Genesis 49
April 23, 2023
Pastor Martin begins our study of chapter 49 of Genesis.
Blessings/Prophecies
In this chapter, Jacob (Israel) gathers his 12 sons around him as he prepares to die, and blesses them. These “blessings” are somewhat unique! We use the word “blessing” to mean something good given to someone. Think of these blessings as prophecies. Not all of these blessings are full of good things!
In some cases they are very clear and concise, in other cases they’re a bit cryptic and still cause debate within scholarly circles.
If this is confusing, bear in mind that these are not Jacob’s words (prophesies), they’re God’s words which have a VERY far reaching impact!
Even though each blessing is given individually to each one his sons, these sons are representative of the tribes that they would become, who would then become the Nation, and these blessings are a prophetic historical account of their futures, all the way through the book of Revelation. See Chapter 7:1-8.
As we go through Jacob’s blessings, we’ll also be looking at Deuteronomy 33 where Moses also comments on 11 of the 12 tribes in his parting sermon to the nation before he dies.
Gen 49:1 And Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days:
Gen 49:2 “Gather together and hear, you sons of Jacob, And listen to Israel your father.
There can be no question that Jacob knows he will be speaking prophetically to his sons.
In general, The Patriarchal blessing of a father to his son(s) was considered irrevocable! It was also a legal instrument that could be used in court cases and litigation.
What Jacob is about to do cannot be undone because the Holy Spirit is moving prophetically through Jacob to pronounce these benedictions upon his sons and the tribes they would produce.
Additionally, Moses does the same thing later in Deuteronomy 33:
Deu 33:1 Now this is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.
Deu 33:2 And he said: “The LORD came from Sinai, And dawned on them from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran, And He came with ten thousands of saints; From His right hand Came a fiery law for them.
Deu 33:3 Yes, He loves the people; All His saints are in Your hand; They sit down at Your feet; Everyone receives Your words.
Deu 33:4 Moses commanded a law for us, A heritage of the congregation of Jacob.
Deu 33:5 And He was King in Jeshurun, When the leaders of the people were gathered, All the tribes of Israel together.
Back to Genesis;
Gen 49:3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn, My might and the beginning of my strength, The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power.
High praise to start! As the first child of Jacob’s efforts (his legacy if you will) Reuben had it all!
Since he was Jacob’s first born son, everything Jacob had could have been his.
But…
Gen 49:4 Unstable as water, you shall not excel, Because you went up to your father’s bed; Then you defiled it— He went up to my couch. See Gen 35:18-22
Reuben messed up bad!!! This wasn’t simply a matter of Reuben having relations with Bilhah. There was more at work here. This was a power play…
So what follows this for Reuben? A period!
That’s IT! That’s all he gets! The promise that he will not excel.
Deu 27:20 ‘Cursed is the one who lies with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered his father’s bed.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
See 1 Chronicles 5:1-2
1Ch 5:1 Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel—he was indeed the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel, so that the genealogy is not listed according to the birthright;
1Ch 5:2 yet Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came a ruler, although the birthright was Joseph’s—
Three primary rights Reuben lost:
Right of the Firstborn- The double portion, wealth and privilege, went to Joseph.
Right of Rulership- Kingly Line, was transferred to Judah.
Right of the Priesthood- Was given to Levi.
The Rights of The Firstborn- as a legal title vested in a single person, is now being divided.
Prior to this Abraham had it all. (Kings to come from him Gen 17.. The Levitical priesthood to come from him Heb 7:9-10) At God’s instruction Abraham passed his position to Isaac, who then had it all.
Isaac passed his position to Jacob, who then had it all.
(Reference Genesis 35 where God promises Kings through Jacob, who had the Firstborn double portion already, and is then seen performing priestly duties in altar service and sacrifice)
However, when Jacob is dying, the position FIRSTBORN, KING, AND PRIEST, is divided.
In all of Israel’s history there was never again Firstborn, King, and Priest in the same person, until Jesus Christ once again consolidated these positions in Himself.
He is the Firstborn from the dead,
He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords,
And He is our faithful High Priest who ever lives to make intercession for us.
Let’s take this a step further…
Was Abraham, who would have been considered The Firstborn, born first? NO! He had an older brother.
