The 12 sons of Jacob, symbolic for Old and New Covenant Israel

[Deep Truth]

If Jacob's first wife Leah who tried to earn his love by giving birth to 6 sons is symbolic for those in Israel who tried to justify themselves before God by obeying the Old Covenant law, then Leah's 6 children could be a type for self-righteous Israel.

While Rachel and her 2 children whom Jacob dearly loved, represents a remnant in Israel who are declared righteous by faith in God's New and better Covenant.

The 12 sons of Jacob, symbolic for Old and New Covenant Israel​

• Leah the older sister (symbolic for Old Covenant Israel) who was deceptively given in marriage to Jacob first, gave birth to 4 sons. After the 4th son Judah was born Leah became barren for a period of time until giving birth to her last 2 sons.
  
  
• Leah (a type for Old Covenant Israel) who became barren after her 4th son Judah was born, is symbolic for Jesus who was born from the tribe of Judah to fulfill the law and put an end to the Old Covenant at 4,000 years from Adam when he died as the Passover Lamb of God in order establish the New Covenant of righteousness by faith.
  
  
• Rachel the younger sister (a type for New Covenant Israel) whom Jacob dearly loved, became his bride after he completed Leah's wedding week.
  
  
• Rachel who was barren during her first 7 years of marriage gave her maid Bilhah to Jacob who gave birth to Dan and Naphtali.
  
  
• I believe Bilhah that bore 2 sons for Rachel's in her time of barrenness represents the 2,000 year gospel age that began after Jesus abolished the Old Covenant when he died for our sins, Hebrews 7:18-19.
  
  
• While Leah who was barren and gave her maid Zilpah to Jacob who gave birth to Gad and Asher, may be symbolic for Old Covenant Israel who was scattered throughout the nations for almost 2,000 years.
  
  
• After Leah's period of barrenness ended she gave birth to Issachar and Zebulun. These last 2 sons of Leah I believe represent two thirds of Israel in the tribulation who will try to establish their own righteousness by obeying the Old Covenant law, but instead will be cutoff from New Covenant Israel, Zechariah 13:8-9, Romans 9:6-9.
  
  
• Zechariah 13:8 In the whole land, declares the LORD, two thirds shall be cut off and perish, and one third shall be left alive.
  
  
• Rachel was barren the first 7 years of her marriage until she gave birth to Joseph (a type for Christ) when Jacob was 90 years of age.
  
  
• I believe Joseph's birth after Rachel's 7 years of barrenness when Jacob was 90, is symbolic for when Jesus is born into the hearts of one third of Israel after 7 years of tribulation darkness, when the end-time nation of Israel (Jacob) is 90 years old from 1948 in 2038, Galatians 4:19.
  
  
• Galatians 4:19 my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!

• After Jacob worked 20 years for Laban he left with his two wives, children and flocks. And while they were on their way to Bethlehem Rachel died in her labor pains when she was giving birth to Jacob's 12th son Benjamin.

• Genesis 35:16-19 Then they journeyed from Bethel. When they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel went into labor, and she had hard labor. (17) And when her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, "Do not fear, for you have another son." (18) And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-oni (son of my trouble); but his father called him Benjamin (son of my right hand). (19) So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem),

• Jacob's 20 years of work for Laban that was followed by Benjamin's birth from Rachel who died in labor on their way to Bethlehem, is prophetic for the 2,000 year gospel age followed by the birth pangs of the tribulation, when one third of Israel will be born-again in troublesome times (Benjamin's birth, the son of Rachel's trouble) through faith in Jesus who sits at right hand of God (Benjamin, the son of my right hand), and is the Passover Lamb who was born in Bethlehem (Benjamin was born on the way to Bethlehem), Jeremiah 30:6-7.

