Jacob tricked Esau out of his birth right. From the time they were in the womb these 2 men were waring against each other. Jacob then comes to his Father Isaac and deceives him into giving him the blessing of the 1st born. Let me set the scene. Isaac is losing his eye site, he is in the dark in a tent. A meal was prepared and blessing was spoken. Later it was discovered that a deception had taken place. Fast forward a little more than 7 years we have Jacob in a similar situation.

Jacob worked 7 years for Rachael. These 7 years felt like only a few days. Jacob is ready to get his heart’s greatest desire the love of his life Racheal. Let me set the scene for this encounter. Laban switches Rachael with her twin sister Leah. Leah is vailed, her face covered a special meal was prepared, a feast took place. Leah was brought to Jacob at night into a tent where he could not see. The marriage is consummated, then the morning comes and the truth is revealed. Jacob is irate. He confronts Laban, then Laban tells him we don’t do things here the way you do them where you come from. We don’t give the younger before the older. Honor the wedding week and then I will give you Rachael as well providing you work for me another 7 years.

Imagine what Leah felt. She is not loved, she has one week with Jacob them Jacob marries Rachael. Leah has been used by her father to snare Jacob. She is embarrassed and ashamed. She becomes pregnant with Jacob’s 1st born. “She named him Reuben, for she said, “The Lord has noticed my misery, and now my husband will love me.” Leah is looking for affection from Jacob. She has another son. “She named him Simeon, for she said, “The Lord heard that I was unloved and has given me another son.” She is doing everything she can to cause Jacob to love her. She gives Jacob another son. “He was named Levi, for she said, “Surely this time my husband will feel affection for me, since I have given him three sons!” Leah desires so much to be loved that she allows Jacob to come to her to sleep with her so she can conceive him children. Finally something changes in Leah, when she becomes pregnant the 4th time. “She named him Judah, for she said, “Now I will praise the Lord!” And then she stopped having children.” Leah’s focus changed from Jacob to God. This is the child who the Messiah will come from.

After Leah has 4 children Rachael goes to Jacob and demanded he give her children. Something changed in their relationship Jacob became angry with Rachael and says he is not God how can he give her children. Rachael then takes her servant Bilhah and gives her to Jacob so she can have a family of her own. Bilhah becomes pregnant “Rachel named him Dan, for she said, “God has vindicated me! He has heard my request and given me a son.” Rachael is in competition with her sister. Bilhah becomes pregnant again. “Rachel named him Naphtali, for she said, “I have struggled hard with my sister, and I’m winning!” Here we have the loved wife but she can’t give Jacob what is most valuable. Leah who is not loved is more valuable as she is creating the nation. Leah is also in competition with Rachael. She gives her servant Zilpah to Jacob and she becomes pregnant. “Soon Zilpah presented him with a son. Leah named him Gad, for she said, “How fortunate I am!” Zilpah has another son. “And Leah named him Asher, for she said, “What joy is mine! Now the other women will celebrate with me.” These 2 sisters are fighting each other. They are bringing other women into the marriage bed to win over Jacob and to bring value to themselves. This is the definition of a difunctional family.

Something changes when Ruben Jacob’s 1st born picks flowers one day for his mother. This is the 1st time this child brings something to his mother to honor her as a mother. This is a sign that says I love you. Rachael asks Leah if she can have some of the flowers. She is asking can I share this moment with you. I do not have any children of my own. I will not know what this feeling is like on my own. Can I share in the moment. Leah becomes irate. “But Leah angrily replied, “Wasn’t it enough that you stole my husband? Now will you steal my son’s mandrakes, too?” Rachel answered, “I will let Jacob sleep with you tonight if you give me some of the mandrakes.” So that evening, as Jacob was coming home from the fields, Leah went out to meet him. “You must come and sleep with me tonight!” she said. “I have paid for you with some mandrakes that my son found.” So that night he slept with Leah.”

Rachael let go of the hurt of her sister taking her husband. She freely gave Jacob to Leah, she gave her blessing over her sister’s union with Jacob. Leah become pregnant again and gives Jacob Issachar, “God has rewarded me for giving my servant to my husband as a wife.””
She then gives birth to Zebulun. “For she said, “God has given me a good reward. Now my husband will treat me with respect, for I have given him six sons.”

Because of the selfless act of Rachael she now has her womb opened and gives birth to Joseph. “Then God remembered Rachel’s plight and answered her prayers by enabling her to have children. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. “God has removed my disgrace,” she said. And she named him Joseph, for she said, “May the Lord add yet another son to my family.” As long as Leah and Rachael looked to a man, Jacob, to fulfill them they were in turmoil. When they stopped looking to man, God intervened. He healed the relationship. The children would later be healed. What are you looking to man for that he cannot deliver? Get your focus off your hurts and what was stolen. Get your focus off what you don’t have and focus on the one who has it all.