Shirley's Desk

Hold the Drama – I’m Going to Praise the Lord!

Genesis 29: 31-35

Click here for printable version of this article

While sheltering-in-place many are watching daytime dramas, called soap operas, on television. Dramas like the Young and the Restless, General Hospital, and Days of Our Lives tell stories about relationships gone wrong, jealousy, envy, deception and murder. I encourage everyone to turn off the television and read the Bible, which has drama that makes the television soaps look pale in comparison. There are stories of selfish ambition, pride, sibling rivalry, drunkenness, jealousy, envy, deception, betrayal, murder, lust, sexual immorality, dysfunctional families, and more – and that’s just the book of Genesis.

One such story is that of two sisters, Leah and Rachel, who loves and marries the same man – the notorious Jacob. It’s a classic love triangle! You may ask how this sister-wives drama started.

Jacob, whose name means “one who supplants,” was an opportunist. To supplant means to take the place of another by deception, scheming or trickery. He took advantage of his brother Esau at a weak moment and stole his birthright. Jacob and his mother, Rebecca, even conned his blind, aging father, Isaac, into giving him the blessing that should have gone to Esau. Upon discovering what Jacob had done, Esau swore to kill him. Rebecca encouraged Jacob to run away and go to her brother Laban in Haran. There Jacob saw the beautiful Rachel and fell in love with her at first sight. Rachel happened to be Uncle Laban’s youngest daughter. The Bible says that Rachel was lovely in form and beauty.

Jacob loved Rachel so much that he agreed to work for his Uncle Laban for seven years to marry her. Finally the seven years pass, and it’s the wedding night! Jacob has been dreaming of this day for seven years. Now he will unite with Rachel, his love. The room is dark, the bride is veiled, and the marriage has been consummated. They fall asleep in each other’s arms.
 
When daylight comes Jacob cannot believe his eyes. It’s not Rachel, but the older sister, Leah, he has married!  The Bible tells us in Galatians 6:7, “Be not deceived, God is not mocked, whatever a man soweth, that he shall also reap.” The trickster tricked, the deceiver deceived, and now he must agree to work seven additional years for Rachel.

God is the great Equalizer! When God saw that Jacob hated Leah, He gave her many children to love, but Rachel was barren. Leah thought that bearing sons for Jacob would cause him to love her, but he remained cold. She birthed Reuben, Simeon, and Levi always hoping that her husband would finally love her. However, something happened when she gave birth to her fourth son. She stopped trying to gain her husband’s love, and instead she decided to start praising the Lord. She named that son Judah, which means “praise.”

Sisters and brothers, sometimes life is a soap opera, but God’s love never changes. You cannot always stop the drama, but you can make up your mind to let it go, and Praise the Lord!

Elder Shirley Freeman
Daughters of Zion Women’s Ministries
www.dozwm.net