You don’t suppose Jacob’s family could be a picture of something much bigger, a family united from every nation?
We haven’t seen the last of Jacob’s boys, Benjamin, born to Rachel. But it’s fitting to take a look at Jacob’s family’s portrait. God is always working behind the scenes. In fact, divine sovereignty is God overruling humanity’s failures to bring blessing to us in spite of ourselves! The names given to these 12 boys might seem random, but don’t be surprised if God is weaving a pattern here. After all, Paul writes, “whatever things were written before were written for our learning” (Rom 15:4). What if the names of these boys picture our entrance into God’s forever family? The first, Reuben, means “See, a son!”—the message of the gospel. Simeon means “hearing,” and “faith comes by hearing…the word” (Rom 10:17). Levi means “Joined” and so the Spirit makes us one with our Lord. Judah means “praise,” and those saved have a new song put in our mouths. Now Dan appears, meaning “judgment” and we need to take sin seriously in the house of God. Then comes Naphtali, meaning “wrestling” and it is the believers’ challenge to “wrestle…against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12), especially through prayer. Gad means “a troop comes” and we now find ourselves in a mighty army of God’s people, in fellowship through grace. No surprise that Asher then means “happy,” which God’s people have every reason to be. Issachar, meaning “wages,” reminds us of our future reward. Zebulun, meaning “dwelling,” reminds us that we’re not Home yet, but soon shall be, while Joseph, meaning “adding,” looks forward to the endless abundance of God’s grace. All that’s left is Benjamin, “son of my right hand,” coming full circle, looking for the day when the crucified Son is the glorified Christ seated on His throne.