Daily Devotions
Genesis
"For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him." Psalm 103:11
Text: Genesis 30:1-43
OPEN HOSTILITY
Leah was more than willing to part with some of her son’s mandrakes, if she could have more time with Jacob. She had tried everything to win Jacob’s affection. However, she had not succeeded at all. She resented Rachel’s hold on Jacob. She accused her of taking her husband away, for she was the first wife after all! If she could become pregnant again, that would rub more salt on the wounded pride of her Rachel!
UNASHAMEDLY CLAIMING CONJUGAL RIGHTS
Leah had to wait till the evening when Jacob returned from his work, looking after the flocks. Feeling triumphant, she approached Jacob in the most forthright manner.
“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.”GENESIS 30:16
Our hearts must go out to Leah because she had to stoop to such means to have some attention from Jacob! She cannot be described as brazen, for she was Jacob’s first wife! Her plight was to be pitied indeed.
GOD’S SPECIAL GRACE EXTENDED
Leah had thought that she could bear children no longer, thus she gave Zilpah her maid to be Jacob’s fourth wife. She had not factored one important Person in her understanding of life – God!
“And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob
a fifth son. Leah said, ‘God has given me my wages, because
I have given my maid to my husband.’ So she called
his name Issachar.”GENESIS 30:17-18
Issachar literally means “wages”. It was not her original intention to give Zilpah to be Jacob’s wife. But Rachel had given Bilhah to Jacob and she had given him two sons. She feared that she might lose out in the battle of childbearing. She had to make some sacrifices along the way. The decision to give Zilpah away as Jacob’s fourth wife must have been quite painful.
She felt that she had now earned her wages. God had been gracious and kind to her in giving to her yet another son! This was now the FIFTH son from her personally. Jacob now had NINE SONS in total!
In those days to have a large family was looked upon with great envy. The person who has these many sons was considered greatly blessed! Few cared about just how the children were obtained. Personal feelings did not feature much in any equation! Only the appearance of sons mattered!