After years, Leah and Rachel finally stand on the same side
When push comes to shove, stand together! And this is what Leah and Rachel, two sisters with one husband agree to back the husband and defy their father.
There is a family unit at last.
Preparing the Bride for GOD’s Story
How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? One aspect is to learn GOD’S STORY. He created us in His image…. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked. And we learn His perspective.
Genesis 31:4-16
“So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field, to his flock, and said to them, “I see your father’s [a]countenance, that it is not favourable toward me as before; but the God of my father has been with me. And you know that with all my might I have served your father. Yet your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not allow him to hurt me. 8 If he said thus: ‘The speckled shall be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore speckled. And if he said thus: ‘The streaked shall be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore streaked. 9 So God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me.
“And it happened, at the time when the flocks conceived, that I lifted my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the rams which leaped upon the flocks were streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted. Then the Angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying, ‘Jacob.’ And I said, ‘Here I am.’ And He said, ‘Lift your eyes now and see, all the rams which leap on the flocks are streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted; for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family.’ ”
“Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there still any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house? Are we not considered strangers by him? For he has sold us, and also completely consumed our money. For all these riches which God has taken from our father are really ours and our children’s; now then, whatever God has said to you, do it.””
What a surprise!
Laban is not popular with his daughters. And why, after all he’s done, would he be? He lied. He prevented Rachel from marrying Jacob as planned. He gave Leah to Jacob first, and set up the two sisters in rivalry for life. He manipulated them all, over and over again, and is still trying to manipulate… “Oh, don’t go now, don’t go yet” sort of attitude. “Stay and I’ll give you whatever you want…”
The great thing about the two sisters is their unity: to stay with Jacob, to leave their father together, to support the future together.
Unity
“How good and pleasant it is when brethren dwell together in unity…” (Psalm 133:1)
When the two sisters decide to go with Jacob, with family and animals and all… they are a force to be reckoned with. Nothing stops them. Laban is left high and dry.
When we go GOD’s way
When we manipulate, control, cheat, ultimately we will fail. Laban loses his livelihood, his family, his dignity.
GOD’s Justice
When we honour our word, when we honour our family, when we do the right thing, the LORD will bring honour and justice to us. We see this with Jacob and his large family.
And we see the consequences in Laban’s life as well; he ends up with his servants, some sheep, and pretty much nothing else. Cheating, lying, manipulation and betrayal ultimately, does not pay off.