Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

Are you a patient person? Or are you someone who wants to get what you want right away? It is difficult to wait
sometimes especially when you really, really want something or when you really, really need something done.

Well, remember Jacob? After he got the blessings from Isaac, his father, he went away from his family because his
brother, Esau, was so furious that he wanted to kill him. On his way to his mother's relatives, he stopped by the city
called Luz. He had a dream of the ladder to heaven where God told him that he will be blessed. Then, off he went to
Paddan Aram.

This is the what happened to Jacob (Genesis 29) ...

When he arrived in Paddan Aram, he saw a well and there met Rachel, the second daughter of Laban. Laban is his
mother's, Rebekah's, brother. Jacob helped Rachel water the sheep and told her that he is the son of Rebekah, his
father's sister. So, Rachel ran back home and told him father who welcomed Jacob to his house.
Jacob stayed and worked in Laban's house for a whole month. Then, Laban said he will pay Jacob for working for him.
Now Jacob was in love with Rachel so he said, "I will work for you 7 years in exchange for Rachel's hand in marriage."
Laban agreed.

Seven long years! But to Jacob it seemed like only a few days because he loves Rachel. When Jacob completed his
work, he asked for Rachel's hand. So Jacob got married but when he woke up the next morning, he saw that it was not
Rachel whom he married, but Leah, the older sister of Rachel.

He's been tricked! It was kinda like when he tricked his father, Isaac. He went to Laban and asked why he tricked him.
Laban said that it is their custom for the older daughter to be married first so he gave Leah. But after the bridal week,
he will also give him Rachel in exchange for another 7 years of work. Jacob agreed, got married to Rachel and worked
for another 7 years for Laban.

KIDS DISCUSSION
1. Who were the relatives of Jacob whom he met in Paddan Aram?
2. What pay did Jacob agree to receive for working 7 years for Jacob?
3. Why was he willing to wait that long? Do you have the patience to wait that long? (Jacob loved Rachel. If you want
something really good, you ought to be willing to wait for it like when mommy is cooking a delicious meal).
4. What happened on the day Jacob got married?
5. Why was it that he did not do something bad in return for Laban's trick on him?
6. Would you have done as Jacob did?
7. What lessons can we learn from this story? (Patience, willing to wait for the best thing, not to reciprocate evil for
evil...)

MEMORY VERSE: 1 Corinthians 13:4-5

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not
rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.