Leah, the Chosen One
A Deeper Look into the Life Elohim Honored
I recently read a lovely poem about Leah by
. The poem highlights how Elohim (God) chose Leah and her significant role in bringing forth the Messiah. You can read the poem here.
It may seem that Leah got the short end of the stick. In the beginning, Rachael was favored by Jacob, Leah was not. Her marriage started out rocky, but that is not how her story ends.
The extra-biblical Book of Jubilees shows us that Jacob had a change of heart after Rachael’s death.
Jubilees 36:21-24
“His [Jacob’s] wife Leah died in the fourth year of the second week of the forty-fifth jubilee, and he [Jacob] buried her in the double cave near his mother Rebekah, to the left of the grave of Sarah, his father’s mother.
And all her sons and his sons came to mourn over his wife Leah with him, and to comfort him regarding her, for he was lamenting her.
For he loved her exceedingly after her sister Rachel died, for she was perfect and upright in all her ways and honored Jacob, and all the days that she lived with him he did not hear from her mouth a harsh word, for she was gentle, and peaceable, and upright, and honorable.
And he remembered all her deeds which she had done during her life, and he lamented her exceedingly, for he loved her with all his heart and with all his soul.”
From Jubilees 36, we learn the following:
🌸 After the death of Rachael, Jacob loved Leah exceedingly
🌸 Leah honored Jacob
🌸 Leah never gave Jacob a harsh word
🌸 Leah was peaceful, gentle, and upright
🌸 Jacob grieved for Leah after her death, for he “loved her with all his heart and with all his soul”
In addition, Leah was blessed with 7 children—the number of completion. From her children came the Levitical priesthood (Levi) and the Davidic kingly line (Judah).
From Leah came Messiah.
Far from being discarded, second-best, Leah was cherished. She had good character. She walked intimately with her husband, Jacob.
I am encouraged by Leah’s testimony as I trust YHWH (the LORD). When I feel rejected and have difficult circumstances, I know Elohim discerns the bigger picture—the beautiful life He’s creating for me.
Elohim knows how everything will turn out. He is perfecting me. I hope to learn the lessons Leah learned which transformed her spirit into one that is peaceful, gentle, and upright.
The same God who authored Leah’s life has written the outcome of yours and mine. If you’re struggling with feeling overlooked or rejected, know that your final chapter hasn’t been revealed yet.
Romans 8:28 “And we know that all matters work together for good to those who love Elohim, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
Blessings in Messiah,
Sarah
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This was such a beautiful and redemptive reflection on Leah’s story Sarah. I love that it highlighted her strength, dignity, and purpose. Such a powerful reminder that God sees beyond rejection and uses what feels overlooked to birth legacy. So encouraging!
The character of Leah is a perfect illustration of our need for certain extrabiblical books because the ones included in most Bibles are incomplete. I can't wait for your book to be ready Sarah. It will inspire and bring truth.