I love how God gives Rachel special attention by calling her "Jacob's wife" in the genealogy. He doesn't do that will Leah. He also lists Rachel first where she and Leah are listed together in the book of Ruth. Jacob gives her special honor by keeping her at the end of the line on the way to meet Esau. Of course, Leah was given the very special honor of being in the lineage of Christ. But, since Rachel and Jacob were engaged for 7 years and had something that was obviously very special to everyone before he was ever given Leah, I think it is special that Rachel is given honor since she had to share her husband with her sister and for 7 years seemed to be unaware of her father's custom which Jacob called a trick.

Home where we'll all be together again.
Home where our praise to the Lamb will never end.
I'm Going Home where we'll walk the streets of gold and never see a tear again.
I'm Going Home where I'll cast my crown before the King of kings and Lord of lords.
I'm Going where all our dreams become reality.
Home where I'll be with all my family.
We'll soon be there sitting 'round the tree of life within the presence of our King.
Home where our cares will forever be gone.
Home where our tears will be traded for a song.
I'm Going Home where I'll stand before the Savior who has bled and died for me.
I'm Going Home where I'll thank Him face to face for all that He has done for me.
I'm Going where I will never feel the battles' heat.
Home where I ne'er again will know defeat.
We'll soon be there strolling through the streets of gold and lost in wonder, love, and praise.

"You Are my Hiding Place, You Always Fill my Heart with Songs, the Deliverance whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You, I will trust in You. Let the weak say I am strong in the strength of the Lord."

Deu 24:5 "When a man taketh a new wife, he shall not go out in the host, neither shall he be charged with any business: he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer his wife whom he hath taken."


When I was a new wife, I used to wonder what things a husband would do for a year to cheer his wife. I don't remember coming up with any ideas. Now, as not a new wife, I think he probably spent half the year getting to know her and learning about her, so he could learn what would cheer her. Every wife is different. But, most wives desire the oneness and unity of Eph. 5. In order to have that, a husband has to know his wife. Just the process probably cheered the wife. We are close to our family and friends, because they know us. We can't be close to others without them knowing us. That is how we bond. Without communication, we can't bond. I imagine communication was a big part of that first year and cheering the wife. God requires communication in marriage so we can know one another. Communication is also required during times of conflict, because God requires reconciliation. It's not a choice. Neither husband nor wife have the authority to not talk, to not discuss, to not reconcile. It's not easy, it's probably the most "work,' in the phrase "marriage is work." It's interesting to me that "knowing" is used 2 different ways in the Bible...both leading to oneness....there's a physical oneness and an emotional oneness. As he learned to cherish her and cheer her, I imagine him following God's word and knowing he was right with God in this, probably cheered him, too.

Cheer ("samach")--A primitive root; probably to brighten up, that is, (figuratively) be (causatively make) blithe or gleesome: - cheer up, be (make) glad, (have make) joy (-ful), be (make) merry, (cause to, make to) rejoice, X very.


What are some things besides communication that the Jewish husband might have spent a year doing to cheer his wife?

What kind of "business" do you think he wasn't charged with for a year?

In areas like discipline, parents treat each child differently, because each child is different and responds differently.

However, in the areas that matter most, and that affect the child into adulthood, parents treat each child the same.

Please read this paraphrased summary from the book YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK by Dr. David Stoop:

"The parents' ability to experience closeness, to discipline appropriately, to train in godliness--all of these are equally limited in their relationship with each child. The lack of emotional closeness, the communication patterns, the avoidance of problems, the way decisions are made--all stay the same. It's these underlying patterns that are usually more difficult to identify but that have more powerful effect on the struggles we face as adults.

"Moreover, there are often events in the life of the family that bring to the forefront the inadequacies or limitations of parents. For example, physical illness or disability of a family member, alcohol or drug abuse, emotional illness of a parent, death of a parent, or divorce of the parents."



from www.teachingtitustwo.blogspot.com