1 Samuel 3:13 (NIV)
For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons made themselves contemptible, and he failed to restrain them.
In 1 Samuel, Eli had two sons that were doing wrong. They were idolaters and immoral people although they were of a priestly family. The disobeyed God openly and Eli knew about it. According to the law at the time, Eli should have called for their deaths due to their sin but instead he only mildly rebuked them. The rebuke was not strong enough to turn them from their ways and they continued to do as they pleased. Eli became a party to the sin by failing to stop it and God deals harshly with them.
Eli's two sons are killed in battle, many more descendants were massacred at Nob, and the priesthood is later transferred from his family to the family of Zadok by Solomon (The Bible Reader's Companion).
Scary stuff, huh?
Parents are responsible for their children's behavior. We have a God given responsibility to teach them right and wrong. Right and wrong according to God's Word, not the ever-changing value system of the world.
This means, as parents, we need to first know what God's Word says about right and wrong. As situations arise, we need to search the scriptures for what to do or how to handle. It needs to be our moral compass, our guidebook in all things, the truth we hold up against the lies of the world.
We need to be in prayer, asking God to help us discern and navigate all the situations that arise, and to ask for faith, trust, and strength to adhere to biblical principles even when the rest of the world seems to be going a different direction.
I'm concerned that most of my peers would say that if their son or daughter wanted to have sex before marriage, they would advise them to use birth control. If the son or daughter is a minor, they might even take them to the doctor to help them procure birth control.
I've heard comments like "if you are going to do it, at least be smart about it", or "Don't ruin my life or yours by getting pregnant".
This is defeated parenting and does nothing to address to root of the sin.
However, the reason parents go this route is varied but includes: being too busy, succumbing to the pressures of society and it's ever-changing morals, not having a good grasp of God's Word on the matter, not wanting any sort of discomfort for themselves or their child, not wanting to give up a lifestyle or a reputation, or just a plain inability to deny their child anything, even if it's bad for them.
Do we as Christians acknowledge that sex outside of marriage is wrong according to the standard set by God? Do we acknowledge that God's standards are good and pure and meant for our own good, not as a means to limit us, or somehow deny us something good? Do we understand that sin left unchecked is very hazardous to our souls and can be life ending? Not just here but for eternity? Do we realize that when we look the other way, try to eliminate the consequence, or blatantly participate in allowing it to continue we become party to the sin and party to the destruction.
We need to take this seriously, parents! Not just in this scenario but in all things related to our children, to parenting, and to our own self discipline and character. You can apply this to anything.
If underage drinking is illegal, and we are called to obey the laws of the land and the leaders of the land, then it is wrong in God's eyes to permit your child to drink while he/she is underage. It is wrong for you to host an underage drinking party (even if you blindly think you are protecting them by having it in your home instead of somewhere else), and it is wrong to supply the alcohol for them.
We must tow the line ourselves and be a good example to follow. We must expect a higher behavior and character then the rest of society. We must teach God's Word and adhere to it ourselves.
Our children will make mistakes and we can love them through their consequences and continue to teach and hold them accountable without destroying them.
For it is in allowing sin to go unchecked that destroys, not the consequence. We must be willing to allow the consequence in the hopes of saving the soul. It is our duty to allow God to work in their lives. If we lead them to believe God doesn't care what they do, they will never see the need to turn to him for help, for repentance, or for salvation.
I pray we make time to do the necessary things to be the kind of parents God expects us to be. We can start today. We can make a commitment today to begin reading God's Word daily. We can begin praying for God to show us where we are failing or where we need to step it up. We can begin to spend more time with our kids so we can understand where they might be in trouble. We can talk openly with our kids about what God expects.
I am not perfect as a person or as a parent but I know One who is, and I trust in Him to the best of my ability to lead me.
Showing posts with label Birth Control. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Birth Control. Show all posts
Monday, October 4, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
We Don't Love Children, We Love Drywall
We Don't Love Children, We Love Drywall
I found this blog post on another website that promotes Beautiful Womanhood at http://www.ladiesagainstfeminism.com/ that was so good I had to share it.
