This and most of my blog posts of late are my study notes from a chronological Bible study I am currently doing. As I truly believe that all the world's problems could be solved by intimately knowing God and His plan for our salvation in Jesus, I write to share His Word with my personal thoughts, and also sharing some insights I receive from some of the great commentaries from centuries past. I prefer the older teachings, because I truly believe in recent years we have lost our way. We want to mold scripture into what we believe for our current culture. We want to worship a god of our own devices. There is only salvation in the one true God of the Bible, and I know when we truly seek Him, He will be found and He will reveal His truth to us. This blog is my little way of saying I know this to be true and I am not ashamed to tell the world this is how I try to live privately and publicly. I wish everyone would seek the true God of the Bible and discover what He said about Himself, and that is why I repost Bible scripture, even though it is out there in millions of places. God's Word is life, and I truly wish it for everyone.
Picking up in the 30th chapter of Genesis:
(Genesis 30:1) And when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, "Give me children, or else I die!" (2) And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, "Am I in God's place, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?"
The beautiful Rachel who had the true love of her husband now envied her sister. She made the unreasonable demand to her husband that he give her not just one child, but children, or she would fret herself to death. Her ugly jealous demands made Jacob angry. It was not his fault that she had had no children; it was, of course, God who had withheld children from her.
(3) And she said, "Behold my maid Bilhah; go in to her, and she will bear upon my knees, that I also may have children by her."
Perhaps Rachel was not being as unreasonable as it first sounded. She surely knew it wasn't in Jacob's power to give her children of her own, but it was in his power to take her maid and give her children that way. Bilhah would bear a child upon Rachel's knees which sounds like Rachel would be there in labor receiving the child immediately and taking it as her own.
(4) And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid as wife, and Jacob went in to her. (5) And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. (6) And Rachel said, "God has judged me, and has also heard my voice and has given me a son." Therefore she called his name Dan.
Jacob agreed to take Bilhah as a wife, and she conceived and bore a son. Rachel named the baby Dan, which literally meant "judge", because she felt God had judged her and her situation. God had heard her plea for a child and gave her one through her maid. She felt righteously judged by God in that He had blessed her with a child according to her plan.
(7) And Bilhah, Rachel's maid, conceived again, and bore Jacob a second son. (8) And Rachel said, "With great wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed." And she called his name Naphtali.
Rachel's maid had another son, and Rachel named this one Naphtali, which meant "wrestling", because it represented the great wrestlings she felt she had had with her sister. Obviously, there had not really been wrestling on the part of Leah; she just naturally bore children. But with the envious human nature of Rachel, she saw herself in a contest with her sister, and she had prevailed.
(9) When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing, she took Zilpah her maid and gave her to Jacob as wife.
So now it appears it has become a contest! Leah, not content with the first four sons she bore to Jacob, witnessed what Rachel had done in giving her maid to Jacob, and it would seem decided she might have more children that way, too. It might be argued that Leah simply did this as a natural next step because she had stopped bearing, but I don't think so. With the great dramatic emotion Rachel first used to get Jacob to take her maid as wife, it doesn't seem that that was the routine way of doing things. I am pretty sure we can assume that Leah has taken her place in this rivalry.
(10) And Zilpah Leah's maid bore Jacob a son. (11) And Leah said, "A troop comes", and she called his name Gad.
Leah's maid did bear Jacob a son, and she called his name Gad, meaning "troop" or "fortune". She herself explained her choice of names by saying, "A troop comes". It appears she meant her good fortune with a troop of children, whether she meant at the present, or that they would now come with Zilpah helping her.
(12) And Leah's maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. (13) And Leah said, "I am happy, for the daughters will call me blessed." And she called his name Asher.
Zilpah, Leah's maid, bore Jacob another son, and Leah called his name Asher, which meant "happy" or "blessed". She spoke of both meanings when she explained her choice of names.
(14) And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, "Please give me some of your son's mandrakes." (15) And she said to her, "Is it a small matter that you have taken my husband? And would you take my son's mandrakes also?" And Rachel said, "Therefore he will lie with you tonight for your son's mandrakes."
Meanwhile, Jacob's firstborn son, Reuben, has grown, and was in the field one day during harvest and found some mandrakes, and Rachel asked for some. Apparently, Leah still felt slighted, even after her maid had given Jacob more children. As for Rachel, some scholars think the mandrake mentioned here was an aphrodisiac that would help with conception, so that may explain why she wanted them so.
(16) And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him and said, "You must come in to me, for I have surely hired you with my son's mandrakes." And he lay with her that night.
Ironically, Jacob, who had taken his brother's birthright in exchange for food, was now himself traded for mandrakes.
(17) And God hearkened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. (18) And Leah said, "God has given me my wages, because I have given my maid to my husband." And she called his name Issachar.
God heard Leah's prayer and granted the desire of her heart, that she should have another child. She called this son's name Issachar, which literally meant "there is recompense" or "he will bring a reward". She decided herself that God had paid her for her mandrakes and rewarded her because she had given her maid to her husband. Of course, God requested no such thing of her, but that was her reasoning. However, it is true that God blessed her with another child.
(19) And Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son. (20) And Leah said, "God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons." And she called his name Zebulun.
Leah bore another son, her sixth, and Jacob's tenth. She named this son Zebulun, which meant "habitation" or "dwelling", because she believed that surely her husband would live with her all the time, since she had borne him six sons.
(21) And afterwards she bore a daughter, and called her name Dinah.
After bearing Jacob six sons, Leah bore a daughter she named Dinah, meaning "judgment" or "justice". She probably not only thought God had judged her favorably, but maybe decided He had even judged in her favor over Rachel, by giving her so many children.
(22) And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her and opened her womb. (23) And she conceived and bore a son, and said, "God has taken away my reproach." (24) And she called his name Joseph, and said, "The LORD shall add to me another son."
Then God remembered Rachel--not that He had ever forgotten her, but He now answered her prayer and gave her a son. She considered her barrenness a reproach and a disgrace, but felt God had taken that away. She named the child Joseph, which literally meant "Jehovah has added", because indeed the Lord had done just that.
