q.
Genesis
48:17 - And when Joseph saw
that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased
him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto
Manasseh's head.
§
We often try to
exert our will, without understanding the will of the Father.
r.
Genesis
48:18 - And Joseph said unto
his father, Not so, my father: for this [is] the firstborn; put thy right hand
upon his head.
s.
Genesis
48:19 - And his father
refused, and said, I know [it], my son, I know [it]: he also shall become a
people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be
greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.
§
Joseph objected
at first, but now understands that a mistake was not made and this was in fact
his father’s intention, we hear no more objections from Joseph
§
Manasseh, the
elder
o
Given the name Israel
o
Given lesser
blessing than his younger brother
o
Shall be a people
o
Shall be great
§
Ephraim, the
younger
o
Given the name Israel
o
Given greater
blessing than his older brother
o
Shall be a multitude of nations
t.
Genesis
48:20 - And he blessed them
that day, saying, In thee shall Israel
II.
Jacob Prophecies
Over Israel
a.
Genesis
48:21 - And Israel
§
God shall bring
you back into the land of your fathers
o
God - אלהים 'elohiym
§
Jacob is speaking
both to the individual man Joseph, and in reference to his progeny. Joseph’s bones are brought out of Egypt Israel Egypt
b.
Genesis
48:22 - Moreover I have given
to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the
Amorite with my sword and with my bow.
§
Joshua
24:32 - And the bones of
Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in
Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the
father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the
inheritance of the children of Joseph.
o
Appears to be an
inconsistancy
o
The Amorites
apparently seized this land that Jacob initially purchased, however, Jacob
recaptured the land “by the sword”
Genesis 49
Chapter 49 of Genesis is a prophetic blessing for the last
or latter days. Are there multiple
fulfillments of these prophecies? Or is it a consistent application of the
blessing throughout history until the “latter days”
I.
Preface to Jacob’s Prophecies
a.
Genesis
49:1 – 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.
§
Befall - קרא
qara', to encounter, befall, meet
§
Last - אחרית
'achariyth, after part, end
o
end, issue, event
o
latter time
(prophetic for future time)
o
posterity
o
last, hindermost
o
According to
Bullinger, A thorough study will indicate that these “last days” referenced here
will extend out to both the 1st and 2nd advents of the
Messiah.
b.
Genesis
49:2 – Gather yourselves
together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel
§
Sons of Jacob –
acknowledging their relationship to the man Jacob
§
Hearken to Israel
§
Interesting note
that all but Benjamin were born before Jacob’s name was changed to Israel, only
Benjamin was truly a son of Israel at this point, for he was born after the
name Israel was bestowed upon Jacob.
II.
Jacob Blesses and Prophecies Over His Sons
a.
Genesis
49:3 – Reuben, thou [art] my
firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of
dignity, and the excellency of power:
§
Order of names:
Leah’s 6 son’s, Bilhah’s son Dan, Zilpah’s 2 sons, Bihah’s son Naphtali,
Rachel’s 2 sons
§
Five good
characteristics, another picture of grace.
o
Firstborn
o
Might
o
Beginning of my
strength
o
Excellency of
dignity
o
Excellency of
power
§
5 Characteristics
of the firstborn, all demonstrated by Christ
o
Colossians
1:9-18 - For this cause we
also, since the day we heard [it], do not cease to pray for you, and to desire
that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and
spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all
pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of
God; Strengthened with all might,
according to his glorious power,
unto all patience and longsuffering
with joyfulness (Excellency of dignity); Giving thanks unto the Father,
which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in
light: Who hath delivered us from the
power of darkness (therefore He has
Excellency in power over darkness) , and hath translated [us] into the
kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, [even]
the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth,
visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or
principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he
is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the
body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn
from the dead; that in all [things] he might have the preeminence.
b.
Genesis
49:4 – 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.
§
Honor is
something that we should value highly, because once lost it is so very
difficult to regain.
o
Proverbs 22:11 - A
[good] name [is] rather to be chosen than great riches, [and] loving favour
rather than silver and gold.
o
Reuben’s honor
was unstable; it vanished with his act of indiscretion.
o
Those who discard
such a valuable thing as honor and virtue for short term pleasure have
essentially traded diamonds for stones.
§
He is stripped of
the characteristics just given him Excellent in dignity, Excellent in
power…thou shalt not excel
o
Excellency - יתר
yether, remainder, excess, rest, remnant, excellence
o
Excel - יתר
yathar, to be left over, remain, remain over, leave
o
Grace is
demonstrated in that even though he lost his entitlement to the birthright, he
still retained brotherhood and was not cursed or disowned outright for his sin
against his father.
§
It was
approximately forty years since he committed this sin, yet Jacob never forgot.
o
The guilt of any
sin from the conscience will not pass away with time, only repentance and
resolution will begin the healing process.
o
There are some
sins that will tarnish a reputation for life, adultery and murder are two of
them.
o
Reuben’s sin not
only dishonored himself, but his entire family so the consequence was the loss
of their inheritance.
·
Proverbs 6:32 -33 -
[But] whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he [that]
doeth it destroyeth his own soul. A
wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
o
If we avoid evil
we don’t have to worry about being admonished for it.
§
No prominent
leader of Israel
§
Matthew 19:30 - But
many [that are] first shall be last; and the last [shall be] first.
c.
