“And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother…Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock…Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept.” (Genesis 29:10-11)

Almost every couple has been asked, “So, how did you meet?”  It is human nature to hear the romantic twists and turns within a beautiful love story.  And the Bible does not disappoint in the least by sharing the details of Jacob meeting Rachel.  There are feats of strength, antagonists in the background, and the purest, yet wholly inappropriate kiss imaginable.  In short, all the hallmarks of a divine matchmaker.

Details are important, so we will look at Jacob’s arrival in Haran.  In the midst of a field, Jacob saw shepherds with flocks lying around a well-covered by a great stone. Jacob, having obtained Isaac’s blessing, had been sent by his father and mother to take a bride from Laban, his mother’s brother in Haran.  It was only partially the story, for Rebeccah knew that Esau was planning to kill Jacob for obtaining the blessing through deception.

Along the way, Jacob had an encounter at Beth El, meaning the “House of God”.  Realizing the sacredness of the moment, he moved the stone that he had used for a pillow into an upright monument saying, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!” Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it.” (Genesis 28:17-18)

Could it then be a coincidence that the next stop in Jacob’s journey should be marked by what the Bible called a “great stone” covering the mouth of a well?  A stone, which the shepherds said required several men to move.   For just a moment, I invite you to look with me at this romantic gesture of moving the stone as a type of the Messiah who moved an excellent stone for His Bride, the People of God.   Here are details about this stone that tell the story of God’s love for us.

I. A Great Stone

First, it was a great stone.  In Hebrew, the word is gadol, meaning large.   We need only look at the picture to see that there was a problem.  Shepherds were standing around, sheep were lying in the exposed field, and the sun was hot overhead.  Jacob told them, “The time was not right; water the flocks and pasture them.”  But they replied, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and they have rolled the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.” (Genesis 29:8) Notice the “we cannot…until…they have rolled the stone”.

It was customary in Israel to cover a well with a large stone to protect life and resources. Even until a hundred years ago, many of these stones remained over the ancient wells, but one by one, they were replaced with plaster and concrete covers.  An uncovered well was a danger to both livestock and people.   The size of this stone required several men to move the stone.

Their words, however, also pose a question to the authority.  These shepherds, it seems, did not have the authority to remove the stone.  The interplay between “we” and “they” implies they were waiting not only for all to be gathered, but for some other persons to come and roll away the stone.

And finally, look at the poor sheep.  Instead of crowding in anticipation at the well where water would flow, the sheep lay in the open sun. Though these shepherds and their panting sheep were accustomed to this, Jacob found it wholly unacceptable.

II. A Great Stone Requires a Great Man

“And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.” (Genesis 29:10 NKJV)

Sheep are helpless creatures. They cannot water themselves, nor are they good at grazing alone. But here romance returns to the story. The shepherds are waiting for all the sheep to gather, and at the front of the last flock is the most beautiful “ewe lamb” Jacob had ever seen. Maybe she had dark, doe-like eyes, or perhaps the way she cried at birth, but something inspired her parents to give her the Hebrew name “Rachel,” meaning a lamb.

When Jacob saw Rachel, the shepherdess, and heard that she was Laban’s daughter, he came near to the well, rolled away the great stone, and watered the flocks of her father.  One Jewish commentary says he did it with “one hand”.  Another describes him doing so as easily as removing a lid.  I don’t know about that, but I do know that it was a feat of strength unseen by the other shepherds.   What moved Jacob was not so much the flocks as the precious lamb leading the sheep – his future bride!

In a moment, we will look at the stone that you may be facing, one that only God can move.  But I would ask first, is there a stone barrier that you may need to move for someone?  Perhaps the Lord is calling you to be that great man or woman of God for someone else today.

III. A Great Stone Rolled Away

“Therefore, with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” (Isaiah 12:3 NKJV)

In the ancient world, wells were among the few culturally appropriate places where young unmarried men and women could speak.  Jacob, however, broke social norms, kissing Rachel on the spot and weeping aloud.  I don’t think any of us would blame Jacob.

His rolling away of the stone was necessary to provide water, but it also symbolized the rolling away of so much pain.  The word for rolling is the same as Gilgal, the place where Israel’s shame was rolled away. In that moment, Jacob’s forty years of uncertainty and waiting were over.  Here was his bride and true love.

I can’t help but see a picture of the Savior, Yeshua, the Messiah, who also came two thousand years ago to find a bride.  And when He saw her thirsting at the “Well of Salvation”, He did what no other could do – He moved the stone.

Maybe you feel like Mary and Martha felt three days after their brother Lazarus had died.  No one had the authority to roll away their stone of pain. No one had the authority to call their loved one back to life.  But in John Chapter 11, Yeshua came near, commanded the stone to be moved, and called Lazarus back to life, setting him free from his graveclothes.

What about Your Stone?

I think each of us comes to places where we feel a great stone lies between us and the source of life.  And literally, that is what water represents.  It may be a stone blocking our healing, forgiveness, or some other need.  If you are facing such a predicament, call upon Yeshua. He is moved when we call upon Him. And He who loves us as a bride has even laid down His life for us, to give us eternal life.

Conclusion

Yeshua was placed in a borrowed tomb as darkness fell in Jerusalem.  It seemed hopeless to the disciples, and the stone that Rome placed over His grave looked impossible to move.  Nothing was so final, and yet it was not the end.

Whatever impossible predicament you face, there is One who is greater. Yes, your stone may be bigger than you and all your friends can move, but if what lies behind that stone belongs to you, the Lord will move it on your behalf.

Your stone might represent a broken relationship, a wandering child, a financial hardship, or even an addiction. Let this story remind you that God is greater than the mountain you face. Three days later, before daybreak, the stone was rolled away, showing that nothing is too big for God.

And finally, Jacob’s love for Rachel is a true reflection of God’s love for you. He loved her before she knew him, and He gave her what she couldn’t give herself. May you experience that love in a real and tangible way. And if you haven’t already, I invite you to call upon Yeshua, the Messiah, today—the only One who can open your well.

JEF