The types and shadows of the Old Testament tell how God intended to carry out His Will from the beginning until the end or as the Book relates: “known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world.” Acts 15:18 As we learned from the story of Noah and the Ark last week, God is not shy about His plan neither does He depend upon man’s approval. Numbers were and are never in His eye. When He decides, He commands!! He destroyed the world by water the first time, the second time He will bring this Earth to a fiery end and she will never again exist. 2 Peter 3:8-11
God first dwelt with the seed of Seth, then known as Ebonites, then the ancestry of Abraham, known as Israelites, and finally He has brought His Son into the world to redeem all of mankind through His bride, the Church of Christ!! He told us of this great plan through the life of a young man named Jacob.
Jacob traded his older brother Esau a bowl of lintel soup for the most valuable commodity then in existence; his birthright. Esau did not value his birthright and mocked God when he disposed of it for so little. (This is exactly how the Jewish nation did their favored status with God trading it for the affairs of this world!) Rebecca, Jacob’s mother had been told of God that the “elder shall serve the younger”. Genesis 25:23 As far as the record shows, Rebecca was the ONLY person given this information (later she took steps to fulfill the wishes of God by interfering in the bestowal of the birthright). Jacob had to leave home for his brother Esau swore vengeance against him. When he arrived at Rebecca’s brother’s house he found the woman of his dreams. It was “love at first sight”. Genesis 29:10-11 Then begins a drama that most people have never enjoyed for they do not understand its significance. Jacob and Laban made a deal so Jacob could work to earn Rachel’s hand in marriage. What seemed unfortunate for Jacob but revealing for Bible students, Jacob worked the first 7 years for the wrong woman, he got Leah, the older daughter of Laban. “Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well-favored.” Genesis 29:17 Rachel pleased Jacob while Leah was really a means to an end. Without Rachel Jacob would have never been fulfilled!! What is more interesting is that Leah bore Jacob most of his sons, Rachel bearing only two-Joseph and Benjamin. One would think this would sway Jacob in his preference but it never did.
This story is told many times to our kids in the Sunday School classes and left as a tale of the inequity among men. The REAL story is never told. As with Jacob, Jesus Christ was married twice, to two women. The first woman was Israel, Jeremiah 3:1-25, like Leah, never the woman he loved, the second was Rachel, the woman of his desires. As with Jacob, Christ lived with and had children by Rachel yet NEVER was she the bride of choice. When He came into this world He came seeking the woman He would be with in eternity. Israel was NEVER THAT WOMAN and can NEVER BE THE WOMAN OVER WHICH CHRIST CHOOSES TO REIGN!! The pre-millennial preachers of our time have missed the REAL woman of Christ’s affections. This was shown us in Jacob! Remember, don’t miss the main reason, purpose of the story, it solves a lot of problems some have with Israel and the second coming of Christ!! Oh yes! there was only ONE bride that suited Christ, it is the Church of Christ!
Later, the children of Jacob and Leah were found in slavery in Egypt. Again, God was telling us of His plan. Coming into Egypt as the most favored of peoples the Jew outlived the Pharaoh that “knew Joseph”. This story like the others is told our children and unfortunately, they do not know what it is about.
