In Genesis 29 Jacob finally reaches Paddan Aram. This is where he was instructed to go and find a woman to marry. Upon arriving in the area he meets some shepherds tending to their flocks. As they were talking Rachel came to the well with her father's sheep. Jacob waters her sheep and tells her who he is. She runs off to tell her father and he returns to meet Jacob. Jacob falls in love with Rachel and works for Laban for seven years to gain her hand in marriage. Laban however seems to trick him on the night of the wedding and gives Jacob Leah instead of Rachel. When Jacob wakes the next morning and realizes what has happened he is not a happy man. He works for another seven years for Rachel and is married to her as well. So all in all Jacob has worked for 14 years for Laban and is married now to both of his daughters. Jacob loved Rachel more then Leah and because of this the Lord decides to give children to Leah while making Rachel bare. Leah has 4 sons by Jacob which are named Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. She thinks that by having them Jacob will finally love her. I am a little confused on one thing that seems to happen a lot through out these stories we have been reading. In this particular story Jacob marries two of his first cousins. I mean I know at this point in time that many people are related because the Earth is not very populated yet but you would think that more distance then first cousins should be married.
Genesis 30 has a lot of fighting between sisters. What did they fight over? Children. Rachel has remained barren and Leah has produced multiple sons to Jacob. Rachel gives Jacob her maidservant to try and gain herself some sort of lineage. They fight back and forth one child born after another. By the time this is over Jacob has four different wives from what I can see and several children. Jacob then goes on and ask to leave Laban. Laban ask him to stay and offers to pay him wages. Jacob tells that he will take the spotted animals as his wages. He then does some strange thing with bark to make more spotted animals to increase the size of his flocks. He does this only to the stronger animals so that his flocks grow from the strongest animals and Laban's grow from the weaker. Jacob grows very wealthy from this practice.
Matthew 19 has one of my favorite verses in it. The first part of chapter 19 talks about divorce. Once again the pharisees try and test Jesus. Jesus once again fights their test by quoting scripture. We learn that there are no reasons for divorce besides marital unfaithfulness. Any other reason that a man and woman would divorce and remarry is adultery. Jesus then tells his disciples after they try and push away the children that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these. The last portion of chapter 19 has so many things that we need to take to heart in it. We find a rich man coming to Jesus trying to learn what he needs to do to get into Heaven. Jesus tells him that he needs to obey the commandments. The man ask what commandments he is to follow. Jesus replied "'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'" (Matt. 19:18) This rich man then continues by saying that he has followed these and wants to know what he is still lacking. The next part was the hardest for the rich man to do because of his great wealth. He is told that he needs to sell off his possessions and give to the poor. The only thing left after that is to follow him. Coming after this is my favorite verse Matt 19:26. "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Jesus ends this chapter talking about those who are willing to lose everything for his sake and how they will be rewarded greatly in the end.
Tomorrow's reading is:
Genesis 31, 32 and Matthew 20:1 - 16
29. Keeping those blood lines close. I don't really understand how it took Jacob until the next morning to figure out he had the wrong wife? I mean, I suppose he was drunk, but come on, you've been pining for this woman for SEVEN years and now you conveniently forget what she looks like for an evening. I feel really bad for Leah in this situation, to be the unloved wife of your first cousin would not be fun. Love the name Levi!
ReplyDelete30. Very strange competition Rachael and Leah are having. I love how Jacob plays the helpless pawn in all this child bearing. Laban steals the goats from Jacob, this seems a very childish thing to do to your son-in-law who has served you so will and put with your past deceptions.
19. I thought it was a very thought provoking and semi-amusing argument that it's harder for rich people to be saved. Brings up lots on interesting questions in my head about who God would favor more.
My Bible has some extra commentary on chapter 19 that I found very interesting. The closest thing I could find on the internet matching what the exert said is on the following link.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.biblicalhebrew.com/nt/camelneedle.htm