JOSEPH SERIES: THE BIRTH OF JOSEPH

JOSEPH SERIES: THE BIRTH OF JOSEPH

Joseph’s parents Jacob and Rachel, met in the land of Pandanaram when Jacob was sent to Bethuel, his mother’s father, to take a wife from the daughters of Laban, his mother’s brother. He also was told by his mother, Rebekah, to stay in Pandanaran until his brother Esau’s anger dissipates over their deception, which resulted in the loss of Esau’s patriarchal blessing from his father, Isaac.

Upon arrival in Padanaram, Jacob meets Rachel at the community well, where he assisted her with watering the families’ flock and introduced himself as Rebekah’s son. Jacob falls in love with the beautiful Rachel, and after a month of residing with Rachel’s family, he requests her hand in marriage. Laban, Rachel’s father, agrees with the marriage proposal after Jacob said he would work for seven years for Rachel. After seven years, Laban tricks Jacob and gives his eldest daughter Leah to Jacob. When Jacob realizes he has been tricked, he offers to work another seven years for his true love Rachel and after Leah’s marriage week was completed, Laban allows him to marry Rachel.

While they lived in Padanaram, Genesis 29:31 states, “And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.” Hence, for many years a rivalry occurs between the sisters over having children which also involved the sisters giving their handmaids to Jacob to bear children for them. Recorded in the scriptures is the birth of these children. Leah bore six sons named Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun and one daughter named Dinah. Leah’s handmaiden, Zilpah, bore Gad and Asher. Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid, bore Dan and Naphtali. Finally, Genesis 30:22-24 states, “And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb. And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach: And she called his name Joseph; and said, The Lord shall add to me another son. Rachel was prophesying another son for herself in the future, but little did she know she would die birthing that son.

Since God has given us the Word for correction and instructions, and hopefully, a wise person will learn from others’ experiences, at the end of each of the blog in this series, I will include points that I think are helpful for all of us to remember.

1. When you want something bad enough, you are willing to work and make sacrifices for it. Jacob worked fourteen years to obtained Rachel.
2. What you sow, you reap. Jacob deceived his father, and his father-in-law deceived him.
3. Everyone has issues with which they must contend. No one’s life is perfect. Leah was hated, and Rachel was barren.
4. A marriage conceived on deception will be laden with problems. Leah was complicit with her father in deceiving Jacob.
5. God recognizes our worth and sufferings. God blessed Leah with children when He saw how she was being ill-treated.
6. Some women are not satisfied with love alone; they also want children.
7. Because of the culture in which they were born, Rachel and Leah’s fertility determined their self-worth.
8. Jealousy can cause you to take advantage of others. Both Rachel and Leah gave their handmaidens to Jacob to conceive children for them. The handmaiden’s feelings were not taking into consideration.
9. Joseph was born into a polygamous family.  Marital issues between Leah, Rachel, and Jacob will become generational issues