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"He remembers His covenant forever, the word which He commanded, for a thousand generations." Psalm 105:8

Text: Genesis 29:1-35

REMEMBERING THE WORD GIVEN TO EVE

When Eve sinned grievously against the Lord in the Garden of Eden, God pronounced a solemn judgment against her. This word against Eve was not only applicable directly to her. Women of other generations would also have to endure the same problem because of the problem of sin.

“…In pain you shall bring forth children;
Your desire shall be for your husband,
And he shall rule over you.”

GENESIS 3:16

Leah fought hard to win the affection of her husband Jacob. No matter how troublesome and painful it was for her to experience childbirth, she was prepared to endure it, if the result was love from Jacob! Her desire was for Jacob’s affection.

SON AFTER SON

Leah was plain looking compared to her beautiful sister Rachel. Leah wanted desperately to have Jacob love her. She felt that the way to his heart was to produce sons for him. But the birth of one son may not be enough to win Jacob’s heart.

“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.”

GENESIS 29:33

Leah appeared to have sought the Lord concerning her problem of feeling “unloved”. Simeon was now her second son to Jacob. She tried her utmost to give him even more sons. She succeeded rather well with reference to child-bearing.

“She 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.”

GENESIS 29:34

He wanted Jacob to be attached to her, and thus the third son’s name was called “Levi” (“attached”). But apparently, she failed to be more than just a mother to Jacob’s children. Once again she tried to win Jacob’s affection through child-bearing.

“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

The name of the fourth son, Judah, meant “Praise”. Each child reflected Leah’s desperate attempts to win the affection of Jacob. She had succeeded in giving him four sons, but she had not been able to succeed in winning his affection. Her barren sister, Rachel, still controlled Jacob’s heartstrings!