The connection between Jacob’s 12 Sons, Jesus Christ, and Revelation 7

 THE CONNECTION WITH THE 12 SONS OF JACOB…JESUS CHRIST…AND REVELATION 7

By Ron Smith 

Good News From God Ministries 

I put this together after doing our Bible Study on Genesis 5 where you can see The Gospel Message hidden in the different names that are listed in the Geneology that is listed there.

I will be listing that study on our Eternity Awaits For You website as well if you want to hear and read it…So CHECK IT OUT!!!

Here we go with the connection with The 12 Sons of Jacob, Jesus Christ, and Revelation 7.  I’M SURE THAT THIS WILL BE A GREAT BLESSING FOR YOU!!!

 

For most of my life…I thought it was interesting that the order of the 12 tribes of Israel in Revelation 7 were not listed in their Birth Order, and the tribe of Dan was removed and was replaced by Joseph’s Firstborn Son Manasses.

When I was younger, the common answer I heard was that The Antichrist will come out of the tribe of Dan and that’s why it wasn’t listed in Revelation 7.

I always thought that there was a DEEPER MEANING why this takes place in Revelation 7, and I think I have found out why this takes place.

I believe that there is a HIDDEN MESSAGE OR MEANING that The Lord Jesus Christ is sending to us as Believers in Jesus Christ as our Savior.

SO HERE WE GO!!!

Before we get to Revelation 7…let’s see the Birth Order and the Meanings of The Names for 12 Sons Of Jacob which ultimately became the 12 Tribes of Israel.  When defining the meanings of their names we will look at the statements that were made after their Birth “if there is one”. There is one Name that we will look at and see what Strong’s Concordance says!!!

A lot of us know that Seth means APPOINTED because of what Eve said in Genesis 4:25…”And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.”

We will use this principle when finding the meanings of the names of the 12 Sons of Jacob unless a statement wasn’t made by one at the parents at the child’s birth.  

In that case we will look and see how Strong’s Concordance defines the name.

Something that I find interesting here is that God says that He is Israel’s Husband in Isaiah 54:5 (KJV)….”For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.”.   PRETTY COOL!!!

One thing that I will do when a statement is made about a husband is use God since Israel is God’s Husband

In Genesis 29:32 (KJV) Reuben is the First Child and here’s what the verse says ....”And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the Lord hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.”

REUBEN: The Lord hath looked upon my affliction now God will love me.

In Genesis 29:33 (KJV) it says….”And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, ``Because the Lord hath heard I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.”

SIMEON: THE LORD HATH HEARD I WAS HATED HE HAS GIVEN ME THIS SON ALSO 

In Genesis 29:34 (KJV) it says…”And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.”

LEVI: THIS TIME WILL GOD BE JOINED UNTO ME

In Genesis 29:35 (KJV) it says…”And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the Lord: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.”

JUDAH: PRAISE THE LORD

In Genesis 30:5-6 (KJV) it says…”And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son. And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan.”

DAN: GOD HATH JUDGED ME, HEARD MY VOICE, AND HATH GIVEN ME A SON

In Genesis 30:7-8 (KJV) it says…”And Bilhah Rachel's maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son.And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali.”

NAPHTALI: WITH GREAT WRESTLINGS HAVE I WRESTLED, AND I HAVE PREVAILED

In Genesis 30:9-11 (KJV) we see the competition between Leah and Rachel HEATING UP!!!  Here’s the verses…”When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son. And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad.”

GAD: A TROOP COMETH

In Genesis 30:12-13 (KJV) it says…”And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a second son.And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher.

ASHER: HAPPY AND BLESSED AM I

In Genesis 30:17-18 (KJV) it says…”And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son. And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar.”

Compare Genesis 30:17-18 in the New American Standard Bible (NASB) to get more insight into the word Hire.  Here’s the verse in the (NASB)....”God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. Then Leah said, “God has given me my  reward, because I gave my slave to my husband.” So she named him Issachar. 

ISSACHAR: GOD HATH GIVEN ME MY REWARD or GOD HATH REWARDED ME

In Genesis 30:19-20 (KJV) it says…”And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son. And Leah said, God hath endued “Also means provided” me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun.”

Let’s compare this with the (NASB) to get more insight into the words “endued” and “dowry” 

Genesis 30:19-20 (NASB)...”And Leah conceived again and bore a sixth son to Jacob. Then Leah said, “God has endowed “Also means Provided” me with a good gift; finally my husband [m]will acknowledge me as his wife, because I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun

ZEBULUN: GOD HAS PROVIDED ME WITH A GOOD GIFT AND NOW WILL GOD DWELL WITH ME

WOW….10 SONS DOWN 2 TO GO….ALMOST THERE!!!

