Typology and History

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as the story of Israel

Recently we were in Genesis 30:25-43 looking at Jacob’s wages. He had already worked fourteen years for his two wives Leah and Rachel and now spends another six years for the sheep and goats. The story ends with Jacob greatly enriched by Laban with flocks, servants, camels and donkeys. He went into exile in the East with nothing yet he will return to the land of promise with great possessions.

This story is replaying two other stories already seen in Genesis, Abraham who leaves Egypt greatly enriched and Isaac who leaves the Philistine king Abimelech greatly enriched. Now Jacob is leaving the East returning to the land of promise greatly enriched after his family imposed exile. On a larger scale we can see this same history replayed in the nation of Israel in their dealings with Egypt, Philistia, and the East. When God redeemed Israel from Egypt they left greatly enriched by the Egyptians. Later when God defeated the Philistines after they had captured the Ark of the Covenant (remember the plagues!) the ark was returned to Israel with a cart filled with gold. Later again when Judah was sent to the East in exile by Babylon they returned seventy years later fully funded by their captors to rebuild the Temple and the walls of the Jerusalem.

These stories of redemption shape the Bible and come to their fulfilment in Jesus Christ. When Jesus redeemed His people through His death and resurrection Ephesians 4:8 will tell us “…When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.” In His work of redemption Jesus took captive the captor and plundered his goods (Matt 12:29). He freed us and has shared the fruits of His victory with us. We leave Egypt with the gift of the Holy Spirit, forgiveness, adoption …etc Praise be to God who has been telling this story from the beginning and in this way pointing us to Jesus Christ.