Jacob's Family: The Work of the Spirit

Jacob's Family - A Believer's Spiritual Growth

Introduction

Background

The premise of this allegory is that three of the major figures of the Jewish faith (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) are representative of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. But that’s a topic for another study. For this one, we will focus on Jacob, and in particular, his family.

The Short Version

This story picks up after Jacob left home and the rift with Esau over the birthright and blessing. Jacob had been living in Beer-Sheba -meaning the well of the oath. It signifies that the Holy Spirit came as a result of God's oath or promise. That promise is that His Spirit will never leave us or give up on us when we receive His offer of eternal life. Here, eternal life is represented by living (fresh) water.

The Allegory Explained

Rachael depicts the perfect agape love relationship between God and us (otherwise known as grace). The beauty is what He will see in us at the end of our physical life -based on what we will become when the Holy Spirit has finished with us. Right? Absolutely not! Wrongly, we think that until we get to heaven, He must be relating with us as immature children who only know how to live fleshly lives. So we try to please Him by doing this or that, seemingly following rules or principles. Leah represents a relationship of legalism.

In Summary

That's the whole story of Jacob -well almost. Later I might go into the part about the mandrakes and the herds of animals Jacob got from Laban and where Laban fits in. And, of course, there's the explanation of how Abraham and Isaac are types of the Father and His Son. But this one is about the work of the Holy Spirit in us. It helps to explain how methodically He will complete the work that He began in us.

Jacob's Family - The Background

Understanding the Allegory

Before we get into it though, a good principle to keep in mind when reading these allegories is that women usually represent relationships. Their children are the fruit of the relationship. And then the meaning of the allegory is discovered by understanding the meanings of their respective names, the roles they play, and the sequence in which they appear.

Here in this familiar Old Testament story, God explains a marvelous facet of His character. He uses Jacob’s family -consisting of two wives, their two maidservants, and the resulting thirteen children- to describe the work of the Holy Spirit within each believer.

The Background

Most of Jacob's life story is found in chapters 25 through 35 of Genesis.

When Jacob was born, his mother (Rebekah) favored him over his slightly older, twin brother Esau. He was a quiet, gentle, indoor person. But his father, Isaac, liked his brother Esau better because he was a hunter, a man of the world, a real man's man.

From his birth, Jacob was known as a deceiver –even his name means trickster. This was painfully apparent when Isaac was old, near death, and Jacob impersonated Esau in order to receive his father's birthright and blessing. Esau became so angry that he wanted to kill Jacob.

Jacob’s mother and father provided an excuse for him to go away, probably saving his life. They had him return to the family’s homeland and marry a daughter of his mother's brother, Laban. It was at Laban’s home that a fourteen year saga took place.

Jacob agreed to working for seven years as payment for marrying Rachael --his true love. His tricky father-in-law swapped daughters on the wedding night so that Jacob ended up marrying Leah, the older sister. In order to marry Rachael, he had to continue working for Laban for an additional seven years. During that time, Jacob worked as a shepherd and acquired a large flock. He also became a father of thirteen children.

Jacob's Family - The Short Story

Leaving Home

Along with an overview of significant snippets, I’ve interleaved the meanings of the Hebrew names.

This story picks up after the rift between Jacob and Esau over the birthright and blessing issue. Jacob came from Beer-Sheba -meaning the well of the oath. It signifies that the Holy Spirit (Jacob) came as a result of God's oath --His promise. The promise is that His Spirit will never leave us or give up on us when we receive His offer of eternal life. Here, eternal life is represented by living (fresh) water. It’s reminiscent of the story about the woman at the well where Jesus referred to Himself as living water.

Jacob was sent to Haran where his uncle Laban (and daughters) lived. Haran is descriptive of our lives being like a desert. The Holy Spirit comes to us in that state of mere existence.

Haran means a parched or dried up place.

On the evening of that first day after leaving home, Jacob laid down with his head on a stone. While asleep, he saw a vision of angels on stairs going between heaven and earth. It was then that God told him that his descendants would be as numerous as the dust of the earth. When he awoke, Jacob said the place was the house of God, the gateway of heaven. And he built an altar and named the place Bethel.

Bethel means the house of God.

Jacob and Rachael Meet

As he traveled, Jacob met some shepherds by a well that had a large stone covering its mouth. They were waiting for other shepherds to arrive so that together they could roll the stone away and then water their sheep. He asked the shepherds if they knew his uncle Laban. They did.

Laban means white. Although white typically represents righteousness, in this allegory Laban is indicative of self-righteousness.

About that time Laban’s daughter Rachael was coming toward them, herding her father's flock of sheep. Upon seeing her, Jacob saw that she was beautiful; it was love at first sight. All by himself, the infatuated young man rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and then he ran up to her and kissed her.