This is not the end of this chapter, but as I am following a chronological Bible reading schedule by Skip Andrews, this is where the study ends for now.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
God's Grace in the Origin of Israel and Christianity
Continuing my chronological Bible study:
(Genesis 29:1) Then Jacob went on his journey and came into the land of the people of the east. (2) And he looked and beheld a well in the field; and lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it, for out of that well they watered the flocks, and a large stone was on the well's mouth. (3) And there were all the flocks gathered; and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again in its place on the well's mouth.
Jacob continued on his way to Laban, his mother Rebekah's brother, as she and Isaac had directed him, to marry a woman from among his mother's people, and to flee from his brother Esau who wanted to kill him. He came to the land east of Canaan and saw a well in the field where flocks of sheep lay. He observed that there was a large stone at the well's mouth that the shepherds rolled away to water their flocks, and then rolled it back in place after watering.
(4) And Jacob said to them, "My brethren, where are you from?"; and they said, "We are from Haran." (5) And he said to them, "Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?"; and they said, "We know him." (6) And he said to them, "Is he well?"; And they said, "He is well; and look, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep".
Jacob spoke to the shepherds to ask where they were from. They were from Haran which is where he was headed, so he asked if they knew Laban, his mother's brother. They said they knew him and that he was well, and just look who happened to be coming to water her sheep, but Rachel, Laban's daughter. Divine providence had brought Jacob to the very field and well where he would meet Laban's daughter; God was indeed with him as He had said He would be.
(7) And he said, "Look, it is still high day; it is not time for the cattle to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them".
Is Jacob trying to get rid of the shepherds so that he may meet Rachel alone? Here he is a stranger telling the local shepherds to go ahead and water the sheep and go feed them.
(8) And they said, "We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep".
Apparently, Jacob did not actually observe the shepherds rolling the stone from the well's mouth as described in verse 3. That was just an explanation of the large stone in front of the well and why it was there. The shepherds told Jacob they could not yet leave until all the flocks had come, at which time they would roll the stone one time and all the sheep would be watered.
(9) And while he yet spoke with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she kept them.
While Jacob was still talking to the shepherds, Rachel came to the well with her father's sheep, as she took care of them. Interestingly, the name Rachel literally means "ewe", a female sheep.
(10) And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.
Maybe Jacob's intention all along was to get the stone moved so that Rachel might water her sheep as soon as she got there. The shepherds waited and were too slow, so Jacob apparently moved the stone himself, and watered Rachel's flock. It may have been a chivalrous act directed toward Rachel, but the way the scripture keeps repeating "Laban his mother's brother", I'm sure it was out of respect to his mother's family, as well.
(11) And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept.
My first impulse was, wow, Jacob moves fast! But then I remembered that in Biblical times, people often kissed on the cheek as a way of greeting a friend. Jacob must be overcome by emotion at the realization that God has brought him directly to his mother's brother's daughter.
(12) And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's relative and that he was Rebekah's son, and she ran and told her father.
Jacob explained to Rachel who he was, probably in explanation of his demonstration of love and emotion, and she ran to tell her father.
(13) And it came to pass, when Laban heard the report of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.
Laban happily met and greeted his sister's son and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all the things leading to his being there, probably about Esau and his vision that God would be with him, which surely brought him right to Rachel.
(14) And Laban said to him, "Surely you are my bone and my flesh." And he stayed with him for a month. (15) And Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages be?"
Laban happily let his relative, his sister's son, live with him. Apparently, after a month, and evidently, all the while with Jacob helping him out about his house and land, he told Jacob that he should be paid for all he did to help him. He asked Jacob what he would like for his wages to be.
(16) And Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. (17) Leah was tender eyed, but Rachel was beautiful and well favored. (18) And Jacob loved Rachel, and said, "I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter."
Laban had two daughters, the younger of whom Jacob loved, so he told Laban he would work seven years for him in exchange for the hand of his daughter, Rachel. Much has been speculated about the meaning of Leah's tender eyes that made her less desirable than Rachel. The original word is "rak" meaning "tender, soft, delicate, weak". The NIV translators and other of the newer Bible version translators translated the word as "weak", but it is most often used in scripture to mean "tender" and paired with "young" and "delicate". At this point, I don't see any reason to believe her eyesight was weak, and besides it appears to be a more visual thing that is being compared here. I think Leah's eyes may have been light-colored or small and delicate looking, while Rachel had more strong and striking features.
(19) And Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man; stay with me." (20) And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. (21) And Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her."
I believe Jacob's desire was honorable. He had wanted no other pay from Laban but that he have Rachel as his wife. Perhaps he had offered to work so long for her because he had no other money to give as a dowry, as was customary in those times. He offered servitude for seven years which would have been worth a fair amount. Perhaps Laban did just mean it was better that Rachel become his relative Jacob's wife rather than any other man's wife, but his words that he "give her" may indicate more. Whatever his meaning, he appears to have agreed to have Jacob stay with him and work seven years for the hand of Rachel. Because he loved Rachel so, those seven years seemed only a few days to Jacob. Wow, I think of how impatient we are in this day and age; we require instant gratification. Anyway, the end of seven years came, and Jacob asked for his wife.
(22) And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast. (23) And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to Jacob; and he went in unto her.
So Laban made a feast, it would seem a celebratory marriage feast because Jacob was about to marry his daughter, Rachel. In the evening, Laban brought Leah to Jacob, instead of Rachel, and it appears that Jacob did not realize that. The custom was to keep the bride veiled up until and including the time she was brought into her husband's bed chamber as a sign of her purity. It would have been dark when her veil was lifted and as Jacob had never been intimate with Rachel, it is conceivable that he could have been deceived in this manner.
(24) And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid.
Slaves or maid servants were customarily given to daughters upon their marriages, and were to be their personal property and not subject to their husbands. Zilpah is Laban's marriage gift to his daughter, Leah.
(25) And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah; and he said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?" (26) And Laban said, "It must not be done so in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. (27) Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me yet another seven years."
