A Great Nation Begins With a Family

When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He enabled her to have children, but Rachel could not conceive. So Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, "The LORD has noticed my misery, and now my husband will love me." Genesis 29:31-32

God promised Abraham that He would make of him a great nation and a great family.

I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. Genesis 12:2.

And I will give you so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted! Genesis 13:16.

This great nation began with Abraham’s promised son, Isaac. Then Isaac had a promised son, Jacob. Jacob’s family began with his wife Leah. Later he had more children with his wife Rachel and concubines. Altogether Jacob had 12 sons. He was blessed.

She (Leah) soon became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She named him Simeon, for she said, "The LORD heard that I was unloved and has given me another son."

Then she became pregnant a third time and gave birth to another son. She named him Levi, for she said, "Surely this time my husband will feel affection for me, since I have given him three sons!"

Once again Leah became pregnant and gave birth to another son. She named him Judah, for she said, "Now I will praise the LORD!" And then she stopped having children. Genesis 29:33-35

From the family of Judah, the fourth son, we see the ultimate promise, Jesus, as listed in the genealogy in Matthew 1. In their lifetime neither Jacob nor Leah probably realized to the full context that they were part of the great fulfillment of God’s promise to make of Abraham a great nation. Consider how Leah suffered—although her father arranged for her to be Jacob’s first wife, she suffered miserably, feeling unloved. To be loved is the most basic of all human feelings and needs. Just because she was not as beautiful as her sister, Rachel, Leah was not the favored one. Rejected. God did notice her misery—but even though He blessed her with six sons and a daughter, she was not fulfilled in her marriage.

Do you ever feel unloved? Rejected? God assures us that He loves us. He has given us His ultimate promise. For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16. Do you claim that promise?

Prayer ~ Dear God, Thank you for loving us so much that You allowed Your Son to be the ultimate promise…the ultimate sacrifice for our sin. May we never feel unloved like Leah—but be fulfilled in Your love and promises.

Bible Reading: January 23 – Genesis 32-34

© 2017 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted

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