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Why Leah? Why Israel? |
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 Sam Nadler |
Though Jacob loved beautiful Rachel, it was through her weak-eyed sister, Leah, that God chose to most impact the history of Israel and more abundantly bless the world. The priesthood through Leah’s son Levi would foreshadow the eternal priesthood and sacrifice of Messiah (Hebrews 8:5, 10:1). The kingship through her son Judah would provide the Davidic dynasty and the eternal King, Messiah Jesus (Yeshua’s name in English). |
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Though God allowed Rachel to remain barren He allowed Leah to conceive. But why Leah? Rachel, like the nations of the world was alluring, but spiritually unproductive. Leah was the unlovely and unloved one. And keeping His promise, God uses Leah because, in her weakness, she best pictures the people of Israel. Why
Israel? Doesn’t it seem ironic that God enabled the only couple who were barren, not only to conceive, but also to bless “all the nations of the earth” through their seed (Genesis 12:3, 22:18). Furthermore, through this unlikely seed of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Leah the blessed Redeemer would come. However, what is even more interesting is that it was not only a miraculous birth, but also through the seed of the unloved wife, Leah. This weak-eyed Leah, who had no outer beauty, pictures our Messiah. Just as Leah was not attractive to Jacob, in the same way Israel did not find Yeshua appealing to their sight. Leah’s initial suffering would picture the suffering Messiah. Likewise, Messiah would “have no beauty that we would desire Him” and He would be “rejected by men,” but yet amazingly fruitful and prosperous, for “He will see His seed” (Isa 53:1-12). God’s choice of Leah demonstrates that it is not our external beauty, but rather God’s eternal blessing that brings true and lasting fulfillment. Yeshua starts His hillside sermon, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). God champions the needy and afflicted. The Lord’s love is for the unloved and His grace for the rejected because they know that apart from Him they can do nothing (John 15:5).
Why You? Many believers can feel unqualified to witness effectively to “the lost sheep of the House of Israel.” Paul was well trained in the Torah, the Hebrew language and rabbinic theology. Yet with all these credentials Paul was spiritually blind, but only after he was physically blinded could he gain spiritual sight. He could see the crucified One who is the Victor, who overcame death and also saved Paul, and one day would redeem all Israel. Therefore, Paul was unashamed to preach the Good News. He knew that the power to save all who believe is not found in all the qualifications, or education that this world can offer, but in Good News alone, “to the Jew first and also to the Gentile” (Rom. 1:16). Like Paul, our main ability to effectively witness to the Jewish people is not in our strength, prosperity or status in the world –but by grace alone that God provides. Paul had to become like Leah to be used by God. As with Paul, God sometimes has to make the high places low, for He still chooses the weak and unloved as witnesses of His love and power to all with ears to hear.
Being Unloved Today the harvest is plentiful and the need for the laborers remains great. Consequently, we should seize the opportunity to minister God’s grace to the Jewish people. All local churches and believers can take part in ministering His compassion and grace to “harassed and helpless sheep.”
Being His
Instrument
We do not have to be recognized in order to be a blessing to Israel. Let us trust in His promises and together reach out to His lost sheep of the House of Israel whether they are in Berlin, Richmond, Brooklyn, or right next door. For the God of Leah is the Savior of the World. Y |
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