all prone to do this exact same thing. 00:10:21.259 --> 00:10:28.379 We are all prone to follow the desires of our heart into all sorts of messy places. 00:10:29.159 --> 00:10:31.679 But the good news, and the good news of our passage this morning, 00:10:31.679 --> 00:10:38.459 is that our sovereign God is able and willing to take a big mess like this 00:10:38.459 --> 00:10:41.639 and work something beautiful from it. 00:10:41.739 --> 00:10:43.239 So let's take a look. 00:10:43.359 --> 00:10:49.539 And what we'll see this morning are four sinful desires and one sovereign God. 00:10:49.659 --> 00:10:50.799 This is our outline this morning. 00:10:51.019 --> 00:10:56.639 If you're taking notes, four sinful desires and one sovereign God. 00:10:56.639 --> 00:11:01.399 And we'll start here with the men first, Jacob and Laban. 00:11:01.480 --> 00:11:02.759 Let's look at Jacob first. 00:11:02.860 --> 00:11:06.199 First we see that Jacob desires a bride. 00:11:07.240 --> 00:11:10.039 Look there, starting in verse 1 of chapter 29. 00:11:10.199 --> 00:11:14.559 Jacob, you remember he's on his way to Haran to find a wife. 00:11:14.639 --> 00:11:16.000 He's heading to Mesopotamia. 00:11:16.639 --> 00:11:19.120 His parents don't want him to marry a Canaanite woman. 00:11:19.279 --> 00:11:22.259 They want him to marry within the tribe, within the family. 00:11:22.259 --> 00:11:25.379 And so finally he makes his way to Haran. 00:11:25.460 --> 00:11:29.720 And it says that he looks out and he sees a well out in the field. 00:11:30.740 --> 00:11:33.879 And over by the well, there are three flocks of sheep. 00:11:34.379 --> 00:11:38.240 And on top of the well is this huge stone covering. 00:11:38.439 --> 00:11:42.519 I assume that it's there to protect the well from outsiders getting the water 00:11:42.519 --> 00:11:45.340 or even animals making use of it when they're not supposed to. 00:11:45.860 --> 00:11:50.639 And it says that when all the flocks were gathered there with all the shepherds together, 00:11:50.639 --> 00:11:56.379 collectively they would use all their strength to pick up and to roll that stone off the well 00:11:56.379 --> 00:11:58.120 and water all of the sheep. 00:11:58.299 --> 00:12:01.240 And so Jacob comes and he sees all of this. 00:12:01.360 --> 00:12:04.059 And he comes up to these shepherds and he asks the question, 00:12:04.299 --> 00:12:06.000 Where are you guys from? 00:12:06.939 --> 00:12:08.600 That's a million-dollar question, isn't it? 00:12:09.199 --> 00:12:11.159 This is before the age of GPS. 00:12:11.500 --> 00:12:13.360 I don't know how anybody knew how to get anywhere. 00:12:13.559 --> 00:12:16.039 But Jacob, he's not exactly sure where he is. 00:12:16.080 --> 00:12:18.299 He needs to confirm that he's in the right place. 00:12:18.299 --> 00:12:20.699 And so he asks them, Where are you from? 00:12:20.759 --> 00:12:22.039 They say, Yes, we're from Haran. 00:12:22.899 --> 00:12:27.039 So the follow-up question is, Well, do you know Laban, the son of Nahor? 00:12:27.539 --> 00:12:28.539 And they say, Yes. 00:12:28.759 --> 00:12:30.899 Things are going well. 00:12:31.740 --> 00:12:34.819 And as they stand there exchanging pleasantries, the shepherds say, 00:12:34.919 --> 00:12:38.799 Actually, well, here comes his daughter right now. 00:12:38.939 --> 00:12:41.519 Now, put yourself in Jacob's shoes. 00:12:42.719 --> 00:12:46.699 He has been on a mission to go and to find his wife. 00:12:46.700 --> 00:12:52.120 He knows that God has promised him that his offspring will be more numerous than the dust of the earth. 00:12:52.240 --> 00:12:58.040 He knows that God will provide him a wife and will, through her, provide him many children. 00:12:58.200 --> 00:13:01.200 And now, at long last, he's in the right place. 00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:03.500 He's found his family members. 00:13:03.800 --> 00:13:07.500 And this eligible bachelorette is coming up right to him. 00:13:07.560 --> 00:13:09.220 He's right where he needs to be. 00:13:09.460 --> 00:13:12.500 And she is drop-dead gorgeous. 00:13:12.500 --> 00:13:15.559 So what does Jacob do? 00:13:17.179 --> 00:13:22.000 Jacob does what all men do when they are on the pursuit. 00:13:23.220 --> 00:13:26.159 First thing he does is he tries to get rid of the competition. 00:13:27.220 --> 00:13:27.700 And you notice that. 00:13:27.759 --> 00:13:28.000 Look here. 00:13:28.340 --> 00:13:30.320 Jacob wants these other guys gone. 00:13:30.519 --> 00:13:33.580 And so in verse 7, he says, Hey, guys, shouldn't you be going now? 00:13:33.580 --> 00:13:38.400 Shouldn't you be watering these sheep and get on out of here, right? 00:13:39.460 --> 00:13:44.400 I remember when I was in middle school, I played some reverse psychology on a buddy of mine. 00:13:44.480 --> 00:13:46.680 I knew that he was interested in this girl. 00:13:47.220 --> 00:13:48.500 I had no interest. 00:13:48.660 --> 00:13:52.440 But I told him, If you don't hurry up and ask her out, I will. 00:13:52.440 --> 00:13:57.960 And that little thread of competition lit a fire under him. 00:13:58.060 --> 00:14:00.060 So he got up and actually asked her out. 00:14:00.120 --> 00:14:03.880 I guess they are happily married to this day with me to thank. 00:14:05.560 --> 00:14:08.240 And Jacob tries to get rid of the competition, get out of here. 00:14:08.280 --> 00:14:10.700 But they say, No, that's not actually really possible. 00:14:10.700 --> 00:14:16.320 We have to be here because all of us have to work together and use our collective strength 00:14:16.320 --> 00:14:20.260 to pick up this big stone off the well so that we can water the sheep. 00:14:20.580 --> 00:14:22.120 So what does Jacob do next? 00:14:22.980 --> 00:14:26.120 He does the other thing that all men do when they're on the pursuit. 00:14:26.840 --> 00:14:29.520 He tries to make himself stand out. 00:14:29.620 --> 00:14:31.140 He's like, Look at me, Rachel. 