Does 84, from the life of Jacob and Anna, point to the return of Jesus?

JPN Reply:

Hi,

yeah they are interesting stories and pictures that have come up recently. I was aware of 84 in relation to Jacob and Anna, and had given some thought to them both this week actually (so your question makes for interesting timing!), but hadn't heard about Aaron and Jehoshaphat's connection to 84. So I'll focus on the first two.

Before I begin, it should be said that we are dealing with a potential type and picture, not doctrine, so we CANNOT be dogmatic. Types and pictures through stories are useful to illustrate doctrine but shouldn't be used to establish definite truth. Also types and pictures become clearer after the fulfillment of the event. There are a lot of unknowns trying to use them before the event. 

Ok, so here is what I think... and spoiler alert - I don't have all the answers. So this is really just 'thinking out loud' and what I have recently been pondering...   

Jacob

Jacob is used in scripture as a type of the natural man and also of the nation that would come from him - Israel. In that he was renamed 'Israel' by God, when walking in faith he is also a pointer to the greater 'Israel', and that is the Messiah Jesus. The Messiah is called 'Israel' when speaking of the 'servant' in Isaiah:

Isa 49:2-3 He has made My mouth like a sharp sword, In the shadow of His hand He has concealed Me; And He has also made Me a select arrow, He has hidden Me in His quiver. (3) He said to Me, "You are My Servant, Israel, In Whom I will show My glory."

While it is not specifically stated, it can be deduced that Jacob/Israel was 84 when he married Leah and Rachel. Jacob went to Egypt when he was 130 years old (Genesis 47:28). It was the second year of the famine (Genesis 45:6) which followed the seven year of abundance (Genesis 41:26-27). So this was when Joseph was 39 (he got out of prison at 30 (Genesis 41:46) plus the 7 years of abundance + 2 years of famine). So Jacob became the father of Joseph when he was 91 (130 years when he went to Egypt minus 39, the age of Joseph at this time). Joseph was the last of the children that Jacob fathered while still working for Laban (Genesis 30:25), having finished the extra seven years that he had to work for Rachel (Gen 29:20). So Jacob was 84 (91 when Joseph was born - 7 years working for Rachel) when they were married. He married Leah first, then Rachel one week later.

Is the marriage to Leah and Rachel a type/picture?

There are key events in the life of Jacob that are pointers to what is to come, including the 'day of Jacob's trouble' - the Great Tribulation. Certainly there are Bible teachers that see a picture of the Church and Israel in the two wives of Jacob. If we take Jacob/Israel as a picture of the Lord Jesus, consider the following:

• Jacob loved Rachel first and desired to marry her. Just as the Lord Jesus came first for the nation of Israel (Matt 15:24)
• Despite this, Jacob ended up marrying another, Leah. Just as Jesus ended up taking a bride from the Gentiles first. 
• Leah was initially fruitful while Rachel was barren. Just as many children came from the Gentiles while few came from Israel.
• Jacob had to work an extra 7 years for Rachel. This could be a pointer to the last seven years of Daniel's 70th seven (week) in which Jesus will work specifically with the nation of Israel to bring about their salvation.

Anna

Luk 2:36-38 And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, (37) and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. (38) At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

This is an interesting passage. Anytime the Bible gives us specific details, when it doesn't really need to, we should take note. In this case it specifically says that she lived with her husband 7 years before being a widow until the age of 84. When I read that I thought 'why give us those numbers?' It could have just said that she was 'advanced in age' like it said of Abraham and Sarah (Gen 18:11) and Zachariah and Elizabeth (Luke 1:7). But instead the Spirit inspired word gives her specific age as 84 when she saw the Messiah. And this came after a long period of being a widow. The names involved are also interesting:

• Anna - means 'grace' or 'favor' 
• Phanuel - means 'face of God'
• Asher - means 'happy'

So, as a picture it is very interesting. Though a widow for most of her life, she was looking for the Messiah to redeem Jerusalem and Israel. At age 84 she sees the Messiah. She experienced the meaning of the names above, receiving grace and happiness after seeing the face of God. It does seem that this is pointing to the nation of Israel itself in the last days, who have lived as a widow, separated from the Lord for many years, though still hoping and waiting for the Messiah to come. And we know the believing amongst them will receive grace and favor, as well as seeing the face of God, when Jesus comes for them. Scripture says:

Zec 12:10 "I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn."

Conclusion - What does 84 years relate to? 

Again, I cannot and will not be dogmatic on this. At all. It is just something to file away, ponder, and ask the Lord about. But certainly there is an interesting picture given with both Jacob and Anna and it seems that the 84 years points to the time when the Lord is married to both Jew and Gentile (from life of Jacob), and when Israel finally sees the Lord after being widowed for a long time (from the life of Anna). The timing of this is best placed at the second coming of Jesus at the end of the Tribulation I believe*. It is then that Israel is redeemed and sees their Messiah and the marriage feast is celebrated (Rev 19:9). So do we assume that this is from the rebirth of Israel as a nation in 1948, bringing us to 2032? Maybe. I don't know what other starting date that would apply at this stage. But again, not all things are clear to us. We do know from other passages that God seems to be working to a '2 day/2000 year' period for this age (as mentioned in this study). And the starting point for this 2 day/ 2000 year period is Jesus' ascension back into heaven as scripture says:

Hos 5:15-6:3 I will go away and return to My place Until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face; In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me. (6:1) "Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us. (2) "He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day, That we may live before Him. (3) "So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth."

Jesus' death on the cross and subsequent ascension was between 30-33AD and many believe it to be 32 AD - so it puts 2000 years on in that early 2030's period, maybe 2032. So all interesting as we approach that time and see so many other things happening in our world that tie in with what the Lord said to see in the last days. And obviously before the second coming is the tribulation. And before the tribulation is the rapture. So it places it all very close IF the numbers and types above are accurate.  

But be careful. I've been a Christian long enough to see all sorts of years / numbers / sure thing theories and dates come and go, so I will never be dogmatic on these things. But I also know the Bible well enough to know that God does put a lot of pictures and hidden information in the stories He has decided to give us. So, like I said, ponder it, file it away in the back of your mind, and we'll soon see!

What is important is that we are all walking with the Lord and watching for His return no matter how long that takes. We want to be found ready, doing His will, and hear 'well done, good and faithful servant!' 

Blessings!   

-------

* Not trying to complicate things BUT there is a chance the marriage of Jacob, and Anna seeing the Messiah at 84, point to the rapture and not the second coming. Here is why it gets tricky with potential types before the event. Jacob's marriage to Leah at 84 could point to the marriage of the Church at the rapture and then 1 week later (a pointer to Daniel's last 'week' or 7 years) he marries Rachel (a type of the marriage to Israel at the second coming). If this was true then Anna could represent the believing Jews today that are waiting for the Messiah and will see Him at the rapture. Though in that she was a widow for so long, she does seem to point to the nation of Israel as a whole, putting it back to a likely fulfillment at the second coming. I told you this was a 'thinking out loud, still pondering it' type of answer! : )