Memory Text: Ephesians 5:25 Amplified Bible “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.

Sunday, July 22 Why You Should Marry Within the Faith
Genesis 28:1-4 NRSV “1 ¶ Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, "You shall not marry one of the Canaanite women. 2 Go at once to Paddan-aram to the house of Bethuel, your mother’s father; and take as wife from there one of the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. 3 May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and numerous, that you may become a company of peoples. 4 May he give to you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your offspring with you, so that you may take possession of the land where you now live as an alien—land that God gave to Abraham."”
Genesis 6:1-5 God’s Word to the Nations “1 ¶ The number of people increased all over the earth, and daughters were born to them. 2 The sons of God saw that the daughters of other humans were beautiful. So they married any woman they chose. 3 ¶ Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not struggle with humans forever, because they are flesh and blood. They will live 120 years." 4 ¶ The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, as well as later, when the sons of God slept with the daughters of other humans and had children by them. These children were famous long ago. 5 The LORD saw how evil humans had become on the earth. All day long their deepest thoughts were nothing but evil.”
2 Corinthians 6:14 Holman “Do not be mismatched with unbelievers. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?”
2 Corinthians 6:14 COMMENTARY BY ADAM CLARKE This is a military term: keep in your own ranks; do not leave the Christian community to join in that of the heathens…Some apply this exhortation to pious persons marrying with those who are not decidedly religious, and converted to God…Nevertheless, common sense and true piety show the absurdity of two such persons pretending to walk together in a way in which they are not agreed. A very wise and very holy man has given his judgment on this point: "A man who is truly pious, marrying with an unconverted woman, will either draw back to perdition, or have a cross during life."

Monday, July 23 Jacob Versus Laban
Genesis 29:10-15 NLT (verses relevant to the lesson) “10 And because she was his cousin, the daughter of his mother’s brother, and because the sheep were his uncle’s, Jacob went over to the well and rolled away the stone and watered his uncle’s flock. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and tears came to his eyes. 12 He explained that he was her cousin on her father’s side, her aunt Rebekah’s son. So Rachel quickly ran and told her father, Laban. 13 As soon as Laban heard about Jacob’s arrival, he rushed out to meet him and greeted him warmly. Laban then brought him home, and Jacob told him his story. 14 "Just think, my very own flesh and blood!" Laban exclaimed. After Jacob had been there about a month, 15 ¶ Laban said to him, "You shouldn’t work for me without pay just because we are relatives. How much do you want?"”
Genesis 29:15-30 Amplified Bible “15 ¶ Then Laban said to Jacob, Just because you are my relative, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be? 16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah’s eyes were weak and dull looking, but Rachel was beautiful and attractive. 18 And Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, I will work for you for seven years for Rachel your younger daughter. 19 And Laban said, It is better that I give her to you than to another man. Stay and live with me. 20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. 21 Finally, Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for my time is completed, so that I may take her to me. 22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast with drinking. 23 But when night came, he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob, who had intercourse with her. 24 And Laban gave Zilpah his maid to his daughter Leah to be her maid. 25 But in the morning Jacob saw his wife, and behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, What is this you have done to me? Did I not work for you all those seven years for Rachel? Why then have you deceived and cheated and thrown me down like this? 26 And Laban said, It is not permitted in our country to give the younger in marriage before the elder. 27 Finish the wedding feast week for Leah; then we will give you Rachel also, and you shall work for me yet seven more years in return. 28 So Jacob complied and fulfilled Leah’s week; then Laban gave him Rachel his daughter as his wife. 29 (And Laban gave Bilhah his maid to Rachel his daughter to be her maid.) 30 And Jacob lived with Rachel also as his wife, and he loved Rachel more than Leah and served Laban another seven years for her.”
Genesis 29:23 COMMENTARY GENEVA NOTES The reason Jacob was deceived was that in ancient times the wife was covered with a veil, when she was brought to her husband as a sign of purity and humbleness.
Genesis 29:28 COMMENTARY BY ADAM CLARKE It is perfectly plain that Jacob did not serve seven years more before he got Rachel to wife; but having spent a week with Leah, and in keeping the marriage feast, he then got Rachel, and served afterwards seven years for her. Connections of this kind are now called incestuous; but it appears they were allowable in those ancient times. In taking both sisters, it does not appear that any blame attached to Jacob, though in consequence of it he was vexed by their jealousies. It was probably because of this that the law was made, Thou shalt not take a wife to her sister, to vex her, besides the other in her life-time. After this, all such marriages were strictly forbidden.

