Watering the Sheep

Tags

12 tribes, Abraham, Alpha and Omega, Angel of the Lord, bargainer, Because He Lives, Bethel, Bible, bride, Canaan, Christ, clay pots, Colossians 1, conjugal rights, conniver, creator, cross of Calvary, darkness, descended into hell, desperate, devotion, earthen vessels, earthquake, Easter, Emmanuel, empty grave, empty tomb, Esau, everlasting, father, father of the bride, feast, flocks, follow, foreshadowing, gave His life, Genesis 29, God, Good Shepherd, Gospel, great commission, Isaac, Isaiah 9, Israel, Jacob, Jesus, Joseph, journey, Judah, Laban, Leah, Levi, light of the world, lion of Judah, living water, Lord, love stories, Mark 16:15, Marriage, Melchizedek, Middle East, negotiator, Old Testament, Padanaram, Passover lamb, priest, Prince of Peace, Rachel, Rebecca, Resurrection Sunday, right hand of God, righteous judge, roll the stone away, romance, ruler, sacrifice, salvation, Savior, servant, seven years, sheep, shepherdess, son of David, spotless, stone, suitor, supplanter, vow, wages, water, wedding night, well, Wife, without blemish, witnessing, Word made flesh, wrestle

I enjoy a good love story.  I’m talking romance, not necessarily sex.  Perhaps I love them even more after all these years because I haven’t known much romance in my life.  I’m a romantic person who had very little opportunity to express that side of me, in either gender role.

The Bible has a number of beautiful love stories.  Some of them also had a bit of tarnish on them.  The love that Jacob had for Rachel is both beautiful and tarnished.

The eldest servant of Abraham, Jacob’s grandfather, was sent to Padanaram to find a wife for Jacob’s father, Isaac.  That wife, Rebecca, would favor Jacob over his twin brother, Esau (the elder brother by a matter of a few moments).  It was Rebecca who also suggested that Jacob personally go to Padanaram to find his own wife.  The journey would also help Jacob escape the wrath of Esau, the one that he cheated out of a birthright and the best blessing.

It was quite a journey for Jacob, a man heretofore content to stay in the camp and dwell in tents.  Most significant of all, he has a direct encounter with the Lord at Bethel and vows that if the Lord takes care of him on this journey, the Lord will be Jacob’s God.

Jacob and Rachel at the Well, c. 1896-1902, by James Jacques Joseph Tissot (French, 1836-1902), gouache on board, 10 3/8 x 8 1/4 in. (26.4 x 21 cm), at the Jewish Museum, New York (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This sets the stage for Jacob to arrive at the land of his grandfather’s people.  And when he arrives, the first woman he lays eyes upon his Rachel, not unlike Abraham’s servant encountering Rebecca as the first woman he approaches.  And both encounters take place at sources of water, a most precious commodity to the sheep ranchers of the Middle East.

At this time in her life, Rachel is the keeper of her family’s flock, a shepherdess.  As she approaches the well, Jacob is conversing with the men about the proper procedures of sheep (cattle) ranching.

And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them. And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep. – Genesis 29:7-8

Notice that the men of that place are not rolling away the stone.  They are waiting for “they” to do it for them.

But when Rachel arrives with her flocks, Jacob himself rolls away the stone from the well and waters the sheep.  (This is the reverse of the encounter between Abraham’s servant and Rebecca.  At that time, Rebecca gave the servant a drink and also watered the servant’s camels.)

Having impressed Rachel with his gallant gesture, Jacob goes to Rachel and kisses her.  (Okay, I’m enhancing the text here a bit, romantic that I am.  But he did kiss her.)  Then he identifies himself as family.

This is where the love story of Jacob and Rachel begins.  And here is where it quickly gets sullied.  Jacob’s Uncle Laban, father of Rachel, gets involved.  Perhaps Laban has gotten wilier in his older years.  Perhaps he realizes he is dealing this time with a suitor, not a servant.  Perhaps both.  But it soon becomes clear that Jacob, the conniver and supplanter, is from the same gene pool as Laban.  However, Laban is more experienced and Jacob at first appears to have met his match.

