Weird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis-Twenty-Four
Weird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis
Weird – “of strange or extraordinary character.”
Normal – “conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern”
OK, we need some context here. Normally when a husband asks his wife, “Do you think I’m God?” she would say, “Why yes, Dear!” (I’m joking, in case my wife is reading this) What is going on here is Jacob worked for seven years in order to get to marry Rachel, but Laban snuck Rachel’s older sister, Leah, into the honeymoon tent. Jacob wakes up and says, “What the heck?!” Laban says, “It’s our custom for the older daughter to marry first…but chill out…you can have Rachel, too.” After the customary wedding week, Laban also gives Rachel to Jacob, with the promise to work seven MORE years on the farm. Jacob has got two wives now, and there is no question about the pecking order. Jacob “loved Rachel more than Leah.” (Gen. 29: 28)
I always felt sorry for Leah, and so did God, apparently. God enabled Leah to have children, but Rachel was “barren.” (There is that word again) More importantly for that day and time, Leah had SONS…four in a row…Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. Reuben, the firstborn, has a name that sounds like the Hebrew for “he has seen my misery.” Leah says after giving birth, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.” (Gen. 29: 32) That is so sad!
Rachel is super jealous of Leah, since she is bearing all these sons with Jacob. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!” (This whole family is DRAMATIC) That’s when Jacob asks her, “Do you think I’m God?” What he is getting at is that God the belief that God either opened or closed the womb of women, making them able to have sons.
Just a word about the development of Hebrew Theology… I know that sounds boring, but stay with me. The Hebrew people (like us) sometimes struggled with their theological understanding of why they were suffering hardships. For a thousand years, from the time of Abraham until after the Exile, they had what is known as “Deuteronomic” theology. It works like this: God sets the terms for the covenant and people must accept it. Then if keep the terms – blessed. If not – cursed. (Think crop failure and infertility)
Hebrew Theology developed…grew… We see things like Wisdom writings and Apocalyptic writings, which help the Hebrews be encouraged to keep the faith even when they didn’t understand…knowing that understanding would come later on. Has our own theology “developed?” I sure hope so!
So, what is the answer to Jacob’s question? Is he God? Obviously not… AND, we need to have a “grown-up” faith that knows that just because something bad happens to someone, it doesn’t mean they are “cursed.”
Reflection: How has your theology grown over the years?
Action: Read the Apostle’s Creed. Does this match your theology?
Weird – “of strange or extraordinary character.”
Normal – “conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern”
- Merriam Webster
OK, we need some context here. Normally when a husband asks his wife, “Do you think I’m God?” she would say, “Why yes, Dear!” (I’m joking, in case my wife is reading this) What is going on here is Jacob worked for seven years in order to get to marry Rachel, but Laban snuck Rachel’s older sister, Leah, into the honeymoon tent. Jacob wakes up and says, “What the heck?!” Laban says, “It’s our custom for the older daughter to marry first…but chill out…you can have Rachel, too.” After the customary wedding week, Laban also gives Rachel to Jacob, with the promise to work seven MORE years on the farm. Jacob has got two wives now, and there is no question about the pecking order. Jacob “loved Rachel more than Leah.” (Gen. 29: 28)
I always felt sorry for Leah, and so did God, apparently. God enabled Leah to have children, but Rachel was “barren.” (There is that word again) More importantly for that day and time, Leah had SONS…four in a row…Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. Reuben, the firstborn, has a name that sounds like the Hebrew for “he has seen my misery.” Leah says after giving birth, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.” (Gen. 29: 32) That is so sad!
Rachel is super jealous of Leah, since she is bearing all these sons with Jacob. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!” (This whole family is DRAMATIC) That’s when Jacob asks her, “Do you think I’m God?” What he is getting at is that God the belief that God either opened or closed the womb of women, making them able to have sons.
Just a word about the development of Hebrew Theology… I know that sounds boring, but stay with me. The Hebrew people (like us) sometimes struggled with their theological understanding of why they were suffering hardships. For a thousand years, from the time of Abraham until after the Exile, they had what is known as “Deuteronomic” theology. It works like this: God sets the terms for the covenant and people must accept it. Then if keep the terms – blessed. If not – cursed. (Think crop failure and infertility)
Hebrew Theology developed…grew… We see things like Wisdom writings and Apocalyptic writings, which help the Hebrews be encouraged to keep the faith even when they didn’t understand…knowing that understanding would come later on. Has our own theology “developed?” I sure hope so!
So, what is the answer to Jacob’s question? Is he God? Obviously not… AND, we need to have a “grown-up” faith that knows that just because something bad happens to someone, it doesn’t mean they are “cursed.”
Reflection: How has your theology grown over the years?
Action: Read the Apostle’s Creed. Does this match your theology?
Posted in Lenten Devotionals
Posted in theology, God, Apostle\'s Creed, bad, Grow, blessed, Abraham, hardship, years
Posted in theology, God, Apostle\'s Creed, bad, Grow, blessed, Abraham, hardship, years
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Lenten DevotionalsWeird is the New Normal: Day OneWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in GenesisWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in GenesisWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in GenesisDay 5: Weird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in GenesisWeird is the New Normal: Day SixWeird is the New Normal: Day SevenWeird is the New Normal: Day EightWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis Day NineWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis: Day TenWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis, Day ElevenWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis, Day Twelve
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