For my hour of contribution to the lovely SIL program, every day I spend a little over an hour with the five-year-olds (The Get-Along-Gang). There are nine of them this year and they're from all over the world. Very few of them were even born on the North American continent (if at all).
Whenever I go to the Get-Along-Gang classroom, they're usually eating snack or returning from playing outside. After their snack, it's time for a Bible story. Miss Aubrey (the childcare staff for the 5s) must think I do a good job because she frequently asks me to read it to them. Last week, one of our stories was about Jacob, Rachel, and Leah. I'd never read the story of Jacob quite like it was in this particular child's Bible Story book before. In fact, none of the stories are written in your 'usual' children's Bible Storybook way. A number of the stories point straight to Christ or to the deep message that the story symbolizes.
The story mentioned that Leah was ugly and Jacob loved Rachel, not Leah. Ok, we're normal so far, but then the it said something like, "But God loved Leah, even though Jacob didn't. People thought Leah was ugly, but she was not ugly to God. She was His beautiful daughter, His princess. So God gave her lots of children to show her how much He loved her." There was a picture of a happy looking Leah with five or six little boys clustered around her and she was looking toward heaven with a smile.
I'd never really thought about it that way before. Yes, God blessed Leah with children since Jacob didn't love her, but I hadn't thought of it as God showing how much He loved her. I guess I only ever really thought about it as a pity thing.
In my personal Bible time today, I read the real story (Gen 29-30). Leah acknowledges the Lord in the naming of her first four sons. I think there's a difference between the first three and fourth, however.
Reuben- "the LORD sees my affliction; therefore my husband will love me"
Simeon- "Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also"
Levi- "Now this time my husband will become attached to me"
These three are yearning for the attention of her husband. Notice the third time, she does not mention the LORD. It could be she was growing in desperation for his affection. Any normal woman would.
Judah- "This time I will praise the LORD"
I looked through a couple of online commentaries to see if they had anything to say about this particular difference. It's not talked about much. The family drama between the sisters throughout the rest of the story and comparing Rachel to Hannah (1 Sam) is a more common topic. The only commentary that talked about said this: "Her fourth she called Judah, praise, saying, Now will I
praise the Lord. And this was he, of whom, as concerning the flesh
Christ came. Whatever is the matter of our rejoicing, ought to be the
matter of our thanksgiving. And all our praises must center in Christ,
both as the matter of them, and as the Mediator of them. He descended
from him whose name was praise, for he is our praise. Is Christ formed
in my heart? Now will I praise the Lord." (Wesley's Explanatory Notes)
Did Leah know the Promised One would come from Judah? I don't know. But I like to think that the children's Bible Story was right. I think Leah did find comfort in the LORD. Not only in His gift of fertility, but in who He is. Yes, Leah had her bad days. Wouldn't anybody related to someone like contentious Rachel have bad days? Her life, whether she agreed in deceiving Jacob or not, was hard. But she was still chosen and used by God. His promise was for her too. And He loved her.
It's hard to remember that the stories we read our children are for our benefit, too. We can never be reminded too often of God's care. We can never be reminded too frequently of His sovereignty.
"Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her." --Hosea 2:14
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." --Matthew 5:8
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