This series on Bible Typologies is based off my notes, which I took as I studied the Bible and various resources on this topic in Feb 2025.

And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.

Gen 29:21, KJV

Story (Gen 29:1-30:24):

Laban had two daughters: Leah (older) and Rachel (younger).

Leah was tender eyed, but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.

Now Jacob loved Rachel, and agreed with Laban to serve him seven years for Rachel.

Because of how much he loved Rachel, the seven years seemed only a few days to him.

At the end of seven years, Jacob requested Laban to give him Rachel as wife, as agreed.

However, Laban deceived Jacob, and gave Leah to Jacob as wife instead.

The next morning, after the marriage, Jacob realised it was Leah, and confronted Laban.

Laban said the custom in their country, is to give the firstborn before the younger.

He then required Jacob to fulfil Rachel’s wedding week, as part of the ancient Jewish wedding which would typically last seven full days.

And also required him to serve another seven years for Rachel.

Jacob fulfilled Rachel’s week, and Laban gave him Rachel to wife too.

And Jacob also went in into Rachel, which he loved more than Leah.

And Jacob served with Laban, yet another seven years.

When the Lord saw Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.

Leah then bore Jacob four children: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah.

Rachel envied her sister Leah, then she gave Jacob, Bilhah her handmaid as wife.

Bilhah conceived, and bore Jacob two sons: Dan, and Naphtali.

Then Leah took Zilpah her maid, and gave her to Jacob as wife.

And Zilpah bore Jacob two sons: Gad, and Asher.

Reuben went in to harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah.

But Rachel wanted the mandrakes (known to increase fertility), and in return she let Leah lie with Jacob that night.

And Jacob came it of the field in the evening, to meet Leah.

Leah told him that Rachel agreed to let him come in unto her, for the mandrakes.

So Leah conceived again, and bore Jacob a son: Issachar.

Then she conceived again and bore Jacob a son and then daughter: Zebulun, and Dinah.

Then God remembered Rachel, and opened her womb, and she conceived and bore a son: Joseph.

Please refer to 1 Sam 1:5 article, for a recap on Rachel’s / Hannah’s barrenness, and how God delivered a breakthrough for both of them.

Later she bore Jacob another son: Benjamin.

These twelve sons, then eventually became the twelve tribes of Israel, where Jacob’s name was changed to Israel as well after his wrestling with God incarnate (Gen 32:24-28).

Typology:

Rachel represents Israel, Leah represents the church, and Jacob represents God.

Both are loved by their husband Jacob, although Rachel was loved more.

Similarly, God loves all people: both the church / saved gentiles, and Israel, but Israel is His “firstborn”, and first chosen people.

The church did not replace Israel, just like how Leah did not replace Rachel.

Leah was very productive and bore many sons.

Similarly, the church during this church age (our current period before the rapture, please refer to Pretribulation article), would be fruitful fulfilling the plans and purposes of Christ.

Preaching the gospel to all tribes, tongues, and nations, so that as many (gentiles) might be saved, and enter the kingdom of God.

And while Leah was very productive and fruitful, Rachel was barren and unproductive.

Leah was rewarded and it was an honour for women to have children, during those times.

But Israel today / during this present church age hasn’t been used much by God, in evangelism for instance.

During 70 AD, there was the destruction of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem, as Jesus prophesied in Matt 24 (the Olivet discourse, spoken by Jesus 3 days before His death).

And the scattering of Jewish people worldwide, till 1948, where only then they came together as a nation again.

Rachel was Jacob’s chosen bride, but she wasn’t fruitful.

Similarly, the Jewish people are God’s chosen people, and yet they rejected Jesus when He came to die for their sins, even nailing Him to the cross.

Deut 7:6: For you are a holy people to the Lord, for God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all peoples in the face of the earth

Leah went to the field to meet Jacob, possibly representing the church being raptured, meeting Christ the bridegroom.

But just as God remembered Rachel, God will remember Israel as well.

So when Rachel had Joseph, and she experienced incredible growth in God.

And so after the Christians during this church age, are taken up during the rapture to be with the Lord, God will thoroughly sanctify and purify the Israelites, through the seven year tribulation, represented by the extra seven years Jacob needed to serve Laban.

And He will be their God and they shall be His people, holy and pure even through the millennial reign of Christ (please refer to Hos 6:2 article, and Joel 2:28-29 article).

This seven years of tribulation is a time of great trouble, and also known as Jacob’s trouble (Jer 30:7).

We saw Leah having children, then Rachel’s handmaid having children, then Leah’s maid having children.

And when it was time for Rachel to actually conceive, Leah was no longer bearing children.

She was hidden, just like how the church would be hidden during the seven years of tribulation.

Isa 26:20: Come my people, enter your chambers and shut your doors behind you, for a little moment, until the indignation is past

Leah the bride of Christ, which is the church, remains hidden, while the bridegroom our Messiah works for the remnant of Israel, represented by Rachel.

Rom 11:25-27: For I do not desire that you should be ignorant that blindness has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, the Deliverer will come out of Zion, and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob

Jacob chose Rachel first, he laboured for her, but at the end of his labour he didn’t receive her.

He received a different bride: Leah. He then served seven more years for Rachel. But second bride Leah was fruitful and bore Jacob many children.

Rachel was barren until she cried out to God in distress.

Jacob chose Rachel first, but she was set aside for a time, while Leah bore many children and took her place.

As mentioned previously, Israel today is barren, and the church is fulfilling the purposes of God.

However, when the church is taken up in the rapture, then the Lord will deal with Israel again the tribulation.

It is when Israel cries out to God in distress, that she too will become fruitful, and many will turn to Jehovah through the instrument of Israel, during the tribulation.

We the church know the time of the rapture where God takes us His bride up is soon.

We can see the day approaching, and we can see that we are in the season.

The rapture is an imminent event!

Just like an ancient Jewish bride who didn’t know exactly, when her bridegroom would be coming to pick her up, she had to be ready at all times.

And that’s where we are now, we are ready to meet our Lord and Saviour, Jesus in the air.

And I pray you are ready for this amazing time.

You can be ready when you believe that Jesus is Lord, and that He came to earth fully God and fully man, for the purpose of making away for us to be with Him forever.

There always had to be a blood atoning sacrifice for the remission of sins, and Jesus came to perform this once and for all, when He shed His innocent blood dying on the cross.

He was buried that day, and rose again three days later, just as Scripture told us He would.

And the Bible tells us that when we believe He did this, we are saved.

Jesus paid it all, the only thing that we have to do is believe.

Things like our own good works, and getting baptised, are things that happen after we are saved.

It is at the very moment that we first believe all this, that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise who is our guarantee, showing us that we cannot lose our salvation.

That nothing can separate us from the love of God, or snatch us out of the Father’s hand.

You don’t have to wonder if you’re good enough to go to heaven, or if you’re good enough to go in the rapture.

Because it’s not about us, it’s about what He did for us.

And when we finally believe that, we do have that eternal security, that was told about in Scripture.

And I pray that you are believing this today, if this is you then praise God!

All of heaven is rejoicing, and I rejoice with you too!

And I pray for you, as well as anybody who is reading this right now, that the Lord meets you with whatever it is that you need. And He knows what it is.

I pray that you can tangibly feel that peace, and comfort, that really surpasses all understanding.

And God willing I will see you in the next post, or I will see you in the air, which could be at anytime.

So take care, and God bless you!