Jacob’s bargaining skills are blinded by the stars in his eyes for Rachel.  He agrees to work for seven years for Laban to obtain Rachel’s hand in marriage.  And Jacob’s love for Rachel is so strong that seven years seem like only a few days for him.  Ladies, could a suitor be any more devoted than that?

Here’s where Laban gets the better of Jacob.  Apparently there was no formal wedding ceremony in those days where the bride and groom stood together before someone to marry them.  As a wealthy man and father of the bride, Laban has a feast and then delivers the bride to the groom for their wedding night.  But lo and behold, when Jacob awakes the next morning, it is Rachel’s older sister, Leah, next to him.  Laban wants to marry off his oldest daughter first, and he tricks Jacob to do so.

Jacob works seven more years for Rachel, although this time Laban doesn’t make Jacob wait more than a week.  Apparently Leah was entitled to a conjugal week.

Now we have the advantage of hindsight to know how the story turns out.  After another seven years, Jacob wants to take his growing family and return to his home in Canaan.  This time Laban is in the position of desperate bargainer.  For fourteen years, he has seen how the Lord has blessed whatever Jacob does.  He doesn’t want to lose Jacob and that blessing on his ranching operation.  So now Jacob can name his price.  And at first it looks like Jacob is a poor negotiator once again.  But it gives Jacob the opportunity to fleece Laban this time.  (Sorry, I couldn’t resist the pun.)  And soon, Jacob has accumulated great and healthy flocks of his own to go back home with.  And when he sees that Laban and his sons are starting to turn against him, Jacob decides that it is time to get out of Dodge.

Through all these machinations, Jacob eventually fathers the twelve sons who become heads of the tribes of Israel.  And on the way back to meet up with Esau once again, Jacob has another encounter with the Lord (a wrestling match this time: how many people would be more afraid of their brother than the creator of all things?) that leads to him being given the name by which the nation would be known: Israel.  Regardless of why God chose to have things happen this way, they happened.

It was by Leah that Levi was born, becoming the tribe of priests.  Leah’s fourth son, Judah, named for her praise of the Lord, would become the ruling tribe.  When peace finally comes, all the people shall be gathered unto him.

It was by Rachel that Joseph was born.  He was the one who emerged from prison to save his people and forgive his brothers.

Almost all the pieces of the picture, the foreshadows, are present in this fascinating, imperfect love story.  But it never comes to full fruition, never comes together in one person: not until Jesus, the lion of Judah, the son of David, the Prince of Peace, Emmanuel, the Alpha and the Omega from everlasting to everlasting.

Jesus is the Passover lamb, the perfect lamb without spot or blemish, whose sacrifice once forever saves the people from their sins.  But He is also the Good Shepherd.  His sheep hear His voice and follow Him.

Jesus is the priest after the order of Melchizedek, without beginning or end.  But He also sits at the right hand of God the father.  The scepter never departs from His hand and He shall be the righteous judge of all.

Jacob, in fathering twelve sons, was in a sense the creator of the nation.  He is another picture that points to Jesus:

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. – Colossians 1:16-17

In addition to being the sheep, the shepherd (Rachel), the priest (Levi), the ruler (Judah), the savior (Joseph) who also preached to the spirits in prison (1^st Peter 3:19), the sacrificial love (Jacob for Rachel) that gave His life for us while we were yet sinners and at enmity with God, the way to the Father (Bethel) and the creator (Jacob/Israel), Jesus is also the life-giving water in the story.  Jesus is the living water: those who drink of Him shall never thirst.  Water is also an image associated with the Word of God.  Jesus is the word made flesh to have free course: those who partake of it will never hunger.

