Genesis 29 — Thoughts

Is There a Better Love Story?

Leah gets a pretty raw deal. Her husband, Jacob, has to be tricked into marrying her. All the while, he really loves her prettier younger sister. She's a pretty tragic character really.

It just goes to show how ridiculous polygamy is. People think the Bible condones the practice because the patriarchs practiced it, but so far, we've mostly been shown the problems it causes. Sarah mistreats Hagar (Genesis 16:3-6). Judith and Basemath are "a source of grief" to Isaac and Rebekah (Genesis 26:34-35). And now Rachel is favored by Jacob over Leah. God created one wife for Adam, and that was on purpose.

That said, if you only look at the story of Jacob and Rachel, it's a pretty good one.

Jacob falls in love with Rachel and wants to marry her. Her father, Laban, says Jacob will have to work for seven years first. So he does. Then, after Laban tricks him, Jacob works another seven years for Rachel. "...But they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her."

⁠This sacrificing kind of love should look very familiar to us. It's the kind of love Jesus demonstrates for us.

Jacob left his home to find Rachel, and Jesus left heaven to come to us. Jacob suffered Laban's trickery for Rachel, and Jesus suffered the sin of the world for us. Jacob worked 14 years for Rachel, and Jesus endured death on the Cross for us.

Jacob and Rachel have a great love story, but we are loved by a God who sacrificed everything to rescue us. And that's an even better love story.

(Originally written July 30, 2020)