Women in the Word

You are not logged in. Would you like to login or register?



10/22/2014 10:44 pm  #21


Re: Genesis Part 2

Chapter 25
I can't imagine how it must have felt to be sent away by your father. I think this is different than the incident with Ishmael.  I think Ishmael know how much his father loves him but knew he had to leave because of the tension, but that his father did not want him to leave.  But this time it seems like Abraham is not heartbroken about sending them away.  They did not even come back for his burial.  Kind of tells you how close the relationship was.  It seems like these kids were just an incidental outcome of him wanting intimacy with the concubines. 

I guess it should be more reassurance for us.  Because in spite of his many faults God still calls Abraham a man of faith.  Maybe we need to not be so hard on ourselves when we fail but really receive God's forgiveness and just use that as a spring board to continue to grow deeper.

Jacob really was a stinker: conniving and selfish.  Why would he not just give his brother some stew out of kindness?  And Esau was foolish and impulsive and disrespectful of his birthright; he did not value it.
 

 

10/26/2014 7:36 pm  #22


Re: Genesis Part 2

Chapter 29

Verses:

31 When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben,[b] for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.”

33 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the Lord heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.[c]

34 Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.[d]

35 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah.[e] Then she stopped having children.

Observation:

Leah was not loved…..

God enabled her to conceive….

Rachel remained childless…

Application:

Although Leah became Jacob’s wife through a deception by her father; I believed she wanted her husband to love her and prayed for children in hope that it would make her husband love her. It’s interesting that Jacob was more interested in Rachel, yet he kept the sexual relationship with leah very active… 4 boys. I love that Leah also gave her children names that expressed her respect and regard for God and her husband.

Often when we are despised by man, we are favored by God.

Be Blessed!

 

10/27/2014 4:21 pm  #23


Re: Genesis Part 2

Chapter 30


Rachel's maid had sons for Jacob, then Leah's maid, then Leah. Finally Rachel had a son.  This entire chapter just continues to demonstrate what happens when man takes matters into his own hands. God intended for man to have one wife. (Genesis 2:24).

24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

It does not read “That is why man leaves his father and mother and is untied to his wives, and they all become one flesh.

Jealous and strife has taken over this family.

Have a blessed day!

 

10/28/2014 1:19 am  #24


Re: Genesis Part 2

I'll be jumping In with the next book! I can't do genesis! Not really connecting with it lol

 

10/28/2014 9:34 am  #25


Re: Genesis Part 2

itsjenniferrose wrote:

I'll be jumping In with the next book! I can't do genesis! Not really connecting with it lol

Ha, ha.  I was not initially too excited about reading Genesis either.  Then I decided I would use it to look for indications of God's character and to look for lessons I can learn through the mistakes and good choices of the characters.
 

     Thread Starter
 

10/28/2014 9:35 am  #26


Re: Genesis Part 2

Chapter 29

Leah was complicit in this deception.  She may not have felt that she had a choice and may have been pressured.  Nevertheless, we see that like Jacob who deceived to get his father’s blessing, Laban deceived to get Leah married. 
 
This reveals the character of a person who is willing to lie and deceive to achieve a purpose. 
 
I am sure life was hard on Leah.  Imagine knowing that your husband neither loved you, nor even desired you physically.  On the wedding night I am sure Jacob spent the whole night and their time of intimacy calling out Rachel’s name and saying how much he loved Rachel.
 
It is interesting that Christ comes from the line of Judah, Leah’s son.  God tends to choose the rejected and the despised to lift up.  So Leah, rejected and despised, was the matriarch of Christ.

Last edited by TBG (10/28/2014 9:36 am)

     Thread Starter
 

10/28/2014 9:36 am  #27


Re: Genesis Part 2

Chapter 30

Rachel envied her sister. We can never be happy with all that we have.  We always find something else that we must have to feel happy.  I can understand how Rachel would be unhappy about not having a child, but she could not see how blessed she was to have the love and affection of her husband. 
 
She could have redeemed the situation by showing love, respect, friendship and compassion to her sister and chosen to be involved in the lives of her nieces and nephews.  She was allowing bitterness to drive her to rival her sister instead of trying to live with understanding and compassion. 
 
This is not to unfairly criticize Rachel.  I am sure it was hard on her as well to be put into this situation she did not choose and then to feel as if she was inferior to her sister and unable to fulfill the role of a wife, to feel inadequate.  We should not paint her as all bad.
 
But, in the midst of the difficulty, pain and insecurity, she chose bitterness and envy when she could have chosen to be grateful for the blessing she did have and to reach out in reconciliation and to allow herself to find joy in Leah’s blessings.

Last edited by TBG (10/28/2014 9:36 am)

     Thread Starter
 

10/28/2014 9:37 am  #28


Re: Genesis Part 2

Chapter 31
 
Laban’s sons ignored that their father repeatedly stole from Jacob, and can’t face that their own corruption resulted in their lack of blessing.
 
God made it clear to Jacob that his prosperity was by the hand of God and that God had been protecting and providing.  31:10-13
 
It is fine to use the rights that we have within a society to stand up for ourselves like Paul did as a Roman citizen by appealing to Caesar, however, sometimes we need to understand that God will right wrongs for us and let God vindicate us.  We also need to trust that our successes and prosperity are blessings from God’s hand and the result of God at work in our lives and not dependant on just our own talents and abilities.

     Thread Starter
 

10/29/2014 8:11 pm  #29


Re: Genesis Part 2

Chapter 32

God continues to encourage him and show Him that He is with him with the angels meeting him.
 
Jacob may have genuinely had a change of heart if you look at his prayer.
 
Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed (vs. 7)
And Jacob said, "O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O LORD who said to me, 'Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good,' I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. But you said, 'I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.'9-12

1) Acknowledged God as God
2) Remember God’s promise to him
3) Acknowledged that he was not worthy of God’s blessings
4) Acknowledged God’s steadfast love and faithfulness
5) Acknowledged that he started with nothing and that God has prospered him
6) Asked for God to deliver him
7) Shared his inner most fears with God
8) Trusted in God to fulfill His promises

My commentary noted that not only did he fervently pray, he also acted strategically.  That made me think of how some push a message that true Christian faith does not rely on action just prayer.  This shows the importance of fervent prayer, but also stepping out and acting to the best of our knowledge.
 
I never have understood the whole wrestling thing.

Last edited by TBG (10/29/2014 8:12 pm)

     Thread Starter
 

10/30/2014 8:12 am  #30


Re: Genesis Part 2

Chapter 33

Observations:
What a tender scene of reconciliation, forgiveness, and, seemingly, genuine love (wept to see his brother) on the part of Esau and humility and contrition on the part of Jacob.  It seems Esau has really matured and improved his character during this time.
 
In the closing verse of the chapter, we see Jacob build God an altar and he call it “The God of Israel” – using his new name.  Before this time, in the last chapters, Jacob had called God, the God of Abraham and Isaac.  Now he calls God his God.  This seems to be a turning point in his walk and relationship with God and in his faith.
 
Application
I think what we can learn is to be willing to show humility when we have hurt others even if maybe everything was not our fault.  Also to be willing to trust God for our success and not to hold on to bitterness if we feel someone took from us, but to have a heart that is willing to forgive and reconcile.
 
Another good lesson is to see that God needs to be our personal God because of the intimacy of our personal relationship and daily walk with Him.  We should not rely on the faith of our family or tradition or even just the community of our church, but we need an intimate and personal communion with God.

     Thread Starter
 

Board footera

 

Powered by Boardhost. Create a Free Forum