The promise concerning the nations continued with Ephraim, the son of Joseph, who was the son of Jacob by Rachel.

The fulfillment of God's promise is described by Zechariah:

And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people: . . . . (Zechariah 2:11)

The nations of the earth throughout history that have demonstrated a kindly attitude toward God's witnesses will enter the Kingdom of God, into eternal life. These nations are the inheritance of Christ and His brothers, His saints. They will partake of the Life of Christ, becoming Abraham's children and heirs of the promised glory.

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: (Matthew 25:34)

Rachel, our original joy, dies along the way.

And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. (Genesis 35:19)

So it is that the springs of our motivation for living on the earth must die on the way to Bethlehem, on the way to the birth of Christ in us. It is Rachel who will inherit the nations of the earth, but only through her death and resurrection.

To the believer, the new creation who comes in him is Benoni (the son of my sorrow) (Genesis 35:18). The child also is Benjamin (the son of the right hand). Christ who is born in us always ascends immediately to the right hand of God in preparation for the Day of Christ. In that Day, all who are in Christ at the right hand of the Father will be revealed to the nations of the earth (Colossians 3:4).

The greatest need of the present hour is for people who are willing to allow God to slay the heart of their personality in order that the eternal Life of Christ may be brought forth. It is the "son of my sorrow," and anyone who thinks it isn't a sorrow has never experienced the bringing forth of Christ in the human personality.

It is also the "son of the right hand." The "son of my sorrow" who becomes the "son of the right hand" is the one destined to inherit earth's peoples.

He who is born of Rachel (Joseph), after being disciplined in God's school, becomes the heir of the earth. The grandson of Rachel was Ephraim, the one chosen of God to carry on the promise made to Abraham that he would be the father of many nations.

Leah, who is abhorrent to us, gives us the spiritual strength to sit on the thrones that govern the universe. In Rachel we have the heart to love and bless the nations. Judah (of Leah) is the Lord, the King from Heaven. Joseph (of Rachel) inherits the earth.

It is our love for Rachel that inspires us to serve for many years. But Leah is given us along with Rachel. Rachel must die on the way to Bethlehem. Leah does not die along the way. Leah goes to the place of Abraham and Sarah, of Isaac and Rebekah, and of Israel himself (Genesis 49:31).

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; (Philippians 3;10)

Throughout our Christian journey there remains the temptation to throw Leah aside, to set aside our cross. We always must keep in mind that it is given to Christ alone to lift the cross from our back. He who divorces Leah before he comes to the place of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will never rule with God. The true saint always behaves himself honorably with Leah, and discovers eventually that the strength of Israel, of the struggler with God, comes from her.

After Leah has done her work in us, God brings us to Rachel in a new way. The part of us we assumed was cursed of God and would be barren forever becomes pregnant. Joseph is born in exceedingly great joy—he who is destined to go down into Egypt (the world) and nourish and sustain all the nations of the earth.

And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands. (Genesis 41:57)

Finally Benjamin, the son of the right hand is brought forth. Only they who have in them Christ's love for the nations, which never can come from Leah but proceeds from Rachel alone, from our crucified and resurrected humanity, are given the nations. In them shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. (from Leah and Rachel)