Counterfeit Gods: Part 3 - Love Is Not All You Need: Leah’s Story

Hello All,

Last week we focused on and examined Jacob’s idolatry of Rachel.

Today, we will be looking at Leah’s side of the story.

The part of the poem that we will be emphasizing on today is highlighted in blue.

Counterfeit Gods: Part 3 - Love Is Not All You Need: Leah’s Story

By Joanne Liaw Sook Ling (9^th June 2013)

Jacob took flight to escape Esau's anger

For he had stolen the birthright of his brother

His mother urged him to flee to Uncle Laban

And stay with him until it was safe to return

Uncle Laban had two young unmarried daughters

Leah was the first child, Rachel was the younger

Jacob loved Rachel for her enthralling beauty

He took no notice of Leah, the unsightly

Laban requested Jacob to name his wages

For shepherding his vast flock of sheep and cattle

Jacob agreed on seven years of hard service

In eager exchange for Rachel's hand in marriage

So Jacob worked tirelessly for seven years

It seemed like a few days for someone he held dear

After those long seven years, Jacob demanded

Laban to give him the bride that he desired

However, Laban gave Jacob Leah instead

Jacob went into Leah on his wedding bed

He did not realize for she was heavily veiled

After too much drinking, his sobriety failed

The next day, he awoke to his greatest nightmare

His uncle's deception was more than he could bear

He demanded Laban for an explanation

To which Laban gave the excuse of tradition

The older child was to wed before the younger

So Laban promised Jacob his younger daughter

After the end of the wedding ceremony

And then another seven years of slavery

Jacob loved poor Leah much lesser than Rachel

So God opened Leah's womb so she was able

To conceive and bear a son whom she named Reuben

'Jacob will love me, God has seen my affliction'

Leah conceived again, her second son was born

In sadness and despair, she named him Simeon

'Because the Lord God has heard that I am hated

He's given me this son for I've been rejected'

She conceived again and bore her third son, Levi

With a glimmer of hope left, she said with a sigh

'Now this time my husband will be attached to me

I've borne him three sons, this might end my misery'

After all her efforts, his love she could not earn

So when she bore her fourth son, she finally learnt

To name him well for there was a change in Leah

'This time I will praise the Lord, his name is Judah'

The Lord Jesus Christ came from the line of Judah

God has brought the Saviour of the world through Leah

Christ loved us so much that he was willing to die

In our place, amazing love how could we deny?

Have you been seeking your ultimate fulfillment

In the approval of someone's love you couldn't earn?

Each day confronts you with the pain of rejection

So look to Christ for comfort in your dejection

Have you been on an endless quest for love divine?

In your futile search, are you hoping that you'll find

Someone to idolize and bring you life's meaning?

Give your heart to Jesus and let him be your King

Points for Reflection:

When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because the LORD has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.” She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon. Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi. (Genesis 29:31-34)

·         Reuben, Simeon and then Levi. But nothing turned around for poor Leah.

·         You could perhaps sympathize or even empathize with Leah’s predicament.

·         She was the daughter her father never wanted and the wife her husband never wanted.

·         Her father, Laban, deceived Jacob into taking her as his first wife because it was difficult to marry off a daughter who was ugly. Laban took advantage of the desperate and love-sick Jacob. On top of that, Laban obtained an additional seven years of coerced service from Jacob.

·         Leah, the daughter who experienced rejection from her father sought to win the love of her husband through childbearing. The desire for the approval of her husband became an obsession as she tried her very best to please him. The sting of disappointment grew increasingly painful after each childbirth. 

·         Have you experienced the feeling of rejection from someone you love dearly or hold in high regard? It could be your parents whose love, attention and praise were never shown and expressed to you. Perhaps it is a sibling who has grown apart from you and no longer contacts you. Maybe it was a mentor or leader who has let you down. It could be an unrequited love from a spouse, a lover or even a friend whose approval means the world to you. Have your efforts to gain their love and approval become idolatrous?

And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she ceased bearing. (Genesis 29:35)

·         After Leah’s futile attempts to win Jacob’s heart, when she bore her fourth son, Judah, she decided to shift her focus from her husband to her loving God who had been caring for her and blessing her with children.

·         This was a turning point for Leah although she still had a long way to go in casting away her idol. But this was a change of heart and a good start.

·         It takes time for us to let go of our idols, especially if it concerns people we care deeply about. Those human idols have been so tightly sewn onto our hearts over the course of time. We have become so attached and dependent on them that it kills us each time they reject us. But God wants us to remove those stitches, one stitch at a time, not with our own strength but depending on God in earnest prayer and working hand in hand with the Holy Spirit. If you are struggling to let go of someone who has become your idol, why don’t you pray for God to help you to shift your focus to him instead?

The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. (Genesis 49:10)

·         Jesus Christ, the King of kings, descended from the line of King David who was from the tribe of Judah. Jesus is the Messiah, the Anointed King, whom God has promised to Israel a long time ago and he came down from heaven to earth to fulfill what was written about him in the Old Testament.

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one [Jesus Christ] who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. (Micah 5:2)

They [the chief priest and scribes] told him [King Herod], “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler [Jesus Christ] who will shepherd my people Israel.’” (Matthew 2:5-6)

·         God chose to bring the Saviour of the world through Leah, not through beautiful Rachel. The Bible describes the church as the bride of Jesus Christ. He is the true and ultimate bridegroom who has never failed to keep his promises to us. When earthly spouses, like Jacob, have fallen short in their love and devotion, Jesus has always been the loving and faithful bridegroom. He went all the way to suffer and die on the cross to redeem unworthy sinners like us so that we can be ushered into the Kingdom of God as his bride.

Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb [Jesus Christ] has come, and his Bride [the church] has made herself ready (Revelation 19:7)

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:2)

·         The world tells us that human love is all we need to complete us. But many times we are left dissatisfied with the relationships that we seek our ultimate fulfillment in. Stop looking to human relationships for your ultimate fulfillment but turn your eyes to Jesus for his love is really all that you need.