Tehillah Generation Chapel
Daily Manna | Friday, August 3, 2018 | Topic: Conscience 88
Scripture: And when they saw Joseph afar off, even before he came near to them, they conspired against him to slay him. Genesis 37:18
Note: Both Joseph and Jesus were the most loved of their fathers. Gen 37:3-4 speaks of Joseph, “Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. And when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him.” It’s a well known secret that Israel loved Rachel more than his other three wives. She was his first love. Rachel was the reason for Jacob’s forced servitude for seven extra years of hard labour and sweat.
Jacob’s love for Rachel was understandable as Rachel was more beautiful in form and appearance compared to her elder sister, Leah (Gen 29:17). Unfortunately, the two lovebirds, Jacob and Rachel, failed to have an issue early on in their marriage. The forced marriage arrangement on Jacob by Laban didn’t go down well with Jacob. He openly discriminated against Leah even though she was legally his wife. This love discrimination from Jacob was so strong that it grew from dislike to hatred.
God abhors hatred by one person towards another. Jacob hadn’t forgiven Laban for the deception, the forced marriage and the forced servitude. Jacob placed the weight of all his bitterness on Leah, who was only a pawn in the whole game masterfully orchestrated by Laban. Jacob’s inability to forgive Laban and let go of the bitterness welled up in him, turned into hatred against Leah, his wife (Gen 29:31). God will always avenge or intervene on behalf of the hated, the downtrodden in society, widows, the weak and the poor, who are the easy targets of the mighty and the strong in an unfair and unjust world. God’s response to Jacob’s hatred for Leah was to open her womb to childbearing, whereas Jacob’s favourite, Rachel, became barren; her womb to childbearing was closed by God. The later arrival of Joseph, in opening the womb of Rachel when God decided to have mercy on her, therefore, brought great joy and fulfilment to both Jacob and Rachel. He loved Joseph.
Matt 3:17 says of Jesus, “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” This is the most authoritative confirmation coming from God concerning Jesus Christ. He was yet to officially begin His ministry on earth. Having gone to John the Baptist in the river Jordan to be baptised to fulfill all righteousness, Jesus went straight away from the water, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove to rest on Him. What a great way to get strengthened for ministry with the Father’s presence, His visible manifestation through the Spirit and voice confirmation of Christ’s status, position and relationship with the Father.
Food for thought: True love should never be a tool, a weapon and an avenue for hatred. Love is the nature of God, to be used for healing, redemption and reconciliation.
Declaration: Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. Matt 12:18
©Author: Rev Fred Aboe
