Genesis 49
April 23, 2023
Genesis 49
Blessings/Prophecies Part II
Gen 49:5-7 “Simeon and Levi are brothers; Instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place. Let not my soul enter their council; Let not my honor be united to their assembly; For in their anger they slew a man, And in their self-will they hamstrung an ox. Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; And their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob And scatter them in Israel.
He was involved in the vengeance of Dinah in Gen 34 along with his brother Simeon, which led to sharing in the “blessing” of being divided in Jacob and scattered in Israel.
Last week we discussed how Simeon didn’t receive a blessing from Moses in Deut 33, nor did they get a real portion of land in Israel, blue ended up swallowed up in Judah’s territory, leaving them no place of their own.
Levi was also scattered, but in an entirely different manner. They weren’t given a set territory, but were instead given 48 cities throughout the land to dwell in, 6 of which were cities of refuge (3 on each side of the Jordan). Along with the 48 cities, they were given the common land surrounding the cities for their flocks and their herds.
See Numbers 35…
Also Joshua 20:2, 21:27-32, 1Chron 6:57-67
Their zeal for the Lord and against idolatry was instrumental in the tribe’s priestly appointment.
In Ex 32:26-28, there was a revolt against the Lord with the golden calf.
Moses called for “all who stand for the Lord” to step forward. Only Levites stepped forward and did what the Lord commanded them. This zeal for the Lord was instrumental in the tribe of Levi being appointed as the Priestly tribe.
See Ex 32:26-28
Also mentioned in Deut 33:9,10; Mal 2:4,5.
Not only were the Levites assigned the Priestly role, but as a tribe they were “given” to Aaron for service to the Lord and the Tabernacle, and eventually the Temple.
See Numbers 3:5-13…
Note vs 12-13… The Levites are a ransom for the firstborn…
It’s important to note that not all Levites were priests, but ALL Priests were Levites.
As the Priestly tribe, they were the teachers of the Law, sent throughout the land to teach the Law to the people.
Deut 33:10; 2 Chr 17:8,9; 30:22; 35:3
They were also exempt from military inscription. In Numbers 1:47-54 and 1Chr 12:26 they were not numbered in the census, which was a “draft registration” if you will.
Even though they were relieved from military service, they guarded the King and the tabernacle/temple.
See 2 Kings 11:5-9
Also repeated in 2 Chr 23:5-7
They later became the Temple Guard and were highly trained for war and defense of the temple mount.
Special Mention:
Phinehas
See Numbers 25:1-15
Phinehas is given an eternal priesthood…
Moses’s blessing in Deut 33:
Deu 33:8 And of Levi he said: “Let Your Thummim and Your Urim be with Your holy one, Whom You tested at Massah, And with whom You contended at the waters of Meribah,
Exo 28:29 “So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel on the breastplate of judgment over his heart, when he goes into the holy place, as a memorial before the LORD continually.
Exo 28:30 And you shall put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be over Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the LORD. So Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel over his heart before the LORD continually.
Ezr 2:63 And the governor said to them that they should not eat of the most holy things till a priest could consult with the Urim and Thummim.
Deu 33:9 Who says of his father and mother, ‘I have not seen them’; Nor did he acknowledge his brothers, Or know his own children; For they have observed Your word And kept Your covenant.
Deu 33:10 They shall teach Jacob Your judgments, And Israel Your law. They shall put incense before You, And a whole burnt sacrifice on Your altar.
Deu 33:11 Bless his substance, LORD, And accept the work of his hands; Strike the loins of those who rise against him, And of those who hate him, that they rise not again.”
Is there a future priestly role for Levi?
Jesus our high priest, better than Levitical, completed and perfected. (Hebrews 7)
Ezekiel chapters 40-46 detail the Millennial Temple. There will be animal sacrifices at the Temple. Chapter 44 the Lord states that the Levites will be offering the sacrifices. However, only the descendants of Zadok will be ministering before Him. The rest of the Levites will be taking care of the duties associated with the Temple, but only those of Zadok will be allowed to minister in His presence. (vs 15)
See Eze 44…
Zadok, descendant of Phinehas…?