Obviously Jacob was upset when he discovered it was Leah he had gone to bed with rather than his Rachel. He asked Laban why he had done such a thing. Laban's true character is revealed when he told Jacob that it wasn't right that a younger daughter should be married before the firstborn. If he had had good and sincere intentions, he could have told Jacob that upfront, but as it is, he held Rachel as a prize just out of reach, and told Jacob he could have her if he worked another seven years. This treatment of his daughters as property that can be bought and sold and given at his will was not proper and is later described in scripture in his daughters' complaint against him, in Genesis 31:15. Fulfilling her week referred to the week of Leah's marriage feast. After the first night, when Jacob discovered he had been deceived, he might have refused to keep Leah as his wife, but Laban encouraged him to go ahead with the marriage, by enticing him with the real desire of his heart, Rachel. Ironically, Jacob the deceiver, the one who deceived his brother to get what he wanted, was now deceived by Laban who would now get 14 years of service to marry off both his daughters.
(28) And Jacob did so and fulfilled her week; and he gave him Rachel his daughter as wife also. (29) And Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maid. (30) And he went in also unto Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah; and he served with Laban yet another seven years.
Jacob did fulfill the marriage feast week for Leah, and Laban gave him Rachel as his wife, also. Laban also gave Rachel her own maid, Bilhah. Jacob consummated his marriage to Rachel, and loved his Rachel more than Leah. After all, he only wanted Rachel, but was tricked into taking Leah as his wife, as well. Jacob served Laban another seven years as he had said he would.
(31) And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
It always bothered me a little that Leah was hated. It is true, she was less loved than Rachel, and that is no one's fault. Jacob loved Rachel; she was the one he wanted all along, so to have Leah forced upon him, as well, didn't make him instantly love her. John Wesley pointed out something in scripture that explains this choice of words. "Hate" was used in Luke 14:26, when Jesus said if any man came to Him and did not hate his mother, father, etc., he could not be a disciple of Jesus. Obviously, I know that Jesus never taught us to hate anyone. By studying another scripture where Jesus taught the same lesson, Matthew 10:37, we read about Jesus talking about one who loves his parents or his children more than Him, and was not worthy of Him. It is the same case with Rachel and Leah; in the verse directly before this one, it simply stated that Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah, and in the next verse God saw Leah was hated. I believe Jesus summed it up well in Matthew 6:24 when He talked about how no one could serve two masters, as he would naturally love one and hate the other. Although "hate" seems like a strong word to the reader, I believe it was meant to show a comparison to the love shown. In all these cases, there is a comparison made between the one loved and the one "hated". Adam Clarke's notes on Luke 14:26 added more examples of love and hate being used in other scriptures, with Deuteronomy 21:15-17 offering a unique example not yet touched upon in these study notes. His conclusion was that it was no arbitrary interpretation of the word "hate" to determine that it simply meant to not love or like as much, and it didn't mean there was any burning hatred.
Back to verse 31, even though I am sure there was no open hatred of Leah, it was obvious she was not preferred by Jacob, and even her father had to devise a trick to get her married, so she had every reason to feel unloved. Therefore, the Lord loved and blessed her and opened her womb.
(32) And Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, "Surely the LORD has looked on my affliction; now therefore, my husband will love me."
Leah conceived and bore a son, and called him Reuben, which literally meant "behold a son". As the mother of his firstborn son, Leah felt that now her husband would love her. She obviously felt terribly unloved, calling it an affliction, and felt that surely the Lord had blessed her by giving her this son.
(33) And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Because the LORD has heard that I was hated, He has therefore given me this son also." And she called his name Simeon.
Leah bore Jacob a second son and called his name Simeon, which literally meant "heard". Proving once again that she considered her affliction being the fact she was unloved, Leah declared that the Lord had heard that she was hated and gave her another son.
(34) And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons." Therefore his name was called Levi.
Leah called her third son Levi, which literally meant "joined to" or "attached". She supposed her husband would form a strong loving bond with her now that she was the mother of his three sons.
(35) And she conceived again and bore a son, and she said, "Now I will praise the LORD." Therefore she called his name Judah, and stopped bearing.
Leah bore a fourth son and called his name "Judah", which meant "praised" or "celebrated". Leah had surely thanked and praised the Lord when she was given sons before this, when she felt the Lord had seen she was unloved and had blessed her with sons. But with four sons, she must have praised Him more than ever now. Little did Leah know that from the line of this celebrated son would come the Messiah. After bearing four sons, Leah stopped bearing children, at least for the time being.
Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament offers a beautiful insight into the story of Leah's first sons. God blessed Leah with the first four sons while Rachel, the object of Jacob's love and desire, remained barren, at least for a time. "By this it was made apparent once more, that the origin of Israel was to be a work not of nature, but of grace." We have already seen that it was not a work of nature with regard to it being brought through the firstborn. When I think about Leah, I can see a humble woman, lowly in spirit, but obviously a loving wife. It seems that her husband's love was very important to her. It doesn't appear that she was angry or resentful and nagged her husband about it. She just did what she was called to do as a wife, and God blessed her. Jesus later taught that the poor in spirit and those that mourn would be blessed and comforted. The Apostle Paul wrote this in 1 Corinthians 12:24-25:
"For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another."
Rachel was the beautiful one who had the love of her husband and for that time had no other need, but God gave honor to Leah who lacked her husband's love. What a beautiful demonstration of God's love and tender mercy for His children!
John Nelson Darby took this a step further and likened it to Israel and the Gentiles. Rachel was the one first loved, as Israel was God's chosen people, but Leah was given grace as are the Gentiles who actively seek after God. I love this analogy! I love seeing God's plan for our salvation in Jesus from the very beginning!
(Genesis 29:1) Then Jacob went on his journey and came into the land of the people of the east. (2) And he looked and beheld a well in the field; and lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it, for out of that well they watered the flocks, and a large stone was on the well's mouth. (3) And there were all the flocks gathered; and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again in its place on the well's mouth.
Jacob continued on his way to Laban, his mother Rebekah's brother, as she and Isaac had directed him, to marry a woman from among his mother's people, and to flee from his brother Esau who wanted to kill him. He came to the land east of Canaan and saw a well in the field where flocks of sheep lay. He observed that there was a large stone at the well's mouth that the shepherds rolled away to water their flocks, and then rolled it back in place after watering.
