In our Bible study yesterday, we talked about a man named Jacob who attempted to force God's plan by deceiving. Through deception, He stole his brother's birthright and blessing. Well, not much further in Scripture, we find out that Jacob received a taste of his own medicine and was deceived. You see, after he fled from Esau, he met a woman named Rachel. She was beautiful. He wanted to marry her. Rachel's father, Laban, promised that he could marry her if he worked for him for 7 years. After 7 years, it was time for Jacob to marry Rachel. Laban tricked him and gave him Rachel's sister, Leah, to marry instead. As a result, Jacob worked for 7 more years to finally marry Rachel. Unfortunately for Leah, Jacob favored Rachel, and he did not hide his favoritism. This certainly did not make for peaceful marriages with his wives.
Genesis 29 and 30 reveal the rivalry between Leah and Rachel. Jacob loved Rachel "much more" than Leah (Genesis 29:30). Can you imagine how Leah felt knowing how much more Jacob loved Rachel than her? She must have felt devastated. Leah may have felt unseen by her husband, but God saw her. "When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he enabled her to have children" (Genesis 29:31). God saw Leah's heartbreak. She was not alone. He moved and worked on her behalf. He did this by giving her multiple children. God also saw Rachel. You see, she may have been Jacob's favorite wife, but she was unable to have children. She was jealous of Leah (Genesis 30:1). The Bible says that ultimately, "God remembered Rachel's plight and answered her prayers by enabling her to have children" (Genesis 30:23). She gave birth to a son named Joseph (Genesis 30:24). God saw both of these sisters in their pain and distress.
To me, the most incredible part of this story of Leah and Rachel is not the births of their children, although these births were a blessing from God. The most profound truth from this story is that God saw both of these women. You see, when we are going through heartache and pain, we can often feel all alone, and God may feel distant. I assure you, my friend, He is not. He is with you every step of the day. His presence makes all the difference.
Just like God saw Rachel, He sees you. He is working in your life even when you do not see it. Take time to pray. Tell God what is on your heart and what you are worried about. Bring your cares and your concerns to Him. As you pray, remember that He hears you and sees you. He loves you deeply and is at work even when you cannot see it.
31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he enabled her to have children, but Rachel could not conceive. 32 So Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “The Lord has noticed my misery, and now my husband will love me.”
33 She soon became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She named him Simeon, for she said, “The Lord heard that I was unloved and has given me another son.”
34 Then she became pregnant a third time and gave birth to another son. He was named Levi, for she said, “Surely this time my husband will feel affection for me, since I have given him three sons!”
35 Once again Leah became pregnant and gave birth to another son. She named him Judah, for she said, “Now I will praise the Lord!” And then she stopped having children.
30 When Rachel saw that she wasn’t having any children for Jacob, she became jealous of her sister. She pleaded with Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!”
2 Then Jacob became furious with Rachel. “Am I God?” he asked. “He’s the one who has kept you from having children!”
3 Then Rachel told him, “Take my maid, Bilhah, and sleep with her. She will bear children for me, and through her I can have a family, too.” 4 So Rachel gave her servant, Bilhah, to Jacob as a wife, and he slept with her. 5 Bilhah became pregnant and presented him with a son. 6 Rachel named him Dan, for she said, “God has vindicated me! He has heard my request and given me a son.” 7 Then Bilhah became pregnant again and gave Jacob a second son. 8 Rachel named him Naphtali, for she said, “I have struggled hard with my sister, and I’m winning!”
9 Meanwhile, Leah realized that she wasn’t getting pregnant anymore, so she took her servant, Zilpah, and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 Soon Zilpah presented him with a son. 11 Leah named him Gad, for she said, “How fortunate I am!” 12 Then Zilpah gave Jacob a second son. 13 And Leah named him Asher, for she said, “What joy is mine! Now the other women will celebrate with me.”
14 One day during the wheat harvest, Reuben found some mandrakes growing in a field and brought them to his mother, Leah. Rachel begged Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”
15 But Leah angrily replied, “Wasn’t it enough that you stole my husband? Now will you steal my son’s mandrakes, too?”
Rachel answered, “I will let Jacob sleep with you tonight if you give me some of the mandrakes.”
16 So that evening, as Jacob was coming home from the fields, Leah went out to meet him. “You must come and sleep with me tonight!” she said. “I have paid for you with some mandrakes that my son found.” So that night he slept with Leah. 17 And God answered Leah’s prayers. She became pregnant again and gave birth to a fifth son for Jacob. 18 She named him Issachar, for she said, “God has rewarded me for giving my servant to my husband as a wife.” 19 Then Leah became pregnant again and gave birth to a sixth son for Jacob. 20 She named him Zebulun, for she said, “God has given me a good reward. Now my husband will treat me with respect, for I have given him six sons.” 21 Later she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.
22 Then God remembered Rachel’s plight and answered her prayers by enabling her to have children. 23 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. “God has removed my disgrace,” she said. 24 And she named him Joseph, for she said, “May the Lord add yet another son to my family.”