00:14:32.080 --> 00:14:33.460 Watch what I can do. 00:14:34.360 --> 00:14:38.280 He says, He lays eyes on Rachel as she comes up to water the sheep. 00:14:38.280 --> 00:14:43.600 And as soon as Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, 00:14:44.000 --> 00:14:46.000 Jacob puffs up his chest. 00:14:46.140 --> 00:14:48.220 He musters up all the strength he's got. 00:14:48.500 --> 00:14:51.920 And he goes and he rolls that big heavy stone away. 00:14:51.919 --> 00:14:53.179 All by himself. 00:14:54.479 --> 00:14:56.039 He doesn't need any help, does he? 00:14:57.360 --> 00:15:02.039 I just think that's such an accurate and hilarious picture of men. 00:15:02.199 --> 00:15:02.339 Right? 00:15:02.360 --> 00:15:06.339 If you can't chase away the competition, at least make sure that she's going to notice you. 00:15:06.439 --> 00:15:08.879 You're going to do something impressive. 00:15:09.099 --> 00:15:10.339 Probably something a little silly. 00:15:10.620 --> 00:15:10.839 Right? 00:15:10.899 --> 00:15:12.179 Make sure that she notices you. 00:15:12.179 --> 00:15:17.839 And in this act of superhuman strength, he rolls that stone away. 00:15:17.959 --> 00:15:20.500 And then he goes and he waters her flock for her. 00:15:21.159 --> 00:15:22.620 And then he kisses her. 00:15:23.339 --> 00:15:24.679 And it's not a romantic kiss. 00:15:24.739 --> 00:15:25.459 This is just a hello. 00:15:25.460 --> 00:15:31.019 And then this big, burly, strong man, he burst into tears. 00:15:31.139 --> 00:15:32.960 I mean, can you tell how excited he is? 00:15:34.180 --> 00:15:36.660 And can you tell how desperately Jacob wants to be married? 00:15:38.120 --> 00:15:40.460 What does Rachel do in response to all of this? 00:15:40.560 --> 00:15:41.940 Verse 12 says she runs away. 00:15:41.940 --> 00:15:47.680 She goes and she tells her father everything that's happened. 00:15:47.800 --> 00:15:49.100 And we'll get to Laban here in a minute. 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:52.900 But as soon as Laban hears all of this, he runs out to Jacob. 00:15:53.040 --> 00:15:54.260 He greets Jacob. 00:15:54.380 --> 00:15:55.360 He kisses Jacob. 00:15:55.520 --> 00:15:56.840 Everybody's kissing everybody. 00:15:57.240 --> 00:16:00.940 And Jacob winds up staying there with Laban for a whole month. 00:16:01.620 --> 00:16:04.900 And apparently while Jacob's there, he works for Laban. 00:16:04.899 --> 00:16:09.319 And Laban asks him, well, what kind of payment do you want? 00:16:09.399 --> 00:16:12.759 Just because your family doesn't mean I can't pay you something. 00:16:12.939 --> 00:16:15.340 And here is Jacob's opportunity, isn't it? 00:16:16.120 --> 00:16:19.419 He has been living there with Laban for a month now. 00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:20.919 He's gotten to know the family. 00:16:21.179 --> 00:16:27.740 And it says that, verse 16 says, Laban has two daughters, Leah and Rachel. 00:16:27.959 --> 00:16:32.159 Leah is the older sister and Rachel is the younger sister. 00:16:32.159 --> 00:16:35.379 But Jacob's heart clearly is set on Rachel, isn't it? 00:16:36.439 --> 00:16:39.259 And it says that Leah's eyes were weak. 00:16:39.360 --> 00:16:42.219 Now there's conversation about what that might mean. 00:16:42.319 --> 00:16:45.179 I mean, it could mean that her eyesight literally was poor. 00:16:45.360 --> 00:16:46.919 She couldn't see very well. 00:16:47.059 --> 00:16:50.659 It could mean that just an invisible appearance. 00:16:50.860 --> 00:16:54.259 Her eyes were just kind of dull and unimpressive. 00:16:54.620 --> 00:16:59.459 Or, and this is kind of what I'm more inclined to think, is that her eyes were soft. 00:17:00.439 --> 00:17:01.480 She had gentle eyes. 00:17:01.480 --> 00:17:03.420 I think she maybe had pretty eyes. 00:17:04.240 --> 00:17:10.000 But in comparison to Rachel, it says Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. 00:17:10.120 --> 00:17:13.220 I mean, to Jacob, Rachel was the whole package. 00:17:13.360 --> 00:17:17.599 Maybe Leah had some nice eyes, but Rachel, Rachel is the prize to be won. 00:17:18.880 --> 00:17:25.740 So he says, Laban, I will serve you for seven years for your younger daughter, Rachel. 00:17:26.660 --> 00:17:27.640 Now think about that for a minute. 00:17:27.640 --> 00:17:31.720 What has happened in your life over the past seven years? 00:17:31.780 --> 00:17:33.160 That's a long time, isn't it? 00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:37.300 That seems like an unreasonable amount of time. 00:17:38.020 --> 00:17:42.300 And you can tell that it's pretty extreme because Laban, he doesn't even negotiate with him, does he? 00:17:42.300 --> 00:17:43.200 He just says, all right. 00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:51.180 Jacob here is, in essence, he's saying, I will do anything to have this woman, Rachel, as my wife. 00:17:51.180 --> 00:17:59.380 Now, on one hand, the romantic side of us might think, man, what a guy, right? 00:18:00.560 --> 00:18:02.340 I mean, he knows what he wants. 00:18:02.420 --> 00:18:05.920 He is willing to do anything to get her as his wife. 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:07.279 I mean, just look at his devotion. 00:18:08.140 --> 00:18:10.519 Look at his feats of strength. 00:18:10.660 --> 00:18:12.460 That is impressive, right? 00:18:12.460 --> 00:18:16.460 But on the other hand, do you ever wonder? 00:18:16.600 --> 00:18:25.120 We should realize, I mean, Jacob might be taking this good desire to a place of extreme obsession. 00:18:27.120 --> 00:18:35.039 And more than that, I mean, he seems to be making this decision almost entirely based on what his eyes find attractive, doesn't he? 00:18:35.039 --> 00:18:38.700 Yes, it's good for him to go find a wife. 00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:40.759 And God has directed him to do so. 00:18:40.879 --> 00:18:43.039 Yes, God has promised him offspring. 