(4) And Jacob said to them, "My brethren, where are you from?"; and they said, "We are from Haran." (5) And he said to them, "Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?"; and they said, "We know him." (6) And he said to them, "Is he well?"; And they said, "He is well; and look, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep".
Jacob spoke to the shepherds to ask where they were from. They were from Haran which is where he was headed, so he asked if they knew Laban, his mother's brother. They said they knew him and that he was well, and just look who happened to be coming to water her sheep, but Rachel, Laban's daughter. Divine providence had brought Jacob to the very field and well where he would meet Laban's daughter; God was indeed with him as He had said He would be.
(7) And he said, "Look, it is still high day; it is not time for the cattle to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them".
Is Jacob trying to get rid of the shepherds so that he may meet Rachel alone? Here he is a stranger telling the local shepherds to go ahead and water the sheep and go feed them.
(8) And they said, "We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep".
Apparently, Jacob did not actually observe the shepherds rolling the stone from the well's mouth as described in verse 3. That was just an explanation of the large stone in front of the well and why it was there. The shepherds told Jacob they could not yet leave until all the flocks had come, at which time they would roll the stone one time and all the sheep would be watered.
(9) And while he yet spoke with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she kept them.
While Jacob was still talking to the shepherds, Rachel came to the well with her father's sheep, as she took care of them. Interestingly, the name Rachel literally means "ewe", a female sheep.
(10) And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.
Maybe Jacob's intention all along was to get the stone moved so that Rachel might water her sheep as soon as she got there. The shepherds waited and were too slow, so Jacob apparently moved the stone himself, and watered Rachel's flock. It may have been a chivalrous act directed toward Rachel, but the way the scripture keeps repeating "Laban his mother's brother", I'm sure it was out of respect to his mother's family, as well.
(11) And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept.
My first impulse was, wow, Jacob moves fast! But then I remembered that in Biblical times, people often kissed on the cheek as a way of greeting a friend. Jacob must be overcome by emotion at the realization that God has brought him directly to his mother's brother's daughter.
(12) And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's relative and that he was Rebekah's son, and she ran and told her father.
Jacob explained to Rachel who he was, probably in explanation of his demonstration of love and emotion, and she ran to tell her father.
(13) And it came to pass, when Laban heard the report of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.
Laban happily met and greeted his sister's son and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all the things leading to his being there, probably about Esau and his vision that God would be with him, which surely brought him right to Rachel.
(14) And Laban said to him, "Surely you are my bone and my flesh." And he stayed with him for a month. (15) And Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages be?"
Laban happily let his relative, his sister's son, live with him. Apparently, after a month, and evidently, all the while with Jacob helping him out about his house and land, he told Jacob that he should be paid for all he did to help him. He asked Jacob what he would like for his wages to be.
(16) And Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. (17) Leah was tender eyed, but Rachel was beautiful and well favored. (18) And Jacob loved Rachel, and said, "I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter."
Laban had two daughters, the younger of whom Jacob loved, so he told Laban he would work seven years for him in exchange for the hand of his daughter, Rachel. Much has been speculated about the meaning of Leah's tender eyes that made her less desirable than Rachel. The original word is "rak" meaning "tender, soft, delicate, weak". The NIV translators and other of the newer Bible version translators translated the word as "weak", but it is most often used in scripture to mean "tender" and paired with "young" and "delicate". At this point, I don't see any reason to believe her eyesight was weak, and besides it appears to be a more visual thing that is being compared here. I think Leah's eyes may have been light-colored or small and delicate looking, while Rachel had more strong and striking features.
(19) And Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man; stay with me." (20) And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. (21) And Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her."
I believe Jacob's desire was honorable. He had wanted no other pay from Laban but that he have Rachel as his wife. Perhaps he had offered to work so long for her because he had no other money to give as a dowry, as was customary in those times. He offered servitude for seven years which would have been worth a fair amount. Perhaps Laban did just mean it was better that Rachel become his relative Jacob's wife rather than any other man's wife, but his words that he "give her" may indicate more. Whatever his meaning, he appears to have agreed to have Jacob stay with him and work seven years for the hand of Rachel. Because he loved Rachel so, those seven years seemed only a few days to Jacob. Wow, I think of how impatient we are in this day and age; we require instant gratification. Anyway, the end of seven years came, and Jacob asked for his wife.
(22) And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast. (23) And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to Jacob; and he went in unto her.
So Laban made a feast, it would seem a celebratory marriage feast because Jacob was about to marry his daughter, Rachel. In the evening, Laban brought Leah to Jacob, instead of Rachel, and it appears that Jacob did not realize that. The custom was to keep the bride veiled up until and including the time she was brought into her husband's bed chamber as a sign of her purity. It would have been dark when her veil was lifted and as Jacob had never been intimate with Rachel, it is conceivable that he could have been deceived in this manner.
(24) And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid.
Slaves or maid servants were customarily given to daughters upon their marriages, and were to be their personal property and not subject to their husbands. Zilpah is Laban's marriage gift to his daughter, Leah.
(25) And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah; and he said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?" (26) And Laban said, "It must not be done so in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. (27) Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me yet another seven years."
Obviously Jacob was upset when he discovered it was Leah he had gone to bed with rather than his Rachel. He asked Laban why he had done such a thing. Laban's true character is revealed when he told Jacob that it wasn't right that a younger daughter should be married before the firstborn. If he had had good and sincere intentions, he could have told Jacob that upfront, but as it is, he held Rachel as a prize just out of reach, and told Jacob he could have her if he worked another seven years. This treatment of his daughters as property that can be bought and sold and given at his will was not proper and is later described in scripture in his daughters' complaint against him, in Genesis 31:15. Fulfilling her week referred to the week of Leah's marriage feast. After the first night, when Jacob discovered he had been deceived, he might have refused to keep Leah as his wife, but Laban encouraged him to go ahead with the marriage, by enticing him with the real desire of his heart, Rachel. Ironically, Jacob the deceiver, the one who deceived his brother to get what he wanted, was now deceived by Laban who would now get 14 years of service to marry off both his daughters.
(28) And Jacob did so and fulfilled her week; and he gave him Rachel his daughter as wife also. (29) And Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maid. (30) And he went in also unto Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah; and he served with Laban yet another seven years.
