Israel's Last Will and Testament - Genesis 49:1-33
INTRODUCTION:
How is your assignment going? Have you begun to read the book of Revelation? I was serious when I gave you the assignment so please take time to read it over the next three weeks. I have been reading it and preparing my heart to preach through it.
Israel, the man in his last years began to see the nation of Israel begin to develop as his sons’ families began to grow and multiply. God had promised him at Beersheba that his family would become a great nation in the land of Egypt and Israel in giving his last will and testament reveals to his sons what their future will look like, how their character will shape the tribe that comes from their family. Last week we looked at the first part of Israel’s last will and testament as he named Joseph the recipient of the birthright and the blessing which was to be realized through his sons who were elevated to the status of sons of Israel. This morning we will hear most of the second half of the last will and testament of Israel as he calls all his sons to gather around his bed and listen to what he says about what will happen to each of them in the days to come. Most of what Israel says is prophetic and speaks to the future when they will take possession of the land of promise, or much more future when they will live in the land under the reign of the King of kings.
As we go through this chapter this morning look for the references made concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. In this final chapter of Israel’s life he distinguishes himself as a faithful man of God desiring to leave a legacy to his children of a man who walked with God. Let’s pray and then read our chapter for this morning.
--PRAY--
SCRIPTURE:
Turn in your Bibles this morning to Genesis 49:1-33 and if you are able please stand for the reading of God’s Word and follow along as I read.
Genesis 49:1-33,
“Then Jacob summoned his sons and said, ‘Assemble yourselves that I may tell you what will befall you in the days to come. Gather together and hear, O sons of Jacob; And listen to Israel your father. Reuben, you are my firstborn; My might and the beginning of my strength, Preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power. Uncontrolled as water, you shall not have preeminence, Because you went up to your father’s bed; Then you defiled it—he went up to my couch. Simeon and Levi are brothers; Their swords are implements of violence. Let my soul not enter into their council; Let not my glory be united with their assembly; Because in their anger they slew men, And in their self-will they lamed oxen. Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; And their wrath, for it is cruel. I will disperse them in Jacob, And scatter them in Israel. Judah, your brothers shall praise you; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father’s sons shall bow down to you. Judah is a lion’s whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He couches, he lies down as a lion, And as a lion, who dares rouse him up? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes, And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. He ties his foal to the vine, And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine; He washes his garments in wine, And his robes in the blood of grapes. His eyes are dull from wine, And his teeth white from milk. Zebulun will dwell at the seashore; And he shall be a haven for ships, And his flank shall be toward Sidon. Issachar is a strong donkey, Lying down between the sheepfolds. When he saw that a resting place was good And that the land was pleasant, He bowed his shoulder to bear burdens, And became a slave at forced labor. Dan shall judge his people, As one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent in the way, A horned snake in the path, That bites the horse’s heels, So that his rider falls backward. For Your salvation I wait, O Lord. As for Gad, raiders shall raid him, But he will raid at their heels. As for Asher, his food shall be rich, And he will yield royal dainties. Naphtali is a doe let loose, He gives beautiful words. Joseph is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough by a spring; Its branches run over a wall. The archers bitterly attacked him, And shot at him and harassed him; But his bow remained firm, And his arms were agile, From the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel), From the God of your father who helps you, And by the Almighty who blesses you With blessings of heaven above, Blessings of the deep that lies beneath, Blessings of the breasts and of the womb. The blessings of your father Have surpassed the blessings of my ancestors Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills; May they be on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers. Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; In the morning he devours the prey, And in the evening he divides the spoil.’ All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them. He blessed them, every one with the blessing appropriate to him. Then he charged them and said to them, ‘I am about to be gathered to 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 along with the field from Ephron the Hittite for a burial site. There they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah, there they buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah, and there I buried Leah— the field and the cave that is in it, purchased from the sons of Heth.’ When Jacob finished charging his sons, he drew his feet into the bed and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.” (Genesis 49:1–33, NASB95)[1]
REUBEN, SIMEON, AND LEVI (Genesis 49:1-7)
After adopting Joseph’s sons and bestowing upon them the birthright and the blessing, Israel calls all his sons. It is possible that while he was speaking with Joseph, Ephraim, and Manasseh that messengers had been sent to call the other 11 sons and they were waiting when Israel called them to gather around his bed. He informs them that he will tell them what will befall them in the days to come. He calls them the sons of Jacob, but tells them to listen to Israel their father.
