Wed.’s Devo - The Continuing Episode of “All My Children”

Gen. 30:14-24

It is wheat harvest.  Wheat harvest is associated with Pentecost.  Pentecost has to do with having a deeper relationship with Jesus.  On the first Pentecost, God gave the law to Moses.  In the New Testament, on Pentecost, God gave his Holy Spirit.  Rueben goes out during the wheat harvest and finds mandrakes.  Mandrakes are natural aphrodisiacs, so Leah could use them to woo Jacob into a deeper relationship with her.  Mandrakes were called the “apple of Sodom” and had narcotic and stimulating principles.  Rachel sees them and wants them for herself.  Leah snaps back that Rachel has stolen Jacob’s heart from her and now she wants his sexual desires too.  Rachel bargains with her.  She gives Leah that night with Jacob for her mandrakes.  God understood Leah’s cry for love and blessed her with another son.  She named him Issachar which means “he will bring a reward”.  I guess she realized she would never have Jacob’s heart so this baby would be her reward.  She got pregnant again and had another son, Zebulun, which means “habitation”.  She thought this 6th son would cause Jacob to move in with her.  I don’t know if he did or not but they had one last child and this time it was a girl named Dinah which means “justice”.  God might not be fair as we count fairness, but he is always just.  Maybe, by having a girl, God was being just to Leah.  She now had a woman on her side that she could love unconditionally.  I bet that little girl stole Jacob’s heart also.  

Then, God opened Rachel’s womb for the first time and she had a son named Joseph which means  “let him add”.  Not only did Rachel have Jacob’s affection and love, but she added a son to their story.  Leah reminds me of the Old Testament mindset.  They strove for God’s affection, not ever knowing if they got it; going through the motions of loveless rituals.  Rachel stands for the bride of Christ that has her husband’s affections and desires.  She may be barren at first but she will add many and be a fruitful harvest in the end.

Lord, there are so many things I don’t understand about this passage, but I do know that I’m glad to be living in a day where your Holy Spirit woos us daily to draw near to you and we know that you love us as your bride.