00:18:43.399 --> 00:18:47.920 And yes, we know that through his offspring, the Messiah will come. 00:18:47.980 --> 00:18:49.559 But here's a spoiler for you. 00:18:50.159 --> 00:18:54.659 God does not bring about the Messiah through Rachel, does he? 00:18:55.319 --> 00:18:58.480 He brings about the Messiah through Leah. 00:18:59.579 --> 00:19:03.779 All of this pursuit of Rachel, this is entirely Jacob, isn't it? 00:19:03.779 --> 00:19:05.899 This isn't about what God wants. 00:19:05.980 --> 00:19:12.720 This is about what Jacob wants and is driven entirely by the lust of the flesh and the desire of the eyes. 00:19:12.799 --> 00:19:17.639 He's willing to do anything at all to get what he wants. 00:19:17.720 --> 00:19:19.799 And friend, that is exactly what an idol is. 00:19:21.220 --> 00:19:24.180 That is exactly what an idol does. 00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:33.139 When we adopt the mindset of, I must have this thing, I must have this person, I must have this life, 00:19:33.140 --> 00:19:37.259 and I am willing to do anything at all to get it at all costs, 00:19:37.480 --> 00:19:41.820 it is highly likely that we have an idol ruling in our hearts. 00:19:43.360 --> 00:19:47.340 Some of you who are single and searching for a spouse, 00:19:47.700 --> 00:19:52.100 or maybe some of you who have children or grandchildren that are getting to this phase, 00:19:52.240 --> 00:19:53.680 please, please, please hear me. 00:19:54.100 --> 00:19:57.080 A spouse, you know, is a wonderful gift. 00:19:57.079 --> 00:19:59.899 But it is a terrible God. 00:20:01.500 --> 00:20:05.000 It is something to be desired and to be pursued, 00:20:05.480 --> 00:20:11.319 but do not turn a good thing into a God thing in your heart. 00:20:11.559 --> 00:20:16.539 Whether it's a spouse or anything else, we ought to check our desires and ask ourselves, 00:20:16.639 --> 00:20:23.799 do I desire this in such a way that I would be willing to trade away anything and everything to get it? 00:20:23.799 --> 00:20:27.839 Or even to ask, well, what is it that's driving my pursuits? 00:20:27.940 --> 00:20:29.159 Is it my eyes? 00:20:30.139 --> 00:20:31.279 Is it my stomach? 00:20:32.180 --> 00:20:33.819 Is it my flesh? 00:20:34.559 --> 00:20:37.599 Or is it the promises of God? 00:20:38.700 --> 00:20:43.159 Do I trust the Lord to provide in His time and in His way? 00:20:43.240 --> 00:20:47.579 Or am I trying to weasel my way in here and work it all out according to my plan 00:20:47.579 --> 00:20:50.779 and get what I want, when I want, how I want? 00:20:50.779 --> 00:20:55.500 Jacob, here, he serves for seven years. 00:20:55.599 --> 00:20:59.980 And to him, it says, it seems like just a few days because of how much he loved Rachel. 00:21:00.139 --> 00:21:02.480 And now the time has finally come. 00:21:02.579 --> 00:21:03.779 He's served his time. 00:21:03.899 --> 00:21:08.279 And here, now, second, we see Laban's heart on display. 00:21:08.559 --> 00:21:10.180 Second, we see Laban. 00:21:11.019 --> 00:21:12.940 Laban desires prosperity. 00:21:14.940 --> 00:21:16.220 Jacob says, it's time. 00:21:16.660 --> 00:21:19.299 I've served my time seven years. 00:21:19.299 --> 00:21:20.859 It's time to give me my wife. 00:21:21.960 --> 00:21:24.539 And so Laban, it says, he gathers everyone together. 00:21:24.680 --> 00:21:25.879 He throws a celebration. 00:21:26.079 --> 00:21:27.019 He makes the feast. 00:21:27.159 --> 00:21:35.339 But verse 23, it says, in the dark of the evening, he takes Leah and he gives Leah to Jacob. 00:21:35.460 --> 00:21:37.399 And this is premeditated. 00:21:38.339 --> 00:21:39.419 This is deception. 00:21:40.899 --> 00:21:42.399 We can assume that it's dark. 00:21:42.519 --> 00:21:44.279 He chooses to do all this in the evening. 00:21:45.000 --> 00:21:47.319 And we can assume that Leah is veiled. 00:21:47.319 --> 00:21:51.539 We can assume that Jacob is eating and drinking at this feast. 00:21:51.980 --> 00:21:56.799 And Jacob has no reason to assume that Laban is going to pull a fast one on him. 00:21:56.839 --> 00:22:00.460 Up to this point, he assumes that Laban is acting in good faith. 00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:07.679 But when Jacob wakes up the next morning, he says, behold, it's Leah. 00:22:09.359 --> 00:22:11.679 And I wonder how that conversation went, don't you? 00:22:11.680 --> 00:22:15.759 This is not the bride that he signed up for. 00:22:16.560 --> 00:22:18.560 And so he's rightfully angry. 00:22:19.200 --> 00:22:21.480 And he gets up and he goes to Laban. 00:22:21.560 --> 00:22:24.539 And he says, what is this that you've done to me? 00:22:25.420 --> 00:22:27.480 Did I not serve you for Rachel? 00:22:28.539 --> 00:22:30.160 Why have you deceived me? 00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:32.620 Listen to what Laban says. 00:22:33.720 --> 00:22:36.620 Laban says, we don't do it like that here. 00:22:36.619 --> 00:22:38.759 In our country. 00:22:39.739 --> 00:22:43.179 We don't put the younger before the older. 00:22:43.339 --> 00:22:44.279 Now just real quick. 00:22:44.399 --> 00:22:46.619 Do you hear the irony here? 00:22:48.479 --> 00:22:56.899 Isn't it ironic that Jacob, the trickster, has now been tricked? 00:22:56.900 --> 00:23:04.560 Isn't it ironic that Jacob, the younger brother, who supplanted his older brother, 00:23:04.680 --> 00:23:08.040 who took the place of the blessing of his older brother, 00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:10.640 is trying to come and do this somewhere else? 00:23:10.780 --> 00:23:13.340 And he's the one getting a fast one put on him. 00:23:14.080 --> 00:23:16.820 Don't you think his conscience would be pricked as Laban says, 00:23:16.920 --> 00:23:18.980 no, we don't do that here in our country. 00:23:19.080 --> 00:23:20.759 We don't put the younger before the older. 