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Joseph's Life a foreshadow of Christ, Israel & America

(The story of Jacob and his wives are the 2nd witness to this)

About the message:
Part one: Joseph's life will reveal many mysteries about the future. America's great destiny is revealed in these allegories.

Part two: The life of Jacob and his two wives will confirm these mysteries.
(To view the illustrated version of part one click here.)
(To view the illustrated version of part two click here.)

9.There were two malefactors (The butler and the baker) who were sentenced to prison- one lived and the other died. (Genesis 40:21-22)

9. There were two malefactors during the sentencing of Jesus (two thieves) one found eternal life, the other eternal death. (Luke 23:32-33, 39-43)

While Joseph was in prison he was involved in the future of two men; both of these men were accused of being thieves. One of these men was justified; the other was condemned to death. When Jesus went to the cross, which was part of his judgment, there were two men. Both were thieves, one found eternal life and justification. The other found eternal death and condemnation.

10. Pharaoh set Joseph free and gave him a change of raiment. (Genesis 41:14)

10. God raised Jesus from the dead, and gave his resurrected body immortality. (1^st Corinthians 15:20)

Pharaoh was pleased with Joseph and set him free. He then gave Joseph a new garment. When Jesus rose from the dead God glorified him and clothed his resurrected body with immortality, a new and much better garment.

11. Pharaoh was so pleased with Joseph that he made him Lord over everything except in the throne. (Genesis 41:39-44)

11. God made Jesus Lord over everything except in throne (I^st Peter 3:22; Ephesians 1:20; 1^st Corinthians 15:24-28)

Joseph had earned Pharaoh's trust who then made Joseph second in command of Egypt. He made Joseph lord over everything in Egypt except in the throne. God has done the same thing with Jesus who has earned his authority. God has made Jesus lord over everything in Heaven, Hell and the earth, everything that is created. At the end of the age Jesus will lay everything at the father's feet.

12. Pharaoh commanded every knee to bow before Joseph. (Genesis 41:43)

12. God has commanded every knee to bow before Jesus. (Philippians 2:9-10)

Pharaoh commanded everyone under his authority to bow before Joseph, he sent bearers before Joseph saying bow the knee, bow the knee. God has done the same thing with his son Jesus; He commands everyone to kneel before him and to acknowledge that Jesus is Lord.

13. Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphnathpaaneah that means Savior. (Genesis 41:45)

13. God gave Jesus His name, and His name means Savior. (Matthew 1:21)

It was Pharaoh who named Joseph, Zaphnathpaaneah. An Egyptian name that means savior. Joseph would become the savior of Egypt and everyone who would come to him in Egypt. God named Jesus. In the Hebrew his name is Yeshua. This name means savior. Just as Joseph, God has given us a savior who will save everyone who comes to him.

14. Pharaoh gave Joseph a Gentile bride. (Genesis 41:45)

14. God gave Jesus a Gentile Bride. (Ephesians 5:3)

Pharaoh gave Joseph a Gentile bride just to make him happy. God has done the same for Jesus. God concluded all of Israel in blindness that he might turn to us to give us salvation.

7 years of provision for 7 years of trouble

15. Joseph was 30 years old when he started making provision. (Genesis 41:46)

15. Jesus was 30 years old when he began his ministry. (Luke 3:22-23)

These parallels are amazing. Many people think that these parallels ended with the Gentile bride, not realizing that they continue. The Bible has much more to say about these fourteen years. Jacob's labor for Rachel was fourteen years and they are a shadow of the same mystery.

16. The harvest and his plan are the provision for the 7 bad years that are coming. (Genesis 41:48-49)

16. Jesus and his plan, plus the harvest during his ministry are going to be the provision for the 7 years of tribulation. (Romans 11:26-32)

To understand this mystery takes some thought. God had sent Joseph ahead of this troublesome time in order to provide a shelter for Jacob, his sons and families. It was God's plan. He was not only a shelter to Israel but to all the Gentiles who came to him during the bad seven years. God would force Israel to leave their land in Canaan and come to Egypt where Joseph was ruling in order to save their lives. God is going to do a similar thing in order to save the lives and souls of the Jews who are presently living in the nation of Israel. It will also bring great salvation to the nation that this occurs in when the time comes.

When Jesus began his ministry he was 30yrs old. He ministered for 3 1/2 years. During this time he provided the Gospel and made it possible for all men to be saved. It is his plan to make provision for the 7-year tribulation which is coming. Like Joseph's story this provision will take 7 years. Jesus has only used 1/2 of this time doing this. Time has stood still for Israel from that time. He will continue to make provision for 3 1/2 years yet to come. We are presently living in the midst of this seven-year period. In this present time He has taken a Gentile bride. This has occurred during the midst of this seven years of provision. There is going to be 3 1/2 years of harvest that will be the completion of the provision before the 7-year tribulation begins. During this harvest Joseph's family will be born by his Gentile bride.

