LastCall: (Genesis 30:1-24) Who Influences Whom? -Bob Caldwell

Who Influences Whom?  "Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, 'Give me children, or else I die!'" -Genesis 30:1 This section continues the description of the birth of the sons who would begin the 12 tribes of Israel. (The twelfth son, Benjamin, is introduced later in Genesis 35:18.) The motivation and why these sons were given are pretty strange, as you can see in 29:21-30:24. Much had to do with the hurt and jealousy that grew between the two sisters who both were given in marriage by Laban to Jacob. There was also the use of female servants to bear children on behalf of both Leah and Rachel. This situation is a glaring proof that God uses the weak things of this fallen world to fulfill His own eternal purposes. In fact, almost every person referred to in scriptures who was a part of God's purposes being worked out in this fallen world was not without his or her faults. Often, as we see here, weaknesses and areas of poor judgment were based upon the influences of the ungodly aspects of the culture in which God's people lived. Leah and Rachel's motivation in response to jealousy and envy is obviously not condoned in scripture. Nor is having multiple wives and concubines. These things were the result of the influences of a culture built on pagan and ungodly beliefs that often find a receptive place in our fallen nature. However, as New Testament believers we have a much more hopeful situation as we live in ungodly cultures. We have been born again and transformed by Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit; the influences of sin do not find a ready home in our new lives in Christ. We now have the Kingdom of God we are born into as our true cultural orientation. Jesus is the One who now shapes our inner characters and our social and cultural behavior to be in harmony with Him. Let us therefore be "in the world but not of the world."
Genesis 30:1-24  1 Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, "Give me children, or else I die!" 2 And Jacob's anger was aroused against Rachel, and he said, "Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?" 3 So she said, "Here is my maid Bilhah; go in to her, and she will bear a child on my knees, that I also may have children by her." 4 Then she gave him Bilhah her maid as wife, and Jacob went in to her. 5 And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. 6 Then Rachel said, "God has judged my case; and He has also heard my voice and given me a son." Therefore she called his name Dan. 7 And Rachel's maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Then Rachel said, "With great wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister, and indeed I have prevailed." So she called his name Naphtali. 9 When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing, she took Zilpah her maid and gave her to Jacob as wife. 10 And Leah's maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11 Then Leah said, "A troop comes!" So she called his name Gad. 12 And Leah's maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 Then Leah said, "I am happy, for the daughters will call me blessed." So she called his name Asher. 14 Now Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest 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."
The Birth Of Jacob's Children Continued (Verses 1-24) v. 1 Rachel Envied – "Qana" (Heb.) The root word means to become very red. Based on the context, it came to denote burning with jealousy, anger, or zeal. Although Rachel had been given natural beauty and the favoritism of Jacob, all that meant nothing once envy began to rule her heart. v. 2 Place of God – Jacob answers Rachel's frustration by reminding her that this issue she struggled with was not going to be resolved by human means, but was reserved for God. v. 3 My Maid Bilhah – Rachel follows the actions taken by Sarah (Gen. 16:1- 2), which like this marriage arrangement was never called for by God. v. 6 Dan – His name means "judged, or vindicated." It has to be questioned, however, whether she was reading more into this birth than there was. The text does not insinuate that God felt Rachel had a cause that needed vindication. v. 8 Naphtali – This means, "struggling or wrestling." In naming this son, Rachel reveals the real passion behind this struggle. It was not to right a wrong, but to win the complete affection of her husband. In this we see the sad result of polygamy. v. 9 Took Zilpah – Leah now falls into this battle to earn a place in Jacob's heart through the bearing of more children through her maid, since she had not conceived for quite some time. We need to keep in mind that in this culture children were considered a great honor and the result of God's blessing upon the husband and wife. v. 11 A Troop – "Gawd" (Heb.) Means distributing good fortune in such a large way that a troop (large group) was needed to distribute the blessing. Gad – This means "happy." It seems, however, the happiness Leah experienced was not the result of seeing God at work, but was meant to strengthen her position against Rachel. v. 14 Mandrakes – This was a small orange colored berry believed to be an aphrodisiac that excited sexual desire as well as aided in making a woman fertile.
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?" And Rachel said, "Therefore he will lie with you tonight for your son's mandrakes." 16 When Jacob came out of the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, "You must come in to me, for I have surely hired you with my son's mandrakes." And 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 have given my maid to my husband." So she called his name Issachar. 19 Then Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 And Leah said, "God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will dwell with 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 And she conceived and bore a son, and said, "God has taken away my reproach." 24 So she called his name Joseph, and said, "The LORD shall add to me another son."
v. 15 Will Lie With You – Rachel offers sexual intimacy with Jacob to Leah if Leah will give her the mandrakes, which she believes will make her fertile. Rachel uses Leah's strong desire to be accepted by Jacob as a way to manipulate her to go against her own wishes (v. 14). v. 18 Issachar – His name means, "there is a reward." Leah saw in his birth a reward for having been willing to give her maid Zilpah to Jacob as a means of providing more children. v. 20 Zebulun – His name means "honor, or dwelling." Leah hopes that after giving Jacob a sixth son, he would honor her by dwelling with her as the preferred wife. v. 21 Dinah – Her name means "judgment." She is the only daughter mentioned even though Jacob had several daughters (Gen. 37:35, 46:7). Likely she is named because she will later be central to the tragic events recorded in Genesis 34. v. 22 God Listened to Her – This is the first statement referring to a relationship between God and Rachel. This indicates a change in Rachel's attitude. It is also important to note that it is at this point that Rachel refers to God (Elohim) as Lord (Yahweh), the personal covenant name of God given to Abraham (Gen. 17:9). v. 24 Joseph – His name means, "to take away." This described Rachel's feeling that God had taken away her reproach. Another Son – This was a prophetic statement that was fulfilled many years later at the birth of Benjamin (Gen. 35:18).

Devotions with Emotion

Michael James Stone

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