00:23:22.300 --> 00:23:25.320 Just to chase this rabbit trail here for a minute, we should know. 00:23:25.319 --> 00:23:29.079 Church, the Bible tells us our sin will find us out. 00:23:30.679 --> 00:23:36.939 And Jacob's trickery has now come full circle and fallen back on his own head. 00:23:37.059 --> 00:23:39.099 He is now the one who's been tricked. 00:23:40.519 --> 00:23:45.159 Laban tricks Jacob out of seven years of his life, seven years of labor, 00:23:45.240 --> 00:23:46.359 but he's not done yet. 00:23:46.439 --> 00:23:49.939 He knows how much Jacob wants Rachel and desires Rachel. 00:23:50.079 --> 00:23:51.899 And so he says, I'll tell you what, Jacob, 00:23:51.900 --> 00:23:57.140 if you finish out the week with Leah and I will give you Rachel on one condition, 00:23:57.360 --> 00:24:00.220 you're going to give me seven more years of labor. 00:24:01.820 --> 00:24:03.880 You see how Laban knows what Jacob wants? 00:24:05.140 --> 00:24:08.140 He knows exactly the desires of Jacob's heart. 00:24:09.900 --> 00:24:11.480 Do you see what Laban wants? 00:24:11.480 --> 00:24:15.599 Now, do you see the desires of Laban's heart? 00:24:17.400 --> 00:24:20.940 This father of two daughters, does he seem to care about either of them? 00:24:22.180 --> 00:24:25.019 He doesn't seem to care about them at all, about their good. 00:24:25.099 --> 00:24:26.779 What does he care about most? 00:24:27.319 --> 00:24:31.160 All Laban cares about is the bottom line. 00:24:32.420 --> 00:24:35.120 He doesn't care about Jacob, his kinsmen. 00:24:35.200 --> 00:24:37.079 He doesn't care about Jacob's desires. 00:24:37.079 --> 00:24:42.740 He cares about what he can get out of Jacob for his own benefit. 00:24:42.899 --> 00:24:46.599 You know, this is another clear indicator of an idol in our hearts. 00:24:47.720 --> 00:24:52.079 When we idolize something, be it money or something else, 00:24:52.419 --> 00:24:57.879 often we will use other people as a means to an end in order to get what we want. 00:24:57.939 --> 00:24:58.740 Have you ever seen that happen? 00:25:01.119 --> 00:25:04.699 And again, money is not a bad thing. 00:25:05.700 --> 00:25:06.980 Prosperity is not a bad thing. 00:25:07.039 --> 00:25:09.460 Some of you operate, own your own businesses. 00:25:09.660 --> 00:25:11.319 You should want to operate out of profit. 00:25:11.880 --> 00:25:12.480 And that's okay. 00:25:12.580 --> 00:25:13.799 It's okay to be successful. 00:25:13.980 --> 00:25:16.059 It's okay to be prosperous. 00:25:16.440 --> 00:25:22.180 But there is a world of difference between utilizing money as a tool 00:25:22.180 --> 00:25:25.720 and idolizing money as a God. 00:25:26.880 --> 00:25:30.940 When we begin to sacrifice others on the altar of our prosperity, 00:25:30.940 --> 00:25:36.220 when we begin to be manipulative and when we use other people for our own good, 00:25:36.320 --> 00:25:42.120 well, then we can know as a clear indicator that this good gift has become a God in our hearts. 00:25:43.779 --> 00:25:48.240 Church, I'm sure you recognize that our culture idolizes money, don't they? 00:25:48.799 --> 00:25:50.480 I mean, you look at where we live, right? 00:25:51.100 --> 00:25:56.039 Mount Perfect, Mount Plastic, the Hollywood of the East Coast. 00:25:56.039 --> 00:26:01.980 Everyone either wants to have money or wants to look like they have money. 00:26:02.519 --> 00:26:03.779 And when is it enough? 00:26:06.099 --> 00:26:11.759 Money itself is not bad, but the love of money is the root of all kinds of evils. 00:26:11.879 --> 00:26:15.839 We're told you cannot serve both God and money. 00:26:17.159 --> 00:26:20.779 Laban has made an idol of the bottom line. 00:26:20.779 --> 00:26:26.299 He sets the trap and Jacob, blinded by his own idol, blinded by his own love for Rachel, 00:26:26.480 --> 00:26:27.319 he agrees. 00:26:27.559 --> 00:26:32.379 And verse 28 says he completes Leah's week and then he takes Rachel as his wife. 00:26:32.460 --> 00:26:35.259 And he loved Rachel more than Leah. 00:26:36.119 --> 00:26:39.259 And he served Laban for another seven years. 00:26:39.339 --> 00:26:42.259 And these two men are blinded by their desires, aren't they? 00:26:43.279 --> 00:26:45.180 But it's not just the men that have the problems. 00:26:45.359 --> 00:26:48.160 Let's look now at the women, okay? 00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:49.640 Leah and Rachel. 00:26:49.640 --> 00:26:51.000 We'll start with Leah. 00:26:51.160 --> 00:26:53.400 So third here, third sinful desire. 00:26:53.779 --> 00:26:57.100 Third, we see Leah desires to be loved. 00:26:58.600 --> 00:27:00.840 She desires to be loved. 00:27:00.920 --> 00:27:03.640 We don't know much about Leah's background. 00:27:03.920 --> 00:27:05.660 We don't know much about her upbringing. 00:27:05.900 --> 00:27:10.480 But what we have seen is how her father has treated her in this instance, haven't we? 00:27:11.360 --> 00:27:13.140 And I don't want to go too far down this track. 00:27:13.140 --> 00:27:16.820 But of course, the way that our parents raise us, it's not ultimate. 00:27:17.020 --> 00:27:19.840 It doesn't set the course for our life in stone. 00:27:19.960 --> 00:27:24.720 And I don't want to lean too much into kind of the secular psychology of all of this. 00:27:24.860 --> 00:27:30.320 But of course, our relationship with our parents, it impacts the way that we go about our lives, 00:27:30.360 --> 00:27:30.759 doesn't it? 00:27:31.420 --> 00:27:35.420 I mean, it shapes us in a major way, more than we probably know. 00:27:35.420 --> 00:27:43.039 And if you grew up with a distant father, an unaffectionate father, an abusive father, 00:27:43.120 --> 00:27:47.980 of course, that can create some lasting insecurities in your life, can't it? 00:27:49.380 --> 00:27:54.360 Leah's father has just used her as a bargaining chip to get some more money. 00:27:55.420 --> 00:27:58.680 He has used her to get what he wants. 00:27:58.680 --> 00:28:04.340 And now she's handed over to Jacob, her new husband, who doesn't want anything to do with her 00:28:04.340 --> 00:28:05.840 because he's in love with her younger sister. 