06.6.3. The Service for Wives and Flocks
III. -- THE SERVICE FOR WIVES AND FLOCKS Genesis 29:1-35 and Genesis 30:1-43
WE now come to the service in Padan-Aram. Evangelic service is here photographed; for the Light Himself has drawn each minutest particular, the trials, mistakes, successes, and results, as none but light could draw them. Jacob is seen in Laban’s house, toiling there, first to gain his daughters, then his flocks and herds. First, the daughters of Laban are won; that is, certain affections or truths, which by nature are akin and subject to our outward man, are embraced by the spirit, and so become fruitful. Then Laban’s flocks and herds are gained; that is, the animal faculties and emotions, which hitherto have been altogether under the power of the outward man, henceforth obey the spirit, and follow, though still animal and irrational, the directions of the spirit rather than of the outward man. This is not done without long toil. Many a night does Jacob watch, and many a weary day. "In the day the drought consumes him, and the frost by night: sleep departs from his eyes, and slumber from his eyelids" (Genesis 31:40). But the work is done at last. Laban’s daughters and flocks and herds serve Jacob, and he "increases exceedingly."
Such is the scene, and the outline is clear: the details need a man’s, not to say an angel’s, eye. For service is pictured here. Ministering spirits, therefore, according to their measure, will understand this. To others, because the reality is unknown, the picture must needs be more or less a puzzle.
We are first shewn Laban’s state, when Jacob comes; then the service rendered to him; and lastly, the results of it. We may trace it within and without. The outward fulfilment will, as ever, be clearest to earthly eyes.
First, to trace it within. Laban’s state is seen, that is the state of the outward man, when Jacob or the spirit of service begins to act on him. In reply to the question, "Is he well?" the answer given is, "He is well" (Genesis 29:6); for the natural man, till by dealings with the elect it begins to know itself, is ever self-satisfied. And yet, "it was not much he had before Jacob came" (Genesis 30:30). A well, some sheep, and two daughters, were the better part of his possessions. And the water was scarce, for as a rule the well was closed; while his fairest daughter was occupied with the cattle, in outward more than inward things (Genesis 29:1-9). These figures are all familiar to us. Wells, and sheep, and daughters have again and again passed before our eyes. (Note: For "wells" see on Genesis 21:1-34, Genesis 25:1-11, and Genesis 26:1-35. For "flocks," on Genesis 1:1-31, Genesis 13:1-18, and Genesis 22:1-24. For "daughters," on Genesis 6:1-22 and Genesis 16:1-16, and elsewhere.) Women are affections; but, as our principles are ever what our affections are, they also figure certain principles. Hagar, Sarah, and others, have made this clear. Here two women are seen; the elder, the first and outward affection or principle of the natural man; the younger, the later more inward principle: and of these even the fairest is yet in outward things. Nevertheless Laban welcomes Jacob: -- "He ran to meet him, and brought him into his house" (Genesis 29:13). For the outward man at first is glad to be served, and for awhile is strengthened, though in the end weakened and impoverished, by the efforts of Jacob, the spiritual inward man.
Jacob’s service then begins by assisting Rachel, the younger daughter, to open the covered well. Then he gives drink to Laban’s flocks. After this, he proceeds to serve with a fixed aim, first for the daughters, then the flocks, of Laban. The course and results of this service are most significant.
Laban’s daughters are toiled for first, more strictly the younger daughter, though Jacob in fact obtains both. "Leah was tender or weak-eyed, (Note: Our version, "tender-eyed," is not very plain. The LXX. translate, ophthalmoi astheneis: the Vulgate, "lippis oculis.") but Rachel was beautiful and well-favoured. And Jacob loved Rachel, and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter" (Genesis 29:15-18). He wishes for Rachel alone; but at length, after seven years’ service, and when he hopes to have her, he is deceived by Laban, and put off with Leah. "It came to pass in the evening, that Laban took Leah, and brought her to Jacob, and he went in unto her. And in the morning, behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, What is this that thou hast done unto me? Did I not serve thee for Rachel? Wherefore then hast thou beguiled me? And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the first-born." Jacob gets Rachel after all; but against his will and unknown to him he first embraces Leah. It must be so. "It is not so done in that country to give the younger before the first-born."
