“Give Me Children, Or Else I Die” (Gen 29-30:2)

“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!” (Gen 30:1)

We learn that Christ alone cares for our spiritual need and peace, He relieves our affliction by giving us fruit honoring to God, and He will give us fruit, if we need Him desperately.

First, Jacob, as he represents our Lord, “Watered the Flocks” (Gen 29:1-10)

We are watered by wells, nourished by God, and rescued from thirst. This need for covering, acceptance, love, joy, and peace is fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ reconciling us to God and giving us the Spirit because of it.

There are obstacles that Christ, by death, removes. We read, “And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother” (Gen 29:10). He removes the SIN, so we can be blessed. He removes the ignorance, so we know the way. He removes what keeps our souls unfulfilled and longing.

Secondly, the Lord gives us fruit to conquer the misery of this world (Gen 29:31-35). We read, “When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, The Lord has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me” (vs31-32). We are unloved and our souls are afflicted, so He gives us good works, patience, and love. He gives us peace for our enemies, so that we're not conquered with grief.

Rachel was the favorite, but God sees the afflicted, giving us Himself in return.

Thirdly, we cry out (Gen 30:1-2). Scripture says, “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!”

If we need fruit, need to honor God, and need to enjoy Him, then He will give us children indeed.

God uses NEED to make us cry out, and then He meets our need to glorify God.