# 455 Don’t Miss the Reunion

The Book of Genesis

Day 455

Ge 49:29 Then he charged them and said to them: "I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,  30 "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 as a possession for a burial place.  31 "There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife, there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah.  32 "The field and the cave that is there were purchased from the sons of Heth."  33 And when Jacob had finished commanding his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.

Jacob, on his death bed makes his sons promise to bury him with his fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite. You remember the property that Abraham purchased from Ephron? It was the only property that the Israelites owned in the promised land…..nothing but a burial plot…..a couple of caves and a field. It was the Israelites stake in the promised land, and notice the faith of Jacob as he states, “I am to be gathered to my people.”  This is nothing but a bold proclamation in the belief of a bodily resurrection.

It’s a dying man’s wish to be buried with fellow believers, so that on the Last Day, the whole family will burst from the graves together to join the returning Savior. No wonder so many churches have cemeteries! Is it necessary to be buried in a family plot? Of course not, the dead will be raised from wherever they may lie, but it is a nice picture of a family reunion on that glorious day!

A day when the dead in Christ will rise first! 1Th 4:16-18 says, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.  17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.  18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

A day when the bones of Jacob, Abraham, Isaac, you and I and all believers will burst forth in our new incorruptible bodies! 1Co 15:51-58, “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed--  52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."  55 "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?"  56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.  57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

This is all made possible because the Son of God, Jesus Christ, came to this earth to live a perfect sinless life. He then died on the cross for our sins, then He too, was buried in a cave, but the cave couldn’t hold Him, and on the third day He rose from the dead. He ascended into heaven where His is preparing mansions, not caves for all His true followers.

Just as the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite was a stake in the promised land, so is the empty tomb of Jesus a stake for all of us in the new promised land. One day the Israelites would physically occupy all that land, and one day, heaven will be occupied, (prepared mansions and all) for those who trusted Christ!

Don’t miss the reunion.

# 454 The Prophecy For Benjamin

The Book of Genesis

Day 454

Ge 49:27 "Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; In the morning he shall devour the prey, And at night he shall divide the spoil."  28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them. And he blessed them; he blessed each one according to his own blessing.

Jacob wraps up the blessing of his children with Benjamin. Benjamin would be a “ravenous wolf.” Okay, wolves are scary enough, but a ravenous wolf? I guarantee you that you don’t want to run into a “ravenous wolf!”

The name Benjamin literally means, “son of my right hand.”  This should cause us to think of another “Son of the right hand,” namely Jesus  who even now is seated at the right hand of the Father, and as the Apostle’s Creed states, “from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.”

Most people don’t like to think of Jesus as a judge, but to ignore the reality of His judgment at the second coming is foolish. If His judgment matches the fury of the Benjamites, unbelievers are really in for it! Truth is, His judgment and vehemence against the unrepentant will surpass that of the tribe of Benjamin.

The Benjamites were a fierce fighting bunch of people. During the period of Judges for example, some of their men did a terrible thing to a concubine in Gibeah and she died at their hands. This event led to a civil war with the other tribes. The first two days of the war belonged to the Benjamites and they inflicted heavy losses on their brethren, on the third day, the Lord mercifully gave Benjamin into their hands.  Mercy triumphed over judgment just as on the third day Jesus rose from the dead, with mercy winning out over judgment.

Also in the period of judges, a Benjamite named Ehud, assassinated the King of Moab and led the Benjamites onto victory over the Moabites.

Some other famous Benjamites include Saul, the first king of Israel, his exploits and violent outbursts against David are well documented.

Another Saul of New Testament fame was also a Benjamite, we need not go into the intensity of his persecutions against Christians.

These were fierce people, and we must never forget that our Lord’s judgment on the Last Day will also be fierce.  Never forget that, and at the same time never forget that until the “Son of the right hand” returns, grace and mercy and an opportunity for repentance is being extended to all!

It was extended to that Benjamite named Saul, and he was converted from a warrior of persecution and judgment to a warrior of grace and a messenger of forgiveness.

Mercy DOES triumph over judgment!

Receive the mercy that the Lord is extending to you today, while it is still day, because the next time the Son returns, it will be with an unrivaled fierce judgment. Jesus is not going to come and say, “Okay this was all a game, everyone come into My heaven now!” No! It will be with vengeance and fury! There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth, and only those who have bowed their knees to Him in this lifetime will be spared. Only one thief on the cross made it to Paradise!

Listen to a quote from that converted Benjamite named Saul (Paul) from Ro 10:13 For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."

To call on His name is to appeal to Him for your salvation. For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved!. Appeal to Jesus now! Ask Him to save you that you might be spared the wrath to come. ! This heartfelt prayer is one that He will never refuse to answer!

# 453 The “Precious” Prophecy For Joseph

The Book of Genesis

Day 453

Ge 49:22 "Joseph is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough by a well; His branches run over the wall.  23 The archers have bitterly grieved him, Shot at him and hated him.  24 But his bow remained in strength, And the arms of his hands were made strong By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),  25 By the God of your father who will help you, And by the Almighty who will bless you With blessings of heaven above, Blessings of the deep that lies beneath, Blessings of the breasts and of the womb.  26 The blessings of your father Have excelled the blessings of my ancestors, Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. They shall be on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.