I found this blog post on another website that promotes Beautiful Womanhood at http://www.ladiesagainstfeminism.com/ that was so good I had to share it.
Friday, March 26, 2010
How 'the pill' led to societal infantilism
Very interesting article by Geoffrey Botkin in response to the birth control pill being introduced 50 years ago this year and it's affects on society.
How 'the pill' led to societal infantilism
How 'the pill' led to societal infantilism
Friday, November 20, 2009
Be Fruitful. . .
I have been searching the scriptures for information of education recently. I want to see what education looks like from a biblical perspective, What did the first glimpses of education look like for Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, etc.? I suspect we have gotten off track along the way and I just had a desire to look into it a little deeper.
I didn't get far into the chapter of Genesis before I came to a few verses that took me down a rabbit trail.
Genesis 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
I had always glossed over that 'be fruitful' phrase assuming it meant the same as multiplying and filling the earth. However, when I got to the story of Noah, I noticed that God used this same phrase with Noah. In fact, he says it three times. It must be pretty important.
Genesis 8:15-17 Then God said to Noah, "Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you—the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground—so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number upon it."
Genesis 9:1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.
Genesis 9:7 As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it."
These were the first commands given by God to Adam and then to Noah. Did he only want them, including the animals, just to multiply and fill the earth or is there more to the command?
I looked up other verses in the bible that talk about fruit or being fruitful in the hope of understanding this better. If I had a bible with the Greek meanings of the words, I would have used that, too. But I don't, so you go with what you have.
Psalm 1:3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
God is often called the living water. We often talk about being rooted in God's Word. Fruit is often referred to as Godly characteristics or works. Is this verse to describe a person who draws life from God, is rooted in God's Word, is maturing and growing in their faith, becoming ready, to be and do what God has assigned, sustaining and persevering his whole life in the faith, and is successful because he does the will of God? Is this what God meant about being 'fruitful'?
Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.
This verse looks like evangelizing; rooting others in God's Word and leading others to eternal life.
So far, we have a picture of 'fruitful' being both personal growth and helping other to grow in the knowledge of God.
Matthew 7:16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?
Authentic, life saving fruit cannot be produced if the life source is anything other than the Godhead himself. So, 'be fruitful' is also telling us the source of life, and of fruit, is God and nothing else.
John 15:2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful.
God is the Gardener who perfects us and our fruit! We can rest in His work in us because it has a perfect purpose, although painful at times.
Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
These are characteristics a fallen world cannot produce on their own without first having known such shown toward them and then having been transformed by God himself.
I never noticed the last line of this verse before. What does it mean against such thing there is no law? I wondered if before the fall - when there was yet no need for the law - did these things come naturally to Adam and Eve because of their intimate relationship with God? Which led me to the next verse.
Rev. 22:2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
Adam and Eve had access to the Tree of Life until sin entered the world. We will once again have access to the Tree of Life when Jesus restores all things back to their former eternal characteristics.
Psalm 128:3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table.
Wives have children (increase and multiply). A Christian Mother who raises her children in the fear and knowledge of the Lord is being 'fruitful'. In fact, she must first be drawing life from God herself. She must first be rooted in God's Word. She is then able to show her children where to draw life from and how to stay rooted in God's Word for themselves. She understands who the perfecter of her faith is, and the faith of her children, and she diligently teaches her children to walk in God's ways and to rest in his will. By doing so, she fulfills both Psalm 1:3 and Proverbs 11:30. Mothers have suck a divine priviledge!
The first instruction of education is to know God!
The second instruction is to always walk with him and in His will!
The third instruction is to teach your children to do the same through example and diligent teaching!
How do the three commands given to Adam and then to Noah conflict with what the world teaches?
The world teaches there is no God or that you are your own god. The world teaches no Creator but rather chance. The world doesn't acknowledge a divine life source because they don't believe in a heaven or hell. The world doesn't value children or the call for mothers to raise them in God's Word. The feminist movement puts a womans value elsewhere. The U.N. and agencies like Planned Parenthood would rather control the population and limit it's growth. A generation who isn't drawing from the authentic eternal life source isn't able to teach their children to do so either.
