By Olubunmi Adebayo
*The above capture – “Hated by men, but loved by God”, aptly describes the life and story of LEAH.*
*By human design, the woman Leah was a person hated by men, but loved by God.*
*The man she married as a husband hated her with passion. Her own blood sister hated her to the point of death. Her own parents who gave birth to her hated her as well. Know that it was their (parent’s) hatred for how she looked that prompted them to do an arrangee marriage for her by squeezing her beneath a man who was made drunk for the purpose of not knowing her identity, and who was never prepared for her.*
*The question we should ask the parents of Leah (Mr Laban and the wife) is that “WHO SAYS THE RIGHT MAN WOULD NOT HAVE COME FOR LEAH AT THE RIGHT TIME?*
*Leah’s over bearing parents sentenced her into a life of pure agony in perpetual marital rejection, hatred and unfulfiment.*
*A quick trip into Leah’s mind by assessing and analyzing the names she gave to her children after each painful experience of child delivery will convince you of her agonies and heart cry :*
*1) Genesis 29: [32] And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.*
*As a woman who had looked forward towards marrying in life and after having gone through the agonies of 9 months pregnancy carriage, Leah described her experience as “affliction”. I pray for someone reading this daily reflection today, your marriage will not be an affliction.*
*Trusting that her efforts and gesture in giving Jacob a first son would reduce his ill feelings towards her, Leah said ” now my husband will love me”. But was that the case?*
*Let us check that out with her second son delivery :*
*Gen 29 : [33] And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.*
*After delivering the first son in which she described her experience as “affliction”, she went on to carry the second pregnancy as a woman that was “hated” – how terrible it is for a pregnant woman to be hated in her state of pregnancy! Quite terrible you will agree with me. But that was the experience of Leah ( women knew how terrible it is for their husband to hate them. Now imagine that for a woman who is pregnant – who speaks comforting words to her when she is going through her morning sickness? When she is feeling between life and death?*
*Now, let us consider her third pregnancy :*
*Gen. 29: [34] And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.*
*Was the expectation of Leah that her husband would now be joined to her after delivering three sons for him granted?*
*I pray for you, you will never be in love with someone who hates you. If you are in love with someone who hates you, such a husband won’t be able to stand you one bit.*
*Meanwhile, all through the experience of hatred for Leah above, Rachel, her blood sister was regaling in envy and hatred for her own sister : constant fighting and suspicions. Infact, on one occasion, Leah had to literally beg Racheal for their husband to come and sleep over with her. Please read :*
*Genesis 30: [14] And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son’s mandrakes.*
*[15] And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son’s mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son’s mandrakes.*
*[16]And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son’s mandrakes. And he lay with her that night.*
*The experience of Leah was a terrible one in hatred. It was like a case of hatred raised to power two.*
*Tomorrow God willing, we shall be looking at how God showed love, pure love towards Lady Leah and made her the greatest of the early matriarchs in the lineage of Abraham.*
Top of the day to you 👍
©️ Olubunmi S Adebayo.
