It has been a busy morning. I had to take my poor car in to the mechanic for rodent damage.
Yep. You read that right. Rodents got into my car engine and chewed through some wires. Thankfully, the damage was minimal and it only made a few warning lights go off on my dashboard.
So, the appointment was really early this morning, and I wasn't able to post this morning.
Then Mom and I went shopping in the thrift stores. I found some great deals, including the cutest little orange ceramic cat.
Isn't he cute? I saw him in the store, and despite the slight flaw in his ear, I fell in love and knew I had to bring him home. So, he's sitting in the curio cabinet, among other much-loved treasures.
I love shopping in thrift-stores. Sometimes you can really find the cutest things!
Anyway, long story short, I have been really busy today, and while I did do the reading for my devotional this morning (I'll make a separate post on that when I finish it) I haven't had a chance to sit down and do my RBY challenge reading yet.
Yikes!
So, here we go!
Today, I'm reading Genesis chapters 27-29.
Well, no one can say that the people in the Old Testament were perfect.
I think that makes them great examples for us. Well, most of them. It makes them human.
First, Jacob took Esau's birthright. Now, he takes his blessing. With Rebekah's help. At Rebekah's insistence. By covering himself in animal skins, Jacob is able to trick his blind father into thinking he is Esau, who, by the way, was very hairy.
And Esau gets so angry about it that he wants to kill Jacob.
Talk about some family drama!
So, Rebekah sends him away to her brother Laban.
Now, on the way, Jacob spends the night on the road. One night, he has a dream about a ladder reaching to heaven where the angels of God were climbing (Genesis 28:10).
God speaks to him and shows him the land that he will give to Jacob's descendants, and promises to protect him.
Now, this is after Jacob did the bad thing of tricking his father and brother.
God does not condone deceit, nor can He stay where sin is, but some choices, even some of our bad choices, can be a part of God's plan, so that He can get us where we need to be.
I would not be the same person today, and I would not have my awesome testimony of how far God has brought me, if I'd never messed up.
Jacob continues on his journey, and when he reaches Laban's house, he sees Rachel. Ah, Rachel. The gorgeous younger sister. It's sort of love at first sight for Jacob.
And he stays and works for his uncle Laban for a while, and Laban declares that Jacob should be paid for what he has done. Jacob wants only to marry Rachel. That's not a bad deal, as she loves him too.
So, Jacob works seven years for Laban in order to marry Rachel.
Side note: If you read love stories in the Bible, it is always the man who works to marry the woman. Never the other way around. Ladies, if he's not willing to work for it, drop him like he's a nasty thing you found on the bottom of your shoe. A real man will work to earn you, because the price of a godly woman is far above jewels (Proverbs 31).
Anyway, back to Jacob and Rachel.
Jacob works seven years before he can marry Rachel.
And Jacob marries Laban's daughter.
Only it's the wrong daughter. Remember, back in those days, wedding garbs would have been different, so she would have been veiled completely, and Jacob wouldn't have seen her until after they were married.
Laban didn't want his younger daughter to marry before the older. Also, the Bible says that Leah wasn't as pretty as her sister.
Jacob is furious, naturally. But he's married to Leah now, and there's nothing he can do about it.
Except work for another seven years and then marry Rachel.
Which he does.
Now, something interesting happens next. Jacob loves Rachel, but not Leah. In fact, even though the Bible doesn't say so explicitly, I can imagine that he might even be a little cold toward Leah.
And God sees this, and doesn't like the way Jacob is treating his first wife. So, He makes Rachel barren. Yep. I said barren. And Leah gives Jacob four kids.
Now, remember how I said earlier that even when we mess up, God can turn it around for His purpose?
Well, I consider marrying the wrong woman messing up. Even if it's not your fault. But God still had a purpose for them. Especially in this case.
Leah's four kids are named Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah.
Do any of those sound familiar? If not, don't worry. I'll talk more about why they're important later.
If you're impatient, you can read ahead. Tomorrow, I'll be reading Genesis chapters 30-31.
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