Gen. 30:9-26
“WIEN LEAH saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.” v. 9. Surely the whole pattern before us is thus far not one of faith, but the activity of the mind and the natural reasonings that would not wait on God for blessing. Leah imitated her younger sister in giving her maid to Jacob and through this strange arrangement two additional sons were born Gad and Asher, making eight sons now in the household. Shortly thereafter God did bless Leah with two additional boys and a daughter. These were named Issachar, Zebulun and Dinah.
“And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her... and [she] bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach: And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son.” vv. 22-24. With the birth of Joseph there were eleven sons and one daughter born to Jacob. Joseph was actually the first son born by Rachel and his birth marked a very important point in her life, as it soon did in Jacob’s. This was the first son for whom there was any evidence of looking to God, and He who loves to answer the prayer of a penitent heart “hearkened unto her.” Happy in the answer of her cries to God she exclaimed: “God hath taken away my reproach.” “The LORD shall add to me another son.” Surely she had entered a real period of faith in God and this was the introduction to important changes that were going to take place in the entire family.
“And it came to pass, when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, to my country. Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go.” 25,26. If the birth of Joseph marked a turning point in the life of Rachel it also had its good effect upon Jacob. After fourteen years in Padan-Aram, bargaining with and being deceived by Laban, while living among his idols, he was now weary of this life and found his thoughts turning to Canaan, of which the Lord had said: “I will bring thee again into this land.”
Joseph was the true child of promise, of whom a great deal will later be recorded, and was to have the special love of his father, although Jacob could scarcely enter into it at this time. But it was apparent that God touched his heart and turned his eyes in the right direction.
In Rachel, the much-loved wife we have a picture of Israel: “of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came” (Rom. 9:5). In the two sons she presented to her husband we have types of Christ: Joseph, type of Him, the despised, rejected, suffering but exalted One; Benjamin born in the land, “son of my sorrow,” but also “son of my right hand” (Gen. 35:18). In a future day He will return in power and this remnant of Israel will acknowledge the long-rejected One as Jehovah their God; for “Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power. Psa. 110:3.
ML-10/16/1966