Are We Moving Through the Leah (anagram of Heal) Years?
“But in the morning (Jacob saw his wife and) behold it was Leah!” Genesis 29:25
Those of us who have been looking at the timing of the Rapture and of Daniel’s final week are coming to realise that timelines for Israel (God’s timepiece), from becoming a nation (15 May 1948) and/or the liberation of Jerusalem (7 June 1967), are becoming tight. There are prophecies in Joel about a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit - I believe this is before the Rapture (upon all flesh). The Rapture timing is a mystery and we should expect it at any time! How might this all fit together?
I am not an expert in Jubilee years, and appreciate the wisdom and knowledge on this from other Doves. In particular, many consider that the next Jubilee year for Israel would start around September 2015. The tetrads are compelling evidence that there are major events in 2014 and 2015 for Israel - impacting on the entire world! In this letter I would like to question whether strange goings on in the bedroom (Leah taking the place of Rachel) may throw some light on what may happen in the time that lies just ahead. The remarkable story of how Leah took Rachel’s place (the wrong bride!) reads like a ‘soapie’ plot would currently. Nevertheless, this may be vital in our discerning of the times.
I have included the key parts from Genesis 29 (further down) below, under the banner “Genesis 29 - Excerpts from a Biblical ‘Soapie’Script”. I have also included some information about Leah from Wikipedia - Leah’s Alternative Destiny? With Esau (type of the world)? Here are some thoughts on the possible taking of the wrong bride.
Jacob and Rachel - Love at First Sight
20And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.
Jacob fell in love with Rachel at first sight, as the shepherd girl approached the well that watered her father Laban’s sheep. What a wonderful picture of Christians falling in love as they see each other’s service for the Lord Jesus Christ. But here I would like to focus on an eschatological aspect, and an important one: does the Leah/Rachel ‘swap’ story foreshadow that Israel may initially miss their Jubilee (around September 2015), with seven years added as the final seven years for Daniel’s people (Daniel’s final week). This possibility is detailed below, with some key Biblical references.
The Kingdom Will be Taken Away from You (Israel) - Matthew 21: 42-44
What does Jesus say? The very Stone which the builders rejected and threw away has become the Cornerstone. I tell you, for this reason (rejection of the Cornerstone, the suffering Servant) the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people (nation) who will produce the fruits of it. Whoever falls on this Stone will be broken to pieces.
Jesus prophesied that, in the restoration of all things, the kingdom would (I believe, temporarily) be taken from Israel and given to another people or nation. In 1 Peter 2:6-9 it speaks of the church as a dedicated or consecrated nation. The amazing connection between these two Scriptures is that becoming God’s chosen nation depends on acceptance of the (rejected) Cornerstone. Both the Church and Israel can only reach their destiny through acceptance of the Suffering Servant!
Behold, I am laying in Zion a chosen, precious chief Cornerstone, 7To you then who believe, the Stone which the builders rejected has become the main Cornerstone. A Stone that will cause stumbling. 9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God's] own purchased, special people!
Rejection of John the Baptist and the End-time Elijah - Matthew 11:14
14And if you are willing to receive and accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come [before the kingdom]. Jesus was asked about when the kingdom would be restored to Israel. One of His responses was to point out that they were not willing to believe John the Baptist (Matthew 17:11 Elijah has come already, and they did not know him. But how does this all relate to now?
Rejection of the End-time Elijah? And Acceptance of the Antichrist? - John 5:43
I have come in My Father's name and with His power, and you do not receive Me, but if another comes in his own name and his own power and with no other authority but himself, YOU WILL RECEIVE HIM!
Put directly, this prophecy of Jesus is saying: I (Jesus) have come as your Messiah in My Father’s name; at the time of the end another would-be Messiah will come in his own name - you would not accept Me, but you will accept this imposter. This is what could delay Daniel’s final week, and Israel’s Jubilee. Malachi 4:5 says that Elijah the prophet will be sent before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. Both the church and Israel may reject an end-time Elijah, or the Elijah voice sent forth into the world through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit - because he will point to the rejected Stone/Suffering Servant.
Both Leah (the Church?) and Rachel (Israel?) are being prepared as the bride
Derek Prince Ministries have a very good DVD titled: Israel and the Church: Parallel Restoration. This conjures up visions of two vehicles moving, the same way, along two lanes of a highway - which one will reach the destination first? Perhaps more important is the deep and mutual recognition that God has Eternal purposes for both Israel and the Church. Some aspects of the Leah/Rachel swap remain a mystery, but it seems that Leah would have known about the ‘deception’ and Rachel may not have. The celebration was for men only, and this swap could only really occur with the consummate then celebrate approach to the Jewish wedding. Jacob had to wait seven days after his night with Leah, then Rachel was given to him, and he worked seven more years for her. Rachel had to accept that she came after Leah.