The 12 sons of Jacob, a prophetic timeline for the nation of Israel

​

In the following articles I examine the scriptures that seem to be pointing to the years of 2031 to 2038 when the tribulation will take place.
Is the year when the tribulation ends written in scripture?
Part 2, 2 days, 7th hour, 38
Part 3, 2-38
Part 4, Genesis 14:14, 17:17, Exodus 7:7, John 5:5
Part 5, Psalms 83 & 90
Part 6, Isaac's birth from Sarah at 90
Part 7, Isaac's birth from Sarah at 90

The Ominous Sign of Four Blood Moons in 2032 and 2033
Four Blood Moons in 2032 and 2033 Part 2, 85 Priests are put to death
Israel's historic second Passover will be fulfilled in the last year of the Tribulation

Is Jonah's warning for Nineveh prophetic for today's wicked generation?
Is Jonah's warning for Nineveh prophetic for today's wicked generation? Part 2

Joseph in prison "two whole years" is prophetic for a 2,000 year gospel age
21 possible examples for a 2,000 year gospel age

Rachel after 7 years of barrenness gave birth to Joseph when Jacob was 90
The 12 sons of Jacob, symbolic for Old and New Covenant Israel

4 Prophetic stories reveal a 2,000 year gospel age followed by the tribulation
The Tabernacle reveals the age of the Law, the age of Grace and the Millennium

Why did God want to kill Moses when he lodged on his way to set Israel free from slavery to Pharaoh?
Why did the blind man see men like trees walking when Jesus touched him?

Why was Jacob called Israel when he struggled with God?
When will unrighteous Jacob be called Israel?

Why is the Feast of Trumpets in the 7th month 1st day to the 10th day?
What does the disciples catch of 153 fish represent?

Netflix cartoon encourages people to get the Smart Mark

In these articles I discuss the soon coming rapture of the saints
Who are the sons of the kingdom cast into outer darkness?
Why will the first be last, and the last first?
Why are many saints called to the wedding banquet but few are chosen?
Will you be raptured in the first, second or third watch of the night?

 

[robycop3]

Problems with that school of thought. First, Judah became the foremost tribe of Israel, while early in her history, Ephraim & Manasseh were. God chose Judah for the rulership God had His own reasons, but maybe it was because Judah was against killing Joseph.

And, of course, later, Levi & Benjamin became part of Judah.

While the rulership is Judah's, THE BIRTHRIGHT IS JOSEPH'S, so we must speculate upon whom the descendants of Ephraim & Manasseh are today. (Remember, God told Jacob that A NATION & COMPANY OF NATIONS would come from him.)

 

[bèlla]

Reuben intervened on Joseph's behalf and offered his son's lives to restore Benjamin to his father.

Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.” But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.” And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father. —Genesis 37:20-22

Then Reuben said to his father, “Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you.” —Genesis 42:37

Judah suggested Joseph should be sold and guaranteed Benjamin's safety.

Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. —Genesis 37:26-27

And Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. I will be a pledge of his safety. From my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever. —Genesis 43:8-9

Jacob blessed his sons according to their character and addressed them in birth order.

Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion’s cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness; who dares rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. Binding his foal to the vine and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, he has washed his garments in wine and his vesture in the blood of grapes. His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk. —Genesis 49:9-12

Moses blesses him in turn.

And this he said of Judah: “Hear, O Lord, the voice of Judah, and bring him in to his people. With your hands contend for him, and be a help against his adversaries.” —Deuteronomy 33:7

Rulership is reiterated in Psalm 60:7

Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet; Judah is my scepter.

I would consider additional references to the scepter (Esther), helmet (as armor and in Ephesians) and the marching formation for the tribes (Numbers). Judah led and Ephraim and Manasseh were in the rear.

While Moses's words to Judah differed, they were nearly identical to Jacob's for Joseph. He was given the firstborn blessing.

Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a spring; his branches run over the wall. The archers bitterly attacked him, shot at him, and harassed him severely, yet his bow remained unmoved; his arms were made agile by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel), by the God of your father who will help you, by the Almighty who will bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that crouches beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb. The blessings of your father are mighty beyond the blessings of my parents, up to the bounties of the everlasting hills. May they be on the head of Joseph, and on the brow of him who was set apart from his brothers. —Genesis 49:22-26

And of Joseph he said, “Blessed by the Lord be his land, with the choicest gifts of heaven above, and of the deep that crouches beneath, with the choicest fruits of the sun and the rich yield of the months, with the finest produce of the ancient mountains
and the abundance of the everlasting hills, with the best gifts of the earth and its fullness and the favor of him who dwells in the bush. May these rest on the head of Joseph, on the pate of him who is prince among his brothers. A firstborn bull—he has majesty, and his horns are the horns of a wild ox; with them he shall gore the peoples,
all of them, to the ends of the earth; they are the ten thousands of Ephraim,
and they are the thousands of Manasseh.” —Deuteronomy 33:13-17

Joseph has spiritual and natural blessings. That is the favor of the Lord.