Let's look at this real careful for a moment. Most of us today don't realize what God has done concerning the house of Joseph. God knew that Israel was not going to follow him as he had commanded them. Solomon had turned to idols, which upset God tremendously. At this point knowing what lay ahead of Israel because of their disobedience, God began to devise a plan to accomplish several things. In order to accomplish these things he would have to divide Israel.

It was his plan that out of David, the seed of Judah, the Messiah would come to Israel. He would be rejected and crucified to become the savior of the world. He will return someday to become king of Israel.

Joseph and his two son's Ephraim and Manasseh were given the birthright. God, through Jacob gave Ephraim the greater part of it. Ephraim's birthright was that he would become a multitude of nations. This was one of the promises given to Abraham. That he would become the father of a multitude of nations. It was passed down to Joseph's youngest son. This is their birthright from Abraham. They will become a multitude of nations by taking the Gospel to the world. They will inherit the Gentiles through the Gospel. This is the heritage of the house of Joseph. They will win a multitude of nations to Christ before he returns.

Judah on the other hand had been promised that out of him would come the great king. This is the promised seed, that God would bless all the nations of the earth. This was a part of the promise given to Abraham. The difference between these two promises is that Judah would provide the means for salvation by giving birth to Jesus. But Joseph's promise given to Ephraim would be the promise to take salvation to the nations through the preaching of the Gospel. They would be given the double portion. God knew that someday he would have to keep his word to Abraham concerning these promises.

God divided Israel giving ten tribes to Jeroboam and giving one tribe to Solomon other than his own. Kings would lead the Northern Kingdom that was born from the tribe of Ephraim, descendants of the tribe of Joseph. God often referred to the Northern Kingdom as being Israel, or Ephraim, sometimes he called it the house of Joseph.

The Southern Kingdom only consisted of two tribes that God himself had placed together. They were Judah and Benjamin. God had placed these two tribes together for a special purpose. The Southern Kingdom was called Judah. One day Christ would be born from these people and they would crucify him. It would become the destiny of the Southern Kingdom to do this. God blessed Jacob by giving Judah the promise of the promised seed, which was Christ, but Judah was not a good man. Judah had sold his own brother Joseph. God remembered this and would repay Judah by allowing his children to be the ones to crucify Jesus. Someone had to do it. It was God's plan. But they would carry the guilt of this for two thousand years. But when it came to redeeming these people in the end time God had a great plan to bless them. He had placed Benjamin with Judah for a special reason. Benjamin was Joseph's only real brother. They were both born from Rachel. It makes a person wonder why God placed him with Judah instead of Ephraim the Northern Kingdom. Well, we will understand it as we go into our parallels and see the great role in prophecy that they will play. God is saving all of Israel both kingdoms because of Joseph's faithfulness. This is why God gave Joseph Abraham's promise.

On the other hand the Northern Kingdom would be spared from the guilt of crucifying the Lord but they would be scattered into all the nations to eventually take the Gospel to the world. This is the way God intends to bless the house of Joseph. Both kingdoms would be driven out of the land of Promise. Today God has gathered Israel into two locations. There are approximately 13 million children of Israel living in the world today. In the nation of Israel there are 5.4 million, in the United States there are 6 million which only leaves approximately 1.6 million scattered into the rest of the world. God had told Ezekiel that he would make two sticks out of the children of Israel. One stick was for Joseph which was in the hand of Ephraim and his companions, which was the Northern Kingdom. The other was for Judah and his companions. He promised that one day he would bring these two sticks together. The two sticks have been formed, one in America, the other in the nation of Israel. The stick in America is for Joseph; all the Jews in America are under his banner. All the Jews living in Israel are under Judah's banner. God also promised that Ephraim, or Joseph's house, speaking of the Jews in America, would find salvation first. In Jeremiah 31:9 he told us that Ephraim would be his firstborn. Which also means that they would have the double portion. Isaiah 60:16 shows the Jews being breastfed milk from the Gentiles. This is a picture of the Gentile bride holding brand new born again Jews in her arms like a little baby feeding them the Gospel, the milk of the word. Now we can return to our shadows and we will be able to see the significance of their meanings.

17. During the first seven years the Gentile Bride gives birth to Ephraim and Manasseh. (Genesis 41: 51-52)

17. The Gentile Bride will give birth to Ephraim before the tribulation. (Isaiah 60:16, Revelation 4^th & 5^th Chapters)

It is during the first seven years that Joseph's Gentile bride gives birth to his children, this is during the time of the provision. They will eventually play a great role in the salvation of the Jews living in Israel itself. In Joseph's story God only reveals that they will be born from the Gentile bride.