Genesis
49:5 – Simeon and Levi [are]
brethren; instruments of cruelty [are in] their habitations.
§
Neither Simeon
nor Levi were entitled to any special provision as a result of their birth
order, therefore Israel
§
Simeon and Levi
did not share the character of their father Jacob, for though he was wronged
many times throughout his life he never sought revenge and allowed God the
vengeance.
o
Romans 12:19 -
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but [rather] give place unto wrath: for
it is written, Vengeance [is] mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
d.
Genesis
49:6 – 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.
§
Jacob was deeply
moved with anger toward his sons at the time of the sin against Shechem and
retains his knowledge of their cruel actions all the days of his life.
§
Does not want to
associate his name, his honor with their actions of destroying an entire city.
§
Simeon and Levi
would not listen to the counsel of their father, their passion to exact justice
their way over rode prudence, making them unfit to lead.
§
Jacob uses this
moment to profess his detest for such an act and thereby separated himself from
condoning any part of it for the benefit of future generations.
§
“Digged down a
wall”
o
עקר `aqar
·
to pluck up, root
up
·
to cut, hamstring
o
שור showr
·
ox, bull, a head
of cattle
o
Literally means
“hamstrung an ox” (NKLV)
o
Figuratively
means “eradicated a prince” (YLT)
e.
Genesis
49:7 – 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
§
Note here that
Jacob curses their anger, not their persons.
When making judgments of others we ought to remember to distinguish
between sin and sinner.
o
Not to approve of
the sin for the sake of the person
o
Not to despise
the person for the sake of the sin.
o
Ephesians
4:26-27 - Be ye angry, and sin not: let not
the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.
§
Divide in
Jacob…possible reference to the time spent in the wilderness before coming into
the promised land, Simeon was divided in that at the firsr census they were the
third largest tribe and 35 years later they were the smallest in number. Did some of them split off from the main body
of Israel
§
Scattered in Israel
o
Levites were
scattered amongst the other tribes
o
Levi is spoken of in terms of an inferior position,
which actually was his in the earlier days and which constituted a disadvantage
and in a sense a reproof of the tribe. But this situation underwent a radical
change in Moses’ day, when Levi rallied to the cause of the Lord (Ex 32:25-28),
redeemed itself from disgrace, and advanced to a position of honourable and
blessed dispersion among the tribes of Israel
f.
Genesis
49:8 – Judah
§
Judah
§
We also see that
his brothers will bow down to him, which signifies willing subjection to a just
leader.
§
Judah
§
Judges
1:1-2 - Now after the death
of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying,
Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them? And
the LORD said, Judah
g.
Genesis
49:9 – Judah
§
whelp - גור guwr,
masculine noun, cub, whelp, young
§
couched - רבץ
rabats, verb, to stretch oneself out, lie down, lie stretched out
§
Judah
§
In the latter
days a young nation with characteristics of an old nation perhaps?
§
Speaking of
couched, this verse is very cryptic and certainly has a lot of hidden meaning
much like other prophecy throughout the Bible.
h.
Genesis
49:10 – 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].
§
Jacob prophesied:
o
A King from the
line of Judah Israel
·
A scepter was a
rod or staff which today as in ancient times represents royal authority. A king
holds the scepter as a sign of his right to command.
·
Jacob’s words
pointed to the Davidic reign, and the established royal lineage through him. Jacob foretold that this king line would
continue.
o
A Lawgiver from Judah
·
Moses was the “Lawgiver”
of Israel
i. Deuteronomy 33:4 – Moses commanded us a law, even the inheritance of the
congregation of Jacob.
·
Psalms twice confirms
Jacob’s blessing.
ii. Psalm 60:7 - Gilead
[is] mine, and Manasseh [is] mine; Ephraim also [is] the strength of mine head;
Judah
iii. Psalm 108:8 - Gilead
[is] mine; Manasseh [is] mine; Ephraim also [is] the strength of mine head; Judah
·
Isaiah recognizes
that the true source of the law was not Moses, but the Lord.
iv. Isaiah 33:22 - For the LORD [is] our judge, the LORD [is] our
lawgiver, the LORD [is] our king; he will save us.
·
Moses was the
first lawgiver, but that authority apparently passed to the kings
o
This authority
will stand “until he comes to whom it belongs”
·
Shiloh - שילה Shiyloh, proper noun, he
whose it is, that which belongs to him, tranquility, He whom it belongs
·
Until Shiloh
come – indicates that the scepter will depart from Judah Shiloh
comes.
i. John 19:15 - But
they cried out, Away with [him], away with [him], crucify him. Pilate saith
unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.
o
Unto Him (Shiloh )
shall be the gathering of the people
·
Gathering - יקהה yiqqahah,
feminine noun, obedience, cleansing, purging
·
People - עם `am,
masculine noun, nation, people, kinsman, kindred
·
Does this mean
that when Shiloh comes, such authority will pass away? No, to Him shall be the gathering, obedience,
cleansing of the people.
·
Who is Shiloh ?
i. Would descend from Judah
ii. be both a King and a Lawgiver, to whom the right of
royal authority “belongs,”
iii. and to whom would be “the obedience of the nations”?
iv. Jacob prophesies here the coming of Messiah, Jesus
Christ, He to whom the nations belong
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