Jacob’s descendants, an example for our instruction.

[Prune Soleiado]

I am a baby. So I'm sure lots of you have already seen this. Just wanted to share my thoughts 😉

I see the work of Our Father in our lives and hearts when I read Genesis 29:31-35 and 30:1-24.

I remember a thread on this forum which was talking about seeing first then hear, which are the two first steps to produce faith and after that be able to praise genuinely Our Father in Christ, then starting to be saved.

Of course right after this comes deception from our own fortress/mountains/heavens/false prophecies in our twisted hearts which lead to a fight between Spirit and the flesh.

But if we resist and stand firmly into God's commandments, and if we do His Will, He gives us greatest rewards, one being Him dwelling in us, His temple He is establishing in Justice through Christ.

Then we produce fruits for God increases our wisdom, so much that others can see it and eventually come to God. It takes a lifetime, it takes many trials, as many as mountains we have in our hearts and that need to be flattened.
But Joy increases as our Justice grows, thanks to God's work on us in Christ, for His Glory.

Jacob's children with Lea:
Ruben (SEE)
Simeon (HEAR)
Levi (GET ATTACHED)
Juda (PRAISE)
Rachel's jealousy against her sister Lea brings her to suggest (the will of her own heart, not God's) her maid Bilha to be the mother of Rachel's children.
The deception of her heart makes her think God has realized her wish to have a son when it was only her own desire and will. This is the result of her desire to win a kind of « battle of fertility » against her sister.
Jacob's children with Bilha:
DAN (JUDGE)
NEPHTALI (FIGHT), it comes from the word PATHAL which means to writhe.
Lea, unable to have children in turn, gives her maid to Jacob:
GAD (FORTUNE), comes from GUWD: to attack, to invade, to oppress.
ASER (HAPPINESS), comes from ASHAR: to walk straight, to be blessed.
Jealousy between the two sisters increases. Rachel desperate to have children but she relies on Ruben's mandrakes, she doesn't want to give up, even if she doesn't seem to be in an attitude of patience and confidence to God's work for her.
Lea, Jacob's first wife, go and meet her husband with the firm intention to have a child again. It pays:
ISSACAR (SALARY).
ZABULON (HONOR), it also means DWELLING.
DINA (JUSTICE), same Hebrew root as Dan: DIYN.
Finally God intervenes and grants Rachel to have children. She has a son and says: God removed my shame:
JOSEPH (ADD) or REMOVE, the word comes from 'ACAPH: to receive, to gather, to reap; or to take off, to perish.

[Wanda]

All so interesting Michelle ☺

Thinking back to when Jacob was deceived into marrying Leah, we can see that was the will of God, that she had been chosen to bear the seed from whom the redeemer would be born.

Even the chosen name had  great significance. Judah-meaning PRAISE. Praise the Lord, the savior of the world, the hope of all generations.

Our God is a God of great purpose and order.

Isaiah 46:10

Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, 'My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure';

[ML]

I see the work of Our Father in our lives and hearts when I read Genesis 29:31-35 and 30:1-24.

Well, I am beginning to see it in ALL of His word, and ALL of our lives! But, you bring up some good wisdom, so thank you for that.

A question, though, for you and Wanda. Where would I find these name meanings? In Strong's?

[Prune Soleiado]

Yes, Wanda, Jacob's deception helps me to accept God's Will when my heart desires things that rely only on my flesh! And the 7 years waiting for Rachel also!

ML, I have a Strong dictionary that I bought on amazon. Very helpful!

God's teaching through Ray brings so much light as to know that ALL IS ONE, I'm starting to see it everywhere in the God's word 🤩