~Bella

 

[robycop3]

Reuben intervened on Joseph's behalf and offered his son's lives to restore Benjamin to his father.

Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.” But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.” And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father. —Genesis 37:20-22

Then Reuben said to his father, “Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you.” —Genesis 42:37

Judah suggested Joseph should be sold and guaranteed Benjamin's safety.

Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. —Genesis 37:26-27

And Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. I will be a pledge of his safety. From my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever. —Genesis 43:8-9

Jacob blessed his sons according to their character and addressed them in birth order.

Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion’s cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness; who dares rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. Binding his foal to the vine and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, he has washed his garments in wine and his vesture in the blood of grapes. His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk. —Genesis 49:9-12

Moses blesses him in turn.

And this he said of Judah: “Hear, O Lord, the voice of Judah, and bring him in to his people. With your hands contend for him, and be a help against his adversaries.” —Deuteronomy 33:7

Rulership is reiterated in Psalm 60:7

Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet; Judah is my scepter.

I would consider additional references to the scepter (Esther), helmet (as armor and in Ephesians) and the marching formation for the tribes (Numbers). Judah led and Ephraim and Manasseh were in the rear.

While Moses's words to Judah differed, they were nearly identical to Jacob's for Joseph. He was given the firstborn blessing.

Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a spring; his branches run over the wall. The archers bitterly attacked him, shot at him, and harassed him severely, yet his bow remained unmoved; his arms were made agile by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel), by the God of your father who will help you, by the Almighty who will bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that crouches beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb. The blessings of your father are mighty beyond the blessings of my parents, up to the bounties of the everlasting hills. May they be on the head of Joseph, and on the brow of him who was set apart from his brothers. —Genesis 49:22-26

And of Joseph he said, “Blessed by the Lord be his land, with the choicest gifts of heaven above, and of the deep that crouches beneath, with the choicest fruits of the sun and the rich yield of the months, with the finest produce of the ancient mountains
and the abundance of the everlasting hills, with the best gifts of the earth and its fullness and the favor of him who dwells in the bush. May these rest on the head of Joseph, on the pate of him who is prince among his brothers. A firstborn bull—he has majesty, and his horns are the horns of a wild ox; with them he shall gore the peoples,
all of them, to the ends of the earth; they are the ten thousands of Ephraim,
and they are the thousands of Manasseh.” —Deuteronomy 33:13-17

Joseph has spiritual and natural blessings. That is the favor of the Lord.

~Bella

We must remember that the birthright was not bestowed upon Joseph's descendants while ancient Israel existed. But it MUST be bestowed sooner or later.

While Jesus (Shiloh) is descended from Judah, God promised David an eternal dynasty, so there must've been a descendant of David's ruling over Israelis somewhere right now, as Jesus has not yet occupied David's throne on earth yet, & there are to be no breaks in David's dynasty. What we're NOT sure of is, what descendants of David's ruled over Israelis after Zedekiah was deposed? (Remember, God declared Jeconiah's line ineligible for the throne, which HAD to still have been existing, or else God wouldn't've ruled Jeconiah ineligible !)

There's evidence that David had sent some of his sons far away, with wealth, so they wouldn't fight among themselves to succeed him. While God chose Solomon to succeed David, Solly also had many sons whom he sent away wealthy, & there's evidence that at least one of them came to what's now Ireland, where some Israelis had gone during Absalom's rebellion against David.

This is largely speculation, but God had to have bestowed the birthright before the coming of the antichrist.

 

[keras]

Bible Prophecy does tell us that the Lord will clear and cleanse the holy Land, Deuteronomy 32:32-43, and then His faithful Christian people will migrate there. Isaiah 35, Psalms 107, Romans 9:24-26
We are told in 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 that after that Day of fiery wrath which will clear the holy Land, Zephaniah 1:14-18, Jesus will be revealed to His own people. Revelation 14:1
He will select the 144,000 from them and also divide that vast multitude, Revelation 7:1-14, into twelve groups, each named after one of the tribes.

THAT is our destiny and our great privilege; to be the people God always wanted in His Land, His Witnesses, Isaiah 43:8-13, John 15:27 and His Light to the nations. Isaiah 49:3-8, Matthew 5:14-16

 

[robycop3]

Bible Prophecy does tell us that the Lord will clear and cleanse the holy Land, Deuteronomy 32:32-43, and then His faithful Christian people will migrate there. Isaiah 35, Psalms 107, Romans 9:24-26
We are told in 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 that after that Day of fiery wrath which will clear the holy Land, Zephaniah 1:14-18, Jesus will be revealed to His own people. Revelation 14:1
He will select the 144,000 from them and also divide that vast multitude, Revelation 7:1-14, into twelve groups, each named after one of the tribes.

