BIBLE CHARACTER OF THE WEEK.
LEAH
INTRODUCTION:
Leah was the first daughter of Laban , Esau and Jacob’s uncle, Rebecca’s brother.
Leah was the first wife of Jacob by tradition though she was not Jacob’s heart throb. Laban trickishly gave her to Jacob because it was against the tradition of their land for the younger daughter to marry before the older. Jacob was in love with Rachel, Leah’s younger sister.
Leah is the only woman recorded in the Bible who married the same husband with her sister.
HER STRENGTHS
1. Focus
2. Determination
3. Innovation
4. Resilience
4. Courageous
5. Patience
Leah was a woman most sinned against. She was a victim of circumstances and traditions. Imagine the trauma she encountered in her marriage! She was wrapped as a gift for a man who did not love her in marriage. Genesis 29: 25-33.
Leah experienced constant wrestlings and embarrassments from Rachel her younger sister for sharing her husband with her. Genesis 30:8
Leah suffered rejection from Jacob her husband as soon as he married Rachel.
Leah had to hire her husband to sleep with her with her son Reuben’s mandrake.Gen 30: 14-16.
Leah chose to praise God in spite of her unpleasant situation by calling her son Judah. Genesis 29:35.
Leah survived despite all that she suffered in her marriage!
HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS
1. Leah was the first wife of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of father Abraham the patriarch of faith.
2. She was the mother of the 6 Princes and a Princess of Israel.
3. She was able to break away completely from her father’s idols and cleft to the God of her husband Jacob unlike Rachel who carried her father’s idols wherever she went.
4. Leah was honourably buried among the patriarchs of faith in their family’s cemetery.
5. She was courageous because she did not die nor lose her mind as a result of the rejection and abuse which she suffered from Jacob her husband.
LEAH’S WEAKNESSES
1. Lack of standard.
2. Lack of self-discipline.
3. Discontentment.
4. Rivalry spirit.
Leah exhibited the above listed vices by imitating Rachel when she gave her maid to her husband in order to have more children where as Leah already had 4 sons unlike Rachel who was barren.
HER MISTAKES
1. Leah made her husband Jacob to commit adultery by giving her maid to sleep with him.
2. She exhibited lack of faith toward God. She was irrational in her decision making regarding this matter. She was not patient enough to trust God for more children from her womb. Infact, she repeated the mistake that Sarah made.
Shared by Min Peace Edet
