FACTOS ON RACHEL:
~ Rachel kept her father's sheep ~ Gen 29:9
~ Rachel was the younder daughter ~ Gen 29:16
~ Rachel was beautiful and well favored~ Gen 29:17
~Jacob served fourteen years for Rachel~ Gen 29: 20-30
~ Rachel was barren ~ Gen 29:31
~ Rachel envied her sister ~ Gen 30:1
~ Rachel gave Jacob her handmaid ~ Gen 30: 4-7
~ Rachel's womb was open~ Gen 30: 22
SOME FACTS ON LEAH:
~ Leah was the older daughter ~ Gen 29:16
~Leah was tender eyed~ Gen 29:17
~ Leah's womb was opened ~ Gen 29:31
~Leah bore Jacob six sons and one daughter ~
Leah and Rachel's father was the brother of Jacob's mother - Gen 29:10
Starting in Gen chapter 29 we findthe story of Rachel, Jacob and Leah. Everyone knows Rachel and Jacob as a love story, but there is more to it, as you found out by reading it. I would like to thank two special ladies Brenda Cook and Tasha Cantrell for their wonderful insight and comments.
Rachel and Leah grew up among deciet and trickery. Their father was liar and a manipulator. Instead of overcoming this in her life, Rachel let it overcome her. Even though the love story is wonderful between Rachel and Jacob, it is also very sad, mixed in a world of hurt, and deciet. What makes the love story wonderful is the committment that Jacob had for Rachel, serving for her for fourteen years, what makes it sad, is Rachel taking matters into her own hands on more than one occasion. Let's take a look.
Rachel and Leah's father tricked Jacob right from the start. Their deal was that Jacob would serve seven years for Rachel, but when the day came, it was Leah whom Laban had given unto Jacob. Jacob served another seven years and was given Rachel.
God seen that Leah was hated and He opened up her womb and Leah bore Jacob's children. She thought that surley this would make Jacob love her more and want to be with her. Rachel was envious and angry because she was barren. She told Jacob to "give her children, lest she died" Gen 30: 1.
Jacob told her "Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb".
Instead of waiting on God, Rachel took matters into her own hands, and told Jacob to go into her handmaid, which Jacob did and the handmaid concieved and bore him two sons. Gen 30:5-7
After this all occured, Rachel went to see Leah to bargain with her of Leah's son's mandrakes.
MANDRAKE: The hebrew name denotes love fruit. The fruit had a plesant taste and oder and was suppose to ensure conception.
Leah ask her "Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son's mandrakes also? And Rachel said, therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son's mandrakes." Gen 30:15
Rachel was willing to bargain, lie and hurt others, so she could have what she wanted. Even though she was beautiful, her beauty could not give her the one thing she wanted, until God said other wise, but instead of waiting on God, she took matters into her own hands once more. However by her bargaining Jacob for mandrakes, Leah concieved once more and bore Jacob the fifth son (kind of sounds like her plan backfired doesn't it?) Gen 30:16-17
After Leah had bore another son and a daughter, God remembered Rachel and she concieved and bore Joseph. Gen 30:22-24. Over in Gen 35 16-18, Rachel had concieved again, but was travailing and having hard labor. She gave birth to another son, but died afterwards. In her passing she called his name Benoni, but Jacob changed his name to Benjamin.
It is a shame that Rachel could not overcome the life she had grew up in. See,it doesn't matter where you grow up, the life your parents led, by the blood of Jesus, you can overcome! You do not have to carry on their ways. You can leave that life, Overcome and let God invade your life, instead of letting sin invade your life.
I want to ask you to take a look at your life. Do you feel more like Rachel, Leah or maybe both women at some point? Do you feel hated or left out because you don't feel you're beautiful enough? We are all made beautiful in the eyes of God. Do you feel jelous of someone because of their accomplishments? Do you overlook sin so you can go where you want,say or do what you want? Do you take matters into your own hands instead of waiting and trusting in God? Ladies as much as we hate to admit it, we have all done these things, and felt this way at one time or another. God help us.
As a christian there are places, and situations where we should feel uncomfortable. We should never overlook sin, but there are right ways and wrongs ways to go about handling a situation and we must pray for God to show us the right way
I can't stress the fact enough that we are OVERCOMERS through Christ Jesus! We don't have to let sin invade our lives! We are in this world, not of this world, and we don't have to let the world invade us!
This life is hard, and God never promised it would be easy, but He promised He'd be there on time every time! We need to wake up in the morning with determination, with a prayer for God to help us, give us strength and put us in His will, not our will but His will! Lord, put me in Your will today!
In my opinion, Rachel didn't seem to fear God very much. She didnt' want to wait upon Him to fix things, she wanted to be in control. To me, it seems that Leah was more blessed and even though it said Rachel was well favoured, God blessed Leah with seven children, even though she didn't have the love of Jacob which is what she really wanted. Rachel had the love of Jacob, but didn't seem to have a love for God.
Ok, enough from me, I want to hear from you guy's...what did you think? what did God reveal to you, drop me a comment here or on facebook or send me a message....come on let me hear from ya!
TOMORROW'S LESSON: REBEKAH
TRIVIA QUESTION: WHO WAS REBEKAH MARRIED TO?
HOW MANY SONS DID THEY HAVE?
FINISH THIS VERSE, JACOB HAVE I ____________, ESAU HAVE I ____________. AND TELL ME WHO SAID IT.
look forward to hearing from you~
Be blessed & Be encouraged ~ God can use you
Evang. Patti Smith
Rebekah married Isaac. Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. It was said by Paul when he wrote the book of Romans. Romans 9:13 I'm not completely sure who actually said it....Rebekah maybe? Or is this scripture saying that God said that?
ReplyDelete