Most premillennial scholars agree that the purpose of animal sacrifice during the millennial kingdom is memorial in nature. As the Lord’s Supper is a reminder of the death of Christ to the Church today, animal sacrifices will be a reminder during the millennial kingdom. To those born during the millennial kingdom, animal sacrifices will again be an object lesson. During that future time, righteousness and holiness will prevail, but those with earthly bodies will still have a sin nature, and there will be a need to teach about how offensive sin is to a holy and righteous God. Animal sacrifices will serve that purpose, “but in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year” (Hebrews 10:3).
Aaronic vs Levitical Priesthood:
All priests are descendants of Aaron. All descendants of Aaron are Levites. The term “Levitical Priesthood” and Aaronic Priesthood can be used synonymously.
We’ll save Judah for the next session!
Gen 49:8 “Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father’s children shall bow down before you.
Gen 49:9 Judah is a lion’s whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him?
Gen 49:10-12 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people. Binding his donkey to the vine, And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, He washed his garments in wine, And his clothes in the blood of grapes. His eyes are darker than wine, And his teeth whiter than milk.
Zebulun:
Gen 49:13 “Zebulun shall dwell by the haven of the sea; He shall become a haven for ships, And his border shall adjoin Sidon.
Zebulun would gain great wealth due to their location in the trade route between the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean.
Moses blessed them in Deut 33:18-19
Deu 33:18 And of Zebulun he said: “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out, And Issachar in your tents!
Deu 33:19 They shall call the peoples to the mountain; There they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness; For they shall partake of the abundance of the seas And of treasures hidden in the sand.”
It was also prophesied that Jesus would spend a great deal of time ministering in their land.
Isa 9:1 Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, As when at first He lightly esteemed The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, And afterward more heavily oppressed her, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, In Galilee of the Gentiles.
Isa 9:2 The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.
Mat 4:12-17 Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “THE LAND OF ZEBULUN AND THE LAND OF NAPHTALI, BY THE WAY OF THE SEA, BEYOND THE JORDAN, GALILEE OF THE GENTILES: THE PEOPLE WHO SAT IN DARKNESS HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT, AND UPON THOSE WHO SAT IN THE REGION AND SHADOW OF DEATH LIGHT HAS DAWNED.” From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Joshua 19:10-16 describes their territory.
They were men of war and great fighters.
Jdg 5:18 Zebulun is a people who jeopardized their lives to the point of death, Naphtali also, on the heights of the battlefield.
1 Ch 12:33 of Zebulun there were fifty thousand who went out to battle, expert in war with all weapons of war, stouthearted men who could keep ranks;
And they are also seen being sealed in Rev 7,
Rev 7:8 of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed; ……
Issachar:
Gen 49:14 “Issachar is a strong donkey, Lying down between two burdens;
Gen 49:15 He saw that rest was good, And that the land was pleasant; He bowed his shoulder to bear a burden, And became a band of slaves.
Issachar was Jacob’s 9th son, by Leah, sekhari, “my hire” (Gen 30:18).
The word hòamor gerem, literally, bony ass, designates a powerful beast of burden that submits himself to the galling yoke without complaint in order that he may be free to lie quietly in ease and comfort.
Issachar was located in the fertile broad pleasant plain of Esdraelon; The Jezreel Valley, which was also the richest portion of the land. In this position they were often subject to invading armies.
Jacob was predicting that the tribe of Issachar would submit to the Canaanite invaders, who would fasten the yoke upon them. Instead of fighting, the men of this tribe would submissively allow themselves to become slaves of the peoples of the land. They would prefer shame and slavery to courageous action.
This is sad considering they were a very strong tribe. Only Judah and Dan were stronger
(64,300, Num 26:25 to 87,000, 1 Chr 7:5)
Issachar is included with Zebulun in Moses’s blessing in Deut 33;
Deu 33:18 And of Zebulun he said: “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out, And Issachar in your tents!
They are also sealed in Revelation 7…
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