Laban’s daughters as we have seen, are the affections or principles of the outward man. At each stage, as believer, or son, or servant, the elect spirit embraces one or more of these. Like seed, it finds a soil: it does not make it; and that soil is throughout human and natural. Thus is our fallen nature laid hold of by the Spirit, and out of its affections, earthly as they are, good fruit is borne to God’s glory. The mystery of the Incarnation is the outward witness of this. And He who abhorred not the Virgin’s womb, -- who said, "I will dwell in you and walk in you," -- who took our nature and our infirmities upon Him, -- out of the woman in us yet brings forth spiritual fruit. But the elect’s aim is to gain, not the elder or first-born, but the younger or more inward and spiritual affection of the natural man. The first-born has few or no attractions for him. The spirit desires rather to gain what is lovely and spiritual of the outward man. Seven years he labours for this, and "they seemed but a few days for the love he had unto her" (Genesis 29:20); for when the spirit is full of love, time is nothing: love makes our life, like that of the angels, wholly out of time. But there is a sort of necessity for taking the first and natural before the spiritual. While we only desire the inward, we are put off with the outward, which we do not love. We may think we have got Rachel, but it is Leah. The old man has been too cunning for us. For we are in the dark, (Note: "It came to pass in the evening," &c., Genesis 29:23. Respecting the "evening," see on Genesis 2:1-25) and know not what we are doing. When, however, light breaks in, we learn how, with all our love for the younger, we have been deceived. Oh, how many, who have only got Leah, think it is Rachel, simply because they are in the dark. If they love Rachel, she too shall be theirs. In due time, after our carnal haste has been met by what is first and natural, we shall obtain the spiritual. But action precedes contemplation; a life on outward principles must come before an inward life; and the outward though not so fair, is more fruitful: not by one alone, but by both of these, is Israel built up. (Note: Augustine, Gregory the Great, Bernard, and others, agree substantially in this interpretation. Augustine pursues the subject at very great length, Contra Faustum Man. l. xxii. cc. 51-58. Gregory the Great writes briefly, In Ezech. l. ii. h. 2, § 10. Bernard gives a similar exposition, Lib. de Modo bene vivendi, ad Sororem, c. 53. Compare also the passage from the Catena Aurea on the genealogy of Christ in St. Matthew.)
Surely there is a "needs be" for this. Laban could not have crossed Jacob’s purpose, had not God permitted it. Unwearied love is watching Jacob’s steps. Not chance but love gives him weak-eyed but fruitful Leah, as well as fair Rachel; love to Laban, to win yet more of his seed, to win the outward as well as the inward affections of the natural man; love to Jacob, for he is unfit for the best things: an outward principle is the only one by which at present he can bear fruit. We may wish for the best things, like Jacob here; but for our profit we are at first united to outward principles. It was but now that we made ourselves rough like the first-born: justly therefore are we put off with Laban’s first-born. When we are more spiritual, the spiritual shall be within our reach. (Note: Augustine is so diffuse here that one can scarcely make a satisfactory extract. See Contr. Faust. Man. l. xxii. c. 53.) Thus do the principles which we receive, -- and mere head-knowledge is not reception, for as Jacob loved and was acquainted with Rachel long before he got her, so is there an acquaintance with truth, which precedes that union with it which results in fruitfulness, -- thus do the principles we hold shew what we are. Happy is it, when being spiritual we can bear spiritual things. But far safer is it for us, and a pledge of God’s true loving-kindness, that while we are yet carnal we should only reach carnal things.
