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The saga continues

1/7/2014

14 And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son's mandrakes. 15 And she said unto 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. 16 And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son's mandrakes. And he lay with her that night. 17 And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son. 18 And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar. 19 And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son. 20 And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun. 21 And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah (Genesis 30: 8-21).

The saga continues. We see the problem with polygamy. Although God allowed polygamy in ancient times, it was never really sanctioned. Inevitably, jealously and competition ensued and sin was always ‘crouching at the door’. It is hard to devote yourself to one person, let alone several. But God is accustomed to working with sinful people. God’s plans are not thwarted by human actions, and eventually all actions work to complete God’s plan.

Far from perfect

1/6/2014

7 And Bilhah Rachel's maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son. 8 And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali. 9 When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife. 10 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son. 11 And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad. 12 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a second son. 13 And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher (Genesis 30:7-13).

The story seems to just get worse by the sentence. There is jealousy and unfaithfulness and yet as we now know God uses this ‘far from perfect’ family to bring hope to the world. How counterintuitive are God’s actions at times. But this is the gulf between God and Man. What we should realize is that it is only mercy that has allowed the human race to continue and it is by mercy that we are saved. So it is God that shows restraint with us and in fact goes to extremes to restore us to a proper relationship. But we should not look to our current actions as the standard, but rather to standards of the God that created us. For while we were originally the standard bearer; in the beginning pure and in the image of God, we must wait for the restoration of all things to be returned to this original design.

Not exactly as they had dreamed

1/5/2014

1 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. 2 And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? 3 And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her. 4 And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her. 5 And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son. 6 And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan (Genesis 30:1-6).

Sometimes the facts of the bible go against even our ‘sensibilities’. This should not surprise us though. The bible is true in all it discusses. And human nature and actions are discussed frequently. The fact is even the giants of our faith were sinners and made mistakes acting according to their own will. But God still works it all out. God’s plan for salvation accounts for human sin and in fact is designed to deal with it specifically. Interestingly as we will learn later the tribe of Dan is excluded from the list of tribes in Revelation. Sin always has consequences.

The beginning of the Son's of Israel

1/4/2014

31 And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren. 32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the Lord hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me. 33 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the Lord hath heard I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon. 34 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi. 35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the Lord: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing (Genesis 29:31-35).

As is always the case, God knows the beginning from the end. Israel would become a nation through the offspring of Jacob. The first offspring would be from Jacob and Leah. God is just and in God’s justice Leah was to be honored even if Jacob favored Rachel. So God sometimes intervenes to right our unjust thoughts and actions. Regardless though all things work together according to God’s will. This is a profound and often perplexing mystery to us, but true nonetheless.

God works in all things

1/3/2014

21 And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. 22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. 23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her. 24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid. 25 And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me? 26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years. 28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. 29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid. 30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years (Genesis 29:21-30).

This is not exactly a set-up for martial bliss. Jacob ends up here with 2 wives, one of which he loves. Laban has successfully married off two of his daughters and they are now Jacob’s responsibility even though Jacob was really only interested in Rachel. It may be hard to see the hand of God here, but as follow the future of Jacob we learn that God works in things even when Men fail to do what is right.

The right amount of time

1/2/2014

13 And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things. 14 And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month. 15 And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be? 16 And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured. 18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. 19 And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me. 20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her (Genesis 29:13-20).

Seven years seems like a long time to serve Laban. Seven in Hebrew is representative of the exact right amount of time or the completeness of time. And so Jacob served Laban the right amount of time in exchange for being giving his daughter in marriage. The distinction between Leah and Rachel is also interesting. Apparently Rachel got all the beauty in Laban’s genes, and as we learn later, Laban used her beauty and Jacob’s desire to gain more from Jacob. Seems a bit shallow but as we often find from the bible, it is dealing with real people and real circumstances.

Love at first sight

1/1/2014

10 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. 11 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. 12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father (Genesis 29:10-12).

It was love at first sight. It would not be an easy courtship though as we will soon find out (at least for Jacob). The lesson here though is love ultimately triumphs and love is an intense motivation that often requires sacrifice: a sacrifice that Jacob would soon become very aware. Love without infinite worth, is no love at all.

The meeting

12/31/2013

1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east. 2 And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth. 3 And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in his place. 4 And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we. 5 And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him. 6 And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep (Genesis 29:1-6).

And so, as we often have said, “there are no accidents with God”. Jacob was destined to meet Rachel because God desired it so. God’s weaves and knits His plan together and it just works out. To be sure the meeting of Jacob and Rachel would only be the beginning of the story of Israel, but the beginning is required for the end to be made manifest. And the story of Israel begins.

Jacob's ladder

12/30/2013

10 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. 11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. 12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. 13 And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; 14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. 16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not. 17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. 18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. 19 And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first. 20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, 21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God: 22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee (Genesis 28:10-22).

The path that follows God leads to heaven. This was Jacob’s ladder: Follow God and you will find yourself ultimately in heaven. This is the covenant of God: “I will be their God, and they shall be My people”. Jacob understood the promise at this point. Jacob’s response was to worship God.

Different paths

12/29/2013

1 And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. 2 Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughers of Laban thy mother's brother. 3 And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people; 4 And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham. 5 And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother. 6 When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughers of Canaan; 7 And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padanaram; 8 And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father; 9 Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife (Genesis 28:1-9).

In this case Jacob obeyed the wishes of Isaac and Rebekah and Esau did not. Therefore the blessing of Abraham passed to Jacob. There was a lot of hatred between these brothers: hatred that by proxy has lasted for thousands of years. The two brothers went in opposite directions and generations since have done likewise. What we learn is that paths that are aimed in different locations, when followed, lead to very different places.

Created Through Him