Week 3, Conclusion

Jacob had a life filled with controversy, yet God blessed him richly. For Rachel, Jacob's first love, life was troublesome. In her flesh she struggled with barrenness and idol worship. Leah's life was also filled with sorrow and being unloved. All three of these people dealt with sin issues, and each was held accountable for them. It was only through God's mercy that they received tremendous blessings.

The bickering and jealousy between Rachel and Leah over children was laid to rest in God's perfect timing. It took having children and valuing that procreation miracle to change their hearts. The timing was perfect, and it was then that God called Jacob home to Canaan.

Leah had to live as second best because of the trickery of her father on Jacob's wedding day. Rachel had Jacob's love but suffered from a closed womb. This was unbearable for her, and in her haste, she depended on plants and a servant for her fulfillment. God had His time for her reproach to be healed. It took longer because of her self-willed solutions.

The picture of Rachel weeping in Jeremiah 31:15 is symbolic of Israel weeping because of its barrenness. We'll study more on that in another lesson. Jacob (later named Israel by God) is symbolic of the nation of Israel in the prophetic passages of Scripture. Hundreds of years later, the nation of Israel turned stone cold toward the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The prophets said later that the land cried because of the barrenness of God in the hearts and lives of the people. The idol incident with Rachel was indicative of what would come later because of such mixed religious ideas, false religions, and unbelief in God.

Jacob was cleansed because his heart was right. The nation of Israel grew from Jacob's 12 sons into 12 tribes. They formed a nation, and forevermore Rachel and Leah are known as the mothers of these tribes.

THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL (Jacob)

Leah: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun

Zilpah (Leah's maidservant): Gad, Asher

Bilhah (Rachel's maidservant): Dan, Naphtali

Rachel: Joseph - (Ephraim & Manasseh), Benjamin