Jacob next serves for Laban’s flocks, until, after six years more labour, a great part of the cattle have changed masters, and are henceforth Jacob’s flock. It appears that Jacob, having got Rachel, wished to leave. Then Laban answers, "I pray thee, tarry; for I have learnt by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake. And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me anything: if thou wilt do this for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock. I will pass through thy flock, removing thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and of such shall my hire be. And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word" (Genesis 30:31-34). The bargain is that Jacob is to have the "speckled and spotted," and of these ere long by his art he gains the larger and stronger flock. Out of flocks of one colour, he gets others speckled and ring-straked; and the flocks change masters only by changing colours. "Jacob took rods of poplar and almond and chestnut tree, and peeled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods. And he set the rods which he peeled before the flocks in the gutters, in the watering troughs when they came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink. And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle, ring-straked, speckled, and spotted" (Genesis 30:37-39).
Even so are the flocks yet won. Those animal emotions, which hitherto have been altogether under the power of our outward man, by the spirit’s efforts receive another hue, and shew in their very appearance the spirit’s handywork. Animal emotions of course are animal to the end, but on them a great outward change has passed, so that even the old man must confess they do not look as they used to look. Jacob has changed their hue. This is done by setting rods of varied colours before their eyes. These "rods" are portions of the Word; (Note: See what is said of the trees of knowledge and life, on Genesis 2:1-25) and like that, which, when stretched out over the sea, opened a path for Israel (Exodus 14:16), or that, which, though dry, when laid up before the Lord, budded and blossomed and brought forth almonds (Numbers 17:8), these feeble rods effect great things: by them, as by "the rod out of the stem of Jesse" (Isaiah 11:1), the weak are made strong. These, partly peeled, partly unpeeled, -- peeled, that is with the inward sense opened, so that what is covered and hidden within may be brought to light, -- unpeeled, that is in the letter alone, with the outward covering still untouched, as at first we always see the Word, -- are set before the flocks, where the living streams are opened, that the offspring or fruit may take another hue. (Note: Gregory the Great explains these rods, Moral. in Job, l. xxi. c. 1. Ambrose gives a similar interpretation, De Jacob. l. ii. c. 4, § 19. Justin Martyr too alludes to these rods, as figuring the doctrine of the cross, Dial. c. Tryph. c. 86.) The animal in us is only thus won; nor can the spirit claim anything of the old man’s, save that on which it has exerted a transforming influence. As the results of this service, Jacob obtains, not Laban’s daughters and flocks only, but fruit by each of these. First he gets fruit by the daughters. These children by Leah and Rachel and the bond-maids are the different forms of life which are produced by the spirit of service in us out of different principles; Leah and Rachel representing the higher principles, outward or inward; the bondmaids, other lower principles, subservient to the former, but which are also embraced and produce their own fruit. First come four sons by Leah, whose names point out the peculiar form of life which each shadows forth; Reuben, intelligence; (Note: Reuben, i.e. "filius visionis." Jerome, Nom. Heb. "Seeing" is the common figure for intelligence. Cf. Numbers 21:8-9; John 3:14-15; Luke 24:31; John 6:36; John 6:40; John 6:46-47.) then Simeon, obedience; (Note: Simeon, i.e. "auditio." Jerome, Nom. Heb. "Hearing," or "hearkening," is synonymous with obedience. See 1 Samuel 15:22; John 10:2-3; John 10:16; John 10:27; John 18:37; Isaiah 55:2; Jeremiah 7:23-24; Jeremiah 7:26.) then Levi, service; (Note: Levi, i.e. "conjunctio." Jerome, Nom. Heb. The force of this name, "joining," as representing service, may be seen in many Scriptures: -- Isaiah 56:3; Isaiah 56:6; Numbers 18:2; Matthew 6:24; Jeremiah 50:5; Zechariah 2:11. See also Genesis 2:24 and Matthew 19:5, where the word "joining" shews the very intimate and sanctified service connected with the marriage tie.) then Judah, rule. (Note: Judah, i.e. "confessio." See Psalms 100:1-5. This and the succeeding names need no