The Church in America has a Job to do!

18. Ephraim had the birthright. (Genesis 48:13-20, 1^st Chronicles 5:1)

18.Ephraim (Ten Northern Tribes) will be Israel's first born. (Jeremiah 31:9)

The scriptures that tell us that Joseph's son Ephraim has the birthright are found in Genesis 48:13-20 also in 1^st Chronicles 5:1. The Northern Kingdom of Israel is called Ephraim in Jeremiah 31:9. It is in this scripture that he promises that they will become the firstborn. Here God is saying that Ephraim and his companions will be the firstborn. His companions of course are the ten northern tribes of Israel.

19. Joseph's sons. (1^st Chronicles 5:1-2)

19. Joseph's house, Ezekiel's sticks. (Ezekiel 37:16)

The promise of Joseph and his sons are found in 1^st Chronicles 5:1-2; The promise of The two sticks are found in Ezekiel 37:16-22.

20. Ephraim is born in a land West of Israel that is the most powerful nation in the world. (Genesis 41:51-52)

20. America is a land West of Israel and it, too, is the most powerful nation in the world. (Revelation 12:6 & 14)

Ephraim was born in Egypt, which for the most part was west of Israel. Many theologians try to refer to Egypt as being to the south of Israel. It is true that part of Egypt is south of Israel, but for the most part it is west of Israel. The same latitude line on the world map that crosses Israel goes across Egypt, and goes directly to the northern coast of Florida to the United States of America. This is one of the reasons I believe that this shadow is talking about the United States of America. Joseph's family was born in the strongest nation of the world, which was west of Israel. There are 6 million Jews living in America, who for the most part are not born again Christians. God has a very large part of the Gentile bride living here. America is the strongest nation in the world in our time. We have the largest number of Jews living in America that has ever been gathered into one nation in the history of the world. The Church hasn't seemed to notice. But when the Church hears the Lord on this matter, the Jews in America will be saved because we will give them the Gospel as we are supposed to do. It is our destiny to do so. Joseph's house will be saved in America before the tribulation begins.

21. Joseph's brothers are forced to come to Egypt, the most powerful nation in the world. (Genesis 42:2)

21. Israel will be forced to come to America during Tribulation. (Revelation 12:6 & 14)

When the 7-year famine came upon that part of the world, God had already made preparation for it through Joseph. Joseph's family was safe in Egypt, but the rest of his family who were living in the land of Israel was in grave danger. During this seven years his brothers will be forced to come to him through the hardship of this terrible drought. But it will be for their good that this will happen. It is the plan of God.

This is a shadow of another event that will occur during the seven years of tribulation. In the middle of the tribulation the anti-Christ and his armies will invade Israel. The lives of the people of Israel will be in grave danger, if they don't leave they will perish. They will be taken to a land that God has prepared in the wilderness, a place where the people who live there will be feed them for 3 1/2 years. When you prepare a place in the wilderness it is no longer a wilderness but a place for someone to live.

At the time God revealed this place in the wilderness to John, America was a wilderness. Today we have the power to rescue Israel, not only to bring them to America, but we have the Gospel to feed them when they arrive, so they can be saved. We also have the strongest army in the world to defend them from any known enemy in the world. In Revelation 12:14 he said that he would protect them from the face of the serpent. Which is talking about the anti-Christ and his armies. This is how he is going to do it. He said that he is going to rescue them on two wings of a great Eagle. In Ezekiel the 17th chapter you will find that God used Eagles as a description of great, powerful, swift nations. In these scriptures he was talking about Egypt, and Babylon. But in Rev.12 He is talking about America. Some say that this Eagle is God. Which may be correct. It still would not alter the fact that God uses people and nations to fulfill his will. The fact that Egypt was the strongest nation in the world still points to America.

This is God's plan to rescue and bring the Jews to Salvation. It is his plan to use the Gentiles as their friends. God will bless America for doing this. God used Egypt under Joseph's rule to save Joseph's brothers. In the process he ended up saving the whole nation of Egypt as well. This is what God has planned for America.

