Rachel’s idols

Who do you trust? All believers need to ask themselves this question each day. Sometimes, we get so caught up in our busy schedules that our lives get centered around our busyness. At other times, we tend to put our trust in the ‘mini gods’ of our lives. The gods of money, fame, wealth, pleasure, love, food, entertainment among others have taken the focus of many people away from God. Unfortunately, the subtlety of such idolatry sometimes makes us believe that we trust God. But, our faith lies in our possessions and the things that surround us. When it is time to move with God, we have to be intentional to let go of the gods of our past and cling on to God who is our present and future. According to Jesus, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24). Joshua threw a challenge for the Israelites: “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15).

When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household gods. (Genesis 31:19)

Rachel and Leah had similar experiences. They both lived under their father’s roof and obviously served their father’s gods until they were united with Jacob. After the years of living together,  we would expect them to follow Jacob’s God and put their trust in Him. The sisters knew God and even prayed to Him. God listened to them and gave them children. However, Rachel had not fully forsaken the gods of her fathers household. Jacob had an encounter with God and decided to leave back to his father’s land. He informed Rachel and Leah who both consented to leaving. But, Jacob fled from Laban, his father-in-law. He did not inform Laban of his intention to leave. Laban was not around when Jacob and the family fled. According to Genesis 31:19, “When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household gods.” Wait a minute! What does Rachel need those household gods for? Did those gods help her in any way? Why would she even consider stealing such gods when the family has been worshiping Yahweh? Did Rachel have fears that Yahweh, the God of Jacob, could not take care of her? Was Rachel into idolatry all this time? We might not have straight answers to some of these questions but what we know is that Rachel forsook God when she stole those idols. She did not need any ancestral gods but she failed to understand that her being married to Jacob meant that she had been translated from idolatry to the worship of God. For all the years, Rachel had secretly relied on household gods and articles. No wonder she could trade her husband for mandrakes!

Many believers have the Rachel mentality. We have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Saviour but we still have fears that He might not be enough for us. Tentatively, we hold on to the idols of our past. We tend to rely on those things that bring us pain and worry. When you are saved, you are saved from all addictions, past sins, evil lifestyles, godless behaviour, etc. Rachel, like many of us, had no need for those household gods. In fact, she lied about not having them in her possession. Jacob unknowingly laid a curse on the person who stole the idols: “”But if you find anyone who has your gods, that person shall not live. In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself whether there is anything of yours here with me; and if so, take it.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the gods.” (Genesis 31:32). A thorough search was done but “Rachel had taken the household gods and put them inside her camel’s saddle and was sitting on them. Laban searched through everything in the tent but found nothing. Rachel said to her father, “Don’t be angry, my Lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence; I’m having my period.” So he searched but could not find the household gods.”” (Genesis 31:34‭-‬35). Rachel stole the gods and lied about it. Jacob was returning to Bethel (house of God) and Rachel was taking household gods to the House of God. Will Rachel accomplish her mission? 

Dear God, if I had carried any household gods of my past to the House of God, I ask for forgiveness. I denounce all household gods that have hijacked my destiny and made me susceptible to pain, fears, lies and deception.  I refuse to cross over with the baggage of the past. Have mercy on me and deliver me from sin and evil. In Jesus’ name I pray… Amen. 

Rachel and Leah: Two sisters, one husband

Till date, memories of my wedding night remain intact. It was just a special moment with a special person and I believe most people have special memories of their wedding night. Imagine the months of preparation, the tiredness of the day and finally,  getting to relax together with your spouse. It is a serene experience. Even without electricity and light, the voice of your partner cannot be missed in the dark. However, someone got scammed on his wedding night and he received a different bride from what he worked for. Unfortunately, this man, obviously very drunk, didn’t even know that he had been deceived. His appetite to make love to his wife and the quest to enjoy his seven years of hard work, was so great that he failed to examine the package he received in the dark. The result was a very loud shout in the morning: “what are you doing here?” He might have shouted at his newly consummated bride. The very shy new wife, so shy to even raise her head, might have said in a low voice, “Please keep your voice down. We had a great night as a couple. If you have any issue, discuss it with my father. It was all his idea.”

But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her. When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?” (Genesis 29:23‭, ‬25)

This was the story of two sisters who became two wives in a week because of their father’s quest to deceive his own sister’s son. Jacob after seven years of working for Laban, requested to be given his bride. “So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her” (Genesis 29:22‭-‬23). Jacob was deceived and he didn’t know. “When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?” (Genesis 29:25). The very cunning Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one. Finish this daughter’s bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.” (Genesis 29:26‭-‬27). Two wives in a week? These are two biological sisters who are different in their own ways. Jacob loved Rachel but Leah was not loved. What’s a family drama series? Was Jacob ready for the result of these inconvenient marriages? Anyway, let’s see what happens. So Jacob “finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.” (Genesis 29:28‭, ‬30).

The rivalry in Rachel and Leah’s home was caused by their own father in a bid to deceive Jacob. The two sisters had to contend for attention from the same man. Rachel was already the “Miss World” of Jacob. Her beauty fascinated Jacob and she was loved and adored. Leah on the other hand was the “wife who was not supposed to be” and she did not have a lovely figure to attract Jacob. In fact, Leah had “weak eyes” according to the Bible. In between this drama was Jacob, the man who deceived his brother and had been deceived by his uncle. Each of the daughters of Laban were given a female servant to serve. Therefore the camp of Rachel had Bilhah as the supporting staff and Leah had Zilpah. Indeed Laban’s plan worked very well but what he missed was that he set up his own children to hate one another.

Any home built on lies and deception is bound to go through a circle of issues. Marriage is work but being married to two sisters is extra hard work. The emotional and physical stress of each would have been poured on Jacob. As Jesus said in Luke 14:28, it is very important to count the cost before decisions are made. When we fail to count the cost  we are consumed by the demands of the project. If care is not taken, one part of the project receives more attention than the other. Jacob was in a dilemma. He thought he had seen it all, until children started coming into the marriage. Join me as we continue this tomorrow.