The Times Ahead - Leah to be Taken, Rachel Restored/Prepared
However, we look at events that are unfolding before our very eyes, the times we are in are for preparing Leah and Rachel. With September 2008 as an anchor of time, we are approaching the critical half way mark! The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is likely to be the catalyst for accelerating God’s purposes, and Psalm 83/Isaiah 17 looms as a time of (military) vindication for Israel. Two of the sons of Leah will play a key role in end-time events: Levi and preparation of the priests to serve in the Temple, and Judah and the restoration of the Jews to Israel (and in time their spiritual restoration). There is also the preparation of witnesses from all 12 tribes, for ministry in the first three and a half years of Daniel’s final week.
Just some pieces of the puzzle. And the Rapture could take place at any time in this period. As letters to Five Doves indicate, there may be a rapture of the dead in Christ and the remnant (and watching) church before the broader Rapture of the body of Christ. To go back to the two cars on the highway, one (Israel) has a final seven years to go through, but the other car (Leah or the remnant bride) could disappear from the road of destiny at any time!
Genesis 29 - Excerpts from a Biblical ‘Soapie’ Script
1Then Jacob went [briskly and cheerfully] on his way [400 miles] and came to the land of the people of the East. 2As he looked, he saw a well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it, for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well's mouth was a big one. 3And when all the flocks were gathered there, [the shepherds] would roll the stone from the well's mouth, water the sheep, and replace the stone on the well's mouth.
6He said to them, Is it well with him (Laban)? And they said, He is doing well; and behold, here comes his daughter Rachel with [his] sheep! 9While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she shepherded them.
10When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his uncle, Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well's mouth and watered the flock of his uncle Laban. 11Then Jacob kissed Rachel and he wept aloud.
16Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17Leah's eyes were weak and dull looking (‘delicate’ in the NKJ) , but Rachel was beautiful and attractive. 18And Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, I will work for you for seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.
20And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. 21Finally, Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for my time is completed, so that I may take her to me.
22And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast [with drinking]. 23But when night came, he took Leah his daughter and brought her to [Jacob], who had intercourse with her.
25But in the morning [Jacob saw his wife, and] behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, What is this you have done to me? Did I not work for you [all those seven years] for Rachel? Why then have you deceived and cheated and thrown me down [like this]?
26And Laban said, It is not permitted in our country to give the younger [in marriage] before the elder. 27Finish the [wedding feast] week [for Leah]; then we will give you [Rachel] also, and you shall work for me yet seven more years in return. 28So Jacob complied and fulfilled [Leah's] week; then [Laban] gave him Rachel his daughter as his wife. 30And Jacob lived with Rachel also as his wife, and he loved Rachel more than Leah and served [Laban] another seven years [for her].
Leah’s Alternative Destiny? With Esau (type of the world)? - Wikipedia
The Torah introduces Leah by describing her with the phrase, "Leah had tender eyes" (Genesis 29:17). It is debated as to whether the adjective "tender" should be taken to mean "delicate and soft" or "weary." Some translations say that it may have meant blue or light colored eyes. The commentary of Rashi cites a Rabbinic interpretation of how Leah's eyes became weak. According to this story, Leah was destined to marry Jacob's older twin brother, Esau. In the Rabbinic mind, the two brothers are polar opposites; Jacob being a God-fearing scholar and Esau being a hunter who also indulges in murder, idolatry, and adultery. But people were saying, Laban has two daughters and his sister, Rebecca, has two sons. The older daughter (Leah) will marry the older son (Esau), and the younger daughter (Rachel) will marry the younger son (Jacob).
Hearing this, Leah spent most of her time weeping and praying to God to change her destined mate. Thus the Torah describes her eyes as "soft" from weeping. God hearkens to Leah's tears and prayers and allows her to marry Jacob even before Rachel does. Leah becomes Jacob's wife through a deception on the part of her father, Laban.
Leah is the mother of six of Jacob's sons, including his first four (Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah), and later two more (Issachar and Zebulun), and a daughter (Dinah). Leah died some time before Jacob (according to Genesis 49:31). She is thought to be buried in the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron alongside Jacob. This cave also houses the graves of Abraham and Sarah, and Isaac and Rebekah.
Maranatha! Denis