Jacob did fulfill the marriage feast week for Leah, and Laban gave him Rachel as his wife, also. Laban also gave Rachel her own maid, Bilhah. Jacob consummated his marriage to Rachel, and loved his Rachel more than Leah. After all, he only wanted Rachel, but was tricked into taking Leah as his wife, as well. Jacob served Laban another seven years as he had said he would.
(31) And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
It always bothered me a little that Leah was hated. It is true, she was less loved than Rachel, and that is no one's fault. Jacob loved Rachel; she was the one he wanted all along, so to have Leah forced upon him, as well, didn't make him instantly love her. John Wesley pointed out something in scripture that explains this choice of words. "Hate" was used in Luke 14:26, when Jesus said if any man came to Him and did not hate his mother, father, etc., he could not be a disciple of Jesus. Obviously, I know that Jesus never taught us to hate anyone. By studying another scripture where Jesus taught the same lesson, Matthew 10:37, we read about Jesus talking about one who loves his parents or his children more than Him, and was not worthy of Him. It is the same case with Rachel and Leah; in the verse directly before this one, it simply stated that Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah, and in the next verse God saw Leah was hated. I believe Jesus summed it up well in Matthew 6:24 when He talked about how no one could serve two masters, as he would naturally love one and hate the other. Although "hate" seems like a strong word to the reader, I believe it was meant to show a comparison to the love shown. In all these cases, there is a comparison made between the one loved and the one "hated". Adam Clarke's notes on Luke 14:26 added more examples of love and hate being used in other scriptures, with Deuteronomy 21:15-17 offering a unique example not yet touched upon in these study notes. His conclusion was that it was no arbitrary interpretation of the word "hate" to determine that it simply meant to not love or like as much, and it didn't mean there was any burning hatred.
Back to verse 31, even though I am sure there was no open hatred of Leah, it was obvious she was not preferred by Jacob, and even her father had to devise a trick to get her married, so she had every reason to feel unloved. Therefore, the Lord loved and blessed her and opened her womb.
(32) And Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, "Surely the LORD has looked on my affliction; now therefore, my husband will love me."
Leah conceived and bore a son, and called him Reuben, which literally meant "behold a son". As the mother of his firstborn son, Leah felt that now her husband would love her. She obviously felt terribly unloved, calling it an affliction, and felt that surely the Lord had blessed her by giving her this son.
(33) And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Because the LORD has heard that I was hated, He has therefore given me this son also." And she called his name Simeon.
Leah bore Jacob a second son and called his name Simeon, which literally meant "heard". Proving once again that she considered her affliction being the fact she was unloved, Leah declared that the Lord had heard that she was hated and gave her another son.
(34) And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons." Therefore his name was called Levi.
Leah called her third son Levi, which literally meant "joined to" or "attached". She supposed her husband would form a strong loving bond with her now that she was the mother of his three sons.
(35) And she conceived again and bore a son, and she said, "Now I will praise the LORD." Therefore she called his name Judah, and stopped bearing.
Leah bore a fourth son and called his name "Judah", which meant "praised" or "celebrated". Leah had surely thanked and praised the Lord when she was given sons before this, when she felt the Lord had seen she was unloved and had blessed her with sons. But with four sons, she must have praised Him more than ever now. Little did Leah know that from the line of this celebrated son would come the Messiah. After bearing four sons, Leah stopped bearing children, at least for the time being.
Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament offers a beautiful insight into the story of Leah's first sons. God blessed Leah with the first four sons while Rachel, the object of Jacob's love and desire, remained barren, at least for a time. "By this it was made apparent once more, that the origin of Israel was to be a work not of nature, but of grace." We have already seen that it was not a work of nature with regard to it being brought through the firstborn. When I think about Leah, I can see a humble woman, lowly in spirit, but obviously a loving wife. It seems that her husband's love was very important to her. It doesn't appear that she was angry or resentful and nagged her husband about it. She just did what she was called to do as a wife, and God blessed her. Jesus later taught that the poor in spirit and those that mourn would be blessed and comforted. The Apostle Paul wrote this in 1 Corinthians 12:24-25:
"For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another."
Rachel was the beautiful one who had the love of her husband and for that time had no other need, but God gave honor to Leah who lacked her husband's love. What a beautiful demonstration of God's love and tender mercy for His children!
John Nelson Darby took this a step further and likened it to Israel and the Gentiles. Rachel was the one first loved, as Israel was God's chosen people, but Leah was given grace as are the Gentiles who actively seek after God. I love this analogy! I love seeing God's plan for our salvation in Jesus from the very beginning!
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Do We Really Fear God Today?
Continuing my chronological Bible study:
(Genesis 28:1) And Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, and said to him, "You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan."
At the end of the last chapter, Rebekah had thought of a way to send Jacob away so that Esau would not kill him because of Jacob's deceit and trickery in stealing his blessing. She told Isaac she just could not bear it if Jacob married a Canaanite woman. Isaac therefore called Jacob and it appears that he willingly confirmed his blessing upon him, and told him that he was not to take a wife from among the Canaanite women.
(2) "Arise, go to Padan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother's father; and take you a wife from there of the daughters of Laban your mother's brother. (3) And God Almighty bless you, and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may be a multitude of people; (4) And give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your descendants with you, that you may inherit the land in which you are a stranger, which God gave to Abraham." (5) And Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Padan Aram to Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.
Isaac told Jacob to go to Padan Aram to Laban in the house of Bethuel, Rebekah's father, and marry one of the daughters of Rebekah's brother, Laban. Isaac blessed his son Jacob with the Abrahamic promise that had been passed from Abraham to Isaac and now to Jacob, that he would be fruitful and his descendants would be many, and that they would ultimately inherit the land of Canaan, the land in which they were only sojourners then. Then Isaac did indeed send Jacob away to Padan Aram.
(6) When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Padan Aram to take himself a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, "You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan," (7) And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother and had gone to Padan Aram, (8) And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan did not please his father Isaac, (9) Then Esau went to Ishmael and took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife in addition to the wives he had.
