Bible Study Lesson — Genesis 30:1-24
Have you ever looked back and discovered you made some really bad decisions in your life? I sure have! Jacob did too.
Today’s Bible study lesson comes from Genesis and it’s all about decisions – and consequences.
Taking a lesson from Jacob, Rachel and Leah, we learn more about the decision making process and outcomes.
How do decisions we make affect other people, our families?
Jacob, Rachel & Leah – The Decisions He Made
She said, “Here is my maid Bilhah, go in to her that she may bear on my knees, that through her I too may have children.”
So she gave him her maid Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went in to her.
Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son.
Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me, and has indeed heard my voice and has given me a son.”
Therefore she named him Dan.
Rachel’s maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son.
So Rachel said, “With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister, and I have indeed prevailed.” And she named him Naphtali.
When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing, she took her maid Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife.
Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son.
Then Leah said, “How fortunate!” So she named him Gad.
Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son.
Then Leah said, “Happy am I! For women will call me happy.” So she named him Asher. – Genesis 30:3-13 NASB
Same Old Story?
This situation seems to run in the family. Doesn’t the story sound familiar?
The wife is barren, the husband is given a maidservant, and children are born – only to have the real wife become pregnant later.
Then God remembered Rachel, and God gave heed to her and opened her womb. So she conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” She named him Joseph, saying, “May the Lord give me another son.” . – Genesis 30:22-24 NASB
This is almost a repeat of the situation where Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham, isn’t it?
Competition for Kids
The fact that Jacob had two wives, sisters no less, was a recipe for disaster.
Each sister wanted to outdo the other – maybe for favor or affection. But, the worst decision was that Jacob agreed to the battle. He had children by the servants to please each of these two women.
A lack of good judgment caused more and more conflict in his family.
Action and Reaction
Jacob could have spared himself and his family a lifetime of bitterness and competition if he would have had the forethought to refuse these requests to sleep with the two maidservants.
Decisions almost always have two outcomes: benefits or consequences.
The Decisions We Make
Just as with Jacob, Rachel and Leah, we have decisions to make all though our lives. How do we decide when situations arise?
A Possible Remedy
I’ve always heard the saying; “Don’t make big decisions in haste.” I really believe that to be true – although I’ve sometimes ignored the wisdom of that phrase.
Take a Pause & Pray
The next time you have a big decision to make – one that will not only affect you but one that will affect your family or other people, stop and wait.
[easyazon_image align=”left” height=”160″ identifier=”0310340756″ locale=”US” src=”https://makingchristknown.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/51KFnvbo4BL.SL160.jpg” tag=”bobpardphot-20″ width=”111″]Go back and look at the situation a second time.
Next, pray and ask God to help direct you into making the right choice.
The outcome still might not go exactly as you hoped but at least you’ll know that God is involved and the situation is going according to His plan – which is always better.
Let’s take a moment to examine our lives and ask; “Is there a decision looming right now that could have a big impact on other people?”
Let’s pray.
Love in Christ
– Bob
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