Thursday, August 26, 2010

SPIRITUAL SEASONS Part 2: Understanding the Times

In I Chronicles 12:32 we read about the SONS OF Issachar. They understood the times and knew what Israel should do ... all their brethren were at their command. They were commanders in King David's army and understood battle conditions. They were mighty men of valor. I Chronicles 7:5 What Time is it?

"And their brethren among all the families of Issachar were valiant men of might, …" 1 Chronicles 7:5 KJV

THE SONS OF Issachar had a unique distinction apart from the other tribes (clans) of Israel because they understood the times which, gave them great wisdom and knowledge.

BIRTH:
Issachar was born the 9th son of Jacob, 9 speaking of fruitfulness. He was the 5th son of Leah, (FIVE) 5 speaks of grace. His birth is described in Genesis 30:17-18.

17 And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son. 18 And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar. Genesis 30:17-18 KJV

His name means: (1) wages(2) may God show mercy, and (3) there is reward.

MANDRAKES (FERTILITY)
His mother Leah had to pay a price or wage to have Jacob come to her bed the night that Issachar was conceived. The price was giving her mandrakes to Rachael. What was so special about mandrakes? Mandrakes are a special plant with avocado type fruit on them, that when eaten produced fertility. Why did Rachael desperately want them? She was barren and thought she would become fertile and birth Jacob a son, which would take away her shame. Later we see that God pitied her and supernaturally opened her womb.

LEAH AND RACHEL WRESTLE FOR JACOBS AFFECTION
In Genesis it speaks about the lives of Jacob, Leah, Rachael and their sons. Leah and Rachael were at constant odds with each other you might say they were in a wrestling match. What was their constant battle? They both were after the affections of the same man, Jacob. They had a duel of who could birth Jacob sons and even gave their personal maids to Jacob to make him sons.

WRESTLING WITH DESTINY
Rachael's maid Bilhah bore Jacob a son and Rachael said in Genesis 30:8 "With great wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister, and indeed I have prevailed." So she called his name Naphtali.


It's funny that Jacob wrestled too, if you remember he wrestled with and Angel all night. Genesis 32:24 Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man (Angel) wrestled with him until the breaking of day. It was a theme in that family.


Issachar was birthed in the midst of struggle. He was named Issachar because of the wage Leah had to pay Rachel. The wage or price was high and it would mean that if Rachel became pregnant she would lose any hope of winning Jacob's affection for her.

Rachel was barren at that moment and so Leah had the advantage but she also knew it would all change once she paid the price of the mandrakes.


1 comment:

Unknown said...

Wow. Interesting. Sometimes we read these passages 100 times and we never truly get the picture. I didn't know the mandrakes were so significant. I've always wondered, if the object of their affection is Jacob, why would Rachel allow Leah to have him just for some mandrakes. Now it all makes sense.