God in the midst of a dysfunctional family
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