Growing up my favorite story in the Bibile was about Joseph. So when I was asked to do a lesson on Leah my first thought was “Leah the women who stood in the way of true love?”
I was, in the words of my seven year old, a very romantical child. I never really gave Leah much thought except for the fact she was the other women in my foavorte Bible story. Or was she? What all I missed out on when reading the story of Joseph? Through this study I have learned so much about gracious strength and the power of having Joy no matter what the situation.
Back Story
What do you know about Jacobs’s story?
How did he end up here with Laban, far away from his home? We can find Jacobs story starting with his birth in Gen 25:24
24 When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb.
Jacob was the second born. The name Jacob means “heel grasper” or, in modern terminology, “trickster; deceiver.” Jacob lived “down” to his name when he tricked his brother Esau out of his birthright (Gen. 25:29-34) and deceived his father, Isaac; into giving him Esau’s blessing (27:18-29). Fearing the wrath of Esau, Jacob fled to his uncle’s home in the territory of Haran in search of security and a wife.
Leah’s Story
Leah’s story starts in Genesis 29. Jacob’s uncle, Laban, had two daughters. Leah, the eldest, had eyes that were “delicate.” Rachel, with whom Jacob fell in love, was Laban’s younger daughter; and she “was beautiful of form and appearance” (Genesis 29:16-17).
Jacob made an agreement to serve Laban seven years for the opportunity to marry Rachel. At the end of the seven years, there was a marriage feast, with its usual eating and drinking. Laban deceptively gave Leah, instead of Rachel, to Jacob.
When this switch was discovered by Jacob in the morning, he demanded of his father-in-law, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?” (Genesis 29:25).
Laban responded that it was not the custom to give the younger daughter away in marriage before the older daughter. He told Jacob to fulfill Leah’s week of marriage festivities, and then he could have Rachel for his wife as well. However, in order to have Rachel for his wife, Jacob had to give Laban seven more years of service (Genesis 29:26-27).
The Agreement: Jacob failed to notice that Laban made no promise that he would give Rachel to Jacob at the end of the seven years. He only agreed to give him Rachel for his wife. Laban was a master schemer who would control Jacobs life for the next 20 years It would seem that Jacob and Laban where cut from the same cloth. He deceived his brother and father and now he is being treated the same.
Deception was a pattern in Jacob’s family. Deception was the reason that Jacob had gone to his Uncle Laban’s home in Haran in the first place.
Laban must have been right proud of himself on the success of his scheme not realizing that the Lord was ruling and overruling in the entire event. As Jacob’s son Joseph would say many years later “You meant evil against me but God meant fit for good” Gen 50:20
The man who deceived his father was deceived by his father-in-law and the man who passed himself off as the firstborn son now receives Laban’s firstborn daughter to be his wife.
What is your reaction to Laban’s deception of Jacob? Is this poetic Justice, good business sense or a tragic hindrance to true love?
It’s inescapable law of life that we eventually reap what we sow. Grandma used the word comeuppance.
Gal 6:7-8 God in His grace forgives our sins when we confess the, but 1 john 1:9 but God in His government allows us to suffer the painful consequences of that sins.
Leah’s marriage
After Jacob celebrated his marriage with Leah for one week, he then also took Rachel as his wife, and we’re told about a very important dynamic in this marriage in verse 30: “Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah.”
Jacob the man who had grown up in a divided and competitive home (Gen 25:28) would himself create a divided and Completive family
Laban thought he had succeeded in making a good bargain in these deals, but what impact did all this have on Leah? She was now the wife of Jacob, a man who had not desired her nor expected her to be his wife. Jacob had been in love with her younger sister Rachel all along!
Imagine how that must have felt to Leah to have her husband for one week and then have him snatched away by her younger sister! Leah knew that she was the unloved wife.
Consider the tangled Web of relationships in this story. Give one word for each that describes how they might have felt.
Leah’s sons
But God was aware of this unfortunate situation, and He had compassion on Leah. “When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren” (Genesis 29:31). Leah was not overlooked or unloved by God. God rewarded her with children, which was a highly important honor for a wife in those days. The names that Leah subsequently chose for her sons demonstrated that she had faith, trust and hope in God.
How did Leah respond to Jacob’s Actions.
