The Hated Wife Obtains God’s Favor

The Hated Wife

The Story of Rachel and Leah in the Bible

Jacob had 2 wives, the first (Leah) had weak eyes while the second (Rachel) was beautiful in form and appearance.

He really loved the second wife and wanted nothing to do with the first.

Why then did he marry her, one wonders!

You see, Leah was never his choice, he never considered her and therefore she didn’t stand a chance.

He chose the beautiful Rachel from the beginning, but Leah was imposed on him.

From the moment he set eyes on Rachel at the well where she came to fetch water for her father’s flocks to drink, he loved her, and he never ceased to dream of the day she will become his wife.

He wanted her so much, he was willing to go to any length to have her.

Even if it meant becoming a servant for her sake.

He willingly gave up his rights and freedom and joyfully took on a servant role just to be near her.

And to him, giving up 7 years of his life in return for beautiful Rachel’s hand in marriage was but a small price to pay for such a huge prize.

Genesis 29:18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.

Leah found #favor with God when God saw that she was #hated by her husband. He gave her something that made her husband unable to disregard her any longer. #teacupclub #bloggerstribe #bloggerloveshare #godsfavor Click To Tweet

He was Conned!

Alas, he was conned! He served for 7 years in exchange for a wife, not just any wife but the beautiful Rachel and what did he get in return? Leah, Leah the weak eyed maiden and senior sister of his dearly beloved Rachel and he didn’t even know until the morning after. Can you believe that! Possibly because it was dark since the bible records that Leah was brought to him in the evening.

And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her. Genesis 29:23

Jacob his father in-law probably used darkness as a cloak to perpetuate his intentions, moreover it is equally likely that neither Leah nor Rachel knew what the deal was between their father and Jacob otherwise Leah would not have stated in Genesis 30: 15 that  Rachel stole her husband.

14 And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son’s mandrakes.
15 And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son’s mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son’s mandrakes. Genesis 30:14-15

Anyway, Leah was imposed, and that did not help Jacob’s feelings towards her. He preferred the beautiful Rachel to the weak-eyed Leah.

Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. Genesis 29:17 (Amplified Bible)

Leah was Disadvantaged, … Hated…

Leah was disadvantaged by the fact that she had weak eyes, and as we know our eyes are the light of our body. Her own light was weak, picture her unsteady gait and imagine her stumbling around the place. That was the first wife, she was disadvantaged, her husband that was supposed to love her, cherish her and show her unselfish concern did not. He hated her instead.

Genesis 29:31a And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb…

Though she was the first wife, she was unloved. That was Leah’s story and I say “was” because her story changed along the way and the disadvantaged Leah got an edge over the beautiful and well favored second wife, Rachel which also happened to be her sister.

What was her advantage? Children, yes children were the advantage that God gave her over her rival Rachel.

Genesis 29:31, 33 And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.
33 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the Lord hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.

The Hated Wife Obtains God’s Favor

When the Almighty God saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb and made her a joyful mother of children. Within a short space of time, she had birthed 4 children, all sons and the beloved wife Rachel was childless.

Our God is just and fair, He knew the second wife was well loved by her husband and things were skewed in her favour whereas the first wife was hated and in His infinite wisdom he decided to open her womb ahead of Rachel’s.

So even though she was hated, her husband now had reasons to seek her out. She had the children and because her rival was childless (though temporarily), she gradually got her husband’s attention.

God knew it would be difficult for her husband to ignore her after 4 sons (not counting the 2 sons she had afterwards) and that it would be difficult for her husband to love her if his beloved wife is also blessed with children at the same time.

That is a classic example of how God makes the disadvantaged to be at advantage.

Leah had an edge over Rachel and gained the advantage because God helped her.

Recipe for obtaining God's favor; seek Him, pray and trust Him, be patient #godsfavor #prayer #faithandtrust #bloggerstribe #bloggershutRT #teacupclub Click To Tweet

Recipe for God’s Favor

1. Acknowledge and seek God in that your situation
2. Pray and Trust him to help you. To learn practical ways you can increase your faith and trust in God, read three practical ways to increase faith and trust in God.
3. Patiently wait for the change you seek.

How to Maintain God’s Favor

1. Be humble: continue to seek God. Don’t make Him a thing of the past now that He has given you the advantage.
2. Be wise: now that you have the edge, be wise in your decisions. Don’t despise what you now have. Leah was willing to sacrifice her son’s Mandrakes for a night with her husband. She wasn’t tired of receiving Jacob’s love and she didn’t take it for granted.
3. Be forgiving: if Leah didn’t forgive her husband, she wouldn’t have enjoyed the fullness of love that God intended for her in her home. She would have continued playing the victim. Forgive those who despised you in your disadvantaged moments, don’t let unforgiveness deprive you of what God has in store for you.