January 29th

Today's reading from the Chronological OT/NT Reading Plan is Genesis 29-30, Matthew 19

Wow, there's a lot going on in today's readings! Deceit, marriage, polygamy (and all it's disastrous consequences!), jealousy, competition - it's never ending, and the majority of it is not good.

I do kinda feel like Jacob got his just desserts when he was tricked by his uncle into marrying Leah instead of Rachel. Of course, what Laban did was totally wrong, but it definitely feels like a "what goes around comes around" kind of moment, kwim?

I always feel for Leah in this passage. But I did read one interesting devotional that made me rethink this passage just slightly.

Leah did nothing to stop the trickery.

I know, she didn't have a lot of options. Women weren't worth much in those days and I'm sure she was ordered by her father to do this. But when we are ordered to do something that is wrong, we are culpable if we go along with it.

And Leah did.

She could've spoken up at some point and let Jacob know that she was not Rachel, and yet she chose to remain silent. Whether out of fear of what her father would do, or maybe because she loved Jacob and wanted to be his wife, we don't know. But she obviously went along with the plot. And it succeeded. And she was miserable for years afterwards.

When we read the names of her sons we see her desperately trying to win the love of her husband. Reuben - the Lord has seen my misery, surely my husband will love me now; Simeon - The Lord heard that I am not loved; Levi - now at last my husband will become attached to me. But, she realizes sadly, that though Rachel remains barren and though she herself has borne Jacob three sons, he still does not love her.

But finally, after her fourth son is born, she names him Judah - this time I will praise the Lord!

And it seems like she has finally realized that her worth is not dependant on the love of Jacob but on the love of God.

Unfortunately, it seems like she forgets this lesson fairly quickly when her and her sister begin a child-bearing contest as the rest of her and her maidservant's children's names do not reflect the same assurance.

Both Rachel and Leah illustrate the wrong way that we sometimes go after the love of God. We either think that we have been good enough to earn His love, or that we can never be good enough to earn His love. But the reality is - we can't earn His love. It is a gift, freely given! It's unconditional and it's endless! There is nothing we can do to make God love us more, and there's nothing we can do to make Him love us less. We can live life to the fullest, assured of His love every day.

I love it that Jesus is descended from the line of Judah - God made Leah a princess!



Speaking of marriage relationships.... on to Matthew!

"Why then," they asked, "did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?"
Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery." Matthew 19:7-8

There is an excellent two part sermon by John MacArthur on this passage that you can read here and here.

First of all, the Pharisees twisted the Deuteronomy passage (Deut 24:1-4). Moses did not command divorce. And divorce was not God's original intent. But the people were disobedient. They were committing adultery and not following through with capital punishment. But God was merciful. He could've executed the death penalty Himself, but He didn't. However, if they had carried out the appropriate penalty, the innocent party would've been freed from the relationship (widowed) and free to remarry. God's mercy to the sinful party should not make things worse for the innocent party (having to remain married to an unrepentant adulterer). So in order to protect the innocent party, God allowed divorce. But it is clear that unrepentant adultery, and an unbeliever wanting to leave their marriage to a believer (1 Corinthians 7) are the only acceptable reasons for divorce.

Irreconcilable differences don't cut it. Falling out of love doesn't cut it. "He's changed" or "I've changed" also not a valid reason. "God wants me to be happy" as an excuse for divorce is a lie straight from the pit of hell.

There is likely nothing Satan delights in better than the destruction of marriages and families that is running absolutely rampant in our society today.

A few of them qualify as biblical divorce, but the majority do not.

And we are suffering the effects.

Marriage was intended to super-glue two people together for life. When you rip apart two pieces of paper that have been super-glued together, you're left with two ripped up jagged pieces of mess. Yes, God can heal. But there are consequences that are lived with forever. God can and will heal those jagged pieces, but it simply is not possible for it to be as though it never happened.

We need to teach our children about what marriage is and what it is not. It represents God's covenant with His people - it represents the glory of God.

We need to teach our children how serious this covenant is. To choose their mate carefully, and to choose spiritually. Beauty fades. Character and virtue don't.

Tomorrow's passage: Genesis 31-32, Matthew 20:1-16