If no one heeds God's command in this area, the next generation may be similar to the one of Noah's generation. However, I know there are Christian families all over the world who do heed God's command, although we are in the minority. We must be even more diligent and reliant on God so that our children may be a beacon of light to the world. May God bless the efforts of those who obey.
I will continue to look up what education looks like in the bible, but the first and most important aspect to knowledge and wisdom is the fear and knowledge of God.
I didn't get far into the chapter of Genesis before I came to a few verses that took me down a rabbit trail.
Genesis 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
I had always glossed over that 'be fruitful' phrase assuming it meant the same as multiplying and filling the earth. However, when I got to the story of Noah, I noticed that God used this same phrase with Noah. In fact, he says it three times. It must be pretty important.
Genesis 8:15-17 Then God said to Noah, "Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you—the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground—so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number upon it."
Genesis 9:1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.
Genesis 9:7 As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it."
These were the first commands given by God to Adam and then to Noah. Did he only want them, including the animals, just to multiply and fill the earth or is there more to the command?
I looked up other verses in the bible that talk about fruit or being fruitful in the hope of understanding this better. If I had a bible with the Greek meanings of the words, I would have used that, too. But I don't, so you go with what you have.
Psalm 1:3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
God is often called the living water. We often talk about being rooted in God's Word. Fruit is often referred to as Godly characteristics or works. Is this verse to describe a person who draws life from God, is rooted in God's Word, is maturing and growing in their faith, becoming ready, to be and do what God has assigned, sustaining and persevering his whole life in the faith, and is successful because he does the will of God? Is this what God meant about being 'fruitful'?
Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.
This verse looks like evangelizing; rooting others in God's Word and leading others to eternal life.
So far, we have a picture of 'fruitful' being both personal growth and helping other to grow in the knowledge of God.
Matthew 7:16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?
Authentic, life saving fruit cannot be produced if the life source is anything other than the Godhead himself. So, 'be fruitful' is also telling us the source of life, and of fruit, is God and nothing else.
John 15:2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful.
God is the Gardener who perfects us and our fruit! We can rest in His work in us because it has a perfect purpose, although painful at times.
Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
These are characteristics a fallen world cannot produce on their own without first having known such shown toward them and then having been transformed by God himself.
I never noticed the last line of this verse before. What does it mean against such thing there is no law? I wondered if before the fall - when there was yet no need for the law - did these things come naturally to Adam and Eve because of their intimate relationship with God? Which led me to the next verse.
Rev. 22:2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
Adam and Eve had access to the Tree of Life until sin entered the world. We will once again have access to the Tree of Life when Jesus restores all things back to their former eternal characteristics.
Psalm 128:3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table.
Wives have children (increase and multiply). A Christian Mother who raises her children in the fear and knowledge of the Lord is being 'fruitful'. In fact, she must first be drawing life from God herself. She must first be rooted in God's Word. She is then able to show her children where to draw life from and how to stay rooted in God's Word for themselves. She understands who the perfecter of her faith is, and the faith of her children, and she diligently teaches her children to walk in God's ways and to rest in his will. By doing so, she fulfills both Psalm 1:3 and Proverbs 11:30. Mothers have suck a divine priviledge!
The first instruction of education is to know God!
The second instruction is to always walk with him and in His will!
The third instruction is to teach your children to do the same through example and diligent teaching!
How do the three commands given to Adam and then to Noah conflict with what the world teaches?
The world teaches there is no God or that you are your own god. The world teaches no Creator but rather chance. The world doesn't acknowledge a divine life source because they don't believe in a heaven or hell. The world doesn't value children or the call for mothers to raise them in God's Word. The feminist movement puts a womans value elsewhere. The U.N. and agencies like Planned Parenthood would rather control the population and limit it's growth. A generation who isn't drawing from the authentic eternal life source isn't able to teach their children to do so either.