Furthermore, Jesus is the light who has come into the world.  Whether as the pillar of fire by night or in the burning bush (for example), it was always God who brought the light to the scene.  This is also true figuratively, as when God enlightened Joseph with the interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams.  Nothing physical in the story of Jacob, Rachel and the children of Israel could be a foreshadowing of the light that illuminates the darkness.

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. – Isaiah 9:2,6-7

In order for there to be the victory of Easter, there had to be the hope that was born of Christmas.

When Jesus hung on the cross of Calvary, the sun was darkened.  Earthquakes tore the veil of the temple in two and opened the ground, including graves that saw their occupants come to life.  A couple of days later, another earthquake rolled the stone away.  No person had to do so this time.

As dawn’s light filled the sky on that Resurrection Sunday, so too did the Gospel message have valid proof.  “An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJL4TJcwDRA

The stone has been rolled away.  It is time to water the sheep.  It will be time to water the sheep until Jesus returns.  As Christians, we are to be the clay pots to carry the water to the troughs.  Whatever else our lot in life may be, this is our first responsibility, our great commission.

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. – Mark 16:15

God bless,

Lois

Related articles

• Your Word for This Day: “Blessed to be a Blessing!”

Importance of Christian Unity

Tags

1st John 4, Christ, Christians, Civil Unrest, Civil War, destruction, emigration, freedom, game plan, Gospel of John, Hungary, Jesus prayer for the church, John 15, John 17, Love, Middle East, Muslim, patriotic pride, refugee, salvation, Shiite, Sunni, Syria, Turkey, United States, unity, witness

Tax Season is beginning to take up more and more of my time.  Some problems dealing with New York State over my Obamacare application is adding to the demands on my time.  So my blog posts will continue to be less frequent and shorter.  I also will be using some outside sources and things that I wrote during my transition journey instead of fresh material.  Hopefully, it will still be of growing interest to my current and new readers.  And now, here’s today’s blog post.

There are times when I have concerns about the future of the United States.  There are also times when I am very proud of my country and the ideals for which it stands and upon which it was founded.  Yesterday was one of those days for patriotic pride.

It started when I met with a Christian friend to discuss her income tax situation.  She will be a new client this year.  She also does not know about my past or this blog, so I will not give her name.

After the meeting, we went out to lunch at a nearby Friendly’s restaurant.  We arrived during the gap between the lunch and dinner hours, so we were able to talk with our waiter a bit more than we could if it was at a busier time.

My friend was born in Iran.  She came here at age four, but her English is still somewhat accented.  Perhaps this was why she did not comment on our waiter’s accent.  Or perhaps I merely asked first.  I definitely detected a Middle Eastern accent.  His real first name was on his name tag, but to protect his privacy, I will call him “Salaam”.

Did he mind if I asked him where he was from?  He cheerfully replied, Syria.  He was a friendly, engaging young man.  And in between his need to come and go to take care of our order and other customers, an interesting story unfolded.

This man was not your ordinary waiter.  In Syria, he was a dentist.  This in itself was intriguing.  How does a Syrian dentist end up as a waiter in the New York City suburbs?

He began by asking us if we were familiar with what is going on in Syria as far as the fighting.  My friend and I nodded yes.  He replied that you can get killed there.  People are being shot.  The implication was that it is happening with great frequency there, far more than in the United States.

I thought that perhaps he had been part of the Syrian Christian minority and that was what put his life in danger.  My friend may have had the same thought because at this point, she asked him what religion he followed.  He replied, “Muslim.”

He went on to explain that Muslims are killing Muslims in Syria.  It is the government versus the rebels, moderates versus extremists, Shiites versus Sunnis.  People trying to live their daily lives are caught in between: homes and businesses destroyed; many have lost their lives.

Salaam told us that he walked away from the dental clinic he established and all his equipment.  He has since learned that it has all been destroyed.  He didn’t say which side did it.  It really doesn’t matter at this point.

My friend asked him if he brought family with him.  He shook his head.  He came alone.  Apparently he knew another Syrian dentist who had preceded him coming to the United States.

