Leah. Hurt, Rejected, But Destined.
Introduction:
Happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms in the building: I heard it said once: “A mother will hold her children’s hands for a short time, but she’ll hold their hearts for a life-time.”
Today I want to talk about a Woman in scripture who I can relate to and maybe you will be able to as well.
Transition: I made a comment the a few Sundays’ back that Rejection will position you where acceptance will never place you.
Now this woman I am going to introduce you to is a survivor. She has survived Hurt, Pain, and most of all Rejection!
I would dare say most of us here today would have cracked under the strain this woman of God was subjected to, but along the journey she came to the realization that she was Destined!
Title: Hurt, Rejected, But Destined
Gen 29:15-30
15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages be?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah’s eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance.
18 Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said,”I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.”
19 And Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.” 22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast. 23 Now it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. 24 And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid. 25 So it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?”
26 And Laban said, “It must not be done so in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me still another seven years.”
28 Then Jacob did so and fulfilled her week. So he gave him his daughter Rachel as wife also. 29 And Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as a maid. 30 Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban still another seven years.
31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved (ESV & KJV…uses the more appropriate word…the Lord saw that Leah was Hated…”), He opened her womb; (God blessed her…by Opening her ability to produce…OH I COULD PREACH JUST ON THIS…some of you need to know that God is going to bless you because someone else rejected you or because the haters, hated you. God enjoys Blessing folks that others Hate or Reject…) God told Abraham…I swear I’m going to Bless You…If God told you that He was going to Bless you…He is going to Bless you.
but Rachel was barren. 32 So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, “The Lord has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.” 33 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. 34 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. 35 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.
NKJV
Transition:
Here in this passage of scripture is where two crooks collided with each other, Jacob and Laban. Jacob had worked for seven years to have the opportunity to marry Rachel, Laban’s daughter. Yet Laban tricked Jacob and gave him Leah instead. (Now I have a lot of questions on how this could have happened, but we’ll leave that for another time I suppose.) LET’S LOOK AT LEAH!!!!
- Tender Eyed
- Verse 17 declares her eyes were delicate.
- Not ugly, just no sparkle in her eyes…her eyes were dull. Life was gone…
- Soft
- Weak
- Timid
- She is what we would call an introvert
- The Proverbs says, “the eyes are the windows of the soul”
…my wife has taught me to be an eye contact person…well sometimes you look into some people’s eyes and those eyes tell a story…Now their mouth is saying one thing but their eyes are saying something totally different.
- Their eyes are showing you hurt, pain, rejection…life has stolen the sparkle from their countenance.
Transition: According to second temple Jewish scholars we learn that Leah and Rachel are twins, like Esau and Jacob…we also learn that Leah was promised to Esau…but she is stuck with Jacob…when Leah hears what has happened with Esau rejecting his birthright…which included his promise to marry her…she wept until her eye lashes no longer grew. That is why she is tender-eyed…because she has become heart-broken.
- Suffered Rejection
- Leah’s Home Life Had to be the Pits
- She was treated as a maid…no honor given to her
- She resided in the house as a slave to the men
- She is the Conciliation Prize
- Jacob worked for Rachel, but Leah was pawned off on him
- She was the recipient of a cruel trick
- Leah’s Home Life Had to be the Pits
- She was the gag gift…
- How would that make you feel…
- She didn’t have the approval of her father
- Every child no matter who they are desires the approval of their father
- They want to hear him say, “I’m proud of you”
- Jesus even received this from his father
- This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased
- Mom, Dad, let your child know you are proud of them and they will change the world.
- She slept with Jacob and He didn’t even know who he was sleeping with
- She had a relationship with a person who didn’t really know who she was.
- You have relationships with people who really and truly don’t know you and appreciate you for who you are.
- That is why you better be slow to criticize someone because you don’t know where they have been and what they have come thru…
- You judge me by what you see, but you don’t know me…
you don’t know where I have been and what God has done in my life to bring me to this point…my God I’m glad to be alive….I have survived some stuff
I’VE SURVIVED SOME STUFF BABY
- Leah Accomplishes Some Stuff Trying to Merit Jacob’s Acceptance and Affection
- The bible says she was less preferred than her little sister Rachel
- So Leah has a son and named him Reuben which means: “behold a son, now therefore my husband will love me”
- She had another son and named him Simeon which means, “hearing” hoping her husband would hear her and accept her for who she was.
- Kids today are accomplishing many things trying to be accepted by dad or mom…some of these kids are 40 years old.
- Wives are doing things to get the approval of their husbands.
