Gen. 29:31-30:4

·        The wise man seeks God first and always in his life (Prov. 3:5-6).

·        The wise man is not known for being wise in his own eyes but rather is known for acknowledging God in all his ways (Prov. 3:7-8).

·        The wise man is then a happy man (Prov. 3:13-18).

Let us therefore ask this question: is Jacob a happy man?  He has gone to find a wife.  He has bargained for and worked for a wife.  He has a job keeping sheep for his uncle.  Is Jacob a happy man?  Is he happy at home (Gen. 29:31-30:24)?  Is he happy at work (Gen. 30:25-31:13)?  Let us consider this for a few days.

In Jacob’s home there is no love (29:31-35)

Verse 31 is essential commentary to the story of Jacob.  God is doing what He promised He would do.  God is in charge.  This is true in every story, including our life stories today.  God is sovereign.  God is omniscient (all-knowing).  He sees things and people as they really are.  There was no hiding the fact: Leah was not loved.  Jacob’s favoritism towards Rachel might be understandable but the resulting attitude toward Leah was hurtful.  The term in vs.31 & 33 for “unloved” (NKJV) is the same as in Gen. 37:4,5,8 of the “hatred” of Jacob’s 10 sons for Joseph.  Yes, Leah has “hated”.

In this situation God does what He always does: He acts in a way to glorify Himself.  “When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb”.  Jacob’s plan is that Rachel will be the favored wife and her sons will be prominent.  God’s plan is that the Messiah will come through Judah, one of Leah’s sons.  God is doing for Jacob what He promised; but He does it in a way that brings honor to the Sovereign Lord and not to man.

Notice the attitude of Leah in naming these 4 sons.  She obviously is hurt by Jacob’s attitude towards her.  She doesn’t feel loved by him; she doesn’t feel attached.  Leah is fully aware that she is the less attractive sister (29:17) and that Jacob had wanted only Rachel but got stuck with her (29:18,23).  So she seeks to gain love by her accomplishments.  But by the 4^th son she seems to have some realization that God loves her even if her husband doesn’t.

In Jacob’s home there is no satisfaction (30:1-4)

Jacob’s lack of a relationship with Leah was always overcome by the great times he enjoyed with Rachel.  But now Rachel becomes filled with envy and the honeymoon ends in an angry outburst at Jacob.  Note that Jacob’s initial response is, in essence, to blame God for withholding children from Rachel.  But in fact God is withholding from Jacob.  Jacob is the one on whom God is working. 

Jacob’s answer to the situation is not to turn to God.  Instead, being wise in his own eyes, seeking his own happiness, Jacob comes up with the solution that was common in the society of the day.  He accepts Rachel’s offer of the handmaid.

Is Jacob a happy man?  While he continues to lean on his own understanding will he be a happy man?  He is not happy at home.  One wife is hated; the other is unsatisfied; and it will not get any better very soon.