with Elder Elico Manenji
_Jacob arrives in Haran and meets Rachel at the well._
The journey of Jacob was guided by God's providence, he reached the well were the sheep of Laban were watered, he meets with Rachel who was to be his wife at the well too.
Rachel introduced him to her father without taking him to their home, he providentially meets with his to be father in law, the brother of his mother Rebecca.
Laban welcomes the visitor with a kiss of love, this now taught Jacob to be a man of patience and perseverance as the Lord's promised to prosper him.and make him a great nation.
The Psalmist says, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning”( Psalm 30:5).
_Text_ "Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects: therefore despise not you the chastening of the Almighty"(Job 5:17).
Jacob had caused grief but now he found compassion in the reception he got from.Laban his mother's brother. All this is under the watchful care of God, the Good Shepherd of the sheep.
The Psalmist says, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivers him out of them all"(Psalm 34:19).
_Jacob works for Laban.and marries his two daughters, Leah and Rachel._
Laban suggested to him that he work for him and give him a wife to marry.
Happy at the same idea which he had been sent to do by his parents, Jacob offers to serve Laban for seven years in exchange of Rachel the fairer, and younger one than her sister Leah for wife.
Laban was as deceitful with Jacob as Jacob had been with his father Isaac. Now, he learnt his lesson in the school of affliction. When Jacob had worked for Laban seven years as payment of the bride price for Rachel, Laban gave him the older daughter Leah instead.
Feeling cheated, he complained not knowing the correction of God. For by providence, he arrived in Haran, and by providence, he married Leah who was to bear the seed of promise through Judah.
After the week long wedding celebrations for Jacob and Leah were over, Laban gave Rachel to Jacob as a second wife but only on the condition that Jacob worked an additional seven years as payment of the second bride price. According to custom, each wife received a slave-girl as a wedding gift.
Though it was not Jacob's intention to marry two wives he was defrauded by Laban to commit this immoral offence.
This event which he concerted to was more deplorable as it destroyed the principle of monogamy to which the patriarchs on the whole adhered to.
Jacob had only intended to marry Rachel alone but he found himself against his will allied with Leah.
However, his heart could not renounce Rachel from whom he expected the best part of his happiness to come from. he could not either dismiss Leah after the solemnization of the marriage.
Leah was the hated was blessed with children which compensated her for the loss of her husband’s love and Rachel the loved
was denied the blessing of children.
Leah bore four sons for Jacob, the first she called Reuben (Hebrews) “see ye a son.", the second was Simeon (Hebrews meaning “hearing,” for she said "God had heard her prayer and seen her affliction.", the third she called named Levi, Hebrews meaning “joined.”for the breach would be healed as would be joined to her husband and the fourth she called Judah, Hebrews meaning “praise,” for she was thankful to God that she had won the affections of her husband by bearing to him so many sons.
_Text_ "See, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward" (Psalm 127:3).
The gospel according to Leah was prophetic, "See a son who will hear prayers of our afflictions as we shall be joined to Him to heal the breach of sin that separates us from God and so shall we praise Him for our afflictions.
The prophet Isaiah says, "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted"(Isaiah 53:3-4)
Appeal
Leah confirmed, now will I praise the Lord more and better than I have done. So also all our praises must centre in the Son, Jesus Christ, as our Mediator who descended from Him(God) whose name we should praise, so that Christ may be formed in our hearts. The Apostle Paul says, "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love" (Ephesians 3:17). Amen!!!
Elico Manenji
(+263712952704
No comments:
Write comments