When I began this study of Jacob in Padam Aram, I did not anticipate how it would develop. I now believe the account of Jacob is a foreshadow of the Last Days and the Tribulation.
Beginning in chapter five of the Revelation there is a search for one worthy to redeem the title deed to the earth. Jesus is the only one found worthy to unseal the document. Chapter six of the Revelation describes the opening of the Seven Seals. The Lord Jesus opening the seals and reclaiming the world is a thing of joy. The Seven Seals represent a good time, and parallel the seven good years of Jacob’s life in Padam Aram (Genesis 29:20).
Revelation chapter seven is a pause between the Sixth Seal and the Seventh Seal, a pattern also found with the Seven Trumpets and the Seven Vials of Wrath. I believe this short insertion, or pause, is representative of the short insertion of the time of Tribulation between the six millennia of human history, and the seventh millennium, the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus.
Chapter eight of the Revelation tells of seven angels who stand in the presence of God and are given trumpets (Revelation 8:2). Trumpets are used to announce something. As the angels sound their trumpets, they are announcing the coming of Tribulation. The theme of the Seven Trumpets is announcement of coming dark days, and parallel the seven bad years of the life of Jacob in Padam Aram (Genesis 31:38-42).
The Seven Trumpets perfectly foreshadow the Seven Vials of Wrath. For example, at the sounding of the first Trumpet there was hail, fire and blood cast upon the earth. The first Vial was poured on the earth. The second Trumpet and Vial were against the sea. It appears that the Trumpets are announcing the coming Wrath of God.
All of chapter ten and the first fourteen verses of chapter eleven of the Revelation are again a pause, or insertion between the Sixth Trumpet and the Seventh Trumpet.
The Seven Vials are described in chapter sixteen of the Revelation. Beginning with verse thirteen, there is a pause or insertion through verse sixteen. This pause describes the gathering of the kings of earth to a place called Armageddon. This is the only place in the entire Bible that Armageddon is named, and yet it has become a part of our language to note a disastrous event. The seventh Vial concludes chapter sixteen.
It seems rather straight-forward that the theme of the Seven Vials of Wrath is the Tribulation, and this theme parallels the time of servitude in the life of Jacob in Padam Aram (Genesis 31:38-42), or the “Time of Jacob’s Trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7).
In summary, Jacob’s time in Padam Aram was divided into three seven-year periods; seven good years, seven bad years, and seven years of servitude.
The following is my opinion, but helps me to understand parts of the Revelation. The Seven Seals represent seven good years, when Jesus will reclaim the earth from Satan. The Seven Trumpets represent seven bad years, when the coming Tribulation is announced by political, economic and natural events that are just a hint of the coming Tribulation. Clearly, the Seven Vials of Wrath represent the seven unbearable years of Tribulation.
As noted before, the Bible is a symmetric document. That which is opened in Genesis, sin and rebellion, is closed in the Revelation. Praise the Lord, the seven unbearable years of Tribulation are followed by the reign of Jesus as King of kings and Lord of lords. Amen and amen.