And it came to pass in the evening,
now notice what Uncle Laban's doing, this is
a dirty trick, that he took Leah, his
daughter, and brought her to him, and he
went in unto her.
Now at the marriage ceremony in that day,
the way that it was done, the woman
was veiled, entirely veiled.
You couldn't see her at all.
And so poor Jacob didn't see the girl
he's getting until he got in the tent,
and he lifted the veil, and lo and
behold, it wasn't Rachel, it was Leah.
And I wonder if that very moment when
he saw he'd been tricked, I wonder if
he didn't recall something that he was the
younger, and he pretended to be the elder
to deceive his own father, and he deceived
his father, and that's the reason he had
to leave home, and he got the blessing,
and it was a good trick he had
pulled.
But you see, God doesn't go in for
that type of conduct.
God doesn't approve of it.
God had promised him the blessing, but he's
got to get it God's way.
And so what happens?
Well, the thing that happens is just simply
this, that chickens are now coming home to
roost.
He pretended to be the elder, and he
was the younger.
Now he thinks he's getting the younger, and
he gets the elder.
Chickens are indeed coming home to roost.
And what happened?
Came to pass in the evening that he
took Leah his daughter, brought her to him,
he went in unto her, and Laban gave
unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for
a handmaid.
It came to pass that in the morning,
behold, it was Leah, and he said to
Laban, What is this that thou hast done
unto me?
Did not I serve thee for Rachel?
Wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?
And my, I tell you, when the tables
are turned, this becomes an awful thing.
In fact, it's a criminal thing that he's
done.
But notice how Uncle Laban passes it off.
Uncle Laban is an expert, friends, at this
type of thing.
And Laban said, It must not be so
done in our country to give the younger
before the firstborn.
Uncle Laban said, Well, there was a little
matter, a little clause in the contract.
In fact, it was that which was in
fine print.
Jacob and I forgot to call your attention
to it.
There is a rule in the country that
the elder daughter must marry first, and the
younger daughter can't marry until the elder daughter
is married.
And I forgot to tell you that.
And that's the reason that it worked out
as it did.
Well, I tell you, a man served seven
years here.
And now notice Uncle Laban is prepared to
be very generous in his dealings.
He says, Fulfill her week.
And that week, you see, seven years.
And we will give thee this also for
the service which thou shalt serve with me
yet seven other years.
Now, don't come along, friends, anyone, and say,
Well, look, here this man is going to
have two wives.
And it looks like God approved of it.
Well, why do you think God approved of
it?
The record here is in spot because this
is what happened.
But that doesn't mean God approved of it.
In fact, as in the case of Abraham
taking Hagar, the entire story, the whole incident,
reveals that God disapproved of it.
And it's recorded because it is a fact.
Now, Jacob did so, verse 28, Fulfill her
week.
And he gave him Rachel, his daughter to
wife also.
And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, Billa,
his handmaid to be her maid.
And he went in also unto Rachel, and
he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and
served with him yet seven other years.
Believe me, Uncle, Laban is getting his money's
worth, is he not?
And poor Jacob is really going to school.
But he has two wives, and he shouldn't
have them.
He'll be in trouble before it's over.