If no one heeds God's command in this area, the next generation may be similar to the one of Noah's generation. However, I know there are Christian families all over the world who do heed God's command, although we are in the minority. We must be even more diligent and reliant on God so that our children may be a beacon of light to the world. May God bless the efforts of those who obey.
I will continue to look up what education looks like in the bible, but the first and most important aspect to knowledge and wisdom is the fear and knowledge of God.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Who Knows Best?
The second coming of Jesus Christ will not happen until the full number of Gentiles has come in (see Romans 11:25)
Be fruitful and multiply! God said this many times in the bible. I've often wondered what kind of impact birth control and family planning has on the christian life, if any. I've always had a conflict with God telling us to have children and the world telling us in a sense, not to. After reading the Romans verse above, I clearly saw the impact.
When believing parents have children, and raise them to come to a saving belief on their own, they are adding to the full number of Gentiles that must come in before Jesus will return. Also, the more workers (believers) available, the more work (proclaiming) will be done. Parents who follow God's command to have children are hastening the return of Jesus Christ to the earth.
On the flip side, believing parents who neglect to follow God's directive in this area, in a sense by saying they know better, are quite possibly slowing down the return of our Lord.
I would say that Satan knows full well this impact, too. The longer Christ stays away, the longer Satan has to play around and try to control the world and exert his power in it. He knows what his fate will be upon Christ return. It's easy to see Satan's hand in the area of abortion, but have we ever considered his hand in the area of birth control and family planning? Isn't that the same old deceptive lie that he always likes to get us to believe. The lie that says we know better than God what is good for us. The lie that gets us to go outside of God's will for us. Satan is very aware of the benefit to him in all he does. We need to be more aware of his tactics and the impacts.
I know as believers, we wait in hopeful anticipation for the promise of Christ return to be fulfilled. We pray for His peace to come, for his judgement to take place, for things to be restored to their original glory. We want it to come now! We want relief from this world today! We are aliens here and we want to be gathered home in Christ!
And, yet, we may have inadvertently delayed the glorious coming of Christ because of the decisions we made in our narrow and limited capacity to understand God's story and our role in it!
There is so much we don't know and don't understand. Isn't is nice though that there's someone who does (God)? We should learn to better trust that He really does know what is best for us and give control of our Spirit over to Him in all things.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Open to Beautiful Blessings
My OB/GYN once told me that after having four children he didn't believe I would be become pregnant again because of the changes my body had gone through. God showed him differently though when we did in fact conceive our fifth child a year later.
At my six week follow up with him, he actually told us he would have to retire if I became pregnant again. I guess we really challenged his ability to ensure we had a healthy child and a healthy mother at the end of the day.
At a recent checkup, he cautioned me on the dangers of becoming pregnant at my age and when I didn't necessarily heed his advice he said he would have a heart attack if I were to become pregnant again. I told him then that I would pray for him if that happened. See, I didn't think I needed to pray for myself but rather pray for the man who didn't have a trust in God. Pray for the man who had put his trust in himself and not in God. I thought about changing doctors but I can witness to this one through the work God does through me.
I've come to trust in God's provision. If God wants to bless us with another child, I believe God will provide and care for us. I'm not worried.
In fact, my husband and I just had 'date night' a few days ago and we talked about the past. When we looked back together we saw how beautiful everything has turned out.
Yes, the year of unknowing if we would conceive a child together was hard on us, but it developed a trust in God in us. Yes, the pregnancy was tougher on me at 41 than in my 20's, but I still survived and eventually got back to feeling myself. Yes, the first few months when our daughter wouldn't sleep through the night was extremely challenging for both of us, but she eventually found her rhythm and we eventually regained our sanity. Yes, the other children went through a period of adjustment, but they eventually embraced and bonded with their new sister too. We have all grown through the challenges and I wouldn't change any of that for anything in the world.
God is faithful and He is good. I want to be open to any blessing He may want to grant to us. I cannot know what is ultimately best for us but I trust that God does.