22. Joseph longs for Benjamin. (Genesis 42:34, 43:29-30)

22. Christ and the Remnant of Judah. (Matthew 23:37-39, Romans 10:1, 11:26)

Joseph's family was safe with him in Egypt, but his brother Benjamin was still in Canaan. Joseph longed to see his little brother. Benjamin was his full brother while the others where half-brothers. He and Benjamin were the only real sons of Rachel so there was a special bond. He forced his brothers to bring Benjamin to him by holding Simeon hostage. Reuben tried to convince his father to let him take Benjamin to Egypt. Jacob ignored Reuben's request. Later it was Judah who convinced Jacob to let Benjamin go with him to Egypt; he would be his assurance. Jacob trusted Judah. Remember when talking about the northern and southern kingdom of Israel that God placed the tribe of Benjamin with the tribe of Judah? This is the reason? In his effort to save the rest of Joseph's family the tribe of Benjamin will be Judah's companion and they will come to America together. This is how God intends to save all of Israel. It is because of the faithfulness of Joseph. It is the way God intends to bless Joseph. In doing so he is also remembering his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Benjamin also represents that last born of Israel.

Jesus longs for these people to come to him. He said O Jerusalem, O Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

23. After Benjamin arrives, Joseph reveals himself. (Genesis 45:1-7)

23. After this Remnant gets to America, Christ will reveal himself to them and they will be saved. (Isaiah 60:16)

After Benjamin had arrived in Egypt, Joseph prepared a feast for his brothers. During the feast he gave Benjamin five times as much as the others. Later he tricked them by hiding his cup in Benjamin's sack of corn. Accused of being thieves they stood before Joseph in fear. Joseph could handle it no longer and cried, then he told them who he was. His brothers were stunned, but he then told them not to be grieved or angry with themselves for what they had done to him. God had simply sent him before them into Egypt to preserve life. After the Jews come to America, Jesus will reveal himself to them and they will be saved. But the scriptures tell us the grief that they will feel when they realize that their savior is the one they had crucified. They will grieve as if they had lost their own children. But Jesus will say, don't grieve and don't blame yourself, For this was the plan of God that he might save much life.

24. Both houses are brought together. (Genesis 45:1-7)

24. Christ brings ALL together. (Ezekiel 37:16)

God was not only using this nation as a place to save Israel from death but also used it to bring Joseph's family and his brothers together. During the first seven years Joseph marries a Gentile bride and then has his sons Manasseh and Ephraim. This is his immediate family. Then God forces the rest of his family who were living in Canaan to come to Egypt. Everyone is so happy. Now they are together, all of Israel. Although Israel was small at that time, this is a shadow of all of Israel being brought together.

In Ezekiel 37: God said that he would make a stick for Joseph, which was in the hand of Ephraim for all of Israel his companions, And that he would make a stick for Judah, for Israel and his companions. He would then bring them together and they would become one in his hand. Then he would bring them back to the Land of Israel and make them one nation upon the mountains of Israel and they would no longer be two nations. God is going to force Israel to come to America where the only other large gathering of Jews is in the world. They will be joined together with them. After they do what they have been called to do. He will then gather them up to take back to the land of Israel.

25. Joseph, his Gentile Bride, his sons, brothers, and his father, all went to the finest land, the land of Goshen. (Genesis 45-48)

25.After having made us all ONE we will go together to the finest land - The New Earth. (1^st Corinthians 15:23-28)

Let's see who all is gathered together at this gathering. There will be Joseph, his Gentile Bride, his sons, brothers, and sister, their parents. This is a shadow of All of Israel and the Gentile Church all together along with Israel's forefathers gathered together to go heaven. We will be gathered at the marriage supper of the Lamb, to return to the finest land this earth has ever known since Adam and Eve in the Garden. We will dwell here for a thousand years, and then heaven itself will be ours.

26. He explains that it was the plan of God. (Genesis 45:5-7, Genesis 50:19-20)

26. This is God's plan for the salvation of both houses of Israel & the Gentiles. (Ephesians 3:9-11, Romans 11:29-32)

This is God's omnipotent plan for the salvation of the Jew and the Gentile alike. We have been included into Israel's promise. Joseph explained after they realized who he was that it was God's plan to preserve life. This explains why God has allowed Israel to reject Jesus just as Joseph was rejected. This is God's way of gathering us all together. In Romans 11:30-32 it says this: For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. You see it was his plan to be rejected by his own to then be accepted by the Gentiles just as Joseph was. It is his purpose to use the Gentiles to win his people Israel back again, and to give the new birth to them through the Gospel. Then God will bring everyone together and make them one. Both nations of Israel and the Gentile Church all become one in him.

