She knew about pain, both physically and emotionally. Her sister, Leah, was substituted as Jacob's wife on Rachel's wedding night. After her eventual marriage to Jacob, as his "second" wife, her sister produced four children while Rachel remained childless. First came Reuben, and then Simeon and Levi and Judah. Four sons born to her sister and each was a dagger in Rachel's side. Finally, in desperation Rachel gave her servant Bilhah to Jacob so she could become a surrogate mother of sorts. From Jacob and Bilhah came sons Dan and Naphtali. Not to be outdone, Leah (who had stopped having children) gave her servant girl, Zilpah, to Jacob and from their union came sons Gad and Asher. On another day Rachel bargained for Leah's mandrakes entitling Leah to spend the night with Jacob which resulted in a fifth son, Issachar. Leah later conceived a sixth son, Zebulun, and a daughter, Dinah.
All of these eleven children were born to Jacob by three women, but his beloved wife, Rachel, remained childless and barren. With each announcement of pregnancy, the pain of feeling rejected by God and useless as a wife to Jacob must have hung heavier and heavier upon her shoulders. And then, a curious scripture passage states that "God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and opened her womb." (Genesis 30:22). And, miraculously, a son was born and was named Joseph. What a special treasure he must have been to Rachel! The name Joseph meant "may he add," an entreaty to God that was fulfilled with the birth of Ben-Oni, "son of my trouble," which birth resulted in the death of Rachel. Jacob later changed the boys name to Benjamin which means "son of my right hand."
Perhaps, it was well that Rachel was not alive to endure the cruel and fraudulent "death of Joseph" as perpetrated by Jacob's other sons when Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt, or the subsequent holding of Rachel's other son, Benjamin, as "hostage" to ensure the return of Jacob's family to Egypt. Perhaps Rachel and Jacob did treat this child Joseph differently from the others. Some of Jacob's other children may have been teenagers and already beginning to assume family responsibilities with the herds. This last born child may have had trouble "fitting in" with the rest of the family. It is reported that "Israel (Jacob) loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age."
Jacob and Rachel look an awful lot like "us." They were cunning, deceitful, jealous; yet at times wrestling with God and prevailing. Their very human traits brought both of them great pain and sorrow during their lifetimes. Yet, God said to Jacob "I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from your body." (Genesis 35:11 NIV).
Did you ever wonder at how fragile and thin the promise of God seems to hang at times? This small nomadic family of 70 souls is headed for starvation, disruption, and perhaps, death at the hands of neighboring enemies. In the providence of God a 17 year old lad named Joseph antagonizes his brothers to such an extent that they sell him to a trading caravan heading into Egypt as a slave. There Joseph ultimately is imprisoned and seems destined to rot away his remaining years, unknown and forgotten by man and God. But just as God remembered Rachel and listened to her and opened her womb, so God remembered Joseph and opened the prison doors. Joseph later told his brothers that "God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance." (Genesis 45:7)
Can you imagine the shock to the nervous system of Jacob when his ten remaining sons returned to tell him that after 18 or so years, his son Joseph is not only alive, but is also now the "day-to-day" ruler of Egypt? Telling your father that you dented the fender on the family car couldn't even come close to the discussion Reuben and Judah had with Jacob that day.
The lives of Jacob, Rachel, Leah, Joseph and the other players in this drama are reminders to me of several things. First, sin dogs our footsteps, and we all fail to be what we could be in God. Second, our sinful failures always result in consequences that harm and damage our relationships with each other and with God. Third, God will wrestle with us; we can prevail with him, and he will bless us. Fourth, God has a program, a plan, and a time table that will be kept and will be met.
Could any Hollywood screenwriter sell a script premised on God saving mankind through a family whose great grandfather took their future grandfather into a mountain to sacrifice him? Whose same grandfather later gave the family blessing to the wrong son? Whose father was a cunning cheat? Whose brothers so hated him they would have killed him, but settled on selling him? When Moses wrote the story, he must have shaken his head. Yes, they were a motley crew, but listen to God's word to Jacob: "I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph's own hand will close your eyes." (Genesis 46:3)
My mind wanders back to Jacob escaping from the tents of Isaac, fearful that his brother Esau would plant his head on a pike, and wandering into the herds of Laban in time to help a young girl named Rachel water her flock of sheep. Yes, heartache and pain were a part of their life together, as they are a part of everyone's life. But, God heard both Jacob and Rachel in the depths of their pain, and he used them to accomplish a great part of his eternal plan. For it will be through their son Joseph that the nation of Israel would be preserved, and Judah (son of Leah) would produce kings,
. . . . and a King for the ages.