THAT is our destiny and our great privilege; to be the people God always wanted in His Land, His Witnesses, Isaiah 43:8-13, John 15:27 and His Light to the nations. Isaiah 49:3-8, Matthew 5:14-16

No, God is NOT finished with literal Israel yet. He made His promises of nationhood, etc. to the descendants of Jacob, not to the righteous in general. God did NOT replace Israel with non-Israeli Christians. While any Israeli can become a Christian, one must be BORN an Israeli.

And remember, the Jews only represent three Israeli tribes, Judah, Levi, & Benjamin. The rest of israel is out there somewhere, their identity known only to GOD right now.

 

[ImAllLikeOkWaitWat]

So that chart says the tribulation is coming 2031? Seems about right I can't disagree.

 

[robycop3]

So that chart says the tribulation is coming 2031? Seems about right I can't disagree.

The trib won't start til the antichrist is in power & the rapture has occurred.

 

[keras]

No, God is NOT finished with literal Israel yet. He made His promises of nationhood, etc. to the descendants of Jacob, not to the righteous in general. God did NOT replace Israel with non-Israeli Christians. While any Israeli can become a Christian, one must be BORN an Israeli.

People can become Israelis by proving a Jewish mother. Also 20% of the population of Israel is Arab and the rest are mixed race peoples.
Thinking the Jewish State of Israel still has any 'inside track' with God is quite wrong and contradicts Bible teachings that it is born again Christians who are Gods people. Galatians 6:14-16

And remember, the Jews only represent three Israeli tribes, Judah, Levi, & Benjamin. The rest of israel is out there somewhere, their identity known only to GOD right now

Right, but the identity of the lost ten tribes is easily ascertained. They are the Christian peoples, the ones Jesus came to save, Matthew 15:24
To deny this truth, is to say: Jesus failed in His mission.

 

[robycop3]

People can become Israelis by proving a Jewish mother. Also 20% of the population of Israel is Arab and the rest are mixed race peoples.
Thinking the Jewish State of Israel still has any 'inside track' with God is quite wrong and contradicts Bible teachings that it is born again Christians who are Gods people. Galatians 6:14-16

But God's promises to literal Israel & Judah still stand. he said He will unite israel & Judah back into one nation, & they'll inhabit ALL the "Promised Land", which reaches from the Mediterranean to the Euphrates River. (You may Google maps of the promised land to see its extent.) And He will reveal Himself to the unbelieving Jews & other Israelis. Again, "replacement theology" is false. God did NOT replace Israel with the Church.

Right, but the identity of the lost ten tribes is easily ascertained. They are the Christian peoples, the ones Jesus came to save, Matthew 15:24
To deny this truth, is to say: Jesus failed in His mission.

No, they are the descendants of their original "founders". Jesus was sent first to the Jews, but He also saved more than one gentile during His ministry, such as the woman who touched the hem of His robe, & the Roman whose servant He healed.(That servant's nationality is not given in Scripture.) Then, he sent Paul to the gentiles, as well as some of the other apostles whose later exploits aren't recorded in Scripture. (We know Philip witnessed to an Ethiopian official, & Peter witnessed to Cornelius, a Roman, & his household.) Those people were certainly not Israelis !

Once again, "replacement theology" is FALSE !

 

[keras]

Once again, "replacement theology" is FALSE !

It isn't RT that I am promoting.
The New Testament makes it quite clear that the Lords people are from any ethnicity. Ephesians 2:11-18, 1 Peter 2:9-10

You say yourself that Israel and Judah are separate entities. We know about Judah, now in a small part of the holy Land, but who and where is the House of Israel?
Some like to say they have rejoined, but apart from a few individuals, this idea cannot be right for many reasons.
Many scriptures make it clear that born again Christians are the people of God. Jew and Gentile.
Jesus came to save the lost House of Israel. Did He fail?

 

[robycop3]

The rest of israel is out there, known only to God right now. But He will make their IDs known in His timing.

He provided the way for the Jews (& everyone else) to be saved, & altho most of them rejected Him, He didn't fail, of course.