PURPOSED

These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household:  Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. All the descendants of Jacob were seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt. Exodus 1:1-5, ESV

Jacob had twelve sons, but the young men did not understand that they would be called the twelve tribes of Israel. God had a plan for them before they were ever born. He had already ordained a nation to come from Abraham before the beginning of the world. These men did nothing to acquire their positions - it was set up before the beginning of time.

It does not matter who they were conceived by. God ordained them to be here. Jacob had two wives and his wives each had a maid servant. Leah was his first wife and Jacob did not love her. He had asked her father for her younger sister, Rachel, and he worked seven years to pay for his marriage to her. But on the night of the wedding Rachel’s father gave Jacob Leah. Jacob was angry with Leah’s father, but he told Jacob they always give the older in marriage first. He told him to stay married to his daughter Leah and he would also give him Rachel if he worked another seven years. So Jacob worked another seven years for Rachel, whom he loved.

God blessed Leah for he knew she was not loved by her husband and she had four sons: Ruben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. Rachel became jealous of her sister’s ability to have children, so she took her maidservant Bilhah and gave her to Jacob to build a family through. Bilhah had two sons: Dan and Naphtali. When Leah saw that Rachel had given her maidservant to Jacob, she did the same thing. Leah’s servant Zilpah had two sons: Gad and Asher, after which Leah also had two other sons: Issachar and Zebulun, then God remembered Rachel and opened her womb. She had two sons: Joseph and Benjamin.

It is so important that we remember - we are here because God has a plan for us. These brothers had different mothers but that did not stop the plan of God. God had built a nation from the twelve tribes of Jacob and his name was changed to Israel. Scripture says the names of the twelve sons of Israel will be inscribed on the twelve gates into the new Jerusalem when Jesus returns. Our purpose is intricately designed, and God is pleased with whom He has made us to be. We must never allow ourselves to believe anything different. You are special, you are chosen, you are handpicked, even with all your flaws, to serve the almighty God, for He made you perfect just the way you are. Embrace the person God designed you to be and walk with Him daily to fulfill the call He has given you! Amen.

Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11

You can also follow me at JCCMinistriestv: 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMoEcr3koSqRbqVma5EGWgA/videos

My recently published books are now available at:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Life%27s+Journey+volume+2+Jacqueline+Crooks&language=en_US&ref=nb_sb_noss