In our story today from Genesis 30:1-9 Jacob married two sisters called Leah and Rachel.
When Rachel saw that she wasn’t having any children for Jacob, she became jealous of her sister. She pleaded with Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!” 2 Then Jacob became furious with Rachel. “Am I God?” he asked. “He’s the one who has kept you from having children!” 3 Then Rachel told him, “Take my maid, Bilhah, and sleep with her. She will bear children for me, and through her I can have a family, too.” 4 So Rachel gave her servant, Bilhah, to Jacob as a wife, and he slept with her. 5 Bilhah became pregnant and presented him with a son. 6 Rachel named him Dan, for she said, “God has vindicated me! He has heard my request and given me a son.” 7 Then Bilhah became pregnant again and gave Jacob a second son. 8 Rachel named him Naphtali, for she said, “I have struggled hard with my sister, and I’m winning!” 9 Meanwhile, Leah realized that she wasn’t getting pregnant anymore, so she took her servant, Zilpah, and gave her to Jacob as a wife.
Earlier Jacob had deceived his father Isaac to receive the blessing of the first born. He is now deceived by his father-in-law when he marries Leah who he thought was Rachel. After Jacob realized what is going on his father-in-law allowed him to marry Rachel a week later. The stage was now set for an ongoing disfunction in the family of Jacob that had its roots in sin.
Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah, but Leah was the first to have children while Rachel was barren. Leah thought by having children her husband would love her but that did not happen. Rachel was loved more by Jacob but was very unhappy because she did not have any children. To compound their problems further each wife gave their servant to Jacob to have children by.
Although our situations in life might be different than the one described the effect of sin and jealousy usually have the same results. Rachel and Leah were both wounded, but in different ways. Maybe you have been wounded or are currently wounded.
In the midst of our wounds our Lord is always there calling us to look up and to come to him. Not only does he call us to look up, but he climbs down in the mud with us and lifts us out of the pit as recorded in Psalm 42:2-3. 2 He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. 3 He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord. [1]
Are you wounded today? Are you in the pit of life? Humble
yourself and call on Jesus to rescue you. He is waiting to hear your prayers
and guide you by His Holy Spirit. He loves you more than you know with
unconditional love.
Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ge 30:1–9). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ps 40:2–3). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.