In the historical account of the Israelites under oppressive Egyptian rule in the book of Exodus, we find an environment that is very hostile to the people, especially newborn males. The Egyptians were so worried about the multitude of the Israelites (as God had increased their numbers tremendously)that they worked them as slaves and enacted laws to kill the newborn males in an effort to limit the power this people may have.
As I contemplate what it would be like to be a wife and mother in these times, I cannot compare it to any hardships we face here in the United States as wives and mothers, but I am sure there are those who can. Those that have the fear of harm, trial, or death for themselves or their child if they were to become pregnant. The rate of birth control use and abortion in our country speaks to this fear.
Where is the hope in a faithful God that he can deliver us from any evil or fear? Where is the hope that God can turn what we view as a tough time around and make it beautiful? Where is the hope that God holds all events in His trusted hands? I believe in this hope and I rest in His will for me despite any fears or second guesses I may have.
So, Mr. OB/GYN, I trust in a higher power than you, and you will not make me feel bad for placing my faith elsewhere and not heeding your advice. Maybe God has something to show you through our story.
At my six week follow up with him, he actually told us he would have to retire if I became pregnant again. I guess we really challenged his ability to ensure we had a healthy child and a healthy mother at the end of the day.
At a recent checkup, he cautioned me on the dangers of becoming pregnant at my age and when I didn't necessarily heed his advice he said he would have a heart attack if I were to become pregnant again. I told him then that I would pray for him if that happened. See, I didn't think I needed to pray for myself but rather pray for the man who didn't have a trust in God. Pray for the man who had put his trust in himself and not in God. I thought about changing doctors but I can witness to this one through the work God does through me.
I've come to trust in God's provision. If God wants to bless us with another child, I believe God will provide and care for us. I'm not worried.
In fact, my husband and I just had 'date night' a few days ago and we talked about the past. When we looked back together we saw how beautiful everything has turned out.
Yes, the year of unknowing if we would conceive a child together was hard on us, but it developed a trust in God in us. Yes, the pregnancy was tougher on me at 41 than in my 20's, but I still survived and eventually got back to feeling myself. Yes, the first few months when our daughter wouldn't sleep through the night was extremely challenging for both of us, but she eventually found her rhythm and we eventually regained our sanity. Yes, the other children went through a period of adjustment, but they eventually embraced and bonded with their new sister too. We have all grown through the challenges and I wouldn't change any of that for anything in the world.
God is faithful and He is good. I want to be open to any blessing He may want to grant to us. I cannot know what is ultimately best for us but I trust that God does.
In the historical account of the Israelites under oppressive Egyptian rule in the book of Exodus, we find an environment that is very hostile to the people, especially newborn males. The Egyptians were so worried about the multitude of the Israelites (as God had increased their numbers tremendously)that they worked them as slaves and enacted laws to kill the newborn males in an effort to limit the power this people may have.
As I contemplate what it would be like to be a wife and mother in these times, I cannot compare it to any hardships we face here in the United States as wives and mothers, but I am sure there are those who can. Those that have the fear of harm, trial, or death for themselves or their child if they were to become pregnant. The rate of birth control use and abortion in our country speaks to this fear.
Where is the hope in a faithful God that he can deliver us from any evil or fear? Where is the hope that God can turn what we view as a tough time around and make it beautiful? Where is the hope that God holds all events in His trusted hands? I believe in this hope and I rest in His will for me despite any fears or second guesses I may have.
So, Mr. OB/GYN, I trust in a higher power than you, and you will not make me feel bad for placing my faith elsewhere and not heeding your advice. Maybe God has something to show you through our story.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
All I'm Saying Is . .
My husband and I were debating the 'birth control' topic last night because he is not sure he agrees with me. But I told him I haven't exactly chosen a side so I don't think he can agree or disagree with me yet.
What I am trying to do is open up the dialogue to really consider our options and choices from a biblical standpoint. Far too often we just take accepted practices at face value and blindly follow the culture. Birth control, along with many other topics, are just things we take as 'okay' because everyone else thinks it is.
