Read Genesis 29:31–35
Questions from the Scripture text: What did Yahweh see in Genesis 29:31? What did He do for Leah? For whom did He not do it? What did Leah do in Genesis 29:32? What does she call her son? Why? What does she hope will happen? What did Leah do in Genesis 29:33? What did she say about her bearing a second son? What did she call his name? What does Leah do in Genesis 29:34? What does she say about her third son? What does she call him? What does Leah do in Genesis 29:35? This time what does she say? And what happens?The passage begins with Yahweh seeing that Leah is unloved and concludes with Leah finally seeing Yahweh as her only hope for love.
From Israel’s perspective, God is finally starting to multiply His people. Abraham had one child that ended up being a covenant child in God’s church. Isaac had one child that ended up being a covenant child in God’s church. By the end of these five verses, instead of merely replacing one at a time, we have four. God is bringing about His great plan of redemption!
But the God whose plan works on the grand scale of all of history for all of humanity also notices and addresses His most unnoticed people and their most personal problems.
The shenanigans of the previous ten verses produced a polygamy that is crushing Leah’s heart. Our own hearts ache with her as the Holy Spirit takes us through her baby-name reasoning. “Now therefore, my husband will love me” (Genesis 29:32b). “Because Yahweh has heard that I am unloved” (Genesis 29:33a). “Now this time my husband will become attached to me” (Genesis 29:34a).
But while husbands and their affections may be a great blessing and comfort, it is a trap to look to them for that happiness and security that can only come from the Lord. It is not the sadness of giving up that we read in Genesis 29:35 but the new joy of holy resignation to commit her heart to the Lord. We will see that this is not a perfect and continual state of glad faith for her (what believer in this life ever has that?), but in comparison to the other names, what a glorious name is Judah.
Judah. Praise. She is no longer waiting for Yahweh’s plan to “work.” She’s just praising Yahweh. She no longer needs to be relieved of her affliction to be comforted that Yahweh sees her in the midst of it (Genesis 29:32b). She no longer needs to achieve her husband's love to be comforted that Yahweh hears her in the midst of it (Genesis 29:33a).
Her husband may not be attached to her (Genesis 29:34a), but you know who is? The living, seeing, hearing, womb-opening God! Jacob is not in the place of God (cf. Genesis 30:2); the One Who genuinely does love her is God!
Sometimes, it is only after years of marriage and hoping in a husband’s love, or years in some other difficulty, that the Lord’s attention-grabbing providence finally grips us with the wonderful truths that His Word teaches us. But He is always there, always loving, always seeing, always hearing.
And He is Almighty. He opens and closes wombs. And He does so in the process of bringing Christ into the world to save sinners. Not just sinners generally. But the believing sinner reading this devotional. In her personal pain that no one else seems to see or care about. Is this not a God who is worthy of your trust, security, contentment, and praise?!
What hidden pain do you have? Who sees it? What has He done about it in Christ? What more would you need in order to find contentment in Him and live for His praise?Suggested songs: ARP73C “Yet Constantly, I Am with You” or TPH508 “Jesus, Priceless Treasure”
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