Israel begins by speaking to his first three children and what he has to say is not at all complimentary. He speaks first to Reuben, the eldest and declares that that he is the firstborn and the might and the beginning of Israel’s strength. Israel is saying that as the firstborn, Reuben should have been the one to receive the birthright, that as the firstborn he was the first show of Israel’s virility or of his masculinity. Many cultures view the ability to father children as a sign of might or power. As the firstborn Reuben should have been the preeminent son who was distinguished among his brothers with dignity and power, the one to lead the family when Israel died. This is what he should have been, but Israel describes Reuben as uncontrolled as water, a better translation is as turbulent as water. Water is unstable and unpredictable and this was Reuben, and because of this he lost his preeminence. Being unstable and unpredictable he tried to usurp his father’s authority by sleeping with Bilhah, his father’s wife who was the maid of Rachel. Israel’s said that Reuben went up on to his bed and defiled it and therefore lost the rights of the firstborn. It is interesting that in the history of the nation of Israel, the tribe of Reuben never distinguishes itself, it is difficult to find any member of this tribe that is mentioned as a godly leader. Because Reuben could not control his lust he forfeited the rights of the firstborn.
Next Israel speaks of Simeon and Levi and refers to them as violent men remembering the massacre of all the males in Shechem. Israel warns not to give heed to their council or to be united with their assembly, because in their anger over their sister’s rape and their desire to get revenge they killed all the males in Shechem and they hamstrung all the oxen. Israel curses their anger and their wrath and to keep them from banding together in the land of promise he says they will be scattered in the land. That is exactly what happened, Levi’s scattering is fulfilled in terms of blessing, because of their obedience at a later crisis in Israel’s history. They were set apart to the service of God and their scattering among the tribes became a distinction and honor. The tribe of Simeon shrank instead of growing during the years of wandering, in the second census before coming into the land they had gone from one of the largest tribes to the smallest and they had their inheritance in the midst of Judah’s and almost disappeared from the record being mostly absorbed by Judah. Israel’s first three sons had brought disgrace on Israel and Israel pronounced the consequences for their sin.
JUDAH (Genesis 49:8-12)
Upon coming to Israel’s fourth son we find no mention of the sins of his life, after Tamar Judah seems to have changed and he distinguishes himself to his father and Israel grew to trust him, allowing him to be the guarantee for Benjamin when they had to take him to Egypt to prove that they were not spies, and Judah was the one sent ahead to find the way to Goshen to lead the family there on their move to Egypt. Judah receives blessing from his father.
If you remember Judah means praise and in a play on words Israel says that Judah (praise) will be praised by his brothers, that he will triumph over his enemies and Israel’s sons (Judah’s brothers) will bow down to him. Judah will receive the preeminence of dignity and honor and power. Judah would be the royal tribe from which the kings of Israel, then Judah when the nation divided would come from. Israel likens Judah to a lion which is fitting for the tribe that would hold the kingship, the lion is known as the king of the beasts. First Israel compares Judah to a lion’s cub, as a lion and a lioness or an old lion. Israel’s point is who would dare to rouse a lion that is resting after feeding on a kill, or while guarding cubs. In the book of Revelation Jesus is called the Lion of the tribe of Judah.
Israel then says that the scepter shall never depart from the tribe of Judah, nor the ruler’s
staff from between his feet. This is a poetic way to say that Judah’s line will always be the royal line. Then at the end of verse 10 it says, “Until Shiloh comes, And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” Many interpretations have arisen for this phrase until Shiloh comes. The most reasonable is that this phrase is referring to the coming Messiah. The phrase can be translated “until He comes whose right it is, that is the right to have the scepter and the ruler’s staff. The word Shiloh means “to whom it belongs, or whose it is.” The ancient Jewish scholars took Shiloh to be a name of the promised Messiah, who alone had the right to claim rule over God’s people Israel. Only in the rule of Jesus Christ will the obedience of the peoples be realized. Verses 11-12 certainly go beyond Judah’s time and speaks of the blessings of the Kingdom Age when the Messiah will reign in Israel. Nobody in the Old Testament would use a choice vine as a hitching post, that would certainly ruin the vine. Nor would a man’s wife waste their precious wine by washing clothes in it. This is the language of hyperbole, it is extreme exaggeration to describe a land so wealthy and a people so prosperous that they could do these outrageous things and not have to worry about the consequences. I like the English Standard Versions translation of verse 12, it speaks of the people enjoying health and beauty during the reign of the Messiah because the devastating enemies of human life will have been removed. Listen to verse 12 in the English Standard Version, “His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk.” (Genesis 49:12, ESV)[2] The Messiah, Jesus would come from the line of Judah and His rule yet future will be very prosperous. This same Jesus was rejected the first time He came so that He might make salvation available to us through His death, burial, and resurrection. His next appearing will be with great power and He will defeat those who oppose Him.
ZEBULUN, ISSACHAR, DAN, GAD, ASHER, AND NAPHTALI (Genesis 49:13-21)
Israel goes through the next six sons in rapid succession giving just a short bit of prophetic information about each.