Doesn't God call us to live in the world but not of the world? If that's the case, then we should be challenging the status quo and investigating for ourselves what God would want us to do.
Nothing in and of itself is wrong. It's how we use it or our motivation behind something that makes it wrong. I know I've heard our Pastor say money isn't bad - it's how we use it, or think about it, or our motivation with it that's wrong. The same principle applies here.
The question then needs to be asked. If Christian women, in a Christian marriages, use birth control for any of the following reasons, are we living God's plan for our lives or are we living of this world?
1. To control our circumstances
2. To be in charge of our own destiny
3. To make way to pursue our own career
4. To free up funds to pursue our own desires
5. To avoid undo responsibility of another human being
I just really wonder. I don't want to judge or be closed minded, but I do want us to really think about these things from a heavenly standpoint. I can really see and understand all of the arguments in the 'secular world' for the use of birth control. But we are not the secular world. We are God's chosen people! As God's chosen, we should be seeking our Creator's input in these matters. That's all I'm saying.
What I am trying to do is open up the dialogue to really consider our options and choices from a biblical standpoint. Far too often we just take accepted practices at face value and blindly follow the culture. Birth control, along with many other topics, are just things we take as 'okay' because everyone else thinks it is.
Doesn't God call us to live in the world but not of the world? If that's the case, then we should be challenging the status quo and investigating for ourselves what God would want us to do.
Nothing in and of itself is wrong. It's how we use it or our motivation behind something that makes it wrong. I know I've heard our Pastor say money isn't bad - it's how we use it, or think about it, or our motivation with it that's wrong. The same principle applies here.
The question then needs to be asked. If Christian women, in a Christian marriages, use birth control for any of the following reasons, are we living God's plan for our lives or are we living of this world?
1. To control our circumstances
2. To be in charge of our own destiny
3. To make way to pursue our own career
4. To free up funds to pursue our own desires
5. To avoid undo responsibility of another human being
I just really wonder. I don't want to judge or be closed minded, but I do want us to really think about these things from a heavenly standpoint. I can really see and understand all of the arguments in the 'secular world' for the use of birth control. But we are not the secular world. We are God's chosen people! As God's chosen, we should be seeking our Creator's input in these matters. That's all I'm saying.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Leah and Rachel
Jacob loved Rachel but was tricked into marrying her older sister, Leah, by their father. Jacob eventually married Rachel too, but there was always a rivalry between the two sisters over who had claim to Jacob's affection. This rivalry was especially seen played out between the two in the bearing of children by Jacob. They were in constant battle and prayer to God, each pleading their own case. You can read the story for yourself in Genesis 29 and 30.
Genesis 29:31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
Leah had bore four sons to Jacob and Rachel was envious.
Genesis 30:1-2 Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister and said to Jacob, "Give me children, or else I die!" And Jacob's anger was aroused against Rachel, and he said, "Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?"
The two sisters fight over mandrakes (an aphrodisiac)and Leah sells her mandrakes to Rachel in exchange for a night with Jacob.
Genesis 30:17 And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son.
Genesis 30:19 Then Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son.
Genesis 30:21 Afterward she bore a daughter, and called her name Dinah.
Genesis 30:22-23a Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. And she conceived and bore a son.
Rachel was blessed with another son but died during childbirth.
Two things strike me as interesting in this story.
1. They had no form of birth control (if it was available it clearly is not being used here) and yet Rachel does not conceive until God deems it is time.
2. Jacob's words to Rachel clearly show he believes it is by God's own will that Leah has bore children and Rachel has not.
I can just hear the liberals thinking out loud that the people of the Old Testament were neanderthals and had no capacity to even conceive of birth control or that they didn't have the best of health conditions so that may have prevented them from being fertile. But I don't believe those responses are true because they knew what aphrodisiacs were and Jacob seemed to be very successful in his occupation.
So, what is the lesson in this story? Can we gleam anything from these words of recorded history that is useful to us today? I'm still in discovery, so I have no answers, only more questions.
Genesis 29:31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
Leah had bore four sons to Jacob and Rachel was envious.