Esau saw that his father had blessed Jacob and that he had sent him away to find a wife in order that he not take a wife from among the Canaanite women. With that he realized that his father was not pleased with the Canaanite women as wives for his sons, as Esau had previously taken, so he took another wife. This time he married the daughter of his father's brother, Ishmael. Ishmael was now dead, so when Esau "went to Ishmael", it was as Jacob going to the house of Bethuel. Esau went to the house of Ishmael, probably directly to Nebajoth, who was Ishamel's oldest son, and took Mahalath, Nebajoth's sister, to be his wife. Esau may have been trying to please his father, but daughters of Ishmael would not have been the most favorable as Ishmael had been separated from the house of Abraham and was not included in the Abrahamic promise, another indication that Esau just didn't understand the spiritual importance of his birthright and the blessing of the firstborn in the line of Abraham.
(10) And Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran. (11) And he lighted upon a certain place and tarried there all night because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put it for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.
Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. He apparently couldn't make it in one day, and happened upon a certain place casually, and not necessarily intentionally, and decided to stay there for the night as the sun was setting. He took a stone for a pillow as he evidently didn't have other provisions.
(12) And he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. (13) And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, "I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. (14) And your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth, and you will spread abroad to the west and to the east, and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth will be blessed. (15) And, behold, I am with you and will keep you in all places wherever you go, and will bring you again to this land, for I will not leave you until I have done that of which I have spoken to you."
Jacob dreamed of a ladder that was set up on earth and reached to heaven with angels going up and down it. The Lord stood above it and spoke to Jacob. He confirmed His promise to Abraham now to Jacob. The land on which Jacob lay that may have been accidental for him, was providential in that the Lord told him this very land would be given to him and his descendants. As God had told Abraham, Jacob's descendants would be as the dust of the earth, too numerous to count, and they would spread in all directions. As He had told Abraham, God told Jacob that through him and his descendants would all the families of the earth be blessed, which is a reference to the Messiah who would come from this line and in Whom all may be saved. The Lord told Jacob He was with him and would be with him wherever he went, and that He would bring him back to this land. The line of angels going up and down the ladder in Jacob's dream was a picture of the constant ministering spirits and line of communication that would always be between God and Jacob. More than that, it is a picture of Jesus Christ Who would become the direct line from us to God.
(16) And Jacob awoke out of his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it." (17) And he was afraid and said, "How dreadful is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."
Once again what was a casual nondescript place in Jacob's mind was a place where the Lord showed Himself to Jacob unexpectedly. He realized that the Lord was certainly in that place and that apparently surprised him. I left the original KJV words "afraid" and "dreadful" in my study. Although I usually don't think of them as "fright" and "awful" as we have come to interpret those words, sometimes I think our modern translations diminish the intended meaning of the original words. Jacob was afraid; he had fear. Yes, I agree with the common idea that it was a reverential fear, but it was more than that. I don't think we today quite understand that awestruck fear of knowing that you have just come in contact with the One who literally holds your life in His Hands. How could we when we so flippantly disregard all the things He told us in His Word? We keep Him only in church and bring Him out only when we really need something; we pretend that He shouldn't be a part of our daily public lives and decisions. How preposterous! Just think of how far our country has gone in rejecting God. We've come to accept the idea that He doesn't belong in schools or in the public square because someone might be offended. Would we care if we really feared God and saw Him as the Master of the Universe? We actually kill millions of babies and call it a RIGHT! Does anyone really think that God would approve of killing the most innocent because it is not convenient to let that child be born right now? Does anyone think that God is going to bless a country that promotes and celebrates same-sex "marriage" as equality and a RIGHT even though He called it an abomination? Do we think a country can survive without God's blessing? Do we think God understands that the times have changed and we are such a wiser people now? Suppose you had to confront God and ask Him face to face if it was okay to kill your baby and "marry" your lesbian lover. Does that strike fear in your heart? If it doesn't, it should! I have to wonder if some of the people out there cheering on these horrible Godless acts ever really think about what God would say, or do they just try to ignore that. Or have they really reached a point where they don't care? Oh, they would care if God presented Himself as the awesome terror that He is! He IS Someone to be dreaded! He does hold your life in His hand; He holds our country in His hand; He holds the entire planet in His hand! And God will not be mocked! Oh, He is patient, oh-so patient that people forget that the things of God matter, but they do! And there will come a time when EVERYONE will know that!
For it is written, "As I live, says the LORD, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God." So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. - Romans 14:11-12
And that is a reference to Isaiah 45:23 which says:
"I have sworn by Myself, the word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear."
Can you imagine that? Just by the sheer force of His majesty, everyone will be on his knees before the Lord. EVERYONE, not just believers, not just Christians, EVERYONE! And everyone will give an account of just why they did what they did. That ought to strike fear in us to our very cores. But surely God will understand a changing culture. Surely God will understand taking a baby's life until a time when it is more convenient. After all you don't have time to properly love that child now. Surely God will understand that there had to be separation of church and state and that is why we fought to keep prayer out of schools and references to Him out of the public square! Surely God understands that it is because you are so loving and tolerant that you believe you should fight for same-sex marriage even though He called it an abomination. I'm not suggesting that any of these things can't be forgiven by God, and He did give us Jesus as our Mediator so that our sinful selves can come into His presence. But He is still the same God and we have to realize when we are sinning against Him and repent, which means change! Yes, Jesus gives us grace so that we don't have to fear God, but only when we see our sin, see our need for Him to cover our sin, and REPENT! A repentant heart is one that is truly sorry and seeks to change. We know what is right. Isaiah 45:24 goes on to say that after we all bow before the Lord, "and all that are incensed against Him shall be ashamed". We will know He is God; we will bow before Him; and we will be ashamed. I'm just imagining how we would act in this country if we had to be on our knees in the presence of God before every decision we made. Or maybe just every night to explain why we did what we did. Do you think we'd act a lot differently? God gives us free will; it's true. But that doesn't change what is right and true. And if we truly had the fear of God as we should, we wouldn't dare do what we do in this day and age.
(18) And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil on the top of it. (19) And he called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of that city was called Luz at first.
