Genesis 30:12–24 (ESV) —
12 Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 And Leah said, “Happy am I! For women have called me happy.” So she called his name Asher.
14 In the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” 15 But she said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes also?” Rachel said, “Then he may lie with you tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes.” 16 When Jacob came from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come in to me, for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he lay with her that night. 17 And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Leah said, “God has given me my wages because I gave my servant to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar.
19 And Leah conceived again, and she bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons.” So she called his name Zebulun. 21 Afterward she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah.
22 Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. 23 She conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” 24 And she called his name Joseph, saying, “May the Lord add to me another son!”
NOTE: I like that the two women attribute their children to God, but they seem to misapply the lessons. They both believe love is earned not given freely. They both find their identity in children and the number of children born. In many ways, Laban is at fault in his two daughters struggle. His deceit and the daughters "apparent" involvement has caused this. God allowed it and God ultimately blesses it for his purposes, but he could have provided 12 tribes in a number of different ways (for example, three sons, that then provide 12 sons). It doesn't matter, God provided. But the process is very painful and I'm sure was not easy on Jacob to see his wives quarreling among each other. God can bless something, but he rarely changes the bad consequence that come from evil. Sometimes in his mercy he spares us, but often he does not. Sin has consequences, and we need to remember that. We should not expect God to rescue us or erase the consequences of our poor choices. Rather, we should seek God first instead of seeking God after the fact.
PONDER:
- Do I seek God as I make decisions?
- Or do I forget God most of the time until I have royally screwed up and need his rescue?
PRAYER: Father, we need to develop a habit of seeking you first. We need to seek you will on our decisions and not depend upon ourselves. As we develop that habit, a new peace develops in our life.