Genesis 30:1-2 Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister and said to Jacob, "Give me children, or else I die!" And Jacob's anger was aroused against Rachel, and he said, "Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?"
The two sisters fight over mandrakes (an aphrodisiac)and Leah sells her mandrakes to Rachel in exchange for a night with Jacob.
Genesis 30:17 And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son.
Genesis 30:19 Then Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son.
Genesis 30:21 Afterward she bore a daughter, and called her name Dinah.
Genesis 30:22-23a Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. And she conceived and bore a son.
Rachel was blessed with another son but died during childbirth.
Two things strike me as interesting in this story.
1. They had no form of birth control (if it was available it clearly is not being used here) and yet Rachel does not conceive until God deems it is time.
2. Jacob's words to Rachel clearly show he believes it is by God's own will that Leah has bore children and Rachel has not.
I can just hear the liberals thinking out loud that the people of the Old Testament were neanderthals and had no capacity to even conceive of birth control or that they didn't have the best of health conditions so that may have prevented them from being fertile. But I don't believe those responses are true because they knew what aphrodisiacs were and Jacob seemed to be very successful in his occupation.
So, what is the lesson in this story? Can we gleam anything from these words of recorded history that is useful to us today? I'm still in discovery, so I have no answers, only more questions.
Inquiring Minds Want To Know
Today, I am going to bring up a topic that will definitely be controversial in the secular world, and quite possibly in the Christian world as well. Here's some questions to ponder.
1. Would God approve of Christians using birth control?
2. How has the world demographics been affected by birth control?
3. How has the Christian faith been helped/hurt by the use of birth control?
4. Why was birth control invented in the first place?
5. What purpose does birth control serve to humanity?
6. Why doesn't the natural world (animals/plants) need to practice reproductive control?
These are only some of the questions I have pondered in recent months. I feel God has been prompting me to explore this for a while now but I have been resisting. It's so ingrained in our culture, especially the western culture, that it almost seems taboo to bring up.
I know when I research Right To Life issues, the practice of birth control is pushed as a way to reduce the incidences of abortion. When I research world poverty, birth control is pushed as a way to reduce poverty. When teen pregnancy is discussed, the conversation always turns to birth control availability to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Is this really the right answer to all of these problems?
We were created to reproduce. God gave us the command in Genesis (twice), 'be fruitful and multiply'. The bible also contains many references to God deciding when to 'open' the womb and when He purposefully 'shut' the womb. The bible also tells us children are a blessing from God. I often wonder then why we try to control the timing of a blessing from God, and what this says about who our dependence really rest upon.
Lord, I ask for your wisdom and guidance as I explore these issues and share with my readers. If these thoughts are truly from you, then I trust you have something for us to discover. Let your will be done. Amen
1. Would God approve of Christians using birth control?
2. How has the world demographics been affected by birth control?
3. How has the Christian faith been helped/hurt by the use of birth control?
4. Why was birth control invented in the first place?
5. What purpose does birth control serve to humanity?
6. Why doesn't the natural world (animals/plants) need to practice reproductive control?
These are only some of the questions I have pondered in recent months. I feel God has been prompting me to explore this for a while now but I have been resisting. It's so ingrained in our culture, especially the western culture, that it almost seems taboo to bring up.
I know when I research Right To Life issues, the practice of birth control is pushed as a way to reduce the incidences of abortion. When I research world poverty, birth control is pushed as a way to reduce poverty. When teen pregnancy is discussed, the conversation always turns to birth control availability to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Is this really the right answer to all of these problems?
We were created to reproduce. God gave us the command in Genesis (twice), 'be fruitful and multiply'. The bible also contains many references to God deciding when to 'open' the womb and when He purposefully 'shut' the womb. The bible also tells us children are a blessing from God. I often wonder then why we try to control the timing of a blessing from God, and what this says about who our dependence really rest upon.
Lord, I ask for your wisdom and guidance as I explore these issues and share with my readers. If these thoughts are truly from you, then I trust you have something for us to discover. Let your will be done. Amen
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