October 10 - She Called His Name Judah.

Genesis 29:35
“And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.”
 
She.
She became Jacob’s unplanned first wife.
 
She was Laban’s firstborn daughter who had a sister named Rachel.
 
Jacob fell in love with Rachel the moment he saw her, and worked for their father seven years before he was to wed Rachel. Instead, Laban deceivingly sent Leah to be Jacob’s wife.
 
Genesis 29:25
“And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?”
 
She was not the one he had wanted.
Jacob loved her less than he loved Rachel.
 
Genesis 29:30-31
“And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years. And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.”
 
Though she was loved less, the Lord granted her children first.
She had given birth to Reuben, Simeon, and Levi before she had her fourth child, Judah. His name means praise.
 
Jacob may have loved Rachel more because of her outward beauty, but it was Leah whose inner beauty allowed God to choose her to birth the son of Jacob from whose line Jesus Christ came.
 
God saw her heart.
She suffered the pain of being second choice, yet the Lord chose to use her in a great way for His glory.
1 Samuel 16:7
“…for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”
 
Leah serves as an example that God does not look on our outward appearance, but rather He looks upon our hearts.
 
Proverbs 31:30
“Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.”
 
 
Bible Reading:
Jeremiah 1-2  |  John 7  |  Psalm 19