Jacob took the stone he had used for a pillow and turned it into an upright erect position as a monument to God or as a reminder to him of the greatness of God and of his vision. He called the place Bethel, which literally meant "house of God". It had previously been called Luz, which was the word for a kind of nut, an almond or a hazel nut, which probably grew there.
(20) And Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I am going, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, (21) So that I come again to my father's house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God. (22) And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God's house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You."
The wording of Jacob's vow sounds like he is making it a condition that IF God will be with him, then he Jacob will do... I don't think that was Jacob's intention. He has just heard from God and God has promised to be with him and keep him and bring him to this place again, so that was Jacob's way of saying that because the Lord was going to be with him, etc., so that he would come again, that the Lord was his God. The little word translated as "if" by the KJV translators actually does also mean "when", "lo", or "verily", words all meaning Jacob was sure that God would do what He said in his vision. This was more of a demonstrative statement rather than a conditional one. The stone Jacob had set up would be God's house. He may have meant that in the future he would make it God's house as later in scripture, it is said that he went to Bethel and made an altar to God (Gen. 35:3), but he may have meant that it would forever be a place where God had appeared to him and therefore was God's house, because everywhere that God is, is His house.
Jacob did vow to give a tithe of 10% of all that the Lord gave him. All blessings come from the Lord. Ten represents the whole and 1/10 is given in acknowledgment of the Lord and His sovereign right to it all. It is given in gratitude to Him and is used for the support of worship to Him, as in building an altar or church, or in providing a sacrifice, or in giving to the poor or needy, or for any need or service in which God may be glorified. I personally believe the tithe is still relevant today, although the Apostle Paul said in the New Testament that it should be given according to how God has prospered, and as one feels led in his heart, so that he does not give begrudgingly, but cheerfully. There is a lot of discussion today about whether or not the tithe is still required or if it is an Old Testament law that is not necessary today. Today the law is written on our hearts, and I believe that is what Paul was saying in 1 Corinthians 16:2 and 2 Corinthians 9:7. Since the tithe is only given as the Lord has given us, and not as a regular bill that is due whether or not we get paid, it is easy to give back. It is all God's anyway, and by giving 1/10 back in acknowledgment and thanksgiving, I believe we are saying that we trust God with all of it. I can say from personal experience that God can do amazing things with very little when I trust Him! Can you imagine the good that would be done in the world today if everyone tithed only 10% to God instead of giving 20-30% to a corrupt government that forces people to give for ungodly things like abortions for the poor?
(Genesis 28:1) And Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, and said to him, "You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan."
At the end of the last chapter, Rebekah had thought of a way to send Jacob away so that Esau would not kill him because of Jacob's deceit and trickery in stealing his blessing. She told Isaac she just could not bear it if Jacob married a Canaanite woman. Isaac therefore called Jacob and it appears that he willingly confirmed his blessing upon him, and told him that he was not to take a wife from among the Canaanite women.
(2) "Arise, go to Padan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother's father; and take you a wife from there of the daughters of Laban your mother's brother. (3) And God Almighty bless you, and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may be a multitude of people; (4) And give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your descendants with you, that you may inherit the land in which you are a stranger, which God gave to Abraham." (5) And Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Padan Aram to Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.
Isaac told Jacob to go to Padan Aram to Laban in the house of Bethuel, Rebekah's father, and marry one of the daughters of Rebekah's brother, Laban. Isaac blessed his son Jacob with the Abrahamic promise that had been passed from Abraham to Isaac and now to Jacob, that he would be fruitful and his descendants would be many, and that they would ultimately inherit the land of Canaan, the land in which they were only sojourners then. Then Isaac did indeed send Jacob away to Padan Aram.
(6) When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Padan Aram to take himself a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, "You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan," (7) And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother and had gone to Padan Aram, (8) And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan did not please his father Isaac, (9) Then Esau went to Ishmael and took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife in addition to the wives he had.
Esau saw that his father had blessed Jacob and that he had sent him away to find a wife in order that he not take a wife from among the Canaanite women. With that he realized that his father was not pleased with the Canaanite women as wives for his sons, as Esau had previously taken, so he took another wife. This time he married the daughter of his father's brother, Ishmael. Ishmael was now dead, so when Esau "went to Ishmael", it was as Jacob going to the house of Bethuel. Esau went to the house of Ishmael, probably directly to Nebajoth, who was Ishamel's oldest son, and took Mahalath, Nebajoth's sister, to be his wife. Esau may have been trying to please his father, but daughters of Ishmael would not have been the most favorable as Ishmael had been separated from the house of Abraham and was not included in the Abrahamic promise, another indication that Esau just didn't understand the spiritual importance of his birthright and the blessing of the firstborn in the line of Abraham.
(10) And Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran. (11) And he lighted upon a certain place and tarried there all night because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put it for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.
Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. He apparently couldn't make it in one day, and happened upon a certain place casually, and not necessarily intentionally, and decided to stay there for the night as the sun was setting. He took a stone for a pillow as he evidently didn't have other provisions.
(12) And he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. (13) And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, "I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. (14) And your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth, and you will spread abroad to the west and to the east, and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth will be blessed. (15) And, behold, I am with you and will keep you in all places wherever you go, and will bring you again to this land, for I will not leave you until I have done that of which I have spoken to you."
Jacob dreamed of a ladder that was set up on earth and reached to heaven with angels going up and down it. The Lord stood above it and spoke to Jacob. He confirmed His promise to Abraham now to Jacob. The land on which Jacob lay that may have been accidental for him, was providential in that the Lord told him this very land would be given to him and his descendants. As God had told Abraham, Jacob's descendants would be as the dust of the earth, too numerous to count, and they would spread in all directions. As He had told Abraham, God told Jacob that through him and his descendants would all the families of the earth be blessed, which is a reference to the Messiah who would come from this line and in Whom all may be saved. The Lord told Jacob He was with him and would be with him wherever he went, and that He would bring him back to this land. The line of angels going up and down the ladder in Jacob's dream was a picture of the constant ministering spirits and line of communication that would always be between God and Jacob. More than that, it is a picture of Jesus Christ Who would become the direct line from us to God.
(16) And Jacob awoke out of his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it." (17) And he was afraid and said, "How dreadful is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."
