Friday, April 27, 2007
The account of Leah:
Her story is told from Genesis 29 to 33 and was last mentioned in Genesis 49:31 (if i'm not wrong).
Leah had to deal with insecurity in her life.
What was first mentioned of her was that she was the elder daughter of Laban. Then, it was mentioned in 39:17 that Leah had weak (delicate) eyes, but Rachel was lovely in form, and beautiful.
Perhaps in her family, she was often regarded as one who was inferior though she was the elder. She probably faced with constant comparison. In her family, her father "used" her to advance his own purposes (to keep Jacob for serving him another 7 years), when he gave Leah to Jacob. (29:23-27)
In her marriage, she only had her husband with her for 1 week. After that, she had to share her husband with Rachel, whom Jacob loved more. Just imagine having a husband who loves your sister more!
But God did not forget Leah. God opened her womb to give her honour. (29:31) In fact, God gave her sons and she had the honour of giving Jacob his firstborn.
Yet, even though Leah recognized it was God who was with her, she still was very insecured as can be seen in her naming of her first 3 sons. All of them showed her longing to be loved by her husband more.
However, when she gave birth to Judah, she said: this time I will praise the Lord. Her situation did not change, but her attitude changed. She decided, she will praise the Lord. She looked to the Lord and focused on Him.
God gave her honour. Jesus came from the line of Judah. God gave her a special honour as the Levites (the priests) came from her son too. The scholars also came from Issachar, her son.
However, it did not mean that once she praised God, her testing stopped. In 30:14-17, her son found her mandrakes plants (which were plants that aided fertility). Rachel asked her for the plants. Her love rival. Her constant reminder of her pain came and asked if she could have the fertility plants. What did Leah do?
Leah trusted in God more than mandrake plants. She gave Rachel the plants in exchange for one night with her husband. And she was with child once more.
Her position in Jacob's life did not change nonetheless. Leah was still second. However, she found strength to deal with it. In Gen 33, it was written that Leah and her children were lined up in front of Rachel and Joseph so that if danger erupted, Rachel and Joseph had a better chance of running away. Things did not change, but it was not recorded that she resisted her situation.
Yet, God gave Leah another honour. Rachel died on a journey in childbirth and was buried at the roadside. (35:19) But Leah remained as Jacob's wife throughout Jacob's lifetime. Leah was given a place in the ancestor's burial place where Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, and Leah and Jacob were buried. She was given the honour as a wife of Jacob.
The reasons for this post are:
1. To encourage all to look to God and praise Him despite your circumstances. God promises to be with you through any of your moments, be it good or bad.
2. God remembers you. He wants to lift your head and wants you to be secured in Him. He does not practice favouritism or compare you. He does not love you as the world does. He loves you as you are. =)
jac wrote.
x11:14 AM
Friday, April 27, 2007
The account of Leah:
Her story is told from Genesis 29 to 33 and was last mentioned in Genesis 49:31 (if i'm not wrong).
Leah had to deal with insecurity in her life.
What was first mentioned of her was that she was the elder daughter of Laban. Then, it was mentioned in 39:17 that Leah had weak (delicate) eyes, but Rachel was lovely in form, and beautiful.
Perhaps in her family, she was often regarded as one who was inferior though she was the elder. She probably faced with constant comparison. In her family, her father "used" her to advance his own purposes (to keep Jacob for serving him another 7 years), when he gave Leah to Jacob. (29:23-27)
In her marriage, she only had her husband with her for 1 week. After that, she had to share her husband with Rachel, whom Jacob loved more. Just imagine having a husband who loves your sister more!
But God did not forget Leah. God opened her womb to give her honour. (29:31) In fact, God gave her sons and she had the honour of giving Jacob his firstborn.
Yet, even though Leah recognized it was God who was with her, she still was very insecured as can be seen in her naming of her first 3 sons. All of them showed her longing to be loved by her husband more.
However, when she gave birth to Judah, she said: this time I will praise the Lord. Her situation did not change, but her attitude changed. She decided, she will praise the Lord. She looked to the Lord and focused on Him.
God gave her honour. Jesus came from the line of Judah. God gave her a special honour as the Levites (the priests) came from her son too. The scholars also came from Issachar, her son.
However, it did not mean that once she praised God, her testing stopped. In 30:14-17, her son found her mandrakes plants (which were plants that aided fertility). Rachel asked her for the plants. Her love rival. Her constant reminder of her pain came and asked if she could have the fertility plants. What did Leah do?
Leah trusted in God more than mandrake plants. She gave Rachel the plants in exchange for one night with her husband. And she was with child once more.
Her position in Jacob's life did not change nonetheless. Leah was still second. However, she found strength to deal with it. In Gen 33, it was written that Leah and her children were lined up in front of Rachel and Joseph so that if danger erupted, Rachel and Joseph had a better chance of running away. Things did not change, but it was not recorded that she resisted her situation.
Yet, God gave Leah another honour. Rachel died on a journey in childbirth and was buried at the roadside. (35:19) But Leah remained as Jacob's wife throughout Jacob's lifetime. Leah was given a place in the ancestor's burial place where Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, and Leah and Jacob were buried. She was given the honour as a wife of Jacob.
The reasons for this post are:
1. To encourage all to look to God and praise Him despite your circumstances. God promises to be with you through any of your moments, be it good or bad.
2. God remembers you. He wants to lift your head and wants you to be secured in Him. He does not practice favouritism or compare you. He does not love you as the world does. He loves you as you are. =)
jac wrote.
x11:14 AM
