The World's Aphrodisiac

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

THE WORLD'S APHRODISIAC

Gen 30:14-21

14 During wheat harvest, Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants, which he brought to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, "Please give me some of your son's mandrakes." 15 But she said to her, "Wasn't it enough that you took away my husband? Will you take my son's mandrakes too?" "Very well," Rachel said, "he can sleep with you tonight in return for your son's mandrakes." 16 So when Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him. "You must sleep with me," she said. "I have hired you with my son's mandrakes." So he slept with her that night. 17 God listened to Leah, and she became pregnant and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Then Leah said, "God has rewarded me for giving my maidservant to my husband." So she named him Issachar.   19 Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 Then Leah said, "God has presented me with a precious gift. This time my husband will treat me with honor, because I have borne him six sons." So she named him Zebulun.   21 Some time later she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.

NIV

What was so special about the mandrake plant that Rachel would agree to let Leah sleep with Jacob just to have some of them? Ancient lore exists about mandrakes, but we do not know whether that lore predates Jacob, Leah, and Rachel. However, it is thought the mandrake plant serves as an aphrodisiac and has other medicinal properties related to fertility. This may be why Rachel wanted those mandrake plants, as she was still barren at this point. Once again, this is a lesson in looking to the ways of the world to meet our needs, rather than seeking the face of the LORD. Rachel would have done well to look to the LORD for her fertility program. Of course, we know that because of the hindsight we have regarding the LORD remembering her and opening her womb so she would conceive. Her life was in the LORD's hands. Rachel showed up at the precise time at the well, when Jacob was there. For Rachel, he agreed to work seven years, then seven more years. She should have known the LORD was with her, and would take care of her. But she looked to the worldview, wanting mandrakes to possibly increase her ability to conceive, because of some ancient lore, or myth about them. How often do we Christians take on a worldview about certain things we want to achieve rather than seeking the face of God? It comes down to who we trust about important issues in life. Yet, this situation over the mandrakes is still by the hand of God because Leah bore two more, her sixth, but in total the ninth and tenth sons of Jacob, Issachar and Zebulun. We should know that the Lord is always in charge and has all authority over our lives. When we try to take that authority, the mistakes of our lives show up. Let us yield that old self to the power and authority of the Lord; then we will live according to his will and purpose, and we will not need the aphrodisiac effect of this world.