In Genesis 30:22-24 it says…”And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb. And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach: And she called his name Joseph; and said, The Lord shall add to me another son.

JOSEPH: GOD HATH TAKEN AWAY MY REPROACH THE LORD SHALL ADD TO ME ANOTHER SON

THE LAST ONE IS AMAZING….YOU’LL BE BLESSED AND AMAZED AT THE POWER OF GOD. HERE WE GO!!!

In Genesis 35:15-19 (KJV) it says…”And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Bethel. And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour. And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also. And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin. And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.”

The circumstances surrounding Benjamin’s birth are VERY INTERESTING to say the least.  First off Benjamin is the only child that was born and a statement wasn’t made by the mother to help us find the meaning of the name.

We do see the midwife tell Rachel to “Fear not, you will have this son also” which reminds me of the Angel that appeared to the shepherds in the field in Luke 2:10-11. 

Here’s what the verse says....”And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord 

It’s amazing that Rachel’s midwife was making a similar announcement when Benjamin was born.

This statement was made thousands of years before the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!!!!

We also see that her soul was in departing, and she JUST HAPPENED to be buried in Bethlehem where our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was born.  The other cool fact is that Jacob was leaving Bethel which was Israel’s Capital before King David moved the capital of Israel to Jerusalem. 

COINCIDENCE….I DON’T THINK SO.  There are NO COINCIDENCES in God’s Word 

Another interesting fact is that Rachel went to be with The Lord and she named him Benoni. 

Strong’s Concordance defines Benoni as SON OF MY SORROW.  Not only was Jesus Christ described in Isaiah 53:3 as despised and rejected of men, He was also called “A Man Of Sorrows”.

Here’s the verse....”He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”

Here’s the link showing the meaning of the name Benoni ….Strong's Hebrew: 1126. בֶּן־אוֹנִי (Ben-oni) -- "son of my sorrow," Rachel's name for Benjamin (biblehub.com)

But then you see Jacob do something amazing here. Jacob gives Rachel’s second child a “NEW NAME”.  Jacob changes Benoni to Benjamin. 

Look at what Hebrews 12:2 says about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ....”looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Strong’s Concordance defines Benjamin as “THE SON OF THE RIGHT HAND”. Here’s the link….Strong's Hebrew: 1144. בִּנְיָמִן (Binyamin) -- "son of (the) right hand," youngest son of Jacob, also the name of two other Isr . (biblehub.com)

Both of these names have a direct connection with Jesus Christ!!! 

Since the order of the 12 children were changed and one was removed, it makes perfect sense that Jesus Christ is sending us a message in Revelation 7.

Not only do the meanings of the names Benoni and Benjamin apply directly to Jesus Christ, but Jesus Christ was born in the same city that Rachel was buried.  

VERY INTERESTING TO SAY THE LEAST!!!

Now that we’ve covered the names and meanings of Jacob’s 12 Sons in their Birth Order, let’s see how the Revelation 7 order sends a hidden message.

Keep in mind that the tribe of Manasses was added and the tribe of Dan was removed, so let’s see the meaning of his name first.

Genesis 41:51 says….”And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house.”

MANASSES: God hath made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house.

“Old things are passed away and all things have become new”

Revelation 7:4-8 says...”And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.”

           

REVELATION 7 ORDER WITH MEANINGS

One thing I want to point out is that when you translate some of the names of these sons from Hebrew to Greek the name looks slightly different.

That’s why I stuck with the original name of the son in the Revelation 7 order.

JUDAH: PRAISE THE LORD

REUBEN: The Lord hath looked upon my affliction now God will love me.

GAD: A Troop Cometh

ASHER: Happy and Blessed am I

NAPHTALI: With Great Wrestlings I have wrestled and I have Prevailed

MANASSES: God hath made me forget all my toil

SIMEON: The Lord has heard that I was hated and gave me This Son (Jesus Christ) also

LEVI: This time will God

be joined unto me

ISSACHAR: God hath rewarded me

ZEBULUN: God hath provided me with a good gift and now God will dwell with me

JOSEPH: God hath taken away my reproach and The Lord will add to me another son.

Message from the midwife....”Fear not, you will have this son also”

BENJAMIN: THE SON OF THE RIGHT HAND!!!

HOW AMAZING IS THAT…GOD’S WORD HAS SO MANY HIDDEN GEMS WITHIN IT!!!

I HOPE THIS WAS AS MUCH A BLESSING TO YOU AS IT WAS TO ME PUTTING IT TOGETHER.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL,

Ron Smith 

Good  News From God Ministries 

BE BLESSED!!!