Rachael's name means ewe –a female sheep; it also means one who travels well. How appropriate for a shepherdess to have a name which basically means a female sheep traveling at peace with other sheep.

The Women

Rachael went to her father with the good news about the new found relative. Laban asked Jacob to stay and work for him. Actually, Laban told Jacob that if he wanted to marry Rachael, then he would have to work for seven years. When the time was up, Jacob asked for his wife to be to be given to him. Laban agreed, but on the wedding night he switched daughters and sent Leah into the honeymoon bed.

Leah means "weak eyes" -she was the homely one and probably squinted.

The custom was such that if a woman was being given in marriage and she had a maidservant, then the maidservant was part of the marriage package. Leah’s maidservant was Zilpah.

Zilpah means "a drop of fragrance."

In the morning Jacob was angry about the switch and demanded to have the daughter he bargained for. Laban agreed to give him Rachael, and her maidservant Bilhah, once the bridal week with Leah was complete, but it also cost working for seven more years. At the week's end Jacob had four women belonging to him. Over the years, each of the women had children.

Bilhah means "timid;" it's about being terrified.

The Children

Leah began the family by having four sons.

The first was called Rueben which means the Lord has seen my affliction. Leah was expressing the fact that she wasn't loved by her husband; rather, Jacob loved Rachael.

Next was Simeon. His name explained her inner cry: "The Lord heard that I was hated."

Then there was Levi. His name told of Leah’s hope that "her husband would be joined with her" in love.

And Judah -"I will praise the Lord"- was the fourth child.

Although she could not conceive, Rachael jealously wanted children. She provided her maidservant Bilhah to become a surrogate mother.

Her first son was named Dan, meaning "God has heard and vindicated me."

The second son was Napthali -"I have struggled with my sister and won."

Zilpah, Leah’s maidservant had two sons.

Gad means "good fortune."

Asher means "I will be called happy."

Leah had more children.

There was Issachar -"he will bring a reward."

Followed by Zebulun which means "waiting or hesitation;" it also means "my husband will treat me with honor."

Diana was Leah’s last; she is the only daughter mentioned. Her name means "justice."

Finally, Rachael had two sons.

Joseph -"God has taken away my disgrace"- was first.

She died in childbirth with the last one. She named him Ben-Omi meaning "son of my trouble;" however, Jacob called him Benjamin meaning "son of my right hand."

Jacob's Family - Explained

Putting It Together

Now I'll try to bring this to its promised conclusion describing the Holy Spirit's work in the believer. The women in these allegorical stories represent relationships. They describe our view -not God's view- of the relationship between God and us. And the sons describe the resulting fruit of those relationships. With that being said, here we go.

Leah and Her Fruit

The Christian life typically begins as a religious experience. Religion is quite good at teaching how bad we are –sinners, dead in our trespasses. The benefit gained through this relationship is that we realize that God sees that we feel empty, unloved, and lacking reason and purpose for life. The first fruit of trying to relate to Him through legalistic actions is expressed by Leah's first son Rueben (the Lord has seen my affliction).

The next step (fruit of the legalism) is to begin hating what we are –beings controlled by sin. We want to be good so that we are pleasing to God. Our cry to Him is shown through Simeon (the Lord has heard that I was hated).

What follows (the next fruit) is the revelation that God loves us anyway. He chose to join us in our earthly lives saying that He will never leave us nor will He give up on us. Levi is that next son and his name means joined together. Remember, Levi was the first high priest. He was the mediator –the bond that joined God and man.

When we understand how bad we are and compare that with how much He loves us anyway, our response (fruit) is an outpouring of praise to our Lord and Savior. Judah means I will praise the Lord. All of this (Leah's) fruit results from a relationship to Him founded on trying to please Him based on what we think is right.

Bilhah and Her Fruit

The next phase of spiritual growth is typically one of fear, although some call it reverent respect. Rachael's maidservant, Bilhah shows that with her name. It means timid or fearful. While Rachael represents a relationship totally based on love; Bilhah represents a relationship where God's perfect agape love has not quite been realized. This relationship is shown in daily life as we desperately want to experience that abundant life that we hear so much about. The abundant life can't happen while the relationship is based on fear. Yet, we go through a period of fearful living –worried that we can not please God. Remember, this is our view of the relationship; it's not reality. (Take a look at 1 John 4:18.)

The first fruit from a fearful relationship is realized when the Holy Spirit reveals that we have been already been judged and declared innocent by The Judge. It is no longer our works that make us pleasing in His eyes. Dan's name explains it: We have been vindicated –declared to be without any guilt -justified.

