Leah and Rahel

… May we turn, dear friends, to Genesis 26, rather 29. Our whole resource along the road, nothing but Christ, the Christ of God. You know, dear friends, this is something that souls are very slow to learn, and I include myself. All of us, God, by his divine grace, seeks to teach that there is sufficiency in the person of Christ far beyond anything you can possibly understand. But our minds and hearts are bent in a different direction. That's the difficulty. And it takes some very severe teaching sometimes before eventually we're brought to it. God is going to teach, though, if you know Christ as your Savior. I trust you do. If you don't, you could certainly put your trust in him right now and know the joy of having eternal life. But if you do know Christ as your Savior, he is going to get from you that which is of real value to him. This is what he is seeking. And this is above all important. If he does not get it in one way, he will use another way to get it. You know, God is infinitely wise. And it's good for us to realize at the outset of the Christian journey that he is absolutely true and faithful to be depended upon in every step of the pathway you tread. Learn to trust him thoroughly and absolutely. Put him first. And you will not have to go through so many of the very trying circumstances that Jacob had to face. But, however, this man Jacob is an excellent illustration for us of God's divine dealings with a soul who trusts him, and yet who does not trust him enough. Here in this chapter, we'll read from verse 16. Genesis 29, verse 16. And Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed unto him but a few days for the love he had to her. We're going to stop there. I trust we know the rest of the story. A very interesting one, and one that should deeply concern every true believer. Jacob served for seven years for Rachel, and after he had served the seven years, he didn't get Rachel. He got Leah instead. That's rather interesting. I used to feel very sorry for Jacob. I don't feel so sorry for him anymore. He had no right to bargain for a wife. Why? He that findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth payment from the Lord. No favor from the Lord. To have a good wife is a wonderful thing, but she is to be the gift of God's grace to you. Not something you deserve. If you're looking for what you deserve, you'll likely get it. It would be too bad. You and I deserve nothing, and I speak to Christians. I speak to unsaved people, too. You deserve nothing but the judgment of God. But you can have eternal life by grace, altogether by the grace of God, through faith. You may have everything God has to give you by pure grace. But don't think of paying for it, or you'll end up on the wrong end of the stick. So he thought of paying for a wife here. He didn't emulate his father Isaac, who had a little more sense. At least, his father Abraham sent and got a wife for Isaac. And as a matter of fact, Isaac could wait at home, depending on the very clear leading of God. It was God's leading, in that case. And Isaac was one of the few men in scripture, in the Old Testament, who had only one wife. God chose for him, and he was satisfied. Now, here in Jacob's case, he bargained for a wife, and he didn't get what he bargained for. He got Leah instead. Now, I would like to point out, these two wives are symbolical of just what we find in Romans 7. In the case of Leah, her name means weary. And Rachel means sheep. Now, let's speak of Rachel first. Rachel was the heart's delight of Jacob. And she is his heart's desire. She is a picture of what a Christian finds real delight in, desiring to have something like this. A beautiful wife, typical here, of a beautiful state of soul. Sheep. Wouldn't you who are saved, wouldn't you like to have an experience where you are thoroughly and absolutely subject to the Lord in everything? Wouldn't you like to have a beautiful life of that kind, where everything went just exactly right, and you are thoroughly subject to the Lord? Isn't this the way it often is with a young soul, after being saved? What he wants is to have a spiritual experience that gives him the greatest joy, and he's really all together now for the Lord, nothing else. Very wonderful objective, perhaps. But do you know, dear friends, how many of us here have found that to work out? Do you find it to work out in your case? After being saved for a while, what happens? I'm going to be all together for the Lord now. I know I had that experience. It wasn't very long before I found out that there were things coming in that were altogether wrong. They were not for the Lord. Why, I was living just the same as I had lived before in some respect, and yet I knew I had something different. I belonged to Christ. Why was this sinful nature of mine causing me so much trouble? Well, you see, Rachel is what I would like to be. And we all have that object, no doubt. Oftentimes, a Christian, at least, who is honest and who wants to please the Lord, likely feels this. I would like to get to a state where I'm just altogether pleasing to the Lord. And then we find it's unattainable. And we're miserable. Leah speaks of what I actually am. Rachel of what I would like to be. Now, that's true in Jacob's case. Jacob, no doubt, set a standard before him of what he would like to achieve. And Rachel is typical of that. In the case of Leah, there is a picture of what Jacob actually was, weary. And Jacob hated Rachel and loved Leah. What does it mean? Pardon me, I said it the wrong way around, didn't I? Jacob loved Rachel and hated Leah. You know, a Christian being born again, you know Christ is your Savior. And of course you want to be something altogether for the Lord. You want to have a wonderful, subjective, spiritual state. Yes, you love that. And you hate what you really are. Isn't this true of a Christian? Your own nature is such that you hate it. Oh, I wish I could be different. Why am I not like so-and-so, like other people? Why there are some people who are such wonderful Christians, I'd like to be like them. That's the wrong object. That's the wrong object. And that's important for all of us to learn. There is something better than that, infinitely better. If we could get to a state like that, you know what it would be like? Pat ourselves on the back, say, well, now I've attained it. And we'd lose it right there. Isn't that true? We have sinful natures, every one of