If there are commonalities between Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, we could easily identify with lies, deception, and their love for beautiful women. Sarah, Abraham’s wife, was so beautiful that kings wanted to have her; Isaac lied about Rebekah because he thought her beauty would cause the men to kill him; and out of the two daughters of Laban (Jacob’s uncle), Jacob’s choice was the “fair” one. It looks like 21st century men are not the only ones who seem to be captivated by beauty. Even Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were captivated by beautiful women. Jacob escaped from his brother Esau to Harran. At the mere sight of Rachel, his uncle’s daughter, Jacob did the unthinkable: “When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of his uncle Laban, and Laban’s sheep, he went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep” (Genesis 29:10). The shepherds were waiting “until all the flocks are gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep” (Genesis 29:8). But, at the sight of Rachel, Jacob singlehandedly rolled the stone.
Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.” (Genesis 29:17-18)
Rachel seemed to be a hardworking young lady as she took care of the sheep. Shepherding did not affect her physical appearance. Even in the midst of the sheep, her presence was still breathtaking. Laban asked Jacob for his preferred wage and Jacob did a critical analysis of the situation and this was his recommendation: “Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.” (Genesis 29:16-18). What! That is such a long time to work just to be given a wife. “So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her” (Genesis 29:20). I am not sure how Rachel felt in those seven years knowing that someone was working just to marry her. Isaac had gotten Rebekah on a silver platter. He was not even there when the deal was struck. Jacob’s case was different. He had to escape his father’s house because of a deception and he had no gift and neither did he carry an entourage like the entourage that went to marry Rebekah for Isaac.
Rachel might have felt so special. She is the love of Jacob, the man who is willing to work for seven years just to marry her. The feeling might have been very good. Looking on each day at these lovebirds would be Leah, the elder sister of Rachel. She didn’t have a lovely figure and she had weak eyes. Leah was not as attractive as Rachel. For very obvious reasons, Jacob’s preference was Rachel. After seven years, Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her” (Genesis 29:21). This is where the drama begins: Jacob the certified deceiver, had no idea that Laban was himself a deceiver too. We shall continue this tomorrow. Looking forward to her wedding night was Rachel, the lady who had waited for seven years to be with the man of her dreams. The impatient Jacob couldn’t wait to make love to his trophy wife. Seven years of labour seemed like a day. Let’s go and prepare for the ceremony. Rachel is ready, Jacob is ready but Laban had a plan.
Rachel reminds us of those lifelong cravings that give us sleeplessness. That one thing that you ever wanted and you are ready to do everything just to have it. The insatiable desire that can only be filled by exactly what you want. Sometimes, we wish for so much that we forget that God can satisfy our deepest longings. Rachel was beautiful and had a lovely figure. She was the choice of Jacob. Was she the choice of God?
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