Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Genesis 30:1-24 which covers the jealousy between Rachel and Leah. Rachel was jealous that Leah bore children for Jacob, whereas she (Rachel) was barren. Leah was jealous that Jacob loved Rachel more than her. This Scripture shows the competition between them to bear more children for Jacob (and thus win Jacob’s favor and preference) directly by themselves or through their maids. Here is a link to the chapter – http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+30&version=NASB

We will focus on the following verses.

“Then God remembered Rachel, and God gave heed to her and opened her womb. So she conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” She named him Joseph, saying, “May the Lord give me another son.” Genesis 30:22-24.

————————-

Reproach is defined in part as “a cause or occasion of blame, discredit, or disgrace”. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reproach

Specifically, Rachel felt disgrace (reproach), because she did not bear children for Jacob.

More generally, the cause of reproach is our sins.

“O Lord, in accordance with all Your righteous acts, let now Your anger and Your wrath turn away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; for because of our sins and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people have become a reproach to all those around us.” Daniel 9:16

Only God can take away our sins, and thus only God can take away our reproach.

But, there is hope!

“And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach— if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.” Colossians 1:21-23.

God has taken away our reproach. Indeed, we were predestined for this. Praise God!

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. …” Ephesians 1:3-8.