illustration. I may add here, that in the naming of Leah’s first four sons, she connects the fruitfulness with "the Lord," saying, "I will praise the Lord," &c.; while in the naming of the last two she speaks of "God," saying, "God hath given me my hire," &c. Compare Genesis 29:32-33; Genesis 29:35, with Genesis 30:18; Genesis 30:20. See also Genesis 30:24, where Rachel says, "The Lord shall add," &c. This is not without a reason. We have noticed a similar change in Genesis 1:1-31 and Genesis 2:1-25) Then come the sons of Rachel’s maid; first Dan, that is "judgment" or justice; then Naphtali, that is victorious "strugglings." After this the fruit of Leah’s maid; first Gad, a "troop" or power; then Asher, or "happiness." Then Leah herself again has sons; Issachar, or a "reward," representing the actual joy of labour, as the Psalmist says, "In keeping thy commandments there is great reward;" then Zebulon, "dwelling together," or communion; then Dinah, whose name signifies the same as Dan, but in whom, as a daughter, justice is seen as a principle rather than an active life. After this Rachel brings forth a son, the lovely fruit of a life of patient suffering; "And she said, God hath taken away my reproach: and she called his name Joseph," that is "addition" or increase. All these are the fruits of service in us, some better than others, some destined to cause grief; all needing rule and culture, yet owned and formed by the Lord to shew forth his praise. (Note: The reader who cares to pursue this subject, will find it treated at great length, and with much spiritual insight, in a volume entitled, "The Patriarchs, as setting forth the things of the Sermon on the Mount;" being the Christian Advocate’s publication for 1849, by Thomas Worsley, Master of Downing College, Cambridge.)
Jacob’s service gained more than this. Laban’s flocks, as well as his daughters, come at last into Jacob’s hands. Not only do the affections and principles of the natural man come under the spirit’s government, and produce spiritual fruit, but even the animal emotions after long watchings are gained, and out of them also there is much increase to God’s glory. The results of this on Laban are, that he is increased at first (Genesis 30:27-30), but impoverished in the long run (Genesis 31:1). When the spirit of service comes to deal with the natural man, and works with him and for him, for a season the outward man is enriched; but further service, if it continue long enough, will as surely weaken him. And the old man not seeing God’s hand in this, that it is "God who has taken away his cattle" (Genesis 31:9), is angry because he is made poor; but he cannot hurt the inward man, and all his wrath only hastens the further accomplishment of the Lord’s promise.
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I have thus traced this scene within, because if this inward view be known, the other more outward fulfilment of it will of course be manifest. But some will see it without, better than within. Without, Jacob’s service sets forth the labour of those, who, though heirs, seek to win out of the far country, and from the power of the natural man, children and flocks whom they may take back to a better land. They come down to Laban’s ground; for only thus, by coming down among natural men, can elect servants reach those whom they are looking for. Here they toil for children and flocks. Like Jacob, they would fain have Rachel only, that is a spiritual church; but in the world, and while serving there, they find that they must have outward principles also and an outward church. As Isaacs, or sons, we may have Rebekah only, though even by her we have a twofold seed; but if we come to be servants, whose "hand must take hold," we shall find that we must take blear-eyed Leah as well as fair Rachel. Those who know only sonship may judge as carnal the Jacobs who have been led on by grace to reach a further stage; but if they advance to apprehend what they are apprehended for, they themselves may, and surely will, attain to Jacob’s life. Then will they find that, even when they think to pass by the elder, in the outward world and in service it is impossible. In service we must have the two wives; an outward church, and outward and natural principles, as well as spiritual. We may wish to escape this, but in the result we shall not be able to boast over our father Jacob. I speak that which I know, and testify what I have seen; and I know that though at first it would be more in accordance with the mind of true servants not to have Leah, there is a stage when she too is needful and fitting, and therefore not without divine permission is given to us; and