2020.07.13 Hopewell @Home ▫ Genesis 29:31–35

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? 

By the time we come to Genesis 29:31, we’ve heard very little from Yahweh for a long time. In fact, in the entire Jacob narrative so far, we’ve pretty much only heard from Him at Bethel—something that seemed to have a big impact on Jacob in the moment, but didn’t end up affecting his life that much.

Where has Yahweh been? The God of Beer-Lahai-Roi has been watching (Genesis 29:31, Genesis 29:32; cf. Genesis 16:7–14). The God of Ishmael has been listening (Genesis 29:33, cf. Genesis 16:11, Genesis 16:15). Here is an outcast wife who is bearing children. We have seen and heard this before. And so has Yahweh.

The words that introduce this passage are precious: “When Yahweh saw that Leah was unloved.”

Men will always disappoint us. “Put not your confidence in princes, nor in a son of man in whom there is no help. His spirit departs, he returns to the earth; in that very day his plans perish. Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in Yahweh his God” (Psalm 146:3–5).

But there is One who always sees, One who always hears, One who always cares, One who has attached His people to Himself. Even a good husband sins, and his wisdom and ability is limited when he is alive, and he is prevented from continuing to help by death. We can see this in the fact that a man is powerless to open the womb of his wife; the Lord has reserved this as a place where He especially demonstrates His power and sovereign will (Genesis 29:31, cf. Genesis 30:2). Blessed are they whose hope is the Lord, and may they offer their lives to Him in praise!

Upon whom are you most tempted to hope? Whom are you most tempted to live to please?

Suggested songs: ARP146 “Praise the Lord” or TPH146 “Praise the Lord! My Soul, O Praise Him!”