All of these eleven children were born to Jacob by three women, but his beloved wife, Rachel, remained childless and barren. With each announcement of pregnancy, the pain of feeling rejected by God and useless as a wife to Jacob must have hung heavier and heavier upon her shoulders. And then, a curious scripture passage states that "God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and opened her womb." (Genesis 30:22). And, miraculously, a son was born and was named Joseph. What a special treasure he must have been to Rachel! The name Joseph meant "may he add," an entreaty to God that was fulfilled with the birth of Ben-Oni, "son of my trouble," which birth resulted in the death of Rachel. Jacob later changed the boys name to Benjamin which means "son of my right hand."
Perhaps, it was well that Rachel was not alive to endure the cruel and fraudulent "death of Joseph" as perpetrated by Jacob's other sons when Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt, or the subsequent holding of Rachel's other son, Benjamin, as "hostage" to ensure the return of Jacob's family to Egypt. Perhaps Rachel and Jacob did treat this child Joseph differently from the others. Some of Jacob's other children may have been teenagers and already beginning to assume family responsibilities with the herds. This last born child may have had trouble "fitting in" with the rest of the family. It is reported that "Israel (Jacob) loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age."
Jacob and Rachel look an awful lot like "us." They were cunning, deceitful, jealous; yet at times wrestling with God and prevailing. Their very human traits brought both of them great pain and sorrow during their lifetimes. Yet, God said to Jacob "I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from your body." (Genesis 35:11 NIV).
Did you ever wonder at how fragile and thin the promise of God seems to hang at times? This small nomadic family of 70 souls is headed for starvation, disruption, and perhaps, death at the hands of neighboring enemies. In the providence of God a 17 year old lad named Joseph antagonizes his brothers to such an extent that they sell him to a trading caravan heading into Egypt as a slave. There Joseph ultimately is imprisoned and seems destined to rot away his remaining years, unknown and forgotten by man and God. But just as God remembered Rachel and listened to her and opened her womb, so God remembered Joseph and opened the prison doors. Joseph later told his brothers that "God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance." (Genesis 45:7)
Can you imagine the shock to the nervous system of Jacob when his ten remaining sons returned to tell him that after 18 or so years, his son Joseph is not only alive, but is also now the "day-to-day" ruler of Egypt? Telling your father that you dented the fender on the family car couldn't even come close to the discussion Reuben and Judah had with Jacob that day.
The lives of Jacob, Rachel, Leah, Joseph and the other players in this drama are reminders to me of several things. First, sin dogs our footsteps, and we all fail to be what we could be in God. Second, our sinful failures always result in consequences that harm and damage our relationships with each other and with God. Third, God will wrestle with us; we can prevail with him, and he will bless us. Fourth, God has a program, a plan, and a time table that will be kept and will be met.
Could any Hollywood screenwriter sell a script premised on God saving mankind through a family whose great grandfather took their future grandfather into a mountain to sacrifice him? Whose same grandfather later gave the family blessing to the wrong son? Whose father was a cunning cheat? Whose brothers so hated him they would have killed him, but settled on selling him? When Moses wrote the story, he must have shaken his head. Yes, they were a motley crew, but listen to God's word to Jacob: "I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph's own hand will close your eyes." (Genesis 46:3)
My mind wanders back to Jacob escaping from the tents of Isaac, fearful that his brother Esau would plant his head on a pike, and wandering into the herds of Laban in time to help a young girl named Rachel water her flock of sheep. Yes, heartache and pain were a part of their life together, as they are a part of everyone's life. But, God heard both Jacob and Rachel in the depths of their pain, and he used them to accomplish a great part of his eternal plan. For it will be through their son Joseph that the nation of Israel would be preserved, and Judah (son of Leah) would produce kings,
. . . . and a King for the ages.
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