Nonetheless, there is a still a struggle that goes on within our minds as we continue trying to be religious –legalistically following what we think are the important moral principles. However, the Spirit shows us another result of this relationship (fruit): No matter how hard that we work at being good, we still can't be pleasing to God. Rachael named her next son Napthali. It means I have struggled with my sister (legalism) and I have won (grace). Legalism produces fear. Napthali hints that legalism is coming to an end.

Zilpah and Her Fruit

As we submit to Him, we become like a fragrant drop of perfume. Zilpah means perfume drops. To God, submission is often referred to as the pleasant odor of incense. Submission comes when we reach the end of our rope and realize that we have nothing to offer besides a willing body.

It is in that state of submission that we find ourselves helpless that begin to see the His blessings. It is also then that we can see that blessings are a result of His grace rather than of our own efforts. Gad (good fortune) foretells of God's blessings of grace.

Our response to His blessings is joy. Asher means I will be happy. It's a description of the fruit from a relationship based on humility. Happiness, or joy, follows recognition of the work that He is doing within us -especially during our life struggles.

The Last of Leah's Fruit

Until we finish with religion and rely totally on God, we continue to think of ourselves as sinners saved by grace instead of being new creations in Christ. (The former is self-focused; the latter is God focused.) Remember, Leah is a legalistic relationship. We start out relating to God first through legalism (Leah), then through fear (Bilhah), and progress to humility (Zilpah). Just when we feel like we've reached the goal of becoming a mature Christian, legalism appears once again. This is shown by a continuation of Leah's fruit.

Fruit that is born from being under the Law is self-centered, self-edifying, self-righteous and self-defeating; it's just about self. That is the state in which legalistic Christians remain. They look forward to what will come, but do not experience the abundant life on earth. Issachar's name implies looking forward to a future reward –living in heaven, new bodies, no tears, crowns– all of the good things.

During that phase of life, people think more about themselves than they ought. They wait for the end of this human life and the start of the new one to come. Zebulun means hesitating or waiting; it also means my husband will treat me with honor. This is very similar to Issachar (future reward). Both are focused on the trouble free future life in new bodies rather than bringing glory to God in this life.

The thing that holds us back from living an abundant life is fear of judgment –judgment about how we have kept His statutes, regulations, laws, precepts, principles, etc. It's also fear of being judged by other believers as to how good of Christians we are. To overcome this fear requires relating to others through God's unconditional love. That leads us to the last of Leah's children -Dinah

As a woman in this allegory, Dinah also describes a relationship. Her name explains the next step in of growing up in the faith; it means justice -specifically God's justice. God is just -perfectly fair- and He already past sentence on sin and already handed down the death penalty for sin. Furthermore, His Son paid it in full. It is essential for us to accept all of what was that entails –the penalty of mans' sin is death and it was totally paid for. But the part that is so often forgotten is what His gift is –it's righteousness and eternal life for every believer. We no longer have to strive to be good or better than others. Resting is God's care is sufficient because He has justified us. Fearing God can be a thing of the past once it's understood that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Rachael and Her Fruit

The goal of knowing God and relating to Him as the beloved bride of Christ is demonstrated through Rachael (a relationship of grace).

Through this relationship of grace we can learn the depths of some of the Scriptures we memorized long ago. You know them: God no longer counts our sins against us; our sins are as far from us as the east is from the west; we have been made us heirs with Jesus; we are covered in His righteousness. The first fruit of an unconditional loving relationship (that's what grace is) is explained through Joseph. His name means He has taken away my disgrace.

One of the phrases often repeated, but not well understood is "die to self"; another is "die to the law in order to live for God." Rachael's last child (her final fruit) demonstrates those phrases. When Rachael was dying in childbirth she named her son Ben-Omi which means son of my troubles because his birth caused her death. But her husband Isaac named him Benjamin; and that means son of my right hand. In order to die to self, we have to quit trying to be legalistically obedient. It's only then we can be beneficial to God –His right hand.

Jacob's Family - Summary

In Summary

These four women and their offspring explain the stages that Christians go through to become mature. They demonstrate the work of the Holy Spirit. Try to determine the point of your spiritual development through this allegory. It is recorded in the Bible to give you encouragement. After all, it is God who began the good work in you and He will not quit until He has completed it. That's really good news –it's His work, not mine and not yours. And it is all performed through His act of unconditional love called grace.

That's the whole story of Jacob -well almost. Yet to come is the part about the mandrakes; the herds of animals Jacob got from Laban; and where Laban fits in. And, of course, there's the explanation of how Abraham and Isaac are foreshadowings of our heavenly Father and His Son. But this one is about the work of the Holy Spirit in us.