not she alone, but the two handmaids also, that is, even lower and yet more servile principles. (Note: Augustine, whose comment throughout is striking, interprets the handmaids, Contr. Faustum, l. xxii. c. 55.) So we serve, and the Lord builds the house: sons are given, very diverse, though sprung from one common father, and heirs of one inheritance; some are Reubens, good mediums for light, like water, but "unstable as water," excitable and prone to defile their father’s bed (Genesis 49:4); some are Simeons, quick to give ear, but apt, in their zeal for obedience, to perform cruel things (Genesis 49:5-6); some are Levis, joined to the Lord in service, entering into His presence with oblations presented for their more outward brethren (Deuteronomy 33:10); some are Judahs, gifted for rule, and to be praised, because their hand shall be upon the neck of all their enemies (Genesis 49:8; Genesis 49:10); some are Dans, ready to judge Israel (Genesis 49:16); some Naphtalis, satisfied with favour, and full of the blessing of the Lord (Deuteronomy 33:23); some are Gads, overcome at first, but strong at last (Genesis 49:19); some Ashers, who dip their feet in oil, and are acceptable to their brethren (Deuteronomy 33:24); some Issachars, crouching down between their burdens (Genesis 49:14); some Zebuluns, occupied with the outward things and commerce of the great salt sea of this world (Genesis 49:13); some the children of Rachel, like Joseph, sorely shot at, but whose bow abides in strength, because the arms of their hands are made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob (Genesis 49:23-24). The fairest come the last; but all, better or worse, make up one house of Israel. This service further wins flocks. We serve to gain even animal and irrational natures, whose colour is changed indeed, but who remain to the end rough and animal; not true sons, but needing to be fed and led by such; who nevertheless, speckled and spotted though they be, under the Spirit’s guidance may be brought safely into a better land. At first we feed a flock which is not ours; but in due time, not without long toil, those, who once obeyed and served the world, obey a better guide. True servants labour night and day: by night the frost, and by day the drought, consumes them. Some of the flock at times are torn by beasts, and they bear the loss (Genesis 31:39-40); but at last a flock is won whose change of colour shews the presence of more than human skill. (Note: Jacob’s words, Genesis 31:8-12, shew that the means he used to change the colour of the flocks were shewn him in "a vision.") And the colour of the flocks is changed, now as of old, by that which is set before their eyes, where the living waters are poured forth. Men yet become like what they look at. "We all, with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image" (2 Corinthians 3:18): and at last, "We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" (1 John 3:2). But the world, like Laban’s sons, cannot perceive God’s hand in this; they say "Jacob hath taken away all that was our father’s:" while true servants confess that the work is God’s, saying, "God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me" (Genesis 31:1; Genesis 31:9).
------------ The dispensations too reflect this scene. In this view we have here the experience of Christ’s Spirit as servant in this world. He comes into the outward world to serve. When He comes water is scarce: then He opens the well, and feeds the flocks, and seeks union with the seed of the natural man. Fain would He have the younger daughter alone; but He must, such are the requirements of the natural man, first take the elder or first-born. So Leah or law comes first: and then Rachel, that is the gospel dispensation. Leah is fruitful, while Rachel has yet no son. But at length the Gospel yields fruit; and then the old or natural man, who had been improved while Jacob had children by Leah, that is, throughout the Jewish age, is much impoverished and loses his wealth, after Rachel is fruitful, that is, in gospel days. In a word, as Sarah and Hagar prefigure these two dispensations in their connection with the spirit of faith, and thus in reference to heavenly things, Jacob’s wives set forth the same dispensations, in connection with the spirit of service, and so in reference to earthly things. (Note: This dispensational view is common to many of the Fathers: Ambrose, De Jacob. l. ii. c. 5 § 25. Gregory the Great, Moral. in Job. l. xxx. c. 25, § 72. Irenaeus, Adv. Hoer. l. iv. c. 21, (al. 38,) § 3.) Surely it is a wondrous tale, respecting which many unspeakable words remain, which it is not possible to utter here.