NOTE When a woman bore a son, she was usually highly honored. She had fulfilled her obligation to continue the family line. This was extremely important to a woman’s self-identity (cf. 1 Sam. 1). Yet Leah clearly felt no honor in bringing her children into the world. We hear her heart’s loneliness in the names she gave her sons. For example, “She named [her son] Reuben, for she said, ‘It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now’” (Gen. 29:32). By the time her sixth son was born, she no longer sought her husband’s love, but simply the honor due her as wife and mother: “This time my husband will treat me with honor, because I have borne him six sons” (30:20).
“So Leah conceived and bore a son and she called his name Reuben [meaning ‘See, a Son’]; for she said, ‘The LORD has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me’” (Genesis 29:32).
God does look upon the affliction and suffering of women who have faith in Him. Leah hoped that her husband would now love her, for she had borne him his firstborn son. She believed that Jacob would no longer ignore her.
God blessed Leah again: “Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, ‘Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.’ And she called his name Simeon” (meaning “Heard,” Genesis 29:33). Leah had faith that God heard her plight of being unloved and had given her this son as well. Leah was still the only mother of Jacob’s children.
In verse 34, Leah “conceived again and bore a son, and said, ‘Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.’ Therefore his name was called Levi” (meaning “Attached”). Leah was hoping that by now, having three sons, Jacob would be even more attached to her. Leah also knew that God was helping her.
“And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, ‘Now I will praise the LORD.’ Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she stopped bearing” (Genesis 29:35).
Leah was so joyful to God for this fourth son that she named him “Praise.” One should always praise God for blessings. Leah gave God the credit for her happiness and joy by praising the Lord. This tells us a lot about the mental state of Leah at this time. Things had changed for the better for Leah!
Leah bestowed this wonderful name of “Praise” on her son Judah, and it became a name of prophetic blessing to him. At the end of Jacob’s life, notice the blessing he pronounced upon Judah: “You are he whom your brothers shall praise. Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s children shall bow down before you” (Genesis 49:8). Jacob’s blessing of Judah was inspired of the Holy Spirit and was a prophecy by God.
NOTE: Leah – the less attractive and first wife, bore Jacob the sons Levi and Judah.
King David was of the tribe of Judah, and he praised the Lord. From his line came our Lord and King, Jesus Christ, whom all on the earth will worship with praise!
And Levi was the head of the priestly tribe. Had Jacob accepted his first marriage with Leah and not chased after the woman who was so beautiful on the outside, God’s promises would have been fulfilled through Leah and her sons. We see God’s great mercy and grace as he blesses Jacob unconditionally, despite his moral failures.
In the end Leah had borne six of Jacob’s 12 sons, and she made the following statement in Genesis 30:20, in which she gave God the credit and glory: “God has endowed me with good endowment; now my husband will dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons.”
The word for “endowment” in this passage implies a “gift” or “dowry.” Leah knew that God had bestowed on her a substantial gift or dowry in giving her six sons. Leah also bore a daughter named Dinah.
Her moment of Surrender
Leah experiences a moment of surrender when she learns she is pregnant with Juda. What is her response and how does it demonstrate emotional and spiritual growth?
‘Now I will praise the LORD.’ Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she stopped bearing” (Genesis 29:35).
3 Lessons for US
- People can complement me but that does not validate me.
- Only God can validate me. Those who feel unloved can find comfort in God’s love for them.
- God sees us and made us for a purpose
- be like Leah, who knows the importance of living God’s way. When we follow God and allow Him to lead, guide, and protect us, we are assured that God will do everything in His power to get us through our trials and tribulation, build our faith, and bring us into the next level in our lives. When we look back, we can surely say, “That was the hand of God.”
- My praise is not contingent on my Circumstances
- Our Circumstances Change but God does not
- In spite of it all always have a NOW praise
- She was thrilled to have so many sons, and their names reflect her joy
- We have a choice – just like Leah
- Choose to Praise the Lord Make a concerted effort.
There is a choice that changes everything. Our life is founded on our worship and praise because we know who God is regardless of our circumstance
Psalm 34 Praise God at ALL times
David – Leah’s Great Great Grandchild
(If you have been freed, delivered, healed, touched, covered, protected, strengthened, elevated, if you have taken a breath GIVE PRAISE
And Just like in Leah’s life, he is willing to step in and create something beautiful in and through us.
Choose Joy – Ecc 5:18
We have a choice how we deal with what life throws at us. We can choose to find JOY in spite of what happens in life.
Come with an attitude of Joy in a Posture of Praise