Jacob's Love for Rachel

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The story of Jacob meeting Rachel by the well and working for seven years (twice!) to marry her pictures a spiritual process that each of us must go through in seeking to be a better person and follow the Lord. This journey can take a long time and have unexpected steps along the way. But if we remain steadfast in looking to the Lord in the work, like Jacob, we can receive our heart’s desire.

The Story

Read or retell the story of Jacob and Rachel in Genesis 29:1-30

Ideas for discussion

  1. What did Jacob do when he saw Rachel and the sheep at the well? (He rolled the stone from the well and watered the sheep. Then he kissed Rachel, wept, and told her that he was Rebekah's son.)
  2. How did Laban receive Jacob? (He ran to meet him, embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house.)
  3. What did Jacob do so that he could marry Rachel? (Jacob worked hard for seven years so he could have Rachel for his wife; but he didn't mind the work, and the seven years seemed only a few days because he loved her so much.)
  4. Laban tricked Jacob by giving Leah to him instead of Rachel. He did give Rachel a week later, but Jacob had to work for seven more years for her. Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah.
  5. This story pictures our spiritual journey. We are inspired to want to become a better person. We aspire to the ideals pictured by Rachel, but we aren’t there yet. We have to work toward that goal, and Leah pictures part of that process.
  6. As we make this journey, it is good to remember that the well from which Jacob rolled the stone symbolizes the Word where we can drink the water of truth from the Lord. We can learn spiritual truths from the Lord’s Word that will inspire us and show us how to become a better person.
  7. The Lord leads everyone to find a marriage partner—either on earth or in heaven. Everything we do to become a better person is also helping us a become a better marriage partner.

Read more about this story and friendship:

Projects and activities for various ages:

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