YOU ARE NOT CHEAP (Part 1)
Sequel to the recent
instruction giving to us in my church - The Dream Centre of the Life
Oasis International Church - on reading a minimum of five chapters of
the Bible per day so as to read the Bible through in a year, I started
from the book of Genesis and on getting to chapter 29, I read the story
of Jacob’s journey to Laban (his uncle), and I was amazed with some
discoveries I came up with.
Love determines price
Although I discovered from the Bible that the gift or wage a man mostly desires is a woman[1], the price that Jacob was ready to pay in order to marry his uncle’s daughter; Rachel really wowed me. Jacob was inquired of what he wanted as wage as he continues to live with and serve Laban; a livestock farmer. Instead of answering the question, he requested for Rachel; negotiating her for seven years wages. What! Did I just read seven years wages? Oh yes, that’s the price he was ready to pay in order to have her due to his love for her, and the Bible expounded that the seven years were just like few days to him. Albeit, Laban supplanted him by giving him Leah (Rachel’s elder sister), but due to the doggedness of Jacob to still marry Rachel whom he actually loved, he agreed without grumbling to serve seven more years; making fourteen years.
I first queried how on earth a man would give seven years of his life in exchange for a woman he loves. Relating this to the lifecycle of human on earth in this present age, a child that was born when Jacob started his first seven years of service would be in year 2 (if in the UK) or at least primary 3 (if in Nigeria). Can you now understand the significance of the price Jacob was ready to pay? I know of a neighbour who gained admission into the University in Nigeria at age fourteen as she was quite brilliant, and don’t forget that Jacob eventually served Laban for fourteen years.
If Jacob had inquired of Laban of the number of years he should serve him to acquire Rachel, he would probably have demanded a lesser number of years but I presumed he intentionally offered such huge number of years because he knew no sensible business man would reject such an offer. Remember that Jacob is a highly skilled ‘business man’ who had achieved BSc in Competition (at birth[2]), MBA in Negotiation (at the pottage pot[3]) and had recently had PhD in Supplanting (his father’s blessing[4]) before leaving his father’s house, so I’m not talking about a bonehead or a fool here. He must have had a prethought before offering such an unfathomable price so as to have the woman he really loved by all means. He took his destiny in his hands as he always did and took the first initiative. If you would be practical about the years Jacob gave up for Rachel’s sake, you would get the picture of the value he placed on her!
To be continued.......
[1] Genesis 41:45, 1 Samuel 18:25-27, Judges 1:12-13
[2] Genesis 25:24-26
[3] Genesis 25:29-34
[4] Genesis 27:18-29
Love determines price
Although I discovered from the Bible that the gift or wage a man mostly desires is a woman[1], the price that Jacob was ready to pay in order to marry his uncle’s daughter; Rachel really wowed me. Jacob was inquired of what he wanted as wage as he continues to live with and serve Laban; a livestock farmer. Instead of answering the question, he requested for Rachel; negotiating her for seven years wages. What! Did I just read seven years wages? Oh yes, that’s the price he was ready to pay in order to have her due to his love for her, and the Bible expounded that the seven years were just like few days to him. Albeit, Laban supplanted him by giving him Leah (Rachel’s elder sister), but due to the doggedness of Jacob to still marry Rachel whom he actually loved, he agreed without grumbling to serve seven more years; making fourteen years.
I first queried how on earth a man would give seven years of his life in exchange for a woman he loves. Relating this to the lifecycle of human on earth in this present age, a child that was born when Jacob started his first seven years of service would be in year 2 (if in the UK) or at least primary 3 (if in Nigeria). Can you now understand the significance of the price Jacob was ready to pay? I know of a neighbour who gained admission into the University in Nigeria at age fourteen as she was quite brilliant, and don’t forget that Jacob eventually served Laban for fourteen years.
If Jacob had inquired of Laban of the number of years he should serve him to acquire Rachel, he would probably have demanded a lesser number of years but I presumed he intentionally offered such huge number of years because he knew no sensible business man would reject such an offer. Remember that Jacob is a highly skilled ‘business man’ who had achieved BSc in Competition (at birth[2]), MBA in Negotiation (at the pottage pot[3]) and had recently had PhD in Supplanting (his father’s blessing[4]) before leaving his father’s house, so I’m not talking about a bonehead or a fool here. He must have had a prethought before offering such an unfathomable price so as to have the woman he really loved by all means. He took his destiny in his hands as he always did and took the first initiative. If you would be practical about the years Jacob gave up for Rachel’s sake, you would get the picture of the value he placed on her!
To be continued.......
[1] Genesis 41:45, 1 Samuel 18:25-27, Judges 1:12-13
[2] Genesis 25:24-26
[3] Genesis 25:29-34
[4] Genesis 27:18-29
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