King James Bible Study – “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” – Mark 8:34
Date: Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Chapters: Genesis 29-30
Message: Love With A Pure Heart
Hello My Friend,
Every time I read the story of Jacob, Rachel, and Leah it reminds me of why it is so important to one; follow God’s way, two; stop helping Him out, and three; love cannot be bought. I can relate to a woman vying for the attention of a man, let alone, getting them to love you. And I will tell you what, love and lust are not the same, and lust will never turn into love, especially if it is forced. And this is exactly why Jesus never forces Himself on any of us. While He will always love us, and welcomes our love, but it must be pure. Otherwise, we will never see His full potential beyond what He promises. “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart. For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” – II Corinthians 5:11-12,14-15.
“For the love of Christ constraineth us;” It is our love for Christ with a pure heart, through our faith in Him, that we withhold the lusts of our flesh for His sake. Let me tell you, God can still use us, even if we give into the lusts of our flesh, but we must be careful, every decision we make can come back to haunt us, if we do not repent. Now, if you think the sibling rivalry between Jacob and Esau was bad, it is nothing compared to Rachel and Leah. Jacob left home and headed to his mothers brothers house, he arrives in Padanaram, in which he came upon a well that shepherds would bring the sheep for water all at once. It was there that Jacob saw Rachel, and immediately fell in love, and she happened to be his mothers brothers daughter. Jacob agreed to work for Laban for seven years to marry her, and because he loved her he did so willingly. Only things did not go as Jacob planned, Laban had another daughter, Leah, and instead of giving him Rachel, he gave him Leah.
“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. And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. 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. 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? And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.” – Genesis 29:10-11,18,20,21,23,25-27.
“and they seemed unto him but a few days,” Jacob loved Rachel so much that serving her father was well worth it, and it was in vain to him. This is the way our Father wants us to be when we serve Him. Oh, we are already betrothed for we are the bride of His Son, so, our labor is never in vain (I Corinthians 15:58). “behold, it was Leah:” How could he not know that it was Leah until the next morning? There were two reasons, one; she had a veil over her face throughout the ceremony, and two; it was dark in the tent. “wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?” Do you remember when Jacob deceived his father being blind, it was not until Esau returned that he found out that he had been deceived. Well, the same thing was kind of done to Jacob, “thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.” Although Laban deceived him, he worked seven more years for Rachel. Although Leah was part of the deception, and was married to Jacob for seven years, think how she must have felt that Jacob chose her sister over her, and worked so hard to make her his wife.
“And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid. And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years. And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren. 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. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon. 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. 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 29:28-35.
“And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated,” It must not have gone very well because God saw the hatred, which was probably bitterness, that Jacob had toward Leah, and because of this Leah had four sons with Jacob, while Rachel had none. “now therefore my husband will love me.” Leah made the mistake that so many women make, she thought that the man she loved would love her back if she had children with him. Let me tell you, you cannot force someone to love you, sex will only feed their lust, and having children will only bring bring problems for them. While this was an unusual circumstance, they were married, he was having sex with her, therefore, he should have treated her better, and for this reason, God blessed her with four sons. “Now will I praise the LORD:” The names Leah gave her children, expressed her respect and regard, both to God and to her husband. Reuben, or See a son, with this thought, Now will my husband love me; Levi, or joined, expecting, Now my husband will be joined unto me. She thankfully acknowledges the kind providence of God in hearing her. Her fourth son she called Judah, or praise, saying, Now will I praise the Lord. This was he, of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ would come. He descended after the flesh from him whose name was “Praise,” as He is our praise. Leah might have been praising God, but Rachel was not, she was so envious that she took her maid and told him to have sex with her in hopes that she would have children through her, and she did; two.
“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. 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? 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. And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son. 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. And Bilhah Rachel’s maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son. And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali. When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife. And Zilpah Leah’s maid bare Jacob a son. And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad. And Zilpah Leah’s maid bare Jacob a second son. And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher.” – Genesis 30:1-3,5-13.
“Rachel envied her sister;” This is exactly why a man needs only one woman, especially sisters. Again, this was a very strange circumstance, but perhaps things would have gone a little better had Jacob been more considerate to both their needs. And Bilhah was not the answer, but Jacob did not seem to care, he did whatever these women wanted, it was only sex to him. Leah envied Rachel because Jacob actually dwelt with her. So, Leah took every opportunity she could to get Jacob to spend a night with her. Mandrakes were plants with fruit on them, often called the devil’s apple because they not only stimulated the body sexually they also caused people to fall asleep. Leah’s son found some and brought them to her.
“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. 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. 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. And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son. And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar. And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son. 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. And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah. And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb. And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son.” – Genesis 30:14-21,24.
“for surely I have hired thee with my son’s mandrakes.” Obviously, they all knew what these flowers could do. “God hath given me my hire,” Leah considering them a very good price to pay for a night with her husband, desperately wanting another child it seems, which God did bless her with two more, and a daughter as well. “now will my husband dwell with me,” Envy can bring us to do some crazy, and quite frankly ungodly things. In the thirteen years that Jacob was married to these women both did some crazy and ungodly things to vie for his attention, but the entire time he lived with Rachel. Again, you cannot make someone love you, sex, money, children, drugs, none of these things can change their heart. And definitely going against God’s will will not (II Timothy 2:19-22). “And God remembered Rachel,” Rachel finally would conceive and have a son of her own. Between four women, Jacob had twelve sons and one daughter, God certainly did not condone any of this nor did He need Jacob to be married to four women for him to have so many children, and you will see later on why this also cause problems in itself, but He used this crazy love triangle to make a nation, one in which Jesus would descend in the flesh. The crazy thing about us making those ungodly decisions is that God will still use us for His purpose. “This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations. For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?” – Isaiah 14:26-27.
Today’s Prayer: God, With our many attempts to do the right thing in seeking Your promises we often fail, in fact, hinder You and slow down the process. Yet You remain faithful to us, never leave nor forsake, no matter how many times we let our flesh decide our will and not You. Lord, thank You for Your endless mercy and grace, for loving us despite our falling short of Your glory, and for sending Your Son to save us. Help us to look to You, to study Your Word, not only to know Your ways, but to see the lessons You give from ordinary people just like us who also failed in their own attempts. Since You work everything out good, help us to learn from our mistakes and understand that loving Your with a pure heart is the only way we see blessings beyond Your promises. I ask this in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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