Deja Vu Again

Introduction

Deja vu. A French expression meaning “already seen.” Deja vu is having a strong sense of experiencing a current event before. The feeling that comes when we stop and say to ourselves “I’ve been here before” or “I knew you were going to say that.” 2/3 of us experience deja vu. Some surveys suggest the number is actually higher. Part of what makes this experience unsettling is that we cannot put things in context. We don’t know when it happened previously. For some, it comes in a dream. The dream actually gets fulfilled in life later on. For others, it is believed that our brains are actually working faster and that what we are experiencing is a certain amount of familiarity with people and situations so that we know how things are going to turn out before they do. This experience is also associated in a small number of cases with epilepsy and certain reactions to medication.

If you have ever had the experience of deja vu then like the late Yogi Berra you probably have had similar thoughts—this is deja vu all over again. The experience can be unsettling. It can also be an experience that is odd and novel enough to enjoy it. In our text today, Jacob experiences deja vu. He has been in this situation before. While the roles have changed, Jacob knows about deception and taking advantage of others. In this text, Jacob becomes the deceived rather than the deceiver. Through his experiences he has to learn something about patience. He learns that some things are worth waiting for and he also learns to trust God more.

The Story

After God’s promises are revealed to Jacob in a dream, Jacob travels on to his destination—to his uncle’s house in Paddam Aram. There he meets, Laban’s daughter Rachel. While this is a side point, Jacob’s action at the well demonstrate his fascination with Rachel. In verse 8 we are told that it takes multiple shepherds to life the heavy stone from the well’s opening in order to gain access to the water. In verse 10, seeing Rachel, Jacob lifts the stone by himself and waters the flocks. Jacob quickly finds Rachel attractive and wants to marry her. With no money to pay a bride’s price, Jacob agrees to work seven years for Rachel’s hand in marriage. Laban leaves out a small detail, younger daughters cannot marry before older daughters. Thus, on the wedding night, Rachel’s sister, Leah is substituted.

Jacob’s outrage is met with another proposition—finish out the marriage week, you can then have Rachel as your wife for an additional seven years of work. Thus, Jacob becomes married to two women within a week but must work 14 years in exchange for his wives.

Purpose

It appears that perhaps there is a two fold purpose for including this episode in the Jacob saga. First, the story helps to explain how Jacob got married. Eventually, Jacob will have children not only with Leah and Rachel but with their maidservants. This great nation will come into existence through the twelve sons of Jacob and this story helps us to know how this nation began. Second, this story seems to continue with the idea of deception which has surrounded Jacob’s life from the beginning. As he was named “deceiver” now he is being deceived. But the emphasis does not seem to be on the turn of events, but that deception continues to be a part of Jacob’s life. We are going to see the impact God can make on a human being and this episode allows us to see that Jacob’s life needs to change and with God’s help it will.

But there is another aspect to the story that seems to build upon the promises of God. At the end of chapter 28, verse 20, Jacob makes a vow to God in response to God’s promises. The promise has to do with giving and making God’s name known in the land. Some see Jacob’s vow as manipulative and it well may be—a quid pro quo vow. You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours. But, nonetheless, it is God’s promises and Jacob’s response that seems to be directing his path. There seems to be a new found faith in Jacob. It is a faith that is willing to wait.

Even when he is deceived, he does not demand justice. He agrees to Laban’s proposition. While the text does not tell us why he was willing to work another seven years, it does tell us that the first seven years seemed like a few days because of his intense love for Rachel. What we do begin to see is the patience of Jacob. A patience built upon faith.

There is nothing in the text to suggest that Jacob is thinking about God’s promise as he works for Rachel. But the text does suggest recognition of God in the next set of episodes as the children are born. Each one finds their purpose in God’s power and timing. Jacob knew something about God, his promises, and his timing. Thus, Jacob appears to wait for God to act.

Patience is difficult.

How difficult it is to learn to wait. “Henri Nouwen illustration.”

How difficult it is to leave things with God and allow him to work in his own time.

How difficult it is not to feel the pressure of having success and change immediately. “Alfred Hitchcock illustration.”

How difficult it is to learn that patience is the work of God’s Spirit in our lives and that to be impatient is counter to the will of God.

How we applaud those who do things quickly and how we criticize those who in trying to be patient seem to have no initiative and aggressiveness.

How we have allowed our culture to invade our lives so that patience is seen as a weakness rather than as one of God’s many graces. “Babies Illustration.”

Jacob was patient, but he was active. He worked. Each passing day brought him closer to the goal of being with Rachel. And during those initial seven years, God is silent. But the God of promise did not forget Jacob or his promises during those seven years.

Patience is easier when we turn our attention to God rather than to what we want. It is easier when we give ourselves over to the leading of the Spirit rather than our own ideas.

How are you doing with the challenge of being patient? Invitation.

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