Did you realize that there are many prophetic messages hidden within the journey that Jacob embarks on to find himself a wife? This article series about Genesis 28-35 dives deep into the stories of Jacob, Rachel, Leah, and Dinah, to hopefully shed some light on God’s wonderful plans for our own lives.
You are probably familiar with the story of how Jacob traveled to his uncle Laban to find himself a wife. He fell in love with Rachel, but after 7 years of hard labor to have her hand, he was tricked into marrying Rachel’s older sister Leah instead. Then he had to work 7 more years to finally have Rachel. After this already interesting string of events, a strange competition broke out between the wives that led to Jacob getting two additional wives (the women’s slaves) and 13 children in total. One of these children, Dinah, went through a very traumatic event that led to a massacre at the hands of her infuriated brothers.
It is a story that captures the imagination. One that leaves many of us with quite a few questions.
Those of you who have been reading more of my articles, know how I love it when the Holy Spirit points out ways in which the Old Testament makes symbolic and prophetic references to Jesus that are invisible to the naked eye. Finding these Biblical insights that go beyond the words and obvious wisdom (which I call “reading the Bible in 3D”), gives me great joy and increased faith, hope, and love, which I want to share with you.
Jacob’s adventures are an interesting read in itself, as it contains drama, mystery, deception, rivalry, and so much more. But it also has some pretty bizarre elements to it. At least, that’s what I thought until I figured that all of it must have a meaning, and started praying about it.
When God revealed the meaning of these elements, I realized it was all a lot less bizarre than I initially thought. It is a story that reveals God’s amazing plans for a future none of the people who featured in it had any notion of. When you dig deep enough, you will find God’s love, might, faithfulness, and plan for salvation through Jesus. It is actually so laden with prophecies, that I could write an entire book about it. Who knows if perhaps I will one day, but in this 5-part series, we’ll zoom in on some of the most awesome elements.
Some of the topics that we will cover:
- How challenges and traumatic events serve a purpose in God’s plan for your life
- Why facing wave after wave of difficulties can be viewed as a blessing
- The significance of Jacob’s wrestling with God
- How Dinah’s tragedy glorifies God
- And much more to encourage and build up!
So, join me on this quest that uncovers hidden prophecies and reveals precious insights for your own walk with God! Happy reading!
Part 1: You are not alone in the darkness
Part 2: The prophecies hidden in the love triangle between Jacob, Rachel, and Leah
Part 3: When blessings hurt
Part 4: Wrestling with God
Part 5: The deeper meaning behind what happened to Dinah