In Melbourne we are used to marrying for love, in traditional cultures there are other reasons for marriage and securities must be paid forward. In the story of Jacob, Rachel and Leah we have stories of deception, competition and heartbreak along with growth in bitterness and faith. The unloved wife is blessed by God and produces the sons who will lead Israel into its future. In the ‘show but not tell’ style of Old Testament narrative we are supplied in this story with wisdom for our own lives and the message that God, by his grace, will wrestle even with us to conform us to the image of his son, Jesus. [Audio | Notes]
Michael Flynn
Audio
Genesis 29 | Love at Second sight
Home away from home
Blinded by love
The deceiver is deceived
The competition
Lessons?
Wisdom
– On love
– On justice
– On success
God’s choosing
– The least
– In Christ
For further thought
Q: How is Jacob changed by God over his life?
Q: How has God used hardship to change your life?
Q: Hebrews 12 uses lessons from Genesis to teach us how to interpret hardship – what difference does this make to you?
Q: How is it encouraging that God chooses to show grace to people living compromised lives?
Q: Why is it important to know that grace is God’s choice and not our deserving?
Q: Read Luke 10.21-23 and 1 Corinthians 1.26-31 – how do these passages help us to make sense of God’s choice of people in Genesis? God’s choice of ourselves?