Pen of a Ready Writer: Shoulda Coulda Woulda been someone else....He chose Judah!

Awesome God, Rose of Sharon, Bright and Morning Star, Everlasting Father, King of Glory, The Lion of the tribe of Judah. I am sure we are familiar with some of the common expressions we use in worshiping the Lord. I've been as curious as to why we refer to Jesus as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Why is He the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Rev 5:5)and not the Lion of the tribe of Joseph or Benjamin after all, God so much liked Joseph and he stood out amongst his brothers. Why did God choose Judah out of 12 brothers……? I do hope this blesses you as much as it did bless me.

God had ordained Jacob to be the one that would bring forth the twelve(12) tribes that would eventually be known as Israel and it happened that Jacob had worked so hard for seven years for his uncle Laban to marry Rachael his daughter but on the wedding night, after he had gone to bed with the hope of getting down to “it” with his long awaited and dedicatedly worked-for wife and had done the “deed” in darkness, enjoying every second of it, the next morning, he realised he had been given Leah; Rachael’s sister instead.

Oh my! For a man who had gone through so much in his life, from cunningly getting his brother’s birth right to conniving with his mother to get his father’s blessing instead of his brother Esau which led to his fleeing his father’s house and all sorts of problems, the last he wanted was this brouhaha at hand. He must have been looking forward to having Rachel, his much treasured wife in his arms and raising a family with her however; He has just been deceived, he has just got what he had sown in time past. Nemesis had finally caught up with him. Sow a cheating act and expect to be cheated. End of discussion! Anyway for his love for Rachel, he agreed to serve for another 7 years! In spite of all He has done, God still loved him for who he was. Isaiah 41; 8 says But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, The descendants of Abraham My friend.

God's plan about having twelve tribes of Israel through Jacob never changed just as God has purposed to do whatever He has said concerning you and I. We can glean from this; God loves us just as we are. When we were sinners, Jesus Christ died for us, how much more now that we have been redeemed? in spite of our sins and inadequacies; He still loves us so very much. Jacob married Rachel for another seven(7) years of hard service and after days and months of bliss, unfortunately, she wasn't having children. For Leah, Rachel comes into the picture and the hatred for her intensified. No child from both parties. Jacob must have said to himself” I had better try my luck for children with Leah. At least God said my seed will be great and the prophecy must be fulfilled” So he went in unto his wife Leah and God looked down from heaven and opened her womb such that within a short space of time, she had three boys in an atmosphere of bitterness, contention and sore hatred.

Genesis 29:31-34

31When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. 32So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, “The Lord has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.” 33Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I amunloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon. 34She 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.

Leah who was unloved was the baby factory. There was so much conflict between sisters and their maids and the atmosphere in Jacob's home was not enviable. Oh how Jacob must have suffered! Considering all he had gone through in his life, this was just another big blow. The home front was always on fire yet He was the one chosen to bring forth the lineage of the would-be Messiah of the world. Two sisters whom he was married to contended bitterly and one was fortunate to bear children whilst the other's womb was shut.

35And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she stopped bearing…..

Leah gave birth to four sons in rapid succession and the names of the first three had a connection with what she was going through at home. The names of her children were based on the circumstances of what was happening right there and then. She was using child bearing to seek for her husband's love and attention but it never came,competing for love you would say. The harder she tried, the farther he went from her. Fire on the mountain, everyone was always running. Leah was loathsome even to her husband, totally unloved yet God favoured her and opened her womb. And there came a time she acknowledged God in her affairs and for once praised Him. Her focus from her many trials changed momentarily and she put her gaze on God and He saw a heart truly grateful.

Of course, our God can only be found where there is praise and adoration for Him. For once, she had a grateful heart and that reflected in the name she gave her son- Judah. Father Jacob was nowhere to be found in all of these, it was the wife who was giving the children names but she came to a place of peace, momentarily howbeit and God saw it! Hey Friends, God loves praise and he loves the heart of the “Praiser”. He inhabits the praises of His people and that’s where you will find him. True praise from a genuine heart draws God’s attention.

Psalm 89:15 (Message version) Blessed are the people who know the passwords of praise, who shout on parade in the bright presence of God

The contention continued in Genesis chapter 30 and Rachel gave her maid to Jacob who bore him two (2) sons. As expected, Leah did the same and gave her maid to Jacob as well. Thank God the man didn't die! The maid also bore two (2) sons and Leah herself got pregnant again having two (2) more sons and a daughter. Finally Rachel gives birth to Joseph and Benjamin…#phew#. Biko (well done) Father Jacob, I doff my hat for you! Long and tiring duel but that heart of gratitude and praise Leah exhibited had drawn God to her and He had chosen who was going to be the progenitor of the Messiah- It would be Judah, who was born in an atmosphere of praise and thanksgiving. Judah wasn't Jacob’s most favourite son as we know he loved Joseph more and gave him a coat of many colours yet when He was blessing his children in Genesis, Judah’s lot was the longest and deepest and Jacob himself prophesied that the sceptre(rulership) would never depart from Judah. Referring to the coming of the Messiah which would happen many centuries after!

Genesis 49: 9

Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise;

Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;

Your father’s children shall bow down before you.

9Judah is a lion’s whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up.

He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him?

10The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.

11Binding his donkey to the vine, and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine,

He washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes.

12His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk.

Just because Leah acknowledged and praised God when Judah was born, he was differentiated from his other brothers. Of course Mr Judah wasn't a perfect person; he had his own weaknesses too. Two of his children had died and at some time and he unknowingly had slept with his daughter in law who posed as a prostitute impregnating her in the process. She had a set of twins named Perez and Zerah and in spite of these anomaly, Perez was worthy of being the ancestor of King David and he was mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus! God had chosen Judah and there was no going back! When Israel became a nation and here was going to be a split, it was split into the Kingdom of Judah and the Kingdom of Israel.

Psalm 78: 67 He disqualified Joseph as leader, told Ephraim he didn't have what it takes, and chose the Tribe of Judah instead, Mount Zion, which he loves so much. He built his sanctuary there, resplendent, solid and lasting as the earth itself.

We understand better why Jesus our Lord is known as the Lion of the tribe of Judah and not the Lion of the tribe of Joseph or Reuben. God truly would only be found in a place of praise. His presence thrives there. Praise-giving by Leah secured the most desired slot anyone in the universe- the lineage from which the Messiah would come. I love Judah (Praise). Leah prophesied into his life and God took interest. He chose Judah as His heritage. David came through that lineage as well as our Lord Jesus. Oh yes we may say Judah was chosen because the three brothers ahead of him misbehaved, That must not have been enough to have qualified him for such a huge blessing. He misbehaved too after all! In spite of who you are, what you go through, where you come from, He loves you so much. Just acknowledge Him and never let go of Him. Praise Him today and forever…

Let me leave you with some lines from the song “Just the Way I am” by Big Daddy Weave

Unbelievable, I’m blown away, it’s true

By the matchless love that I’ve found in You

Undeniable, the change in me

I’ve never felt so free

It makes me want to dance

You make me want to dance

When I think about how

You love me, You love me

You love me just the way I am

You love me, You love me

You love me just the way