27. Joseph buys everything with Bread the people; their possessions; their lands. After having received all he gives all to Pharaoh. (Genesis 47:11-23)

27. Jesus buys everything with his Blood. Then He gives it all to the King, God the Father. (1^st Corinthians 15:24-28)

But there is a special blessing for the nation that God used to save Israel and bring them together again. Joseph saved every Egyptian in Egypt. They all came to him for corn to stay alive. If they had not wanted him to be lord over them in the beginning it didn't really matter. In fact I'm sure that there were many, many Egyptians that didn't approve of Pharaoh's decision to make Joseph Lord over them. But by the time the famine was over. Every one in Egypt had come to Joseph and bowed their knee to him. Joseph owned every single person in Egypt by the time the famine was over. This is God's plan for America; He always pays his debts. America is full of sinners who do not want Jesus to be Lord over them and simply refuse to bow the knee to him. But, by the time the tribulation is over, everyone in America will have bowed the knee to Jesus. They will do it out of desperation.

After Joseph had purchased everything he gave it all to Pharaoh. The scriptures tell us: Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and authority and power.

Jesus has bought it all with his own blood.

The story of Joseph is a great marvelous allegory concerning prophecy and is found in the book of Genesis. God has many mysteries in the book of Genesis that is now being revealed by the Holy Spirit. In Isaiah 46:10 God told us that he had declared the end from the beginning. It is amazing the simplicity that God speaks, and yet somehow he seems so difficult to understand. God was telling us then that in Genesis, the first book in the Bible, is the understanding to the Book of Revelations, which is the last book in the Bible. Revelation is a mystery of the end, the end from the beginning, Revelation from Genesis.

In the book of Genesis is another allegory that will confirm some of things that I have shared with you out of the life of Joseph. God always bears witness to the truth with two or more witnesses. In the story of Jacob and his two wives Leah and Rachel, God will confirm the allegories that are in Joseph's life.

JACOB AND HIS WIVES A SHADOW OF CHRIST

Using Jacob as a shadow of Christ and his relationship with the Gentiles and the Jews this love triangle becomes an easily understood allegory. First I would like to point out that Leah is an allegory of the Gentile Church and her history. Rachel on the other hand is an allegory of the children of Israel and their history.

Leah's name means wild cow or female gazelle. Her name is to insinuate that she has no one to care for her. A female gazelle had no caretaker the same as the wild olive has no one to care for it. Paul understood this mystery of Leah and Rachel. This is why he called the Gentiles the wild olive. Israel was cared for by the Lord, therefore it was tame. By the Gentiles being grafted into the tame olive tells us that he will take care of us along with Israel. This is the very reason that Laban tricked Jacob and hid her in the tent on his wedding night instead of Rachel. He knew that Rachel would be cared for and believed that Jacob would be willing to work an extra seven years to get her. But he wanted someone to take care of his little girl, Leah. He believed that Jacob would be good to her. This is the reason God brought us into Israel's promise so that we too would be taken care of.

Rachel's name means ewe Lamb. She was so beautiful and Jacob loved her so much, she would have to become his wife. He asked Laban her father who agreed but told him he would have to labor for him for seven years before he could have her. Jacob did this but, on the wedding night, Laban tricked Jacob and hid Leah in the tent with him. Jacob supposed that she was Rachel and embraced her. In the morning he was very disturbed to find that she was there instead of Rachel. He then worked another 7 years to get Rachel. All totaled he worked fourteen years to get her. Instead he ended up with two wives. Rachel's life and her children tell us the history of Israel. Where they have been and where they are going. She was the wife of promise. Laban promised her to Jacob. Israel is the people to whom the promises came first. Jesus told the woman at the well; salvation is of the Jews. Paul himself said to the Jew first and also to the Greek. They were first choice because of the promise made to Abraham. When Christ came for her it would be deception that would prevent her from becoming his. In the meantime God gave Jesus a Gentile bride with the promise that later on he would save Israel.

Rachel's children tell us the history of Israel, If you remember Rachel wasn't able to have children. She was barren. She also had a problem with Idols. This is one of the things that God held against her. On the other hand Leah began having children immediately which provoked Rachel to jealousy. Remember? Paul said in Romans 11:11 that God had saved the Gentiles to provoke Israel to jealousy! This is why Paul said this! He could see the story of Leah and Rachel as an allegory of the Gentile Church and Israel.

Rachel desired to have children, but was unable to do so. She decided to ask Jacob to take her handmaid Bilhah to wife, which was a custom they had in those days. Bilhah's children would belong to Rachel. This way Rachel would no longer be ashamed. Bilhah was an allegory of the Law of Moses. She was a bondwoman, Paul told us in Galatians 4:21-31 concerning Abraham's promise that Hagar the bondwoman was an allegory representing the Law of Moses. That Sarah was an allegory of the free woman of promise. According to scripture the Law came by necessity not by promise. But salvation will come to Israel to the free woman, not the bondwoman. He said to cast out the bondwoman and her son, the bondwoman's son would not be an heir with the freewoman's son. Rachel's bondwoman Bilhah represents the Law of Moses, she will bear two different sons. This is an allegory of two separate time periods with Israel. Bilhah has her children, but we must remember that they are legally Rachel's children. Bilhah will first give birth to Dan.

