History seems to repeat itself here. Twice a town well in Haran was the site of significant events in one family’s story. It was here that Rebekah met Eliezer, Abraham’s servant, who had come to find a wife for Isaac. Some 40 years later, Rebekah’s son Jacob returned the favor by serving his cousin Rachel and her sheep from the same well. The relationship that developed between them not only reminds us that romance is not a modern invention but also teaches us a few lessons about patience and love.
Jacob’s love for Rachel was both patient and practical. Jacob had the patience to wait seven years for her, but he kept busy in the meantime. His commitment to Rachel kindled a strong loyalty within her. In fact, her loyalty to Jacob got out of hand and became self-destructive. She was frustrated by her barrenness and desperate to compete with her sister for Jacob’s attention. She was trying to gain from Jacob what he had already given: devoted love.
Rachel’s attempts to earn the unearnable are a picture of a much greater error we can make. Like her, we find ourselves trying somehow to earn love – God’s love. But apart from His Word, we end up with one of two false ideas. Either we think we’ve been good enough to deserve his love or we recognize we aren’t able to earn his love and assume that it cannot be ours. If the Bible makes no other point, it shouts this one: God loves us! His love had no beginning and is incredibly patient. All we need to do is respond, not try to earn what is freely offered. God has said in many ways, “I love you. I have demonstrated that love to you by all I’ve done for you. I have even sacrificed my Son, Jesus, to pay the price for what is unacceptable about you – your sin. Now, live because of my love. Respond to me: love me with your whole being: give yourself to me in thanksgiving, not as payment.” Live life fully, in the freedom of knowing you are loved.
Strengths and Accomplishments
- She showed great loyalty to her family
- She mothered Joseph and Benjamin after being barren for many years
Weaknesses and Mistakes
- Her envy and competitiveness marred her relationship with her sister, Leah
- She was capable of dishonesty when she took her loyalty too far
- She failed to recognized that Jacob’s devotion was not dependent on her ability to have children
Lessons From Her Life
- Loyalty must be controlled by what is true and right
- Love is accepted, not earned
Vital Statistics for Rachel
- Where: Haran
- Occupation: Shepherdess, housewife
- Relatives: Father: Laban. Aunt: Rebekah. Sister: Leah. Husband: Jacob. Sons: Joseph and Benjamin
Key Verse for Rachel
“So Jacob served Laban seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her” (Genesis 29:20)
Rachel’s story is told in Genesis 29-35:20. She is also mentioned in Ruth 4:11
Recommended Bible Study Resources
ESV Study Bible – Study Bibles give you a deeper understanding of God’s Word with tools for life application like commentary, maps, charts, concordance, and study notes. Search our popular translations- NIV, ESV, NKJV, KJV and more!
Believer’s Bible Commentary: Second Edition – A Bible commentary is a written, systematic series of explanations and interpretations of Scripture. Commentaries often analyze or expound on individual books of the Bible, chapter by chapter and verse by verse. Some commentary works provide analysis of the whole of Scripture.
The New Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible – The best concordance for word study! This exclusive new edition of a legendary classic puts generations of biblical research at your fingertips. A valuable tool for pastors, teachers, and students of the Bible.
Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words – This classic word study resource allows you to study the meaning of biblical words in the original languages without spending years learning Greek or Hebrew. A great resource for students, seasoned pastors, and anyone who enjoys biblical word studies–even if they have little to no formal training in Hebrew or Greek.
Halley’s Bible Handbook – The beloved and classic Bible companion has been thoroughly updated, while retaining its time-honored features and Dr. Halley’s highly personal style, to offer even greater clarity, insight, and usefulness.
Click here to print or download the Bible character study “Rachel – Wife of Jacob“
