October 18, 2023 – Devotions – What If…?

What if Zilpah’s Name Meant Zilch?

“Then Laban said to Jacob, “Tell me, what shall your wages be?” Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah’s eyes were lovely, and Rachel was graceful and beautiful. Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” So Jacob served seven years for Rachel… Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” So Laban gathered together all the people of the place, and made a feast. But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. (Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid.) When morning came, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” Laban said, “This is not done in our country—giving the younger before the firstborn. Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” Jacob did so, and completed her week; then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as a wife. (Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maid.) So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. He served Laban for another seven years. When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.” Genesis 29:15-31

“When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her maid Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. Then Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son. And Leah said, “Good fortune!” so she named him Gad. Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. And Leah said, “Happy am I! For the women will call me happy”; so she named him Asher.” Genesis 30:9-12

The trickery that Laban uses to determine that his oldest daughter is taken in marriage before the younger daughter is quite devious. This of course was the way of things – the oldest should be married before the youngest. It just so happened that Jacob loved Laban’s youngest daughter, Rachel. But Laban was a trickster, it seems – just like Jacob. In the darkness of the marriage bed, Leah is switched for Rachel – and so the deceiver has been deceived. It almost seems as if the Lord is giving Jacob payback, in a way, for his deceiving his oldest brother Esau out of his birthright and blessing from their father Isaac. What comes around goes around, they say.

Anyway, let’s clear up our story here just a bit. When Jacob flees Esau’s anger over being deceived, he travels to be with his uncle Laban. Laban has two daughters, that we know of – Leah the oldest, and Rachel. Laban had given his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid – and had given his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel. As is often the case in biblical stories, one of the sisters is barren, while the other is able to bear children. Rachel initially cannot have children, so she gives her maid Bilhah to Jacob so she can give him children for her. And when Leah stops having children, she gives her maid, Zilpah to Jacob so more children will be given to Jacob in her name. But, what if Zilpah was barren like Leah’s sister Rachel? Obviously there would have been two fewer sons – and possibly we would have talked about the Ten Tribes of Israel (though G-d would have worked this out somehow). But this story gives us insight into the lives of those who were there at the very beginning of the establishment of the tribes of Israel. As such, there were many women who came to be a part of the promise.

Pastor Dave

October 16, 2023 — What IF…?

What if Puah and Shiphrah Listened to Pharaoh?

“Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. He said to his people, “Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and more powerful than we. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase and, in the event of war, join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” Therefore they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with forced labor. They built supply cities, Pithom and Rameses, for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread, so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. The Egyptians became ruthless in imposing tasks on the Israelites, and made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar and brick and in every kind of field labor. They were ruthless in all the tasks that they imposed on them. The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, “When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, she shall live.” But the midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but they let the boys live. So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and allowed the boys to live?” The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” So God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and became very strong. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every boy that is born to the Hebrews you shall throw into the Nile, but you shall let every girl live.” Exodus 1:8-22

The story is familiar to many – after Joseph brought his entire family to Egypt, the Israelites began to grow in numbers, and in strength. In fact, they became so numerous they began to be a threat to Pharaoh and his peace of mind. Therefore, he ordered the Israelites to be enslaved and placed under undue burdens as slave labor. But the more they were worked and the more they were oppressed, the more they grew in number. It seems counter-intuitive to us – people who are placed under heavy burdens seemingly thriving under those heavy burdens. But these are no ordinary people. So Pharaoh comes up with a plan – when the midwives assist the Hebrew women in childbirth, they are supposed to kill the boys, but allow the girls to live. But because two of the midwives Puah and Shiphrah fear G-d, they do not listen to Pharaoh – and so he must devise another plan. But, what if Puah and Shiphrah did not fear G-d?

Pharaoh would come up with many different ideas for oppressing the Hebrew people – and he would be thwarted by G-d at every turn. And G-d would continue to harden the heart of Pharaoh until he finally relents and allows the people to leave. Our G-d is a G-d who will soften the hearts of some (like Puah and Shiphrah), will harden the hearts of others (like Pharaoh and Manasseh), and has Grace enough for all people. It may sound contradictory, but our G-d is a G-d we cannot know completely. But we should always remember that our G-d can and will act in time, in G-d’s time, to bring about G-d’s will – and will use the people necessary for G-d’s purposes. As such, if we remain open to G-d’s will, like Puah and Shiphrah, we may find ourselves part of one of G-d’s amazing plans.

Pastor Dave

October 17, 2023 – Devotions – What If…?

What if Lois Wasn’t Agreeable?

“I am grateful to God—whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did—when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:3-7

The meaning for the name Lois is “Agreeable or Desirable”. While there are many grandmothers mentioned in the Bible, the word “Grandmother” is only used once – and that is in reference to Lois. She is the mother of Eunice, and the Grandmother of Timothy.

It appears that Lois was just as her name implied: Agreeable. However, we have all known people who are not agreeable—people who are miserable, argumentative, and rude. We have no idea why people turn out to be that way, but miserable people are hard to be around. So, what if Lois wasn’t agreeable, but was just miserable? What if Lois did not have the personality or the temperament to pass along a sincere faith – or chose not to instruct her family in the faith?

It is evident, as those of us in the church know, that faith is something that often is handed down, from generation to generation. It is never a guarantee that our children or grandchildren will stay in the faith, but they are more likely to remain involved in a church family if the faith is handed down. Paul compliments Lois for being the Genesis of a faith that lives in her daughter, and now lives in her grandson Timothy. So, why does it matter that Timothy remained in the faith?

Timothy was a young man when he first met Paul. Timothy may have seen Paul heal a lame man in his town, and he may also have watched as an angry mob threw stones at Paul and left him for dead as recorded in Acts 14:8ff. Paul survived, and when he came back to Lystra a couple of years later on his second journey, Paul invited Timothy to travel with him. Timothy helped Paul to establish churches at Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea (Acts 16 and 17). When Paul was imprisoned in Rome for two years, Timothy was right alongside him much of the time unselfishly taking care of Paul’s needs. Paul thought of Timothy not only as a very faithful friend but also as his spiritual son.

When we pass along the faith to our children and grandchildren, we never know what impact that faith may have on our family, and on the church.

Pastor Dave