1. Dan's name means judging. When Bilhah gave birth to Dan, Rachel said God hath judged me, and hath heard my voice. It was Rachel that gave Dan his name. This was a shadow of Israel's beginning under the Law of Moses. Moses was the first to judge Israel. After they had entered into the promise land, they were to be ruled by Judges for a period of time. This period lasted from Moses until the time that Samuel anointed Saul as king over Israel. The law represents bondage.

2. The next son that Bilhah gave birth to would also belong to Rachel. Rachel named him Naphtali, "which means wrestlings of God." Rachel said; "With great wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister and I have prevailed."

This is the period of time that Israel decided that they wanted a King. Israel began to wrestle with God. They wanted a king; no more judges. God gave them a king, but their problems would only increase. They have been wrestling with God ever since. They were wrestling with God when Christ came. Israel will wrestle with God until the Church gives her the Gospel the way God wants us to. Jacob is a shadow of Israel wrestling with God, way up into the night. The Lord cripples him but Jacob wins. Israel will wrestle with God until God changes their minds about Jesus, then they will win and their walk will be changed forever. Leah is a shadow of the Gentile church. Rachel said that she had wrestled with her sister, referring to Leah, and that she had prevailed. God has saved the Gentiles to provoke Israel to jealousy. Rachel was terribly jealous of Leah, but in order to have children of her own, not from her handmaid, she will have to come to terms with Leah.

Rachel heard that Reuben had found some mandrake in a field. Reuben was the firstborn son of Leah. Mandrake was a herb that was suppose to cause a barren woman to have children or would increase child birth in some way or other. The mandrake in this story represents the Gospel of the lord Jesus Christ. This is what the lord uses to bring forth children. Jesus was the firstborn of many brethren, which was the church. This is who Reuben represents, the firstborn. But it is Leah who will have to give her the mandrake. Jesus has given us the Gospel, which will cause childbirth, but he doesn't preach it, we must do that. This is what Leah is representing in this story, the Church. She doesn't want to give the mandrake to Rachel. But when promised a special night with Jacob she immediately accepts. The next scene in this story is that she meets with Jacob and tells him that she has bought him for the night with mandrake. When the church gives the Gospel to the Jewish people, God will give us the greatest soul winning Revival America has ever seen in her history. But like Leah, who didn't really care whether Rachel had children or not, The Church in America has ignored Paul's plea in the 11th chapter of Romans. The Church doesn't really care if the Jews get saved or not, this is why we have left them out of Bible prophecy until the very end. We don't really want the Jews to come to Jesus; we have a jealousy problem, just like Leah. Leah began to have children of her own after doing this. We will have a great increase when we do what we are suppose to do.

After Leah had given the mandrake to Rachel, Rachel began to have children of her own. Not from her handmaid, but her very own. The first son she has is Joseph. Joseph's name means the Lord shall add. When he was born she said, "the Lord shall add to me another son." She knew in her heart that she would give birth to another child and she would. The two sons Rachel is about to give birth to are a shadow of the divided kingdom of Israel. This is the same as the shadow in the story of Joseph and his shadows that we have just recently talked about. The Northern Kingdom was given to Joseph's house. It was in the hand of Ephraim. The Northern Kingdom was called Israel most of the time, often times God called it Ephraim, sometimes he called it the house of Joseph. God had made the ten northern tribes companions with Joseph's house. When looking at this allegory of Rachel's children we are looking at the Northern Kingdom of Israel being born again through Jesus Christ first. In Jeremiah 31:9 God promised that Ephraim, the Northern Kingdom would be saved first. He said I am a father to Israel and Ephraim is my first born. Here he is talking specifically of the Northern Kingdom of Israel that he had placed in Joseph's care. Remember? In Ezekiel 37: God said that he would make a stick for Joseph, which was in the hand of Ephraim for all of Israel his companions, and that he would make a stick for Judah, for Israel and his companions. He would then bring them together and they would become one in his hand. Then he would bring them back to the Land of Israel and make them one nation upon the mountains of Israel and they would no longer be two nations.

Once again I would like to remind you that the largest group of Jews in the world is in the United States of America, this is the stick for Joseph. They will be saved before the tribulation begins. In this allegory Leah, representing the Gentiles, gives Rachel, who represents Israel, the mandrake which causes her to bear children. Remember? In Joseph's story in Egypt his Gentile bride gives birth to his sons? This is another shadow of the Gentiles causing the birth of Israel through Jesus Christ. It's the same shadow! The Gentiles will be responsible for the salvation of the Jews. Remember Joseph and his sons had the birthright, which also meant that they were the firstborn.