First he speaks of Zebulun and says that his tribe would dwell at the seashore and would be a haven for ships. Zebulun’s inheritance was not on the seashore, but almost stretched from the Mediterranean coast to the coast of the Sea of Galilee, both were close enough to make the transport of goods profitable and they had an important trade route that ran through their land. The phrase that his flank shall be toward Sidon probably had to do with their business with the Phoenicians who were the seafaring peoples of the day and Zebulun would transport the imported goods to the east from the ships of the Phoenicians.
Israel described Issachar as a strong donkey, my version says lying down between sheepfolds, but a better translation is lying down between saddle bags. The image that is given to us here is a strong people who found rest in being settled in their own land, they were not afraid to work and they worked the soil in the fertile Jezreel valley where their inheritance lay. They provided grains and garden crops for the nation.
Next Israel spoke of Dan, his name means judge and Israel said that Dan would be a judge to his people. The most famous judge from Dan is Samson. The people of Dan could not drive out the Philistines in their inheritance so they went north and conquered the unsuspecting people of Laish and took their land. Israel also calls Dan a serpent and this may reveal their crafty nature, but it might also reveal that they were the first to practice idolatry in the land of Israel by setting up an image. By bringing idolatry into the nation it was liking a serpent striking a horse and bringing the rider off backwards. Turning the Israelites away from the one true God. Dan is left out of two important genealogies, the genealogy in 1 Chronicles and the tribal listing in Revelation 7:1-8. Is it because of their turning away from the Lord to follow idols?
After his prophecy of Dan, Israel says that he is waiting for the salvation of the Lord, as if he knew that Dan would turn away, but holding firmly to the promise of a Deliverer who was coming to deliver us from Satan and sin. Again, this one statement is a testimony of the changed life that Israel was now living, walking in faithfulness to God.
Next Israel speaks of his son Gad and again uses his name in a play on words. The name Gad means a “troop” like a military troop and Israel says, As for Gad (troop) troops shall raid him, but Gad (troop) shall raid on their heels. Gad’s inheritance was on the eastside of the Jordan and enemy troops could easily invade their territory and often did, but Jacob assures his son that no conquest would be final, and the Gadites would eventually conquer their enemies. The Gadites became great warriors and defended their land.
Next Israel spoke of Asher and spoke of the richness of the land that they would inherit and how their food would be worthy of kings. Asher did inherit a very fertile land and they settled down and took advantage of the agricultural richness of their land. They had a wealth of olive orchards and were most blessed.
Israel next mentions his son Naphtali and describes him as a doe deer let loose and this seems to refer to a free-spirited people, not bound to tradition. This tribe’s inheritance was in the hill country surrounding the north and west side of the sea of Galilee, so this image of a doe running free is fitting. Depending on your version the last part of the prophecy either says, “that bears beautiful fawns,” or “gives beautiful words.” It can either mean that they lived in such peace and safety that they spread out in their territory and increased in numbers. If the second translation is correct then it suggests that they were a people able to express themselves well, they would have made ideal messengers.
CONCLUSION:
Only Joseph and Benjamin are left and the closing words of Israel, but we are going to save that for next week. What can we take from this passage of Scripture this morning? I think that there are a couple of things that we can learn from this passage.
The lives of Reuben, Simeon, and Levi show that when we sin, even if we have asked forgiveness, and there is no indication that they did, sin may result in consequences on this earth that cannot be avoided. These three at this point represent for us what we were before we agreed with God that we were sinners and put our faith in Jesus Christ.
Judah is the example of one who walked in sin, but then was changed, he became like a new person. He is a shadow for us of what happens when a person is saved, when they agree with God that they are sinners and that they can do nothing to save themselves and it is only through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, and His burial, and resurrection that we can be saved. And like Judah, the past is forgotten, it is not even mentioned, and the blessings of being in Christ are so abundant that it is unimaginable.
Did you see Jesus in our passage today? We were reminded that He will make another bodily appearance on this earth, but that second advent will be different than the first, because He will come as the Conqueror, He will put all His enemies under His feet, and He will take the Scepter of the tribe of Judah, He will take the ruler’s staff and He will rule this earth from Jerusalem for 1000 years. The Word of God tells us that where He is, we will be also. Those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation will rule with Him on this earth. We can proclaim like Israel, “For Your salvation I wait, O Lord.” (Genesis 49:18, NASB95)[3] The salvation we wait for is the fulfillment of all the promises given to us when we put our faith in Jesus Christ, that we will be like Him, and we will be with Him. That is the salvation I wait for and hope for every day.
[1]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. LaHabra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[2]The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV). Wheaton, Ill. : Crossway, 2001.
[3]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. LaHabra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995