00:28:06.060 --> 00:28:08.160 I mean, how do you think Leah feels in this moment? 00:28:09.140 --> 00:28:14.120 How do you think Leah felt the morning after her wedding day to wake up to her husband's 00:28:14.120 --> 00:28:15.720 disgust at her being there? 00:28:17.519 --> 00:28:20.759 Leah feels and she is unloved. 00:28:20.759 --> 00:28:26.039 And even more than that, verse 31, it says the Lord saw that Leah was hated. 00:28:26.220 --> 00:28:27.500 She was despised. 00:28:28.759 --> 00:28:33.079 Can you imagine feeling like some unwanted guest in your own home? 00:28:34.339 --> 00:28:37.660 I mean, surely she can see how happy her husband is with her sister. 00:28:37.859 --> 00:28:39.660 I mean, can you imagine the tension in that household? 00:28:40.279 --> 00:28:41.759 I mean, this is messy, isn't it? 00:28:42.700 --> 00:28:46.680 In fact, it's interesting, later on, they wrote it into law. 00:28:46.680 --> 00:28:48.740 Leviticus 18, verse 18, it says, 00:28:48.740 --> 00:28:51.980 You shall not take a woman as a rival wife to her sister. 00:28:52.460 --> 00:28:55.400 They realized this is just a bad idea all around. 00:28:56.319 --> 00:28:58.880 Now, I think they may have used this as a case study and say, 00:28:59.059 --> 00:29:00.279 This is not good. 00:29:01.620 --> 00:29:03.200 And Laban doesn't seem to care for Leah. 00:29:03.339 --> 00:29:05.059 Jacob doesn't seem to care for Leah. 00:29:05.160 --> 00:29:07.740 But notice who does care for Leah. 00:29:09.099 --> 00:29:10.319 Verse 31 says, 00:29:10.839 --> 00:29:18.359 The Lord saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 00:29:18.359 --> 00:29:23.059 And here's where we get to see this origin story now of these 12 tribes. 00:29:23.139 --> 00:29:23.359 It says, 00:29:23.639 --> 00:29:28.240 Leah conceived and bore a son called his name Reuben, which means see, a son. 00:29:29.000 --> 00:29:29.819 And look what she says. 00:29:29.879 --> 00:29:30.159 She says, 00:29:30.359 --> 00:29:31.799 Now my husband will love me. 00:29:33.139 --> 00:29:36.159 She conceives again and names him Simeon, which means heard. 00:29:36.479 --> 00:29:37.039 And he says, 00:29:37.139 --> 00:29:38.659 The Lord has heard that I'm hated. 00:29:39.779 --> 00:29:41.959 And again she conceives and bears a son and says, 00:29:41.960 --> 00:29:46.799 Now my husband, this time he'll be attached to me because I've born him three sons. 00:29:46.920 --> 00:29:51.740 And so she calls his name Levi, which sounds like the Hebrew word for attached. 00:29:51.860 --> 00:29:53.640 I mean it's all just so sad, isn't it? 00:29:54.740 --> 00:29:56.799 But do you hear the desires of her heart? 00:29:58.059 --> 00:30:01.779 When she writes it into the names of her own children. 00:30:02.180 --> 00:30:06.059 I am hated and I want to be loved. 00:30:06.180 --> 00:30:07.440 Do you hear what Leah's feeling here? 00:30:07.440 --> 00:30:13.180 All I want is for my spouse to love me. 00:30:13.860 --> 00:30:16.440 And I will do anything to get it. 00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:20.600 I wonder if you've ever felt that way. 00:30:20.680 --> 00:30:28.000 If you felt lonely or rejected or unwanted or unloved. 00:30:29.680 --> 00:30:33.320 And again it's not wrong to want to be loved. 00:30:33.440 --> 00:30:35.519 In fact that's good and that's right. 00:30:35.519 --> 00:30:38.019 Especially in the context of a healthy marriage. 00:30:38.240 --> 00:30:40.660 That's good for your spouse to love you. 00:30:40.799 --> 00:30:42.079 And to pursue you. 00:30:42.139 --> 00:30:43.539 And to make you feel wanted. 00:30:43.819 --> 00:30:45.139 And to feel desired. 00:30:45.240 --> 00:30:45.900 And to feel loved. 00:30:46.160 --> 00:30:48.940 Jacob is failing in his responsibility as a husband. 00:30:49.440 --> 00:30:51.059 This is not a healthy marriage. 00:30:51.900 --> 00:30:55.079 But do you see this common thread of idolatry running through? 00:30:56.220 --> 00:30:58.839 How these desires drive their actions? 00:30:59.160 --> 00:31:03.920 Jacob was willing to give years and years and years of hard labor to get what he wanted. 00:31:03.920 --> 00:31:07.680 Laban was willing to lie and to cheat to get what he wanted. 00:31:08.000 --> 00:31:12.640 And now Leah is willing to use her fertility to get what she wants. 00:31:13.759 --> 00:31:18.840 Not one of them have considered the Lord and his desires. 00:31:20.160 --> 00:31:24.360 Not one of them have put any of these desires in proper perspective. 00:31:24.359 --> 00:31:26.439 Until verse 35. 00:31:27.740 --> 00:31:31.219 It says she conceived again and bore a son. 00:31:31.979 --> 00:31:36.719 And said this time I will praise the Lord. 00:31:37.899 --> 00:31:40.259 She called his name Judah. 00:31:41.219 --> 00:31:45.099 Which sounds a lot like the Hebrew word for praise. 00:31:45.339 --> 00:31:48.179 And it says that at this point she stopped bearing. 00:31:48.180 --> 00:31:53.400 And we know church in God's wisdom and God's sovereignty and God's plan. 00:31:53.840 --> 00:31:56.340 That it is through the line of Judah. 00:31:56.759 --> 00:31:58.740 Through the tribe of Judah. 00:31:59.000 --> 00:32:01.539 That the Messiah Jesus Christ will come. 00:32:03.160 --> 00:32:06.000 Jesus Christ will be the lion of the tribe of Judah. 00:32:06.200 --> 00:32:08.240 Do you see the shift that's happened for Leah here? 00:32:09.400 --> 00:32:12.360 Her eyes were so fixed on her husband. 00:32:12.920 --> 00:32:14.759 Fixed on her own desires. 00:32:14.940 --> 00:32:17.200 Fixed on her own need for affirmation. 00:32:17.200 --> 00:32:18.759 Her desire to be loved. 