Then Rachel gives birth to her second and last son whose name was Benjamin. His name means the son of the right hand. This son will be born during a time of great stress. Jesus called this period of time, the time of sorrows. Rachel dies giving birth to this last child. Because of her grief, she names him Benoni, which means son of my sorrow. Once again this is a shadow of the time of sorrows. But, Jacob says no, we are not going to name him Benoni, but his name will be Benjamin. This name means the son of the right hand. Where does Jesus sit? Does he sit on the right hand of God? Yes, I believe he does. This is telling us that these children of Israel will be born through the right hand of God. Speaking of Jesus himself.

This son represents all the Jews who are living in the nation of Israel. This is Ezekiel's stick for Judah, the Southern Kingdom of Israel, under Judah's name. God placed the tribe of Benjamin with Judah in the Southern Kingdom when he divided Israel into two kingdoms. Benjamin was Joseph's brother not his son. In the story of Joseph, when Joseph was trying to get his brothers to bring Benjamin to him, Jacob would not let him go to Egypt. Finally facing starvation and certain death if he doesn't, He placed Benjamin in Judah's care to take him to Egypt. When they came to Joseph, Joseph could no longer keep his identity hidden. He revealed himself to his brothers. When the Jews from Israel come to America where Joseph's family is living, Jesus will reveal himself to them and they will accept him as their Lord and bow their knees to him. This is why God placed Benjamin with Judah. God is using Joseph's family as the means to bring all of Israel to Jesus. In an effort to bring Benjamin to Joseph's family, he will be in Judah's care; Judah will have to come with him. This is how God is going to save Judah along with Joseph's house. He will bring them together in a place that he has prepared to accomplish this. In doing so, he will save the whole house of Israel. It was Joseph's servants the Gentiles that fed Joseph's family when they came, He commanded them to give his brother Benjamin a greater portion.

The Gentile church is about to do the greatest work we have ever been given to do. The whole nation of Egypt came to Joseph because of that terrible time. God is going to bring the whole nation of America to Jesus during the terrible time that is coming upon the world. God is going to use America like he did Egypt during the famine. Millions of people will come to America from all over the world because of the distress from the anti-Christ during the last 3 &1/2 years. God has created America to be a refuge in the world. He isn't through with America yet!

It is so easy to see that these two stories confirm one another. Yet, both of these stories have another mystery that is wonderful to know. Both the story of Joseph in Egypt and Jacob and his two wives, have a 14-year time period that is a mystery. This 14-year time period in each story tells us different things about Christ and Israel. Jacob labored for 14 years to get Rachel; none of his labor was for Leah yet she became his wife along with Rachel. Rachel represents Israel; Leah represents the Gentiles. This is telling us that Jesus will labor for Israel 14 years before he will claim her, Israel, as his bride. He has already labored for Israel 3 1/2 years and then he turned to the Gentiles. He has yet to labor another 3 1/2 years before the first 7 years are complete. The Gentiles have become his bride during this first 7 years of time. The 7 years of tribulation will be the last 7 years of his labor for Israel. The story of Joseph has the same 14 years of Labor.

During the first seven years he provided the provision for the salvation of his brothers who would come to him in Egypt. But, in doing so he provided salvation for anyone who lived anywhere in the whole world, as long as they came to him for the provision. During the first 7 years he took a Gentile bride. This is the same as the shadow of Jacob getting Rachel for his first 7 years of labor. But remember his labor wasn't for her; it was for Rachel. Leah represents the Gentiles; Jacob represents Christ. In Joseph's story his Gentile bride gave him children, Manasseh and Ephraim. Remember Joseph's house has the birthright, and Ephraim is the holder of it. This is an allegory of the Northern Kingdom being born because of the Gentile bride. The Northern Kingdom belonged to Joseph's house. This will happen during the first 7 years that Christ will labor for Israel. This is during the 7 years before the Tribulation. Remember in the story of Leah and Rachel? It was Leah who gave the mandrake to Rachel so that she could bear children. She was responsible. This is telling us the same thing. The Gentiles will be responsible for the salvation of the Jews in America.

There will also be a great harvest of souls before the last 7 years. This is shown by the harvest that Joseph reaped before the 7 years of famine came. Jesus has already spent 3 1/2 years making provision in his labor for Israel. He purchased salvation at the cross, gave us the Gospel to take to the world, and poured out the Holy Spirit upon the earth. But Israel was held in blindness and God turned to the Gentiles. Time has stood still concerning his labor for Israel. In the last 3 1/2 years before the Tribulation begins he will begin to labor for the salvation of Israel once again. This is proven by the story of Joseph's Gentile bride giving birth to his children. An interesting thing about this is that only recently in America the Jewish people have been coming to Christ in large numbers. Estimates are being made anywhere from 60,000 to 600,000. If these estimates are true, we could be very close to the last 3 1/2 years just before the seven years of Tribulation.

