Leah

Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.

~Genesis 29:30

Pick one word you think best describes how Leah felt about this marriage to Jacob.

• Jealousy

Many women today have husbands who love something more than their wives: their jobs, their position, their money, sports.  Many things other than another woman con put a wife in Leah's position.  If you know someone who is a "Leah," pray daily for her and be an encouragement to her when given the opportunity.

• (followers/subscribers may feel free to leave a prayer comment below)

When the LORD saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless.

~Genesis 29:31

Leah is an unparalleled example of God's willingness to give "beauty" for "Ashes" (see Isaiah 61:1-3).  How has God worked this way in your life?  How has he worked this way in the lives of your friends or relatives?

• First, let's take a look at what Isaiah 61:1-3 says:

   ¹ The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,

     because the LORD has anointed me

     to proclaim good news to the poor.

  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

     to proclaim freedom for the captives

     and release from darkness for the prisoners,

  ² to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor

     and the day of vengeance of our God,

  to comfort all who mourn,

   ³ and provide for those who grieve in Zion—

  to bestow on them a crown of beauty

     instead of ashes,

  the oil of joy

     instead of mourning,

  and a garment of praise

     instead of a spirit of despair.

  They will be called oaks of righteousness,

     a planting of the LORD

     for the display of his splendor.

  In my own personal life, He has shown me that I am much better than someone else may think I am and I believe he has done the same for either of my friends or relatives.

Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “It is because the LORD has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.”

  She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the LORD heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.

  Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.

~Genesis 29:32-34

In each of the verses, Leah expreses her desire for Jacob's affections, an affection she knew she didn't have.  In your own words, describe how Leah probaby felt and acted toward Jacob.  What do you think Jacob's reaction was?

• I think that Leah acted so needy that she almost sounded like she would be whining to Jacob. Jacob probably would get annoyed at times after a while and complain back.

Have you ever felt unloved by your husband, your parents, or someone else?  How did you feel and act?  What is your only possible source of comfort when you desperately want a love you don't have?

• Yes I have, but my sistuation was moreso with my last boyfriend. 
• When I had come to realize this, I had felt that my very relationship with him was threatened so I would tend to act more jealous around him than probably normal
• I would say that my source of comfort woudl be either through prayer or through talking with friends that I know would care about me and what I'm going through

Then he gave them these instructions: “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite,  the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite.  There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there I buried Leah.

~Genesis 49:29-31

Jacob was buried next to the wife he loved less rather than next to the wife he loved more.  What does this say not only about Leah's position as a wife, but also as the mother of teh Isrealites?

• I think it says that Jacob realized that Leah did deserve love from him and that she was a good mother to those that will become the tribes of Isreal

Although Leah was, of course, unaware of the positoin she was awarded in death, what do these verses continue to reveal about God's involvement in her life?

• That she was the mother of many nations

Leah had a full life with many sons and wealth.  However, she is best kown for what she didn't have: the love of her husband.  God noticed what she did have but also what she lacked.  What one thing do you want to learn from Leah and from her God?

• I think one thing to learn from her is to be patient and when the time is right, God will provide.