December 4, 2022

God in the midst of a dysfunctional family

Preacher:
Passage: Genesis 29:30-30:24
Service Type:

Introduction

In the UK we have many families with just one parent

Children spend little time with both parents (most time with just one parent)

We live in a time of easy divorce

We live in a time where people often don’t marry
We live often in unhappy homes

This is not just a modern day problem

It happened in the Roman Empire
It happened in Gen 29-30 with the family of Jacob

Jacob had 12 sons by 4 wives

There was rivalry principally between two sisters
There was must jealously
This cumulated in the sons of Leah planning to kill one of the sons of Rachel

It is a dysfunctional family

Yet God is in the midst

Overview:

God remembers the unloved
God over rules human sinfulness

God remembers the unloved

It is a terrible thing to live in an unloved family

The husband – wife relationship can be neglected and one spouse loves the children more
A spouse can dote on someone from outside the relationship
Adultery may be committed

A more common way to feel unloved

Where there is no love or affection
An absent husband – through work, sport,
An absent wife – out all the time, on the phone to her friends

Leah was in a polygamous marriage

Was Leah to blame for being unloved?

She was involved in the deceipt

God saw her agony and pain (29:30)

He opened her womb (29:31)
He know that a child would endear Jacob to her
He gave not just one but four children

Reading 29:31-35

Leah is now honouring God after four children

Perhaps she has something of the affection of Jacob

Notice it is God who opens and closes the womb

Gen 29:31, 30:22
We may try and plan our families
Children are a blessing – with conception and barrenness of God

What do we say about this situation?

God is hearing and answering her prayer
It reminds us of Hagar – explanation
God sees and remembers and blesses

He blesses through answered prayers
He blesses through posterity

Jesus would come through Leah and not Rachel
The Kings of Israel would come through Leah (Judah) and not Rachel

Example of the Samaritan Women
Call to Jesus – He remembers you

God over rules human sinfulness

The story of Jacob reads almost like a soap opera
A problem arises between Jacob and Rachel (30:1-2)

One sister spites the other as she has no children
Rachel is bitter

Jacob could have pitied Rachel and had understanding

Isaac in a similar situation prayed to the Lord (25:21)
What about us as Christian men?

Do we obey the word of God in 1 Peter?
Do we love and honour our wives?

Where was the love from Jacob to Rachel?

Do we need to ask forgiveness for the way we have treated our wives?

Rachel offers Jacob her maid

Bilhah conceives
How can the Lord be in this messy situation?

Yet God blesses (30:5-8)

Leah offers Jacob her maid and Zilpah is involved

Zilpah has children

Then Rachel trades time with Jacob for mandrakes

Example of the mandrake
However, she remains barren and Leah bore three more sons

The name of God is not mentioned once in 29:1-29

29:30 onwards the name of God is mentioned 12 times
If it were not for this, we would say this is a case of sheer human sinfulness

Maybe you feel you live in a dysfunctional family

Take heart, God is able to overrule
Jacob reaps what he previously sowed

Looking at a family tree

The Twelve tribes of Israel come from this family – from the 12 sons
The names of the 12 sons are significant

All have positive meaning – despite the sadness within the family

All these names are fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ – list of names

Reuben did not fulfil – Gen 49:3-4
Simeon and Levi – Gen 49:5-6
So we could go on …

Jesus is the one who fulfils all Israel

Jesus is the one who fulfils all these names – list of names
He is the only one who can truly redeem the family
Jesus brings peace, happiness and joy

God was in the midst of Jacob’s family – God can be in the midst of your family

Closing Comments