Genesis Chapter Forty Nine
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(Clicking on these links will move you down this web page) Genesis chapter forty nine | |
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Chapter 49- Israel blessed his sons and died
Genesis 49:1 - 28 Jacob faced death Sin and disobedience is never rewarded You and I will be rewarded |
The twelve tribes of Israel
In the last days... The symbolism about Christ Genesis 49:29 - 33 We are headed to the Promised Land |
[I believe Jacob puts in a word of celebration for himself here, knowing that it was his time to die]:
"Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last."
"All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them"
Jacob faced death- it was a time of celebration?
Sin and disobedience is never rewarded
Reuben, a son of Jacob by Leah, had sex with Bilhah, Rachel's slave maid. However, Bilhah was also Jacob's wife so that act was a sin of incest. Reuben lost his birthright because of that. But he could be kind. He showed kindness to Joseph, and was the means of saving his life when his other brothers would have put him to death
Levi and Simeon killed many innocent men who were not guilty enough to receive the death penalty. That was in the City of Shechem many years earlier when they freed their sister, Dinah, from being a sex slave. Jacob accused them of being mean and cruel because of their actions there. Each of them lost their birthright because of it. Sins of anger and violence against others always have consequences that may rob you or I of many blessings. Let us try to act like Jesus as much as we can.
Later, the tribe of Levi was redeemed in the eyes of Israel. When did that happen? That happened in the days of Moses. Moses and Aaron were from the tribe of Levi. The tribe of Levi was excluded from owning territory like the other tribes when it was chosen to represent the national priesthood. One time on their Exodus march, there was spiritual rebellion in the camp of the Israelites that meant the death penalty for the transgressors:
"...then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, who is on the Lord's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. And he said unto them, thus saith the Lord God of Israel:
"put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his
neighbour".
And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men"
Judah did not receive the birthright because of his sin of incest
Sin and disobedience is never rewarded by God. You may justify to yourself your unkind actions to others but do not expect God to reward you for any of it. Let these four individuals serve as a constant reminder to you and I about this.
You and I will be rewarded (the birthright went to Joseph)
The twelve tribes of Israel (doing the mathematics)
The symbolism about Christ and how He came through Judah)
Why does God use types or symbolism in His love letter (the holy bible) to the human race? It is one of His methods of making truth relevant to many folks through many ages of time on this earth. Let us look at some of the types or symbolism that God used to speak through Jacob to Judah and then to us:
2.
"Thy hand shall be on the neck of thine enemies"
3.
"Judah is a lion's whelp...He couched as a lion, and as an old lion"
There are two Shilohs in the bible- one physical and one spiritual. Let us look at the physical one first- Shiloh or Shiloh City. The ark of the covenant was originally kept at Gilgal while General Joshua conquered the Promised Land, but then it was kept at Shiloh City from the last days of General Joshua to the time of Samuel, the prophet
Now, let us take a look at spiritual Shiloh. The word Shiyloh in Hebrew means tranquility. Some folks think that it can also mean peace, rest, or abundance. Remember that the Lord Jesus Christ came through the family lineage of Judah. From Judah was to come Shiloh- meaning personal peace, rest, tranquility, abundance, and prosperity. Therefore, Shiloh is a type of Christ. Why? Because He is our personal peace. Jesus said:
"Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest"
The septuagint (LXX) translation of the Old Testament reads this way: "until that which is His shall come to Shiloh". What is His that will come to Shiloh? At the beginning of the Millennial Reign of Christ, peace delegations from all over the world will come to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Shiloh in that sense means peace. They will come to Christ at Jerusalem to sign their peace treaties. As creator of all, He owns it all, and has the right to rule over it all
What is a scepter? It is a small royal staff borne by a King as an emblem of authority. The sceptre, in typology, refers to the right of Christ to rule the world.
"But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom"
Was Jesus a Lawgiver? Yes. As a part of the Holy Trinity, He gave the ten commandments or the law to Israel and to all mankind.
How will the Messiah's clothes be covered with blood? Jesus will return (in His second coming or advent) to Israel to physically deliver them from their enemies. At His first coming, He came as a lamb, but, at His second coming, He comes as a lion. As He destroys them in warfare, some of their red blood splashes onto His white clothes giving the appearance that He is dressed in red. This is when He returns in judgement:
"I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with Me: for I will tread them in Mine anger, and trample them in My fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon My garments, and I will stain all My raiment..."
7.