00:32:18.980 --> 00:32:21.819 That she forgot to even consider the Lord. 00:32:21.900 --> 00:32:25.180 In fact up to this point her mentions of the Lord. 00:32:25.380 --> 00:32:28.319 She was even using him as a means to an end. 00:32:28.440 --> 00:32:30.200 To get what she wanted wasn't she? 00:32:31.180 --> 00:32:32.940 The Lord has seen me. 00:32:33.680 --> 00:32:36.240 So now maybe he'll give me a son and my husband will love me. 00:32:37.019 --> 00:32:38.500 The Lord has heard me. 00:32:38.640 --> 00:32:40.539 And now maybe my husband will love me. 00:32:40.940 --> 00:32:42.600 The Lord's given me another son. 00:32:42.680 --> 00:32:44.240 So now maybe my husband will love me. 00:32:44.420 --> 00:32:46.039 It's not about the Lord is it? 00:32:46.039 --> 00:32:50.879 It's all about her desire and need for love. 00:32:51.119 --> 00:32:53.079 Wives and husbands. 00:32:53.440 --> 00:32:57.119 And those who will one day be wives and husbands. 00:32:58.319 --> 00:33:06.039 Do not believe the cultural lie that your spouse is one who completes you. 00:33:06.039 --> 00:33:22.299 Do not believe the fairytale idea of a happy marriage where all of your self-esteem, all of your worth, all of your identity is wrapped up in the love and affection and attention of this other person. 00:33:22.299 --> 00:33:25.099 Now again, it is good and right to be loved. 00:33:27.000 --> 00:33:29.139 But only in the Lord are you complete. 00:33:30.579 --> 00:33:34.579 Only in the perfect love of the Lord will you find true satisfaction. 00:33:35.919 --> 00:33:38.319 And to put that on your spouse is asking too much of them. 00:33:38.319 --> 00:33:42.859 Jacob wants a spouse. 00:33:43.000 --> 00:33:44.460 Laban wants prosperity. 00:33:44.679 --> 00:33:46.139 Leah wants love. 00:33:46.299 --> 00:33:51.059 And fourth, we see Rachel desires children. 00:33:51.299 --> 00:33:52.960 Look there to chapter 30 verse 1. 00:33:54.599 --> 00:33:55.179 It says, 00:33:55.180 --> 00:33:59.900 Can you imagine that? 00:34:00.900 --> 00:34:02.920 Rachel has it all. 00:34:04.160 --> 00:34:05.299 She's got the looks. 00:34:05.600 --> 00:34:07.799 She's got the husband who loves her. 00:34:08.000 --> 00:34:10.360 Leah has this one thing going for her. 00:34:10.619 --> 00:34:13.539 But clearly it's the one thing that Rachel doesn't have. 00:34:13.820 --> 00:34:16.680 And it is the one thing that Rachel desires deeply. 00:34:16.960 --> 00:34:18.099 So look what she says to Jacob. 00:34:18.099 --> 00:34:18.780 She says, 00:34:19.139 --> 00:34:21.519 Give me children or I'm going to die. 00:34:21.519 --> 00:34:26.159 Clearly this is an idol for Rachel. 00:34:27.500 --> 00:34:29.139 She's not too subtle at hiding it, is she? 00:34:30.460 --> 00:34:31.940 But there's your sign, right? 00:34:31.980 --> 00:34:37.639 If there's anything in your life that you think life wouldn't be worth living without it, 00:34:37.800 --> 00:34:38.980 that is an idol. 00:34:40.900 --> 00:34:44.599 If there is anything in your life that you have right now, 00:34:44.599 --> 00:34:49.519 and if it were taken away from you that you think life would not be worth living anymore, 00:34:49.679 --> 00:34:51.480 that may just be an idol in your heart. 00:34:52.519 --> 00:34:57.059 If there's anything that you desire so strongly that you feel incomplete, 00:34:57.360 --> 00:34:59.440 and you think my life would be so much greater, 00:34:59.539 --> 00:35:05.019 if only that may be an idol in your heart. 00:35:06.519 --> 00:35:09.159 For Rachel, it seems to be children. 00:35:09.360 --> 00:35:11.019 Rachel desires to have children, 00:35:11.159 --> 00:35:14.099 which again, church, that is a wonderful thing. 00:35:14.179 --> 00:35:15.659 That is a good thing. 00:35:15.659 --> 00:35:18.859 And culturally, outside of these four walls, culturally, 00:35:19.460 --> 00:35:23.619 it seems like there's been a shift away from valuing children. 00:35:24.559 --> 00:35:27.579 And a shift away from valuing childbirth. 00:35:27.759 --> 00:35:32.279 In fact, the U.S. recorded its lowest fertility rate ever. 00:35:32.280 --> 00:35:37.580 1.6 births per woman in the year 2024. 00:35:38.920 --> 00:35:40.540 Lowest fertility rate ever. 00:35:41.780 --> 00:35:43.100 Globally, that's the fact as well. 00:35:43.200 --> 00:35:46.880 Globally, birth rates are down to 2.2 per woman in 2023. 00:35:46.880 --> 00:35:51.440 That's down all the way from 5.3 in 1963. 00:35:51.860 --> 00:35:53.880 That is a huge decrease, isn't it? 00:35:54.980 --> 00:35:57.160 Now, we can sit here and speculate as to why. 00:35:57.300 --> 00:36:01.019 I've got several ideas, but I think that is clear. 00:36:01.019 --> 00:36:03.880 We're culturally getting married and having kids. 00:36:03.960 --> 00:36:06.239 That's becoming more and more and more weird. 00:36:06.719 --> 00:36:07.920 And let me just say, 00:36:08.280 --> 00:36:12.300 Christians ought to be okay being very weird in that sort of culture. 00:36:14.820 --> 00:36:18.099 You should get married if you desire. 00:36:18.280 --> 00:36:19.800 You should have lots of kids. 00:36:20.639 --> 00:36:23.960 You should raise them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 00:36:24.300 --> 00:36:25.420 Be fruitful and multiply. 00:36:25.559 --> 00:36:26.960 Make disciples of your children. 00:36:26.960 --> 00:36:30.119 Be very weird in a culture that despises children. 00:36:31.380 --> 00:36:35.380 But also, friend, there is a danger on the other side as well. 00:36:35.699 --> 00:36:38.780 The danger, the swing in the other direction 00:36:38.780 --> 00:36:45.199 is desiring this good thing so much that for you it becomes an idol. 00:36:47.619 --> 00:36:52.320 We should realize children are wonderful gifts, 00:36:52.860 --> 00:36:55.539 but they too are terrible gods. 00:36:57.159 --> 00:37:00.960 We shouldn't be like Rachel and let this desire for children 00:37:00.960 --> 00:37:05.039 rule over us so much that we feel like without them, 00:37:05.179 --> 00:37:08.099 life doesn't even seem worth living. 00:37:09.019 --> 00:37:11.820 And the hard truth is, we see it here with Rachel and Leah, 00:37:12.139 --> 00:37:15.119 the Lord is sovereign over all things, 00:37:15.340 --> 00:37:17.519 including life in the womb. 00:37:17.820 --> 00:37:20.720 The Lord may not grant your desire to have children. 