I used to be anxious about quite a few things in life - my business, my family, my friends, etc - until recently when our Senior Pastor Joseph Prince preached on "Praise is the door to grace" on March 04, 2012.
Jacob had two wives, Leah and Rachel. Leah longed for Jacob's love but did not receive any while she was alive because Jacob's heart was with Rachel. Let's follow the bible account of Leah and her sons.
Genesis 29:31-35
31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
32 So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben;[a] for she said, “The Lord has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.”
33 Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon.[b]
34 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.[c]
35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name Judah.[d] Then she stopped bearing.
a. Genesis 29:32 Literally See, a Son
b. Genesis 29:33 Literally Heard
c. Genesis 29:34 Literally Attached
d. Genesis 29:35 Literally Praise
Notice that Leah was looking for assurance from Jacob each time she gave birth to her first three sons but by the time she delivered Judah, she was not looking for love from Jacob any more but she had learnt to turn her attention to the Lord.
It is interesting to note that Judah comes from the word 'praise' and the Hebrew for praise is "yadah" or "יוה" - comprising the three alphabets - hei-dalet-yod (reading from right to left in the Hebrew). Now the Hebrew alphabets are pictograms as well with each alphabet representing one image. 'Yod' (י) has the image of a hand - 'dalet' (ו) the image of a door - 'hei' (ה) the image of a window or grace. So put them all together, we get the meaning of yadah as 'the hand that opens the door to grace' and that is 'praise".
Another interesting discovery is that the Hebrew name of 'Judah' is 'Yehodah' or 'יהודה' - comprising the five alphabets - yod-hei-dalet-vav-hei (reading from right to left in the Hebrew). Take away the middle alphabet 'dalet' we have the name of God (yod-hei-vav-hei) or Yehovah (translated in the Bible in English as 'LORD'). And it is exciting to also remember that Jesus called HImself, "I am the door".
During the wilderness journey, every time the nation was to move out or to engage in war, the tribe of Judah goes first.
So, what is the message here? that we are to let praise lead our lives and carry us through all situations in our lives.
Jacob had two wives, Leah and Rachel. Leah longed for Jacob's love but did not receive any while she was alive because Jacob's heart was with Rachel. Let's follow the bible account of Leah and her sons.
Genesis 29:31-35
31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
32 So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben;[a] for she said, “The Lord has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.”
33 Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon.[b]
34 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.[c]
35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name Judah.[d] Then she stopped bearing.
a. Genesis 29:32 Literally See, a Son
b. Genesis 29:33 Literally Heard
c. Genesis 29:34 Literally Attached
d. Genesis 29:35 Literally Praise
Notice that Leah was looking for assurance from Jacob each time she gave birth to her first three sons but by the time she delivered Judah, she was not looking for love from Jacob any more but she had learnt to turn her attention to the Lord.
It is interesting to note that Judah comes from the word 'praise' and the Hebrew for praise is "yadah" or "יוה" - comprising the three alphabets - hei-dalet-yod (reading from right to left in the Hebrew). Now the Hebrew alphabets are pictograms as well with each alphabet representing one image. 'Yod' (י) has the image of a hand - 'dalet' (ו) the image of a door - 'hei' (ה) the image of a window or grace. So put them all together, we get the meaning of yadah as 'the hand that opens the door to grace' and that is 'praise".
Another interesting discovery is that the Hebrew name of 'Judah' is 'Yehodah' or 'יהודה' - comprising the five alphabets - yod-hei-dalet-vav-hei (reading from right to left in the Hebrew). Take away the middle alphabet 'dalet' we have the name of God (yod-hei-vav-hei) or Yehovah (translated in the Bible in English as 'LORD'). And it is exciting to also remember that Jesus called HImself, "I am the door".
During the wilderness journey, every time the nation was to move out or to engage in war, the tribe of Judah goes first.
So, what is the message here? that we are to let praise lead our lives and carry us through all situations in our lives.
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