587. And it came to pass in the evening that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to him; and he went in unto her (vs. 23). That under this narrative there is another and deeper meaning, may be sufficiently evident from the series of events, the series namely, that Laban took his daughter Leah in the evening and brought her to Jacob, and that Jacob did not recognize her until it became morning although he had gone in unto her; thus he failed to recognize her from her voice or other signs. Although this actually happened, yet it happened in order that it might be evident that underneath this occurrence lay something mystical signifying the great marriage of the Messiah with his church. Therefore, that this sense may be evolved, it must be known what is here signified by evening, what by Leah the daughter of Laban, what by Laban bringing her to Jacob, and what by the other events. The evening indicates the darkness that will exist at the time when the calling together to this great feast shall come; for then there will be darkness in the whole world except with the Messiah, who will then shine upon his own like a sun. This darkness is what is meant in general by this evening. But since the text specifically concerns the nuptials of the Messiah with the Jewish church, which is meant by Leah, therefore in a specific sense this evening signifies the darkness which was in the Jewish and Israelitish people when they were in Egypt at the time of Moses; for they were then in the greatest darkness. As said above [n. 576, 578], these seven years, or this first week when the Messiah served for Rachel, extended from the time of Noah to that of Moses. The end of this epoch or week was therefore evening among that people whose church is now likened to Leah the daughter of Laban; for Leah was Rachel's sister, as the old church is the sister of the new. That, at the time of this evening, Laban brought her in, and also that the Messiah went in unto her, is well known; for the Messiah took that people, as a husband a wife, and this both in the wilderness by means of Moses, etc., and after the wilderness by means of Joshua, and of the judges, priests, and kings, even until his advent into the world; but he led them into his kingdom only in the sense of bringing them to that land, or Canaan, where his kingdom will be, and which meanwhile signifies his kingdom. From this time began the second epoch or second week, which is now to be taken up. Hence it is clear what is signified by these words: And it came to pass in the evening that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.