"His eyes shall be red with wine is a symbolic expression or type of propitiation. What is that? In simply means that when God looks through the blood of Christ (red with wine) at a sinner (stained black with sin), God sees that person justified (white with purity) without sin. That person has been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb and their sins have been forgiven
8.
Jesus fed the five thousand (Matthew 14:19-21) and then He fed the four thousand
We need to cultivate a close relationship with the Lord and partake of Him-
The color of white in this scripture is symbolic of true food (without spiritual contamination) that is healthy for the body. White teeth are the opposite of a black, lying serpent's tongue. Only speak what is true about the Lord as there is false doctrine and there are false teachers (prophets) who speak falsely about Jesus. They try to strip Him of His divinity, His holiness, His ability to save, and His truth
The holy bible was written over a period of several thousand years by God using forty different authors. There are thirty nine bible books in the Old Testament and twenty seven in the New Testament, making a total of sixty six books, but it is considered to be one book. Christ is the Person Who unites these sixty six bible books into one book, the Holy Bible. It is God's love letter to the human race.
Whether you are Hebrew or non-Hebrew, Jesus Christ is alive today to save you. Will not you rush into His loving and waiting arms and ask Him to forgive you of your sins- to spiritually cleanse you with His healing blood? If you have not done so already, I invite you to come to Him just as you are. He created you, loves you, and died in your place- He waits for you to come to Him. Rush into His arms and receive the inner peace that you have been looking for. Feel the release of having your conscience cleansed of guilt and the joy of becoming His son or daughter by adoption.
"And he (Jacob) charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a burying place. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife- there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah. The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth. And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people"
You and I can make it to the Promised Land (Jacob's goal was the Promised Land)
Israel blessed his sons and died
"And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father."
"Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch."
"Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel"
"Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee. Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a Lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto Him shall the gathering of the people be. Binding His foal unto the vine, and His ass's colt unto the choice vine; He washed his garments in wine, and His clothes in the blood of grapes: His eyes shall be red with wine, and His teeth white with milk"
"Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon"
"Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens: And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute."
"Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward."
"I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord."
"Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties."
"Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words."
"Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: the archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: but his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:) even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, Who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: the blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren."
"Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil."
(Genesis 49:1-28).
Jacob stated: "I have waited for Thy salvation, O Lord". This portion of the Word of God is a song with poetry- it is actually a song of poems. It was written at a time of celebration? What celebration? The celebration of the approaching death of Jacob that he called "Thy salvation". How can anyone celebrate that? The death of a believer is not the end but the beginning- leaving this life is a graduation from the school of suffering and hard knocks and an entering into a life of bliss and service to the One we love. Jacob had faith in God as the day of his death drew near. The New Testament writer of the bible book of Hebrews had this to say:
"By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff"
(Hebrews 11:21).
As believers, we can only approach this kind of celebration by faith- do not expect unbelievers to understand it. Let us keep celebration in mind as we get old or face death in some other way:
"...for this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"
(1 Corinthians 15:53-55).
(Reuben, Levi, Simeon, and Judah did not receive the birthright)
Let us take a brief look at Reuben, Levi, Simeon, and Judah to see why Jacob refused them the birthright of the firstborn son.
(Genesis 37:21-22). To my knowledge, no king, judge, or major prophet in Israel ever came from the tribe of Reuben. Reuben fell from his exalted position as the receiver of the birthright. Likewise, sin can bring each of us down from the heights to the bottom.
(Exodus 32:26-28).
Because they were obedient and zealous for the Lord in carrying out His judgment, this event elevated the national reputation of the tribe of Levi. By their proper conduct, a negative was changed into a positive. It can be much like that in our life. After we are saved, a sinful and negative lifestyle can be changed into a redeemed and positive one by the power of Christ active in us. Moses recorded the fact that Levi was taken for God
(Numbers 3:12).
(Genesis chapter 38). However, later, Judah became surety in promising the safe return of Benjamin to his father and Jacob praised Judah for doing that and for helping to bring food from Egypt to save their lives during the famine.
Joseph received the birthright. He was rewarded for his right choices. What kind of choices? He accepted the Lord into his life and belonged to God. He loved God and he loved his fellow man. The material blessings of the birthright, the double portion of the inheritance, went to Joseph's sons, Ephraim and Manassah. The spiritual part of the blessing of the birthright, did not go to Joseph but was given to Judah because it was God's absolute will. Loving God forms the vertical part of the cross of Christ
(Matthew 22:37). Loving others forms the horizontal part of the cross of Christ
(Matthew 22:39). Likewise, you and I will be rewarded for our right choices. Let us use Christ as our example so we can be pleasing to Him.
