The Loving Husband Of An Ugly Bride

The Loving Husband of an Ugly Bride

Jacob’s uncle Laban had two daughters: Leah, who is described as having “weak” eyes or “no sparkle” in her eyes, and Rachel, who had “a beautiful figure and a lovely face” (Genesis 29:17). Jacob was smitten by Rachel’s beauty and agreed to work for Laban for seven years to have her as his bride. But on the wedding night, knowing that Leah would be harder to find a husband for, Laban sent Leah in to Jacob. When Jacob woke up the next morning, he discovered that he had slept with Leah, not Rachel, and he was enraged. Laban agreed to give Rachel to Jacob too, if he would work another seven years. So Rachel and Jacob were married, and “he loved her much more than Leah. . . . 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 29:30-32).

Every time another child came along, Leah named him in a way that evidenced her longing to be loved by her husband. She named her second son Simeon, believing that the Lord heard she was unloved, and her third son Levi, believing that her husband would finally feel affection for her. But she continued to be unloved by Jacob.

Then she had another son, and this time everything was different. She named him Judah, saying, “Now I will praise the LORD!” (29:35). Somehow Leah finally saw that God intended to provide her with a divine husband who would love her in a far more complete way than Jacob ever could. In fact, this loving husband would be a descendant of her son Judah.

Jesus is the loving husband of an ugly bride, the church—a bride that has not been imposed on him but chosen by him and cherished by him. He has seen her misery, and he loves her. He has sensed her desperation and has committed himself to her. He has looked deep into her ugliness and given her his own beauty so that when the time comes for the wedding feast of the Lamb, she will be a “bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (Revelation 21:2).

Loving Husband, there is no hiding my fault from you. Yet you are my husband who loves me! I am beautiful in your eyes because of the purity and beauty you have provided for me. Nothing I do can cause you to love me more. And nothing I do can cause you to love me less. Like Leah, I will praise the Lord, because you love me!