How Yahweh deals with his creations (series 30)

Bible Texts (Concordant Version of the Old Testament and Concordant Literal New Testament with keywords Concordance (Genesis chapter 29 & 30: Main text)

Hello my blog readers. I pray that you get blessed as you read this week blog. I am going to complete my review on Genesis chapter 29 and discuss part of chapter 30.

After 14 years of Jacob's sojourn in the land of Padan-Syria, he married Leah and Rachael. These wives were the two daughters of Laban. Laban tricked Jacob into marrying Leah because Leah was not attractive. More so, Laban had observed that Jacob would be a better husband to his two daughters because he had been a great blessing to him in taking care of his flocks. What a scammer and a user.

Genesis chapter 29:31-to the end showed that Jacob's love was towards Rachael (whom Jacob actually loved). However, Yahweh saw all these. He opened the womb of Leah to have babies but sealed Rachael's womb. Leah thought having babies for Jacob would draw Jacob's attention to her but it never worked! Can you see the picture below?   

                                                     

It was a real thug of war between Leah and Rachael. I picture this like a boxing bout. Leah versus Rachel.  Who do you think might be the referee? Jacob? May be Yahweh? I think they need boxing gloves too.     

To most women who have married to their husband for some years, being barren is a huge issue. Rachel found herself in this position. In chapter 30 of Genesis, Rachel could not hold her anger on her barrenness. She became very jealous of her sister and told Jacob that she would die, if Jacob refused to give her a child. I believe she had taken this matter too far. Did she think Jacob determined who to have a child or who should not? Jacob was also angry at Rachel for this stupid statement. Jacob made it known to Rachel that only Yahweh gives child. I believe Rachel should ask Jacob to help her appease to Yahweh to have a child/children just as Rebecca asked Isaac. No! She still did not understand what Jacob told her. She improvised by giving Bilhah (her maidservant) to Jacob to sleep with to raise child/children through her. Who do you think did something like this? It was Sarah! She gave Hagar to Abraham to sleep with to have a child through her. Rachel was a little comforted because Bilhah had a couple of children for Jacob.

I can imagine Leah saying oh my poor sister, is that all you can do? I will also give my maidservant (Zilpah) to Jacob to sleep with. Zilpah bore Jacob children as well. This is very crazy! Jacob could not even object to the craziness of these two sisters. He was saying yes to whatever they told him to do. What is going on with Jacob too? Is that a way to settle quarrel between two jealous sisters? This war was never ended. In verse 14, one of Leah's children (Reuben) was holding mandrakes in the field to give her mother. Rachel coveted it. She asked Reuben to give the mandrakes to her to eat, but Leah objected it. Leah could not hide her anger towards Rachel either. She stated that "is it a little thing that you have taken my husband"? That was a very strong question with a heavy punch towards Rachel. Rachel never backed down. To show how much Rachel was covetous and aggressive, she told her sister (Leah) to sleep with her husband just to have the mandrakes! Can you believe this? Who was this Rachael? This woman was a spoilt child and she lacked self control and dignity. Can you observe her way of thinking? She wanted whatever she wanted at all costs. I feel pity for Jacob. Jacob had to sleep with Leah because Rachel hired him to sleep with Leah in the name of eating Reuben's mandrakes. You know what? Leah had another child for Jacob through this incidence. Rachel was shooting herself on her feet. What a pity.

In verse 22-24, Yahweh took pity on Rachel. He opened her womb and gave her a child who was called, Joseph. Rachel asked Yahweh to add another child to Joseph. Indeed, Yahweh is merciful and he has time for everything. No one can force Yahweh's hands by any activity, prayers, fasting or giving. He does whatever he does in his own time. This is what Rachel did not understand. Having many children does not depict great success. Rachel was thinking of quantity (Leah's number of children) but Yahweh planned quality for her.

I will stop here because the next event had to do with Jacob asking Laban to leave for his fatherland (verse 25). This is another bible story I love to give more attention to because it is connected to chapter 31.

Do you realize it that life would have been more difficult for Leah, if she were in Rachel's shoes for being barren for many years? Yahweh knew that the love Jacob had for Rachel would cushion Rachel's bitterness for a time being. Indeed, Yahweh is the master planner!

I do hope you are connecting all dots about Rachel who Jacob suffered another 7 years to marry. Of course you can see that it was a heavy fight between her and Leah. You know what? Yahweh intended all these children to be born in these ways because he had promised Jacob that Jacob would have an assembly of people. So, it had come to pass. Sometimes, we may not understand how God works to fulfill his promise in our lives. One thing is sure; Yahweh's ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). He surely always works in mysterious ways!

Amen!

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