Why were there twelve tribes when it appears that thirteen were counted? Jacob's twelve sons became the heads of the tribes of Israel. There is no tribe of Joseph. However, Joseph had two sons and each one of them would be a tribe. So, let us do the mathematics. Twelve tribes minus Joseph is eleven tribes. Eleven tribes plus Joseph's two tribes made a total of thirteen tribes. The tribe of Levi was not counted as a tribe because they were priests among the other tribes. So, we have thirteen minus the tribe of Levi equals a total of twelve tribes. These were the twelve tribes of Israel.
(Joshua 14:3-4; Acts 26:12; James 1:1).
Do you know which tribe, the Hebrew Messiah, Jesus Christ, came through? No, it was not Joseph- it was Judah. Jacob used a lot of symbolism when making his prophecy concerning Judah. I believe that some of these verses are double reference verses that, not only apply to Judah, but also to Jesus Christ. There is a lot of typology or symbolism for Jesus Christ in Jacob's prophecy for Judah. But before I get to those scriptures, I want to share with you this scripture-
"And one shall say unto Him, what are these wounds in Thine hands? Then He shall answer,
"those with which I was wounded in the house of My friends"
(Zechariah 13:6).
In the future, Jesus, as a king, will show the Israelites His nail pierced hands as the initial proof of His Messiahship. At His first coming or advent, He shed His blood and died as a sacrificial lamb to spiritually save those of Israel who would accept Him. And He is coming, in the future, as a lion- as a conquering King to save Israel, but, because Israel has temporary blindness (spiritual blindness)
(Romans 11:25), they will have a hard time recognizing Him. That is why that He has to show them His nail pierced hands. His first coming was under Roman rulership that ruled the world. His second coming (or advent) will be under a one world government that will also rule the world- one far worse than Rome ever was
(Mark 13:19). His deliverance of Israel will be greater at that time than if He had delivered Israel from the Romans.
(Genesis 49:8-12).
"...thou art He whom thy brethren shall praise"
The name Judah means "the praise of the Lord" because Leah had praised God at the birth of Judah
(Genesis 29:35) and there was joy and rejoicing at the time of the birth of Jesus
(Matthew 2:10-11). Later, Jesus, as the Hebrew Messiah, received the praises of men and children- thus fulfilling Jacob's prophecy: "Thy father's children shall bow down before thee". When did that happen?
"And the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple; and He healed them. And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased, and said unto Him, hearest Thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them,
"Yea; have ye never read, out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise?"
(Matthew 21:14-16). In His triumphal entry, He "...answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace (and not praise Me), the stones would immediately cry out (in praise)"
(Luke 19:40).
The word for "hand" in Hebrew is yad, a feminine noun, that can figuratively mean "power". So this verse can read: "Thy power shall be on the neck of thine enemies". Jesus, as Captain of the Lord's armies, helped Joshua defeat his enemies in the Promised Land. The Israelites placed their feet on the necks of the defeated enemy kings
(Joshua 5:14-15; 10:24). Later, King David of Judah praised God when he stated: "Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me"
(Psalm 18:40).
Jesus is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5).
That is a Messianic prophecy stating that the Hebrew Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah and that His rulership of the world would be from the nation of Israel.
(Joshua 18:10; Judges 18:31; 1 Samuel 4:3). Shiloh City was a town within the territory of the tribe of Ephraim where the Ark of the Covenant stayed for awhile. In other words, "the house of God" was at Shiloh
(1 Samuel 1:24) and every year there was feasting, rejoicing, and celebration there
(Judges 21:19). It was a very sacred place for awhile. But then, the Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines in battle with the Israelites at Ebenezer. After the Ark was returned to Israel, it's home was in the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. Shiloh lost it's significance as a great city when it's populace worshipped idols and became wicked acting. God, eventually, allowed the city to be destroyed
(Psalm 78:60; Jeremiah 7:12). The city remained in ruins for many years but was eventually rebuilt. The Arabs now call it Khirbat Sayun. It is located in the present day nation of Jordan. Old parts of the city were excavated in 1920–1932 and some ancient relics were found there.
(Matthew 11:28).
He will also be the world's universal peace. When Jesus is King of the world and ruling from Jerusalem, He will usher in world peace for one thousand years
(Revelation 20:1-6).