Was Isaac born first? No! He also had an older brother, Ishmael.
How about Jacob? Was he born first? Again no. He also had an older brother, Esau, who was not chosen as the Firstborn.
Moses, who was chosen to deliver the children of Israel was also not the oldest son. His brother Aaron was the oldest.
King David, God’s first choice of King of Israel was the youngest of Jesse’s sons.
These men, and numerous others, demonstrate God’s sovereign hand in choosing His will!
God is not stuck with man’s traditions. Nor is He obligated to perform according to man’s expectations.
He is sovereign over all things!
His doings always have a purpose, and the birth order and Birth Right discussed here are no exception.
1Co 15:45 And so it is written, “THE FIRST MAN ADAM BECAME A LIVING BEING.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
1Co 15:46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.
1Co 15:47 The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven.
Adam was the first man, and had the title of The Firstborn, but just like Reuben, Adam forfeited his rights through sin and disobedience.
Jesus, the last Adam, redeemed and purchased what Adam gave away so that mankind could be saved from the curse of sin and death.
The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Son of Man and Son of God, and King of the Jews, reunited the offices of the Firstborn, which Reuben forfeited, in one man.
Melchizedek: Genesis 14:18, Psalms 110:4, Hebrews 5:6 & 10, 6:20, 7:1, 10-11, 15, 17, 21
Title reserved for Jesus…
DETAILS MATTER! ALL DETAILS POINT TO JESUS!
For Reuben, his tribe would be spectacularly unremarkable!
Deu 33:6 “Let Reuben live, and not die, Nor let his men be few.”
It would appear Moses is praying that Reuben’s tribe not die out.
The first census of the tribes in Numbers 1 shows Reuben having 46.5K, while the next census in Numbers 26 showed a loss down to 43,730.
There were no kings, mighty men, military leaders, judges, prophets, or anyone of notable mention in their history.
They even dwelt on the outside! When the nation was going into the promised land to conquor it, Rueben, Gad, and 1/2 of the tribe of Manasseh wanted to settle East of the Jordan because it was fantastic livestock raising land. In Numbers 32 Moses commanded they help the other tribes conquor the land, then they could go back and settle on the other side of the Jordan. Joshua later held them to this command and they were obedient to go in and help capture the land, then returned to their families, possessions, and land on the East side of the Jordan.
Centuries later, the Eastern 1/2 of the tribe of Manesseh was wicked and followed the pagan gods of the lands they had captured, which aroused the anger of the Lord so He stirred up the heart of the Assyrian King Pul who took them into captivity in 722 BC along with the Gadites and 1/2 of the Tribe of Manasseh.
(find this in 1 Chron 5:23-26, 2 Kings 15:29 and 17:6)
Reuben was notable for saving Joseph’s life and later coming back to rescue him, but he had been sold off already (Gen 37…) His tribe was also one of those who rebelled against Moses (and the Lord) in Numbers 16. Fortunately for Reuben, we see his tribe listed in Revelation 7:5…
Simeon and Levi are next.
Gen 49:5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers; Instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place.
Gen 49:6 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.
Gen 49:7 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.
Simeon and Levi are grouped together because of their trickery and vengeance against Hamor and the Shechemites over the issue with their sister Dinah. (Gen 34:25,26).
While we were going through this section of Genesis I asked “Why do you think Jacob didn’t deal with Simeon and Levi over this? The answer is that God would deal with it later!
Gen 49:5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers; Instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place.
Gen 49:6 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.
Gen 49:7 Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; And their wrath, for it is cruel!
Jacob’s “blessing” to both Simeon and Levi were to be “divided and scattered”.
During the wilderness wanderings the tribe of Simeon decreased by 2/3 (Num 1:23 26:14 ).
In Deuteronomy 33, Moses pronounces no blessing on this tribe.
They were there, on the mountains proclaiming the Law and the Amen’s, but didn’t get a blessing from Moses.
Even their hereditary lands were swallowed up in the surrounding possessions so that they became largely insignificant.
Fortunately, they didn’t lose their identity. They’re mentioned in 1 Chr 4 and are also listed among the tribes who have 12,000 sealed evangelists in Revelation chapter 7.
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