Genesis 29:31-30:43
Dear RTB’ers,
Jacob’s blessings. Jacob had already secured the birthright and his father’s blessing. Now the Lord blesses him with children and animals. Today we see Rachel and Leah openly competing with one another, then Laban and Jacob secretly competing with one another. How strange is that!
As I read about Jacob’s sons, three names stand out – Levi and Judah, two of Leah’s sons, and Joseph, Rachel’s son. Levi’s descendants include Moses and Aaron and the entire priestly line (later also including Zachariah and Elizabeth in the New Testament (Luke 1:5), while Judah’s descendants include King David and Jesus. So in spite of Leah being “unloved”, her sons become the most prominent among the twelve tribes. Rachel’s son, Joseph, however, becomes the most important figure in the rest of the book of Genesis. Interesting how this all plays out…!
As for the striped and speckled and spotted and black sheep and goats and poplar, almond and plane trees, it’s an interesting story, but all of it with one bottom line – God blesses Jacob and makes him very wealthy. As John said two days ago, “But God is indeed sovereign, and He works out His purposes even when…”, “…even when…”!
Blessings!