Bible Study Online ArticleLocated at the Bottom of Page In the last article we learned that Jacob had been deceived into marrying Laban's oldest daughter Leah. Laban had used trickery and deceptive rhetoric that involved how the marrying customs within his land operated.
Needless-to-say Jacob was very upset, but being the God-fearing man that he was, he didn't challenge Laban. Remember that initially Jacob had agreed to work seven years tending to Laban's flocks, in return for the rights to marry his youngest daughter Rachel. Make no mistake, Jacob loved Rachel very much and this is why he had agreed to work seven years tending Laban's flocks in the first place. But we now find, that when it came time for Laban to honor his part of the agreement, he reneged and tricked Jacob by giving him his oldest daughter Leah instead. Needless-to-say Jacob was not pleased with what Laban had done, but he endured it anyway. Keep in mind that after Jacob had taken over the tending of Laban's flocks for the last seven years, he had become a huge prosperity blessing for Laban and his household overall. This is why Laban didn't want Jacob to leave, for he knew that Jacob was the reason why he had prospered so greatly. So we now find that after Laban had deceived Jacob, he presents his new son-in-law with a new proposal involving Rachel, which required Jacob to work for another seven years for her hand in marriage. And when you add it to the seven years that Jacob had already worked, it would turn out to be fourteen years in total. Now Laban knew that Jacob was a man of his word, and this is why he had agreed, that after Jacob and Leah had spent their first week together as man and wife, he would immediately give Rachel over to Jacob in marriage as well, instead of actually waiting for Jacob to finish out the next seven years. However, Jacob now has two wives - Rachel the one that he wanted, and Leah the one that he did not want, and was tricked into marrying. So it shouldn't surprise us that Jacob would begin to treat Leah with disdain, for he didn't love her - in fact... he despised her, and so therefore, treated her according to the way that he felt. But regardless of Jacob's reasons when it came to his unfair treatment of Leah, he was still in the wrong for doing so. And in actuality, you would think that Jacob would be a little bit more sensitive to her feelings, being that he grew up in a similar emotional situation...? Remember that Jacob spent the early part of his life constantly trying to compete for his father's love and attention with his older twin brother Esau. Be that as it may, perhaps this is why we now find that during this time of emotional hardship for Leah - the Sacred Record reveals that Rachel was now found to be barren and could not have kids of her own at this time. And personally, I often wonder if Rachel's condition was brought on, because of Jacob's mistreatment towards Leah? However, when it came to Leah the Lord had smiled on her, for she was able to bear children of her own. Because of this, Leah would be given the honor of giving birth to Jacob's first child, which was a boy that she named Reuben who name signified (see, a son). Understand that he was named according to the way that Leah had felt at the time that she gave birth. Understand that by her being able to give birth to Jacob's first born son, she had hoped that this would be enough to win his love. And this is why we have her naming her son Reuben (see, a son), for it was Leah's way of showing Jacob her true worthiness as a wife: "It is because the Lord has seen my misery, surely my husband will love me now." -- Genesis 29:32 But Leah's child-bearing season wouldn't end there, for we find that God would continue to show Leah favor by allowing her to conceive once again. And this time around Leah would name the child "Simeon" for it signified (one who hears). Leah felt that, because she had been treated so unfairly, God had look down from the heavens and saw the hardships and afflictions that Leah was going through, and so therefore, blessed her with another son. And God still wasn't done with Leah, for He would smile on her again by allowing her to bear another son that she named "Levi" and his name meant (joined). Now keep in mind that this is the beginning of the twelve tribe foundation that will eventually bring forth the great nation of Israel. And also know that with the birth of Levi - Leah would eventually gain a tremendous honor of being the mother of the tribe that the Levitical Priesthood would eventually come from. But God still wasn't done with Leah for He allowed her to bear another son for Jacob, and she called him "Judah" which signified (praise). Now understand that this name was very fitting for this child, being that eventually Judah would become the forefather of the tribe that our Lord and Savior Jesus [Yeshua] Christ would eventually come from: "I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring." -- (Genesis 28:13,14) Also know that with Jesus Christ being the Messiah, Redeemer and Savior of all humanity, how can one, not see, that this would be the ultimate blessing to all of mankind? The Sacred Record alone proves that Jesus Christ is the "True Promised Messiah" that the "prophets of old" constantly spoke about. After all, Jesus did fulfill all the messianic prophecies that dealt with the Messiah's first coming into the world. The very same prophecies that were written and spoken throughout time by God's great prophets of old which included: Isaiah, Moses, Jeremiah, Zechariah, Nathan (2 Samuel 7:11,12) Daniel and Micah. Now that Leah has the favor of the Lord and the honor and respect of being the wife that gave birth to Jacob's first four sons. How will Rachel react? Will she stand pat and accept the fact that she can't have her own children, or will she take matters into her own hands? **YOUR CURRENT BIBLE STUDY ONLINE SERIES WOULD BE HERE** 43) Jacob - The Path of Uncertainty 44) Jacob - The Stone Pillow Dream 46) Jacob - The Love Season of Reaping 47) <-CURRENT BIBLE STUDY ONLINE PAGE-> 50) The Mandrake Plant of Love  |
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