Wednesday, July 25 Jacob Leaves
2 Corinthians 7:1 God’s Word to the Nations “Since we have these promises, dear friends, we need to cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit and live a holy life in the fear of God.”
Genesis 30:25-31:16 Holman (selected verses) “25 ¶ After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me on my way so that I can return to my homeland. 26 Give me my wives and my children that I have worked for, and let me go. You know how hard I have worked for you.” 27 But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your sight, stay. I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you.” 31 Laban asked, “What should I give you?” And Jacob said, “You don’t need to give me anything. If you do this one thing for me, I will continue to shepherd and keep your flock. 32 Let me go through all your sheep today and remove every sheep that is speckled or spotted, every dark-colored sheep among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled among the female goats. Such will be my wages. 33 In the future when you come to check on my wages, my honesty will testify for me. If I have any female goats that are not speckled or spotted, or any lambs that are not black, they will be considered stolen.” 34 “Good,” said Laban. “Let it be as you have said.”...So it turned out that the weak sheep belonged to Laban and the stronger ones to Jacob. 43 And the man became very rich. He had many flocks, male and female slaves, and camels and donkeys. 31:1 ¶ Now Jacob heard what Laban’s sons were saying: “Jacob has taken all that was our father’s and has built this wealth from what belonged to our father.” 2 And Jacob saw from Laban’s face that his attitude toward him was not the same. 3 Then the LORD said to him, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you.” 4 Jacob had Rachel and Leah called to the field where his flocks were. 5 He said to them, “I can see from your father’s face that his attitude toward me is not the same, but the God of my father has been with me. 6 You know that I’ve worked hard for your father 7 and that he has cheated me and changed my wages 10 times. But God has not let him harm me. 9 God has taken your father’s herds and given them to me. 11 In that dream the Angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ and I said: Here I am. 12 And He said, ‘Look up and see: all the males that are mating with the flocks are streaked, spotted, and speckled, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel, where you poured oil on the stone marker and made a solemn vow to Me. Get up, leave this land, and return to your native land.’” 14 Then Rachel and Leah answered him, “Do we have any portion or inheritance in our father’s household? 15 Are we not regarded by him as outsiders? For he has sold us and has certainly spent our money. 16 In fact, all the wealth that God has taken from our father belongs to us and to our children. So do whatever God has said to you.””

Thursday, July 26 Playing Favorites
Family disaster recipe – Genesis 29:30 KJ21 “And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.”
Evidence of favoritism towards Rachael – Genesis 33:1-3 ESV “1 ¶ And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two female servants. 2 And he put the servants with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. 3 He himself went on before them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.”
Genesis 33:2 COMMENTARY BY ADAM CLARKE Was Jacob still apprehensive of danger, and put those foremost whom he least esteemed, that if the foremost met with any evil, those who were behind might escape on their swift beasts? Ge 32:7,8. Or did he intend to keep his choicest treasure to the last, and exhibit his beautiful Rachel and favourite Joseph after Esau had seen all the rest, in order to make the deeper impression on his mind?

Friday, July 27 Further Study
S.D.A. Bible Dictionary, article “Rachel”:
1. “Apparently Jacob fell in love with Rachel at first sight, and his affection for her grew to be genuine and deep.”
2. “Since Laban was Jacob’s uncle, on his mother’s side, Rachel was Jacob’s cousin.”
Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 189-190 – “The ancient custom, though sometimes abused, as by Laban, was productive of good results. When the suitor was required to render service to secure his bride, a hasty marriage was prevented, and there was opportunity to test the depth of his affections, as well as his ability to provide for a family…The fact that Leah herself was a party to the cheat, caused Jacob to feel that he could not love her. His indignant rebuke to Laban was met with the offer of Rachel for another seven years’ service. But the father insisted that Leah should not be discarded, since this would bring disgrace upon the family. Jacob was thus placed in a most painful and trying position; he finally decided to retain Leah and marry Rachel. Rachel was ever the one best loved; but his preference for her excited envy and jealousy, and his life was embittered by the rivalry between the sister-wives…Fourteen years of toil he [Laban] demanded for his two daughters; and during the remaining period, Jacob’s wages were ten times changed. Yet Jacob’s service was diligent and faithful.”