- Husbands are doing things to get the accolades of their wives.
- It is a sad day when you are valued and a hero everywhere except your own home.
- The struggle is we bring that same attitude into our relationship with the Lord Jesus and we feel we must measure up. And God is saying to you today: I love you, I accept you, All of Your Problems, Your Weaknesses, Your Strengths, Your Mistakes…Come unto me just as you are and I will in no wise cast you away!
- Woman of Character
- Leah loved Jacob even though it probably wasn’t reciprocated, she loved him anyway.
- Have you ever loved someone and didn’t feel that love in return? Don’t you think your God sees that? Know this that He is preparing a blessing for your sacrifice of Love…
- Leah was an incredible Mom
- You read and study her life and you will see a Woman full of the Fruit of the Spirit
- It makes me ask the question: What kind of fruit is my struggles producing…fruit of the spirit or fruit of the flesh.
- Leah loved Jacob even though it probably wasn’t reciprocated, she loved him anyway.
- Your struggles will produce some things in your life…grace, mercy, forgiveness and love or it will produce anger, resentment, an offense and eventually hate.
- Leah was beautiful on the Inside
- What is on the inside will shine through when the Mary Kay is gone and the wrinkles have arrived
Transition: God never chooses to use anyone greatly whom He has not first allowed them to be hurt deeply. Leah, through her struggles, her pain and hurt was destined for greatness.
- Woman of Destiny
- Through Leah, Jacob had 8 sons (4 by Leah and 4 by her Maidservant)
- 2/3’s of the Nation of Israel came through Leah
- One who was considered not important, one who at one time was the end of a cruel trick. One who was rejected by her family, one who society said wouldn’t amount to much.
- She had a Son whose name was Levi
- All the priest came from the Tribe of Levi
- The priest made sacrifice for the sins of Israel.
- Moses came from Levi’s linage which came from Leah.
- There comes a time in our lives where we stop producing for others and we seek to make glad the heart of ONE…whose name is Jesus…what I have found is, when I please Him it usually pleases the other 90%.
- Levi means “Attached, Commitment”
- Wow I could preach a whole message just on this…
- What are you attached to and committed to…
- In the New Testament it say James 1:21 “receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.”
KJV
- The engrafted Word is what has the ability to save us…
- Not the word you hear, or hang around…it must be engrafted…
- Like a skin graff…it takes time to be engrafted.
- Illustration of my dad…”pecan tree…” Engrafted the tree…
- We live in a Culture that no longer honors commitment or is committed.
- People not committed to Marriage
- Family
- Love
- God
- The Church…
- Their job…they want the check, the money, but no commitment to the company…
- The problem goes deeper…we are the Generation of Praise…we want to skip right past Levi and produce a Judah…
- We praise over stuff we aren’t committed to.
- You need Commitment in Four Areas…
- Commitment to God
- Commitment to Family…if you aren’t committed you won’t make it…it aint all kissy poo…sometimes it’s just poo. You have to believe in the WE and the US…More than the Me and You
- Commitment to Your Relationships
- Any relationship without Reciprocity will not last…
- If you don’t give like you get…it will eventually die…agriculture, relationships, service, anything…
- Commitment to Your Church
Transition: Leah had Three sons:
- Rueben – maybe someone will love me
- Simeon – will someone HEAR me or listen to me…
- Levi – Don’t matter…I’m committed, I’m attached…though He slay me yet will I trust him…
- Leah later had another Son whose name was called Judah
- His name means Praise
- See, in your life and in my life, there will come a day; we give the Lord praise no matter what else is going on in our lives…
- Whether people like us or not…I have come to the conclusion it ain’t about you liking me, but about giving Him glory, honor and praise.
- David came from the Linage of Judah, who was the greatest King in the History of Israel
- Then came the richest man to ever grace the earth, Solomon
- Then one day came a man who was called, Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, Lamb of God, King of Kings, Lord or Lords, Jesus.
- Jesus’ ancient grandmother was an insignificant woman named Leah
- Closing
- Have you been hurt; feel like you’re not important. God has destiny waiting on you. Will you reach out and grab it?
- Are you here today and you are trying to win the approval of men. The Man of all men is waiting to accept you and receive you as His very own.
- You have a Father who has adopted you and is standing at the threshold of Heaven, “Saying this my child in whom I am well pleased, in Whom I am proud of…”
- I want to pray for some broken-hearted people today…those who have felt Hurt, Rejected…but I want you to know you are Destined.
- God is going to Bless You…Some of you are about to Walk in a Blessing because someone else Hated you or Rejected You…