Genesis 29-30
As I am going along in this study, God is bringing up so many different relational dynamics. We have seen different struggles in the marriage relationship. We have seen different struggles between parents and children. And we have seen different struggles between siblings. Chapter 29-30 seems like one HUGE battle between two sisters who just so happen to be married to the same man.
But first, I have to mention that for Jacob it seems like a matter of what goes around comes around. He and his mother deceived his father Isaac so that Jacob would receive the blessing in place of Esau. Well, his mother sends him away, for fear Esau would kill him, to Laban (his uncle). Jacob falls in love with Rachel, Laban's daughter, and serves Laban for seven years in order to marry Rachel. Well, Laban deceives Jacob and gives him Leah (Rachel's sister) as his wife. So, Jacob served an additional seven years and married Rachel. We need to be careful that we are not being deceptive in our relationships, because one day we too will be deceived. Not to mention it is wrong to not speak the truth always.
Ok, back to the sisters. Leah and Rachel are now married to the same man (I can't even imagine how not cool this would be). And to make matters worse, Leah is not loved by Jacob. So, God intervenes and closes Rachel's womb (more proof that God is in control of even this sacred matter!) and makes Leah fruitful. Leah has four children and then it says she stopped bearing children. Well, wouldn't you know it! Rachel envies her sister because she is able to have children. Bring on the cat fight! lol! Wow. So, Rachel goes to jacob and says, "Give me children, or I shall die!" So, then Jacob gets angry at Rachel (the woman he loves) and says, "Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?" So, then Rachel takes matters into her own hands (just like her grandmother in law, Sarah, did) and gave Jacob her servant, Bilhah and so Bilhah conceives and gives jacob two sons.
Well, in the other tent (those are my words...not sure if it really was in a different tent or not), Leah sees what is going on and because she has ceased to bear anymore children decides she is going to give Jacob the most children and gives Jacob her servant, Zilpah. So, Zilpah conceives and has two sons. Obviously, we can see how having more than one wife can be a bit rough! Not to mention expensive! Thats a lot of mouths to feed! But on a serious note, look at where the trail of deception has gotten Jacob. And then it gets worse...
Leah's son Reuben found mandrakes in the field one day and brought them to his mother. Not exactly sure what mandrakes were, but from what I have read, they are possibly "love fruits." Oh boy. So, Rachel sees the mandrakes and asks Leah for some. Leah replies by saying, "Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you also take away my son's mandrakes?" So, then Rachel says that Leah and lie with their husband that night in exchange for some mandrakes. I can only imagine the look on Jacob's face when he returns from a long day in the field and Leah says to him, "You must come in to me, for I have hired you with my son's mandrakes." And so, Leah conceives 3 more times and give Jacob two sons and a daughter by Leah.
In verse 22 of chapter 30 God remembered Rachel and opened her womb and she conceived and had a son named Joseph...more on him later.
These two women were looking for satisfaction and fulfillment from ALL the wrong places. They could only see their accomplishments before their husband as what completed them and truly satisfied them. It does not seem they looked to God for their satisfaction. They were in a jealousy war it seemed trying to prove to their husband that one was better than the other. No, none of us are married to the same man (thankfully!) and will ever go through this kind of thing, but have we ever been jealous of another woman for other reasons? Maybe she was prettier, or seemed happier, or had better clothes, or WHATEVER! We have all been there at some point or another. Obviously, we are looking for satisfaction in the wrong place. We need to take our eyes off of things of this world and put our focus on God. We must remember that we are precious in God's eyes and we don't need "things" to prove ourselves to God or anyone else. Let's focus on how God sees us instead of on how others see us.
But first, I have to mention that for Jacob it seems like a matter of what goes around comes around. He and his mother deceived his father Isaac so that Jacob would receive the blessing in place of Esau. Well, his mother sends him away, for fear Esau would kill him, to Laban (his uncle). Jacob falls in love with Rachel, Laban's daughter, and serves Laban for seven years in order to marry Rachel. Well, Laban deceives Jacob and gives him Leah (Rachel's sister) as his wife. So, Jacob served an additional seven years and married Rachel. We need to be careful that we are not being deceptive in our relationships, because one day we too will be deceived. Not to mention it is wrong to not speak the truth always.
Ok, back to the sisters. Leah and Rachel are now married to the same man (I can't even imagine how not cool this would be). And to make matters worse, Leah is not loved by Jacob. So, God intervenes and closes Rachel's womb (more proof that God is in control of even this sacred matter!) and makes Leah fruitful. Leah has four children and then it says she stopped bearing children. Well, wouldn't you know it! Rachel envies her sister because she is able to have children. Bring on the cat fight! lol! Wow. So, Rachel goes to jacob and says, "Give me children, or I shall die!" So, then Jacob gets angry at Rachel (the woman he loves) and says, "Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?" So, then Rachel takes matters into her own hands (just like her grandmother in law, Sarah, did) and gave Jacob her servant, Bilhah and so Bilhah conceives and gives jacob two sons.
Well, in the other tent (those are my words...not sure if it really was in a different tent or not), Leah sees what is going on and because she has ceased to bear anymore children decides she is going to give Jacob the most children and gives Jacob her servant, Zilpah. So, Zilpah conceives and has two sons. Obviously, we can see how having more than one wife can be a bit rough! Not to mention expensive! Thats a lot of mouths to feed! But on a serious note, look at where the trail of deception has gotten Jacob. And then it gets worse...
Leah's son Reuben found mandrakes in the field one day and brought them to his mother. Not exactly sure what mandrakes were, but from what I have read, they are possibly "love fruits." Oh boy. So, Rachel sees the mandrakes and asks Leah for some. Leah replies by saying, "Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you also take away my son's mandrakes?" So, then Rachel says that Leah and lie with their husband that night in exchange for some mandrakes. I can only imagine the look on Jacob's face when he returns from a long day in the field and Leah says to him, "You must come in to me, for I have hired you with my son's mandrakes." And so, Leah conceives 3 more times and give Jacob two sons and a daughter by Leah.
In verse 22 of chapter 30 God remembered Rachel and opened her womb and she conceived and had a son named Joseph...more on him later.
These two women were looking for satisfaction and fulfillment from ALL the wrong places. They could only see their accomplishments before their husband as what completed them and truly satisfied them. It does not seem they looked to God for their satisfaction. They were in a jealousy war it seemed trying to prove to their husband that one was better than the other. No, none of us are married to the same man (thankfully!) and will ever go through this kind of thing, but have we ever been jealous of another woman for other reasons? Maybe she was prettier, or seemed happier, or had better clothes, or WHATEVER! We have all been there at some point or another. Obviously, we are looking for satisfaction in the wrong place. We need to take our eyes off of things of this world and put our focus on God. We must remember that we are precious in God's eyes and we don't need "things" to prove ourselves to God or anyone else. Let's focus on how God sees us instead of on how others see us.
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