00:37:20.719 --> 00:37:21.519 Have children? 00:37:23.519 --> 00:37:26.079 I wonder, are you content to wait on Him 00:37:26.079 --> 00:37:28.719 and to share your desires with Him 00:37:28.719 --> 00:37:31.019 and to trust Him to do as He pleases? 00:37:32.899 --> 00:37:35.439 And Jacob is angry with Rachel's demands. 00:37:35.559 --> 00:37:36.839 He says, am I in the place of God? 00:37:36.899 --> 00:37:38.859 I can do everything I know how to do. 00:37:38.980 --> 00:37:40.619 It's God that gives life in the womb. 00:37:41.719 --> 00:37:43.439 God is sovereign over your womb. 00:37:43.579 --> 00:37:46.119 God's the one who opens and closes the womb. 00:37:46.119 --> 00:37:48.219 But Rachel, she's not content with that answer, is she? 00:37:48.440 --> 00:37:50.519 She must have children. 00:37:50.639 --> 00:37:53.000 This is for her life or death. 00:37:53.099 --> 00:37:56.239 Life is not worth living unless I get children. 00:37:56.319 --> 00:37:58.179 In fact, more children than my sister. 00:37:59.199 --> 00:38:01.359 So she takes matters into her own hands. 00:38:01.420 --> 00:38:04.519 And again, this messy origin story continues. 00:38:04.639 --> 00:38:06.839 She gives Bilhah, her servant, to Jacob. 00:38:06.980 --> 00:38:08.759 Bilhah conceives and bears a son. 00:38:08.819 --> 00:38:10.739 They call him Dan because she says, 00:38:10.799 --> 00:38:12.839 God has judged me and heard my voice. 00:38:13.839 --> 00:38:15.940 Bilhah conceives again, bears another son. 00:38:15.940 --> 00:38:18.079 I'm Naphtali, which sounds like wrestling. 00:38:18.340 --> 00:38:20.639 And she says, it's because I'm wrestling with my sister here. 00:38:21.179 --> 00:38:22.000 And I prevailed. 00:38:23.559 --> 00:38:24.720 Now Leah jumps in. 00:38:25.159 --> 00:38:26.139 Now she's infertile. 00:38:26.240 --> 00:38:27.539 And so what's she going to do? 00:38:27.599 --> 00:38:29.599 Now she gives her servant, Zilpah, to Jacob. 00:38:29.659 --> 00:38:32.440 And Zilpah bears Gad and bears Asher. 00:38:32.539 --> 00:38:36.119 And the tension in this family, you can just taste it, can't you? 00:38:36.619 --> 00:38:38.079 And this is almost unbearable. 00:38:39.280 --> 00:38:41.000 But they're not finished, are they? 00:38:41.000 --> 00:38:44.280 Verse 14 tells the story. 00:38:44.280 --> 00:38:52.120 It says, one day in the days of the wheat harvest, Reuben went out and got some mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother, Leah. 00:38:52.200 --> 00:38:53.200 Now this is interesting. 00:38:53.340 --> 00:38:56.280 I never understood what the big deal was. 00:38:56.940 --> 00:38:58.260 Outside of just being petty. 00:38:58.380 --> 00:38:59.880 We're going to argue over some mandrakes. 00:38:59.880 --> 00:39:07.599 But apparently, I learned this week, that mandrakes were a powerful aphrodisiac in the ancient world. 00:39:07.960 --> 00:39:08.599 You know what that is. 00:39:09.720 --> 00:39:12.460 They would eat them or they would grind them up. 00:39:12.539 --> 00:39:15.500 They would smell them and it would get everybody in the mood. 00:39:15.660 --> 00:39:16.800 That's what this is all about. 00:39:16.800 --> 00:39:24.539 And here in this competition between sisters on who can have the most children, this is seen as an advantage. 00:39:24.860 --> 00:39:28.580 And so Rachel asks nicely, please give me some of your son's mandrakes. 00:39:29.360 --> 00:39:32.300 Now up to this point, she's still not born a child for Jacob. 00:39:32.400 --> 00:39:34.160 It's all been through her servant. 00:39:34.280 --> 00:39:36.360 And of course, this is made into an issue. 00:39:36.480 --> 00:39:38.140 And they argue about it. 00:39:38.139 --> 00:39:46.859 There's tension, but eventually and ironically even, Rachel says, Leah, you can go sleep with Jacob in exchange for the mandrakes. 00:39:46.920 --> 00:39:52.319 And now she is using her husband to get what she wants. 00:39:52.400 --> 00:39:56.059 Don't you see how the sin of idolatry just ruins everything? 00:39:57.679 --> 00:40:05.440 Don't you see the outflow of sin in the life of a family when we idolize these things, these treasures, these good gifts? 00:40:05.440 --> 00:40:10.019 We use other people as means to an end to make us satisfied. 00:40:11.599 --> 00:40:17.019 So Leah lays with Jacob and she bore Issachar, which sounds like wages. 00:40:17.639 --> 00:40:20.119 And again, she bore Zebulun and then a daughter. 00:40:20.240 --> 00:40:22.559 And we'll hear her story in a few weeks. 00:40:22.619 --> 00:40:23.880 It's also so tragic. 00:40:24.200 --> 00:40:30.619 But after all of this, finally, verse 22 says, God remembered Rachel. 00:40:30.619 --> 00:40:35.639 And God listened to her and God opened her womb. 00:40:35.839 --> 00:40:41.119 And at last she conceived and she bore a son and said, God has taken away my reproach. 00:40:41.159 --> 00:40:47.819 And she called his name Joseph, saying, may the Lord add to me another son. 00:40:48.059 --> 00:40:49.880 She's still not satisfied, is she? 00:40:51.839 --> 00:40:54.599 Friend, do you see the deceitfulness of our hearts? 00:40:56.639 --> 00:40:58.880 Do you see the dangers of idolatry? 00:40:58.880 --> 00:41:05.559 I wonder if you see yourself in any of these four people. 00:41:05.800 --> 00:41:07.680 Again, Jacob desires a spouse. 00:41:07.880 --> 00:41:09.280 Laban desires money. 00:41:09.440 --> 00:41:11.140 Leah desires love. 00:41:11.260 --> 00:41:12.860 Rachel desires children. 00:41:12.980 --> 00:41:15.500 But I wonder, what is it that you desire? 00:41:17.599 --> 00:41:22.360 What is it for you that you desire more than anything else in the world? 00:41:22.440 --> 00:41:28.160 Is there anything that you wish you could have so desperately you'd be willing to do anything to get it? 00:41:28.159 --> 00:41:32.859 Or anything that, without it, life just doesn't seem worth living? 