us. And you are just like Jacob was, he was stuck with Leah. You and I are stuck with ourselves. You're stuck with what you are, whether you like it or not. You have that kind of a nature. And you're not going to change it. And you're not going to change it. Our natures, by nature, our whole flesh has been completely corrupted. It's of no value to God, really. Although you are of value to God. Real value. Now that's good for us to all remember. If you're a Christian, God intends to do something with you for his own eternal glory. Not to cater to your pride. Now, there was something about Rachel. She was beautiful. But you know, beautiful people sometimes can mislead you. And in the case of Rachel, you remember she was the one who stole the idols that belonged to her father. And she was very proficient at hiding them, too. You know the way she did it. I don't suppose there was even a blush on her face. When she was sitting right there in the idols, and Laban was looking for them. And why, she was such a beautiful young lady. She would never do a thing like that. I'm sure Laban probably felt that way. She's my daughter. She wouldn't deceive me. Oh. What about it, young people? You and I have pretty deceived ourselves. You and I have pretty deceiving natures. You know, it's through and through. Every one of us has that kind of a nature. And the idol, what would that speak of? You know, there's the element of idolatry in wanting to get a higher experience. A higher Christian experience. Is that what you're aiming at? Be careful of it. It's idolatry. Why? It will exalt me. It will puff me up. So people will look at me. You know, Mr. H.A. Ironside at one time was linked with the Salvation Army. And of course, they had their doctrine of perfection. And he was striving for this. And it got to such a point where he was so miserable because he couldn't attain it. That he had to go to a hospital and there were a number of people there of the same kind. However, in the hospital he observed a lady whom he thought looked as though she had really attained what he desired. She looked so submissive and quiet and nice personality. And so he made a mental note that he would like to speak with her sometime. So, he was sitting in his room reading a novel. When a knock came on his door and he hastily hid the novel he was reading. And this lady was at the door. And she told him she had observed him and thought that he had attained this wonderful state that she was looking for. And then he kind of broke down. He said, well, we might as well face the truth. Dear friends, face facts. The truth is truth. However you feel. Our feelings are deceptive. We can change things to suit ourselves. It's good for me and for you young people and older people too. To judge those thoughts in our own hearts that want anything in the way of self-exaltation. The flesh is thoroughly sinful through and through. There's not a thing good about it. And yet you are precious to God. That's good to remember. You are a vital value to God. But that nature of yours is, listen, that sinful nature of yours is worse than the worst thing you have ever done. It's capable of far more evil than you realize. We can cover it up and make it appear as though we're not just exactly what we are. Jacob was a manipulator. You know what I mean? You know what I mean? He liked to work things in his own way just to get circumstances turned around to suit him. Be careful of that. Listen. Act by faith. Simple, straightforward, honest faith in the living God. There is your real protection. Put Christ first. Nothing but Christ. But here Jacob was first, practically. In fact, do you know that Jacob said to Laban, Here I've worked and worked and worked for you and I'm enslaved at it. And he did, no doubt. He worked hard. He worked for seven years for Leah as well as, at least, he worked seven years twice for Rachel. The first time he got Leah, of course. But, however, you know, Jacob said, Now, I've worked for you all this time, when shall I provide for my own house also? He was concerned about his own house. Now, it's right enough that you should provide for your own house. If a man doesn't do it, he's denied the faith and is worse than an infidel. But Jacob was putting his own house before God's house. He made a blunder there. And he took a long time before eventually God got him back to Bethel, which is the house of God. That's where God wanted him. You know, by the way, in God's house, everything is according to God's order. He doesn't allow anything to come in that is not consistent with his nature. In your house, for instance. I come into your home and I look around. Well, the things that I see there are the things that reflect your own nature. The things that reflect your government. It's what you desire is there in your house. Don't dare to bring anything else into God's house of that kind. I mean, just the things you desire. In fact, when Jacob eventually was brought back to Bethel, you remember what happened. Just as soon as he was told to arise and get to Bethel, Jacob told his household to get rid of all their idols. Any idols in your own life? What are you living for? Is it Christ? Is Christ supremely before your eyes? Now, you know, there is real power. Now, you know, there is real power in the knowledge of Christ. But, is it Christ you are living for? Or is it for your own aggrandizement? That's a long word. It's for your own benefit. Or to put yourself in a little higher place. You see, we have to watch against this. Is it really for the glory of God? Is it really for the glory of God? If so, I would be willing to have myself humbled to the dust as long as Christ was exalted. Is that easy? No, it's not so easy because of the pride of our own hearts. Those two things are things that are seen in Rachel, pride and deceit. Now, what I mean is, typically speaking, we find those things. The idols. The idol speaks of this. It speaks of man's pride. Putting something else in the place of God. And it's really self that it boils down to every time. I put myself in God's place. That's idolatry. And then deception. I can deceive my own heart. But, you know, God is going to have things absolutely real. And out in the open. What is true and right is what he acts on. After Job had gone through an experience that was a very painful and trying one. And no doubt, it did humble Job a great deal. Yet, Job was still too proud of himself. He said, my righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go. And God had to bring him right down to the bottom. And he had to show him. By his different ways in creation. Why, look at the difference in the ostrich, for instance. And other animals. Why is the horse built so strong as it is? And why are other little animals having to hide in the rock to get away from others? Why are we all made differently? Now, he uses animals as an illustration of this. And what about believers? Everyone is different. I know, we think, why am I not like so-and-so? Why do I not have some of the abilities that so-and-so has? So, I'm going to ask you a question. Is there anyone in this world that you know of that you yourself would like to be? Anyone else? Besides yourself. Would you like to be that person? Would you like to be that person? The answer is no, you wouldn't. You'd like to have some of their good qualities, no doubt. But you wouldn't like to be that person. I know sometimes people say, if I was so-and-so, I'd do this and I'd do that. No, you wouldn't, you'd do exactly what he did. That's what you'd do. You see, there's a difference in every individual that God has made. And I can't change myself no matter how I would like to. I have that nature. There are different capacities, different capabilities, all of those things. It's no use being discouraged, because I'm very small, you know, and things like this. I know I one time asked the doctor, because I wanted to play hockey, how I could put some weight on, throw my weight around a little bit. He said, you tell me how I can take some off. Well, I know, I too, and it used to bother me that I was so shy and backward. I wasn't outgoing like other people were. Well, I couldn't change that either. But that made me miserable. Well, what's the use? No use worrying about things like that. There are all kinds of different things that we're different than other people. In fact, I've got a great deal to be thankful for when I go into a rest home, I mean a nursing home, and look at the way people are there. How much have you got to be thankful for? You see, no matter what you are like, God intends to use you for his own glory no matter how incapable you feel, or no matter how bad the flesh is in you. God can use you still. But it's for his glory. It's not for your glory that he's doing this. Jacob had to be brought down by Satan. It was a sad, solemn experience. And when he was brought down, it was certainly very, very trying. But he did eventually get back to Bethel where God had told him to go. It took a long time. He had trouble in his family first, for one thing. Very, very sad. But God brought him back. A humble, a sadder, but a wiser man. And Jacob then begins to learn what submission really is. However, look at chapter 35. Genesis 35. Verse 16. Now this is after he returned to Bethel. And they journeyed from Bethel. And there was but a little way to come to Ephrath. And Rachel travailed. And she had hard labor. And it came to pass when she was in hard labor that the midwife said unto her, fear not. Thou shalt have this son also. And it came to pass as her soul was in departing. For she died. That she called his name Benoni. But his father called him Benjamin. And Rachel died. And was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave. That is the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day. Rachel died before Leah did. He kept Leah a great deal longer time than he kept Rachel. Do you know that's a lesson? Because here in the case of Rachel, we find that which Jacob has such desire for, and he has to give her up. She dies. He mentions this before. It was a painful thing, no doubt. He mentions it later. And as for me, Rachel died by me. There was but a little way to go to Ephrath. Now, what does it teach us here? As Rachel dies, Benjamin is born. She calls him Benoni, which means the son of my sorrow. But Jacob called him Benjamin, the son of my right hand. Who is he a type of? You know immediately. Rachel had two sons. One was Joseph. The other one was Benjamin. Both types of Christ. Joseph, type of Christ in going through suffering and sorrow and anguish and eventually gaining the throne. Benjamin, type of Christ at God's right hand. Now, nothing but Christ as on we tread. In other words, that desire for a spiritual experience has to give way to the person of the Lord Jesus at God's right hand. That's the lesson for us. I see all glory, all beauty, all magnificence in the person of Christ at the right hand of God. Therefore, as far as I'm concerned, it doesn't make any difference. I'm a sinner, but saved by grace. Brought to God. Just the same as others are. Having that same common blessing with every other child of God. This is my place. I am blessed infinitely, though I deserve absolutely nothing. And the flesh in me is just as bad as ever was. It's not as though it's improved, but rather the attitude has changed. What is the attitude now? The attitude before was striving after something. The attitude now is contentment with the person of Christ at the right hand of God. Do you know what a grand thing it is to see on the part of believers? To see that attitude, not striving for something, even for a greater degree of Christian experience. I warn you about that because I know this happened in the last century. Edward Irving was a man of very remarkable ability in preaching the gospel. Many souls were saved at the time. And he was so blessed of God that he conceived the thought of attaining the highest possible Christian experience. You know what happened? That soon ended in a tongues movement, speaking in so-called tongues, and the whole thing ended in moral corruption. Moral corruption. Why? Because the object, self was the object, getting a little higher experience. Dear friends, let us bury self, put it where it belongs, and see in Christ that which honors God, he who honors God for eternity, the one whom God delights to honor. I just close by mentioning a case of a man coming one time to Mr. C.H. Spurgeon. He was a preacher, too. But he said he was having a great struggle with himself. He was trying to get rid of this sinful, fleshly nature of his. And he was having a terrible time with it. And Mr. Spurgeon said, well, it's really giving you a hard time. Oh, it certainly is. It serves your right. What? He was rather amazed. Yes, he said, it serves your right for ever expecting anything good from others. …