Remember? This is Christ's labor for Israel. The last 7 years will be the last 7 years of his labor for Israel. During this last 7 years the Jews living in Israel will come to America to be joined together with their brothers. When this happens Christ will be revealed to them and they will accept Jesus themselves. After they are saved the Gospel will go across the world like a wildfire. Of course the anti-Christ will have conquered 1/4th of the world which will cause major problems for those people who live there and to the missionaries who try to take them the Gospel. God is going to save whole nations before the return of Christ. The last 7 years are known as the great and dreadful day of the Lord. It will be wonderful for some, but dreadful for others.

God has given us these two stories, the one of Joseph in Egypt, the other of Jacob and his wives to show us what is about to happen in the world. It's up to you and me to make a decision. God has given us these two witnesses in the scriptures to prove that it is true. Will we take this message on faith and do what God wants us to do? Or will we wait in unbelief? Jesus is not coming for the Church until we have finished the work that he has given us to do.

In Romans the 11th Chapter, Paul begged us to have mercy on the Jews by giving them the Gospel. He said that God had placed Israel in blindness that he might have mercy on us. With the hope that through our mercy, Israel would find mercy. He then said that this was the plan of God, that he might have mercy upon all. Romans 11:30-31. Won't you please help us take the Gospel to the Jews in America? Aren't you tired of the death, the drugs, and the wickedness that Satan has afflicted our nation? Only you and me can do it and that is only with God's help. Please, pray for his will concerning your participation in this great event.

Genesis 12 1: Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

2: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

3: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Ps:122:6: Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.

Jeremiah 31: 7: For thus saith the LORD; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O LORD, save thy people, the remnant of Israel.

Isaiah 66:10-12

10: Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:

11: That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.

12: For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.

The above scriptures are showing the Gentiles being blessed when Israel comes to Christ. It is showing brand new born again Gentiles sitting on her lap (Israel) like a baby drinking milk (the word of God) from her breast (the heart). This description is to show her like a mother to many Gentiles as they are born again through the preaching of the word of God.

Isaiah 60:1-5

1: Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.

2: For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

3: And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

4: Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.

5: Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee .

These scriptures are saying that Israel will someday be able to see the light and will no longer be held in blindness (verse 1 and 2). They will come out of darkness and when they do, they will reach lost Gentile souls by the millions. The abundance of the sea is referring to winning souls like Peter who was a fisher of men. The forces of the Gentiles is comparing it to large groups such as armies, millions of people will be saved through the preaching of the Jews when they come to Christ. World Revival!

Isaiah 54:1-3

1: Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.

2: Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;

3: For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

These scriptures are about Israel being unable to bear children to God at the time Jesus came. God is telling her to sing and to be happy because now she is going to have millions of children. He tells her to make her tent bigger because she will have to enlarge it because of the abundance of children she is about to give birth to. Verse three tells us that these children are going to be Gentiles. Desolate cities are cities in which the majority are not God's children. If a city is full of God's children it is inhabited. They will win whole cities to Christ.

Isaiah 61:5-7

5: And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks , and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.

6: But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.

7: For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.

These scriptures are showing the Gentiles as shepherds and aliens giving Israel the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This shows them as ministers: the shepherds are pastors. The plowmen and vinedressers is the same thing. This shows them being cared for like a shepherd and a husbandman over their vineyard. It is spiritual. Verse 6 shows the Jews becoming ministers themselves. Remember? We are priests and kings in the kingdom. The riches of the Gentiles in this verse is talking about Jesus himself, he is our wealth. The Jews are receiving it. Verse seven tells them that because of the shame they have suffered down through the ages that God is going to give them a double portion when they come to Jesus. But then he tells them that he is going to bless the shepherds and vinedressers because of the confusion that they have experienced in this last minute rush to reach his people Israel with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The main reason for this is, that the Gentiles do not realize that this is what God wants. But, because of this confusion, after the Gentiles give the Gospel to the Jews (according to verse seven), he is going to give them a double portion of the blessing of Salvation to the nations of these Gentiles who take the Gospel to the Jews. This is what is going to happen in America when we give the Gospel to the Jews who live here in our nation. God will save our country!

God has promised to bless any one who will bless Israel according to his promise to Abraham. If the Church in America will reach the nation of Israel with the Gospel, God will do the same thing for America. It is God's promise!

Yours in Christ,
Tommie Spurgeon

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