The Bible is a book that is brutally honest and unsentimentally realistic. We can read about the strengths as well as the weaknesses of the characters. We read about Abraham's strong faith, but also his weakness when lies about Sarah being his sister. We read about David's successes, but we cannot ignore the sins he committed including murder. We read about Jacob who seemed to delight in trickery and deceit to achieve success until he meets Laban. The one who cheated his own father now gets cheated by his father-in-law; not once, not twice, but ten times!!! (Gen 31:7). Jacob and Laban are portrayed as two shrewd business men in the story. Jacob negotiated seven years for Rachel, but ended up working for Laban fourteen years and ended up with two wives which was nowhere in in his business plan.
Laban used the 'ugly child hostage' economics here. He thought that chances of Leah getting married was slim, may due to her 'cross or weak' eyes. So he used the principle of keeping the less attractive as a condition for trading the more attractive one. He knows the world will love Rachel more than Leah. It is easy to like and love Rachel. Isn't it? Our own tradition refers to Rachel more than Leah. The Ugly child can be taken as symbolic. It is the child nobody wants, and unmarketable. It can be an idea, a new business, project or an outcome. How many people have heard Leah being the wife of Jacob? You hear a lot about Rachel, but very little about Leah. We are all used to the 'ugly child economics'. But God’s economics is different. The Bible states; "Jacob marries Leah and Rachel" (Gen 29:26,27) and "Leah and Rachel both built the house of Israel" (Ruth 4:11). But God loves both 'Leahs' and 'Rachels' and uses them both.
In all of these, God's flowing Grace continually follows Jacob and the plan of God’s salvation was being carried out through him. Jesus Christ was born in the tribe of Judah (Leah's son). The underappreciated became the chosen one and the less desirable became the desire of the nations. "God chose the weak things to put to shame the things that are considered strong" ( 1 Cor 1:27). Jacob's story is one that gives us hope. As John Newton sings, "It was the amazing and ever flowing grace that saved a wretch like me".
Blessings
Mathew Philip
Laban used the 'ugly child hostage' economics here. He thought that chances of Leah getting married was slim, may due to her 'cross or weak' eyes. So he used the principle of keeping the less attractive as a condition for trading the more attractive one. He knows the world will love Rachel more than Leah. It is easy to like and love Rachel. Isn't it? Our own tradition refers to Rachel more than Leah. The Ugly child can be taken as symbolic. It is the child nobody wants, and unmarketable. It can be an idea, a new business, project or an outcome. How many people have heard Leah being the wife of Jacob? You hear a lot about Rachel, but very little about Leah. We are all used to the 'ugly child economics'. But God’s economics is different. The Bible states; "Jacob marries Leah and Rachel" (Gen 29:26,27) and "Leah and Rachel both built the house of Israel" (Ruth 4:11). But God loves both 'Leahs' and 'Rachels' and uses them both.
In all of these, God's flowing Grace continually follows Jacob and the plan of God’s salvation was being carried out through him. Jesus Christ was born in the tribe of Judah (Leah's son). The underappreciated became the chosen one and the less desirable became the desire of the nations. "God chose the weak things to put to shame the things that are considered strong" ( 1 Cor 1:27). Jacob's story is one that gives us hope. As John Newton sings, "It was the amazing and ever flowing grace that saved a wretch like me".
Blessings
Mathew Philip
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete