As women who are attractive in form and appearance, as the Bible describes, like Rachel, we acknowledge that outer beauty fades over time, but only inner beauty endures and embodies the true essence of the beauty of the soul and spirit, not merely facial features and bodily appearance. When a kingdom woman surrenders her outer beauty to God and allows Him to shape and nurture her inner beauty, it brings great honour and glory to Him. Your outer beauty may be pleasing to men, but your inner beauty is what truly pleases God. Rachel was a physically beautiful young woman and was truly loved sacrificially by her husband, but she also had a very interesting personality and interactions regarding her faith, family, function, and formation, as we look at them.
Faith
Rachel’s spiritual journey is quite intriguing. She was truly a religious and spiritual woman, but the question is: which God did she worship? She was involved in her father Laban’s religion, as the Bible states Rachel stole her father’s household gods with her during the journey with her husband (see Genesis 31:19). What we can observe about Rachel’s faith is that she is still holding onto the religion or gods of her father’s household, not yet embracing the new God of her husband.
God, the God of Abraham and Isaac, was introduced to Rachel as she married Jacob, a man of faith in the true God of heaven and earth, as seen in Gen. 30:23, which states, “Genesis 30:23 (KJV) And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach.” Rachel sought help from her husband’s God, and indeed, the God of Jacob remembered Rachel and opened her womb. She conceived a special child whom Jacob loved dearly. You can only recognize what is of God if you have the Spirit of God. The fact that she recognized that God has removed her shame by blessing her with a child shows Rachel was a woman of faith in the God of her husband, not her father’s.
This correlates with Proverbs 31:9, which says, “Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.” Rachel needed God; when God opened her womb, she judged righteously because she knew it was from God. A child is a good and perfect gift, and only God gives good and perfect gifts. This can be seen in “James 1:17 (KJV) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” For Rachel to understand this, she needed to know the true God and have experienced Him through her husband, especially since she was familiar with the god of her father’s household.
Family
Before getting married, do some research on the family you are marrying into. Since Rachel is Rebekah’s niece and Sarah’s grandniece, she carries the same blessings and curses as the family. Sarah was barren, Rebekah was barren, and so was Rachel. This is evident in Genesis 16:2, “And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai .” Just as Abraham listened to his wife’s voice rather than trusting God to fulfill His promise of a son, Rebekah instead asked her husband to pray to his God not to take another woman. Isaac did just that, as Genesis 25:21 states, “And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.”
Regarding Jacob and Rachel’s childlessness, see Genesis 30:1 notes: “And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.” Jacob should have learned from his father, not his grandfather, to pray for his wife Rachel to conceive. Instead, Jacob became angry at a very important request from his beloved wife, knowing how crucial childbearing was in the culture of the day and that a lack of children could bring shame.
Just as the women who faced barrenness discovered that their relationship with God opened the way for their blessing of childbearing, enabling them to have special, promised children. This is clearly shown in Genesis 21:2, “For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.” Genesis 25:21 again highlights, “And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.” Genesis 30:22 states, “And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.”
Rachel never gave up on having children with her husband; instead, she was insistent and persistent. When you desire and hope for something, with God, it is possible to attain it at the right time and have exactly what you have been expecting. Rachel had wanted a child ever since she saw her sister Leah have some, but she was unable to. She understood how important it was to have children to complete her family with Jacob. God remembered her deepest desire for a family, including her own children — just as He did for Rebekah and Sarah — and finally opened her womb, because children are truly a blessing from the Lord and society.
Functions
Apart from Rachel being beautiful, the Bible states she was a shepherdess (see Genesis 29:9). She cared for her father’s sheep, exemplifying the helper principle of a woman supporting her man. Rachel was not only beautiful; she was not a lazy young lady but also hardworking, not relying solely on her beauty to cater for her needs.
Sometimes, being beautiful has its advantages. Since Rachel was beautiful, Jacob was willing to work for her. This is shown in Genesis 29:17–18: “Leah was tender-eyed, but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured. And Jacob loved Rachel, and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.” Rachel was able to capitalize on her beauty simply by being attractive, which also allowed her husband to fulfil his role as her servant.
Because of Rachel’s beauty and Jacob’s love for her, she is regarded as a virtuous woman in the sense of the value Jacob has for Rachel. Proverbs 31:10 states, “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.” Jacob’s willingness to work an extra seven years for her demonstrates that her beauty and the love he has for her are truly valuable, warranting such a sacrifice. Rubies are rare and valuable, and once found, they are kept.
Rachel did not need to deceive or manipulate to be chosen; her attractiveness alone made her desirable. Additionally, Jacob’s hardworking nature might have drawn him to Rachel’s work ethic as a shepherdess. This implies that her function as a shepherdess could also have piqued Jacob’s interest, not just her physical form, but also her function. Proverbs 31:31 states this about hardworking women like Rachel: “Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.”
In addition to her role as a shepherdess, Rachel died while fulfilling her purpose as a mother, not just as a shepherdess. Genesis 35:18 states: “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.” Being used by God brought about blessing — in her case, her son — even if it meant she had to die along the way.
In today’s culture, many women may decide not to have children due to fears of labor, worries about dedicating time to their children, or simply not wanting to be mothers. Nevertheless, Rachel passed away while embracing her role as a mother, having chosen this path and being obedient to God for her family as a married woman.
Formation
Being a wife is good and having children are a blessing. God called us to be fruitful, as highlighted in Genesis 1:28 (KJV): “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” Rachel’s becoming a mother demonstrated that she fulfilled God’s purpose for her life: to be fruitful, as blessed by God, and to obey His command for humanity — His image and likeness bearers — to populate and have dominion over God’s earthly creation.
Rachel’s journey from daughter and sister to wife and mother demonstrated her growth in dependability, independence, responsibility, accountability, and selflessness as she cares for others. This progression aligns with God’s perfect plan for His daughters, who are intended to transition from being a daughter or sibling to becoming a wife and eventually a mother.
Aside from Rachel’s notable qualities, such as her hard work and sense of responsibility as a daughter, sister, wife, and mother, there are areas for improvement. Although she is dearly loved, she took her husband’s love for granted; in one instance, she used it to negotiate with her elder sister to secure something from her elder sister’s son, exchanging it for more affection and intimacy for Leah with their shared husband.
Rachel also employed deceptive and manipulative tactics toward her father and husband by hiding her father’s household gods and failing to disclose them. She also felt envious of her sister for having children, although she did not at that time. As women, we are imperfect and in need of God’s grace. We should also focus on cultivating the areas of our lives that need growth, not just our beauty and career.
In Summary
Rachel’s faith, family, function, and formation stood out. It’s okay to be preferred and physically attractive, but don’t rely solely on your looks; also, focus on your labour in life for God, on your personal growth, family, endeavours, and society. Ensure God sees your inner self and focus on that, not primarily your outward appearance, which the world sees and is temporary.
Contributor: Min. Adama George