In United States history, one time there was a little church named Shiloh. During the U.S. Civil War, two armies clashed there and over 20,000 men were killed. It was kind of ironic that so many men died a violent death at a place that meant peace and tranquility.
(Ephesians 3:9; Colossians 1:16; Romans 4:11 & 10:6).
(Hebrews 1:8).
At that time the sceptre of the King of the Universe will be grasped by nail-pierced hands.
This refers to Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem. How? Here is the story: Jesus said-
"...go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither. And if any man ask you, why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, because the Lord hath need of him".
"And they that were sent went their way, and found even as He had said unto them. And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, why loose ye the colt? And they said, the Lord hath need of him. And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way. And when He was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; saying, blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest"
(Luke 19:30-38).
The foal, His donkey's colt, is bound to the vine. But it is not just any vine- it is the choice vine. Jesus said: "I AM the true Vine"
(John 15:1). So, if we bind the truth of His triumphal entry into Jerusalem to the truth of Christ being the True Vine, what do we get? We get the truth that He is the true Messiah and God of Israel. He is the Savior of the gentiles, as well. He has redeemed each willing person with His divine blood that washes away sin.
"He washed His garments in wine, and His clothes in the blood of grapes". The blood of grapes and wine are symbolic expressions or types of the blood of Christ. How do we know that? Christ revealed this truth at His holy communion:
"And He took the cup (of wine), and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And He said unto them:
"this is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for many"
(Mark 14:23-24).
Christ shed His blood to spiritually clothe us with the garments of His salvation.
(Isaiah 63:3),
"and He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called The Word of God"
(Revelation 19:13).
(Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2 & 4:10). To prove this, there is a similar scripture. God told Moses: "For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I AM the Lord. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt"
(Exodus 12:12-13).
"His teeth white with milk" is a symbolic expression or type of spiritual nourishment. Can you explain that? Yes. Milk is a food and teeth are to chew food with. What are you to sink your teeth into? It is not what but Who. You are to sink your teeth into the Lord and not turn loose. They say that you are what you eat. What do you spiritually eat? Are you spiritually partaking of the Lord? Then Jesus said unto them,
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye (spiritually) eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and (spiritually) drink His blood, ye have no (spiritual) life in you"
(John 6:53).
(Matthew 15:32-38). What was that about? It was very much about what we are discussing here. Jesus fed the multitudes to maintain physical life while He imparted spiritual life. He is the Bread of Life and from Him comes spiritual life that nourishes our being. And Jesus said unto them:
"I AM the Bread of Life- he that cometh to Me shall never (spiritually) hunger- and he that believeth on Me shall never (spiritually) thirst"
(John 6:35).
"O taste and see that the Lord is good- blessed is the man that trusteth in Him"
(Psalm 34:8), "...honey and milk are under Thy tongue"
(Song of Solomon 4:11), "His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow"
(Job 21:24), "wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: if so be, ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious"
(1 Peter 2:1-3).
(Matthew 7:15, 24:11 & 24; Mark 13:22; Luke 6:26; 2 Peter 2:1; 1 John 4:1). Let me emphasize this truth strongly: Jesus Christ is God and He is the only way to Heaven
(John 14:6).
We can follow the blood line of Jesus Christ (His genealogy) through the bible book of Genesis. It began with Adam and flowed through Seth through Noah. Then it flowed through Shem and then through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Next, it flowed through Judah and then through Pharez. Indeed, it flowed all the way through the bible, and ended at the end of the four Gospels with His death, burial, and resurrection. Christ is alive today.
(Genesis 49:29-33).
Jacob died in Egypt but he wanted to be buried in the Promised Land. The Promised Land was his goal. How come it was called the Promised Land? Because it was called that in a New Testament scripture: "...by faith he (Abraham) sojourned in the land of promise (the Promised Land)"
(Hebrews 11:9). Did Jacob make it to the Promised Land? Yes. He made it to the spiritual Promised Land (Heaven) and he also made it to the physical Promised Land (the Land of Israel). He wanted to be buried next to his father and grandfather. This connection was not only a family one but also a spiritual one. Why? Because he was declaring to all of his relatives that he had the same spirit and faith that his father and grandfather had. He had faith and hope in God's promise to him. And he believed that God would resurrect his body at the right time. Likewise, you and I can have a goal of making it to Heaven (God's Promised Land for us by our faith)
(Matthew 22:23-32; Hebrews 11:16).
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