My friend was surprised that he would come here not really knowing anyone.  Her family came here while the Shah was still firmly in power.  She was not one whose family fled when the Shah was deposed or some in response to some other crackdown on Christians.

I, on the other hand, remember three of my Hungarian cousins coming here in 1957.  I was four years old at the time, but I remember picking up one of them at Camp Kilmer, and the other two showing up at our house in Queens.  It is a vivid memory for me, even though I was only four years old at the time.  After the unsuccessful attempt in Hungary to get rid of the yoke of oppressive Soviet Communism, my cousins managed to become part of the roughly 200,000 Hungarians able to escape.  They arrived with little more than the clothes on their back and a smile, knowing almost no English.  (My mother’s parents came from Hungary at the turn of the century and she was able to communicate with them in Hungarian.)  Learning English, they worked hard and became part of the American middle class.  So I understood the desperation that would cause Salaam to leave his homeland.

My friend questioned him further.  She wanted to know if he left behind family in Syria.  “No,” he replied, adding that they emigrated to Turkey.  Why didn’t he go to Turkey as well, my friend wanted to know.

His answer was enlightening.  He shared that throughout the Middle East and that part of the Muslim world, many of the countries are facing serious problems.  He cited Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Palestine (Jordan), Syria, Lebanon, Iran and Iraq as examples.  And he added that Turkey was in a similar situation.  When I asked if he meant that these countries were unstable, he agreed.  The potential was too high that the destructive events that happened to him in Syria might repeat themselves in Turkey.

He elaborated.  In Syria, you never know when someone might approach you on the street and demand to know your background.  Being a Muslim does not protect, as the battles are between various Muslim factions.  Giving the wrong answer can be hazardous to one’s freedom and even one’s life.

In the United States, in contrast, he explained that no one ever demands to know what he believes.  He has freedom to live his life pretty much as he pleases.  He mentioned that here he has become friends with those who are Muslim, Christian, Jewish, and atheists.  I replied that was also an accurate description of my list of clients.

He mentioned that it would take some time, but he was working on getting licensed as a dentist in this country.  I told him that he had taken an important first step in learning the English language as well as he had.  He was a bit surprised, but pleased at the compliment.

We finished our meal, paid our bill, and gave Salaam a generous tip in recognition of the great service he provided us.  I can see this bright, personable young man going far.  Wherever he ends up, he will make a good neighbor and friend to many.  My pride in my country stems from the hope and second chance that the United States has provided this worthy person.

So what does this have to do with the title of my post?  This is roundabout, even for me!

After I returned home, I meditated on the life of this young man and our conversation with him in the restaurant.  As I did so, I sensed a grieving of the Spirit.  If the body of Christ was truly united, what a testimony it would be to the many people like Salaam whose lives are torn apart by division, including warring within their own religion.  In other places it might be tribal factions or class warfare.

How much more attractive would the Gospel be to the world if they saw a Christian body marked by love and unity?  What a real alternative it would present.  What a solace and refuge it would provide.  Best of all, it is what Christ preached and prayed for us to be: brothers and sisters united in love for one another.  Concentrating on what we have in common rather than where we differ.

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?  And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. – 1^st John 4:20-21

We sing that they’ll know we are Christians by our love.  Do we live it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyHvO4xoEh4

Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.  As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.  These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.  This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.  Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.  Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.  These things I command you, that ye love one another. – John 15:8-17

As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.  And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.  Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. – John 17:18-21

“That the world may believe” … isn’t that what we Christians should want more than anything else in the world?  It is so simple the way Jesus spells it out for us.  But history has shown that it isn’t easy.

Nevertheless, let’s summarize it in simple language.  The world will believe in the Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ, if they see our unity.  We will achieve unity if we love one another within the body of Christ.

That’s the game plan from our Salvation Captain.  Let’s practice it so we can execute it, even under difficult circumstances.  If you watched the Super Bowl, you witnessed that the team able to do a better job of executing their game plan won the prize.

God bless,

Lois