00:41:35.440 --> 00:41:37.659 All of this is a complete mess, isn't it? 00:41:38.859 --> 00:41:46.079 You know, God's people, the 12 tribes, would look back and they would read this account and they would say, man, we're not all that special, are we? 00:41:47.379 --> 00:41:50.319 Our backstory is messed up. 00:41:50.320 --> 00:41:54.039 All the patriarchs were sinners just like us. 00:41:54.080 --> 00:41:55.140 Abraham was a sinner. 00:41:55.280 --> 00:41:56.960 His story is messed up. 00:41:57.039 --> 00:41:58.039 Isaac was a sinner. 00:41:58.160 --> 00:41:59.300 His story is messed up. 00:41:59.360 --> 00:42:00.519 Jacob's story is the same. 00:42:00.760 --> 00:42:05.900 We come from a history and a line of sin and idolatry. 00:42:05.980 --> 00:42:09.600 I think this would be humbling for them if it had its full effect. 00:42:09.599 --> 00:42:20.940 I think this would be humbling to know that they, like everybody else who descends from Adam, is born into this messed up line of sin and guilt. 00:42:20.940 --> 00:42:43.460 But I think they would also marvel to know that this holy God has, out of the abundance of his grace, chosen to look upon sinners like us and love us with an everlasting faithfulness, according to his great promises. 00:42:43.460 --> 00:43:02.059 Of course, as we look to the pages of the New Testament, we see that in all of this, our good and sovereign and faithful God is at work, even in this mess of a family, to bring about the redemption of his people, to the praise of his glorious grace. 00:43:03.300 --> 00:43:12.400 God works out all things, even in this mess, to bring us to the Savior and to bring the Savior to us. 00:43:12.400 --> 00:43:17.519 Matthew chapter 1, it tells us, Jesus is the son of Abraham, the liar. 00:43:18.579 --> 00:43:21.240 He's the son of Isaac and Jacob and Judah. 00:43:21.340 --> 00:43:22.639 We've just seen how messed up they are. 00:43:23.680 --> 00:43:25.820 He descends from Rahab, the prostitute. 00:43:25.940 --> 00:43:28.840 He's the son of David, the adulterer and the murderer. 00:43:29.039 --> 00:43:31.420 On and on and on and on it goes. 00:43:31.639 --> 00:43:36.760 When you read through Jesus' origin story, his family history, guess what? 00:43:36.920 --> 00:43:39.019 You see how messed up it is. 00:43:39.019 --> 00:43:45.300 And we trace it all the way back here to Judah, the offspring of a hated and forgotten woman, Leah. 00:43:46.559 --> 00:43:48.440 But that's exactly the point. 00:43:49.739 --> 00:43:52.840 There is one hero in this book. 00:43:54.259 --> 00:43:58.719 Jesus Christ has stepped down into our brokenness. 00:43:59.400 --> 00:44:02.659 He has willingly entered into our dysfunction. 00:44:02.659 --> 00:44:08.639 He has embodied this fallen human nature, yet without sin. 00:44:08.779 --> 00:44:14.960 He has stepped into our mess and into our drama in order to redeem us. 00:44:15.019 --> 00:44:21.839 I mean, how incredible is it that our God has worked out all things and worked in all things, 00:44:22.000 --> 00:44:27.779 even sinful human desires, in order to bring about redemption in Christ, 00:44:27.780 --> 00:44:32.380 to the praise of his glorious grace, to bless sinners like us. 00:44:36.400 --> 00:44:39.820 Brent, if you see a reflection of your own sinful heart in this passage, 00:44:39.880 --> 00:44:46.100 if you think on your own back story and realize that nothing in you commends you to God, 00:44:47.380 --> 00:44:49.900 and if you consider your own family history and you realize, 00:44:50.000 --> 00:44:51.660 man, my family is a mess. 00:44:51.659 --> 00:44:56.779 I come from a long line of sin and failure and idolatry. 00:44:57.139 --> 00:44:57.639 Guess what? 00:44:58.039 --> 00:45:03.319 All that does is show your readiness to receive a perfect Savior 00:45:03.319 --> 00:45:09.500 who stepped into our mess in order to redeem what is broken. 00:45:09.659 --> 00:45:10.859 Paul says in 1 Corinthians, 00:45:11.000 --> 00:45:12.299 Consider your calling, brothers. 00:45:12.399 --> 00:45:14.819 Not many of you were wise according to worldly standards. 00:45:15.739 --> 00:45:17.119 Not many were powerful. 00:45:18.119 --> 00:45:19.500 Not many were of noble birth. 00:45:19.500 --> 00:45:23.780 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. 00:45:24.980 --> 00:45:27.980 God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. 00:45:29.059 --> 00:45:31.679 God chose what is low and despised in the world, 00:45:31.739 --> 00:45:32.980 even things that are not, 00:45:33.400 --> 00:45:35.260 to bring to nothing things that are, 00:45:35.360 --> 00:45:39.280 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 00:45:39.579 --> 00:45:42.360 And because of him, you are in Christ Jesus, 00:45:43.099 --> 00:45:45.179 who became to us wisdom from God, 00:45:45.420 --> 00:45:49.059 righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 00:45:49.059 --> 00:45:50.279 so that as it is written, 00:45:50.440 --> 00:45:51.920 let the one who boasts, 00:45:52.460 --> 00:45:54.259 boast in the Lord. 00:45:54.340 --> 00:45:54.779 Let's pray. 00:45:54.920 --> 00:45:55.159 Father, 00:45:56.159 --> 00:46:00.960 there is nothing in us that would commend us to you. 00:46:02.480 --> 00:46:03.539 God, we confess 00:46:03.539 --> 00:46:08.159 that we are so often ruled by the desires of our hearts. 00:46:08.159 --> 00:46:12.960 that we confess that we are a mess apart from you. 00:46:13.019 --> 00:46:13.460 But Lord, 00:46:13.699 --> 00:46:17.799 you are pleased to take what is broken and to make it whole. 00:46:19.299 --> 00:46:23.219 And to take sinful desires and to transform them. 00:46:23.299 --> 00:46:26.319 God, we pray that you would give us desire for Christ, 00:46:26.440 --> 00:46:27.920 that we'd be satisfied in him. 00:46:28.519 --> 00:46:30.739 God, we would trust in the Lord with all our heart 00:46:30.739 --> 00:46:32.199 and lean not on our own understanding. 00:46:33.480 --> 00:46:35.920 Acknowledge you in all our ways and would you direct our paths. 00:46:35.920 --> 00:46:36.840 We pray in Christ's name. 00:46:37.840 --> 00:46:38.059 Amen.