WHEN YOU CAN'T SEE GOD'S HANDS, TRUST IN HIS HEART. (Genesis 29:31-30:24)
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SERMON NOTES:
Heart & Hands
Genesis 29:31-30:24
When you can’t see God’s hands, trust in His heart.
The Lord sees Leah’s suffering. (29:31-35)
Leah’s season of comfort.
Rachel sees Leah’s blessing. (30:1-8)
Rachel’s season of jealousy.
Leah sees her own circumstances. (9-24)
Leah’s season of discontentment. (9-13)
The sister’s season of striving. (14 – 21)
Rachel’s season of faith.(22-24)
study questions:
For the Next Lesson – Genesis 29:31-30:24
1. Read verses 29:31-35. How did Jacob feel about Leah, and what do you think the family dynamics were like between Jacob, Leah and Rachel? How did Leah respond to the births of her first four children? What does this show us about her spiritual growth? Who comes from the line of Levi and Judah, and why does this matter? How does God use situations in your life to grow your faith?
2. Read verses 30:1-8. Why was Rachel so upset according to verse 1? How does this sin affect Rachel, and how does this same sin affect us? How did Jacob respond, and what does this show us about Jacob’s faith? What does verse 8 teach us about Rachel’s attitude toward life and her sister? Rachel was described as beautiful in Genesis 29:17, do you think she is beautiful now (see also 1 Peter 3:3-4)? Why or why not? What form of beauty do your embrace: the growing beauty from within, or fading external beauty?
3. Read verses 30:9-13. What were the names of the sons born to Leah through Zilpah, and what do these names mean? What do these names show us about Leah’s heart?
4. Read verses 30:14-24. These verses continue to display the competition between sisters as wives. How can you see their struggles? Pay close attention to verses 15, 17, 20 and 23. Why do you think God chose this moment to allow Rachel to conceive?
5. So what. This passage helps us to understand where the 12 tribes of Israel originated. We also see the pain of feeling unloved, jealousy and competition. What heart condition is the root of feeling jealous and the need to compete with others? How can we deal with jealousy in our relationship with God? How can we cure our need to compete with others? How does dealing with our jealousy and need to win bring us peace? How do you struggle with jealousy and competition in your life? How do you deal with it?