Once again what was a casual nondescript place in Jacob's mind was a place where the Lord showed Himself to Jacob unexpectedly. He realized that the Lord was certainly in that place and that apparently surprised him. I left the original KJV words "afraid" and "dreadful" in my study. Although I usually don't think of them as "fright" and "awful" as we have come to interpret those words, sometimes I think our modern translations diminish the intended meaning of the original words. Jacob was afraid; he had fear. Yes, I agree with the common idea that it was a reverential fear, but it was more than that. I don't think we today quite understand that awestruck fear of knowing that you have just come in contact with the One who literally holds your life in His Hands. How could we when we so flippantly disregard all the things He told us in His Word? We keep Him only in church and bring Him out only when we really need something; we pretend that He shouldn't be a part of our daily public lives and decisions. How preposterous! Just think of how far our country has gone in rejecting God. We've come to accept the idea that He doesn't belong in schools or in the public square because someone might be offended. Would we care if we really feared God and saw Him as the Master of the Universe? We actually kill millions of babies and call it a RIGHT! Does anyone really think that God would approve of killing the most innocent because it is not convenient to let that child be born right now? Does anyone think that God is going to bless a country that promotes and celebrates same-sex "marriage" as equality and a RIGHT even though He called it an abomination? Do we think a country can survive without God's blessing? Do we think God understands that the times have changed and we are such a wiser people now? Suppose you had to confront God and ask Him face to face if it was okay to kill your baby and "marry" your lesbian lover. Does that strike fear in your heart? If it doesn't, it should! I have to wonder if some of the people out there cheering on these horrible Godless acts ever really think about what God would say, or do they just try to ignore that. Or have they really reached a point where they don't care? Oh, they would care if God presented Himself as the awesome terror that He is! He IS Someone to be dreaded! He does hold your life in His hand; He holds our country in His hand; He holds the entire planet in His hand! And God will not be mocked! Oh, He is patient, oh-so patient that people forget that the things of God matter, but they do! And there will come a time when EVERYONE will know that!
For it is written, "As I live, says the LORD, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God." So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. - Romans 14:11-12
And that is a reference to Isaiah 45:23 which says:
"I have sworn by Myself, the word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear."
Can you imagine that? Just by the sheer force of His majesty, everyone will be on his knees before the Lord. EVERYONE, not just believers, not just Christians, EVERYONE! And everyone will give an account of just why they did what they did. That ought to strike fear in us to our very cores. But surely God will understand a changing culture. Surely God will understand taking a baby's life until a time when it is more convenient. After all you don't have time to properly love that child now. Surely God will understand that there had to be separation of church and state and that is why we fought to keep prayer out of schools and references to Him out of the public square! Surely God understands that it is because you are so loving and tolerant that you believe you should fight for same-sex marriage even though He called it an abomination. I'm not suggesting that any of these things can't be forgiven by God, and He did give us Jesus as our Mediator so that our sinful selves can come into His presence. But He is still the same God and we have to realize when we are sinning against Him and repent, which means change! Yes, Jesus gives us grace so that we don't have to fear God, but only when we see our sin, see our need for Him to cover our sin, and REPENT! A repentant heart is one that is truly sorry and seeks to change. We know what is right. Isaiah 45:24 goes on to say that after we all bow before the Lord, "and all that are incensed against Him shall be ashamed". We will know He is God; we will bow before Him; and we will be ashamed. I'm just imagining how we would act in this country if we had to be on our knees in the presence of God before every decision we made. Or maybe just every night to explain why we did what we did. Do you think we'd act a lot differently? God gives us free will; it's true. But that doesn't change what is right and true. And if we truly had the fear of God as we should, we wouldn't dare do what we do in this day and age.
(18) And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil on the top of it. (19) And he called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of that city was called Luz at first.
Jacob took the stone he had used for a pillow and turned it into an upright erect position as a monument to God or as a reminder to him of the greatness of God and of his vision. He called the place Bethel, which literally meant "house of God". It had previously been called Luz, which was the word for a kind of nut, an almond or a hazel nut, which probably grew there.
(20) And Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I am going, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, (21) So that I come again to my father's house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God. (22) And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God's house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You."
The wording of Jacob's vow sounds like he is making it a condition that IF God will be with him, then he Jacob will do... I don't think that was Jacob's intention. He has just heard from God and God has promised to be with him and keep him and bring him to this place again, so that was Jacob's way of saying that because the Lord was going to be with him, etc., so that he would come again, that the Lord was his God. The little word translated as "if" by the KJV translators actually does also mean "when", "lo", or "verily", words all meaning Jacob was sure that God would do what He said in his vision. This was more of a demonstrative statement rather than a conditional one. The stone Jacob had set up would be God's house. He may have meant that in the future he would make it God's house as later in scripture, it is said that he went to Bethel and made an altar to God (Gen. 35:3), but he may have meant that it would forever be a place where God had appeared to him and therefore was God's house, because everywhere that God is, is His house.
Jacob did vow to give a tithe of 10% of all that the Lord gave him. All blessings come from the Lord. Ten represents the whole and 1/10 is given in acknowledgment of the Lord and His sovereign right to it all. It is given in gratitude to Him and is used for the support of worship to Him, as in building an altar or church, or in providing a sacrifice, or in giving to the poor or needy, or for any need or service in which God may be glorified. I personally believe the tithe is still relevant today, although the Apostle Paul said in the New Testament that it should be given according to how God has prospered, and as one feels led in his heart, so that he does not give begrudgingly, but cheerfully. There is a lot of discussion today about whether or not the tithe is still required or if it is an Old Testament law that is not necessary today. Today the law is written on our hearts, and I believe that is what Paul was saying in 1 Corinthians 16:2 and 2 Corinthians 9:7. Since the tithe is only given as the Lord has given us, and not as a regular bill that is due whether or not we get paid, it is easy to give back. It is all God's anyway, and by giving 1/10 back in acknowledgment and thanksgiving, I believe we are saying that we trust God with all of it. I can say from personal experience that God can do amazing things with very little when I trust Him! Can you imagine the good that would be done in the world today if everyone tithed only 10% to God instead of giving 20-30% to a corrupt government that forces people to give for ungodly things like abortions for the poor?
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