According to His Purpose

We have become conditioned to read a verse and apply it to ourselves on a personal level. We have discussed this in previous studies. Applying a verse out of context can often result in confusion or even great disappointment when things do not materialize in a manner consistent with our interpretation or expectation.

We often ask, why do bad things happen to God’s people? We all have questions about pain and suffering. And then we teach Romans 8:28 to mean that God is working everything for your specific individual good.

First, I would remind you of Romans 11:36:

Romans 11:36 KJV 1900

36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

While many have placed man at the pinnacle of God’s every thought, the primary purpose of Creation and every act is to glorify himself. One of the Five Solae of the Reformation is “Soli Deo Gloria” or “Glory to God Alone”. The chief end of man is to glorify God. The same Spirit that inspired Paul to write Romans 11:36 also inspired him to write Romans 8:28.

So how do we reconcile these passages? In this way. God has chosen glorify himself through the redemption of a specific people that through them he might show forth his mercy and grace. That group of particular people are known today as the Church — the “ἐκκλησία” or called-out assembly of believers.

Everything that God has done throughout Creation has been for God’s glory through this singular act that began not in Matthew 1, but Genesis 1.

I want to demonstrate God’s glory through his working all things together for good to them who are called according to his purpose. We could use so many people throughout history, but I wish to look at Jacob’s wife and love, Rachel.

Rachel

Rachel is first mentioned in Genesis 29 when Jacob is sent to his mother’s family in disgrace. Before we can move forward, we must remember who Jacob is. His grandfather, Abraham, was called from Ur to go to a land that he did not know. God gave him a promised son, Isaac. Isaac’s wife, Rebekah, gave birth to twins, Esau and Jacob. But God chose the younger, Isaac, and then Jacob, and then Judah, Pharez, Boaz, David, Solomon, and finally, Jesus.

But Rachel is not the mother of Judah. Leah is the mother of Judah. In Genesis 30, Rachel finally conceives and gives birth to Joseph. Eventually, she will give birth to another son, Benjamin.

Consider Genesis 35:16-20:

Genesis 35:16–20 KJV 1900

16 And they journeyed from Beth-el; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour. 17 And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also. 18 And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin. 19 And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Beth-lehem. 20 And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave unto this day.

Rachel’s Suffering was for Good

Rachel only bore two children to Jacob. The line of kings would come through Judah. But God used Rachel in a marvelous way. Without Rachel, there would be no Judah. Without Rachel, there would have been no Jesus. Without Rachel, I will go so far as to say that you and I would not know Christ through the preaching of the gospel. How?

Joseph

Joseph, the dreamer, is hated and betrayed by his brethren. Through a chain of providential events, Joseph is delivered to Egypt, sold into slavery, accused of rape, thrown into prison, introduced to members of Pharaoh’s court, remembered by one, delivered to Pharaoh’s palace to interpret a dream, and instantly pardoned and promoted to the role of Prime Minister over all of Egypt.

When the prophesied famine hits, Canaanites come to Egypt to buy grain. Along with the Canaanites come Jacob’s sons, Joseph’s brethren. As I have said, we often miss the meaning of Joseph’s story. Joseph’s story is not about Joseph at all. Everything in the story of Joseph is about the preservation of Judah.

Sandwiched right in the middle of the Joseph story, we have one chapter that puts the depravity of Judah and his family on full display. It abruptly ends with the birth of a set of twins. The one who all think will be the firstborn gets his arm out. The midwife ties a thread around his arm. But the arm is retracted. And when the first son is born, is not the one she expected. The chapter ends with a little baby named Pharez. He was unplanned by man and unexpected by midwife.

God used the short life of Rachel to bring Joseph into this world so God could use him to preserve the life of a little illegitimate child of Judah and his daughter-in-law. God used the providential events of the life of Joseph to bring beauty to the train-wreck of seemingly unfortunate coincidences that brought Pharez into this world. If Rachel had not birthed Joseph, Pharez starved to death and our saviour is never born of the tribe of Judah.

Benjamin

But Rachel gave birth to another son. No suffering by Rachel is recorded during Joseph’s birth. But she suffers greatly during the birth of Benjamin. In horrible pain, her midwife comforts her by telling her that she will give birth to this son like she did Joseph. And she does. She gives him a name, and then she dies.

No doubt you are now expecting me to give you a grand story of how God used Benjamin in some miraculous manner to preserve and protect Judah’s descendants so as to support the coming of our Lord.

Alas, I cannot. I can only tell you of his descendants and their wickedness. I can tell you of one of their descendants named Saul who was selected as king only to lead the kingdom into war and chaos. He led the people in disobedience and even hunted David, from whom Messiah had come. If Benjamin’s descendant had been successful, Christ would not have come. The most famous Benjaminite in the 39 Books of the Tanakh is also the most infamous. Where then is the glory of God and the working together of these events for the good of those who are called according to the purpose of God?

To find the answer to that question, we must wait approximately 1900 years from the time of Rachel’s suffering and death to see the majesty of God’s providence in the pain of Jacob’s love. Twice in his writings, the Apostle Paul provides his pedigree identifying himself with the tribe of Benjamin:

Romans 11:1 KJV 1900

1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

Philippians 3:5 KJV 1900

5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

Nearly two millennia after Rachel died during childbirth bringing an ancillary character Benjamin into the world, her descendant would be called by Jesus as the apostle to the Gentiles. Because of the Benjaminite, Paul, millions upon millions have trusted the Saviour.

Conclusion

God worked the pain, suffering, and death of Rachel for his glory and for the benefit of those who are called according to his purpose (the Elect, the Church), to make possible to the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and also arguably the greatest messenger of the gospel. It was said of of Joseph that God used him to save much people alive. The same may be said of Paul from a spiritual perspective. Therefore, it may be said of their progenitress, Rachel.

God did not promise us a trouble free life. But he has promised us that everything that happens is for his glory and for the benefit of his Church.

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