In case there was any doubt about who Jacob’s favorite son was, this blessing should take care of that! But this blessing is more about the reward of a life of faith. Specifically, the faith of Joseph. His faith bore much fruit, it was like “branches running over a wall,” The faith of Joseph brings strength in the midst of  trying circumstances. (“The archers have bitterly grieved him, but his bow remained in strength.”) And let there be no doubt, surrender to God, (or faith and trust in Him) is how we bear fruit. It is how we are made strong, how we are helped, and how we are blessed!

Let’s look at another blessing for the tribe of Joseph. This blessing comes from Moses who says in De 33:13-17, “And of Joseph he said: "Blessed of the LORD is his land, With the precious things of heaven, with the dew, And the deep lying beneath,  14 With the precious fruits of the sun, With the precious produce of the months,  15 With the best things of the ancient mountains, With the precious things of the everlasting hills,  16 With the precious things of the earth and its fullness, And the favor of Him who dwelt in the bush. Let the blessing come 'on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.'  17 His glory is like a firstborn bull, And his horns like the horns of the wild ox; Together with them He shall push the peoples To the ends of the earth; They are  the ten thousands of Ephraim, And they are the thousands of Manasseh."

 Did you happen to notice the repetition of “precious” in this blessing? Five times! Precious would be a good word to sum up the faith of the “one who was separate from his brothers!” 1Pe 1:6,7 says, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,  7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,”

Does this not describe Joseph? Through trial and testing his faith was found more precious than gold. Peter goes on to quote Isaiah concerning Christ as the chief cornerstone, elect, precious.”  Peter continues in 1Pe 2:6 to quote Isaiah, concerning Christ as the chief cornerstone, elect and precious. “Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame."

This blessing of Joseph by Jacob is the first mention in Scripture of the “Stone of Israel,” and it’s found in verse 24 of the blessing: (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel), 

Of course the Stone of Israel, would come from the tribe of Judah, and there is great honor in that, but without faith in that stone, like the unshakeable faith of Joseph, we have nothing!. Without the faith of Joseph, we have no blessing. It was Joseph who waited for the hand of God to help him, rather than helping himself, and because of that faith Joseph received a  precious blessing.

Do you desire a precious faith? Then start trusting in God and His faithfulness in your circumstances. Every single time that you and I exhibit confidence in God and His Word, to the point of acting on it, we are building precious faith….the precious faith of Joseph! Don’t drag your heels…..begin today!

# 452 The Prophecy For Naphtali

The Book of Genesis

Day 452

Ge 49:21 "Naphtali is a deer let loose; He uses beautiful words.

Naphtali sounds both joyous and eloquent, doesn’t he?

This tribe would inherit the very rich land on the entire west side of the Sea of Galilee. Many of the Lord’s disciples would come from this region. Peter, Andrew, Phillip, Nathaniel, John, and James were from the region of Galilee. Matthew, the tax collector, was from Capernaum, also on the Sea of Galilee.

I mention this because the Bible makes note that there  was something different about the speech of the Galileans, the descendants of Naphtali.  As you may recall, the different sounding language was noted by those standing with Peter in the courtyard after Jesus was arrested. They said, “Surely you also are one of them (the disciples) because your speech betrays you.”

When you think about it, this gift of joy and eloquent language to those from the region of Naphtali would come in handy as many of these followers of Jesus were used by the Holy Spirit to pen the words of the New Testament. Few can dispute the eloquence of this Book!

Remember when Peter and John spoke to the council in Acts chapter 4? Listen to the response of their audience: in verse 13: “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.”

Has there ever been a more eloquent speaker than Jesus! (And by the way, Jesus was raised in Nazareth in the heart of Galilee!)  Jesus and the Holy Spirit!  Joy-filled Masters of eloquent speech. Not one word wasted in all of Scripture! 2Ti 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

Should not we, as followers of Jesus be filled with joy and eloquent speech? Eph 4:29 says, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”

And in  Ac 13:52 we read, “And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.”

May the spirit of Naphtali, joy and beautiful speech, abound in your life today!

# 451 The Prophecy For Asher

The Book of Genesis

Day 451

Ge 49:20 "Bread from Asher shall be rich, And he shall yield royal dainties.

The tribe of Asher would be greatly blessed in their inheritance. They will settle in the very rich seacoast land north of Mt Carmel. They would be famous for their olives and olive oil, yielding royal dainties. Later, Moses would bless them in a similar way in De 33:24,25 “And of Asher he said: "Asher is most blessed of sons; Let him be favored by his brothers, And let him dip his foot in oil.” Your sandals shall be iron and bronze; As your days, so shall your strength be.’

The oil a reference to the olives in Jacob’s original blessing, and the iron and bronze sandals perhaps a reference to a tribe that will be entrenched in their territory and not forced to move. Yes, this tribe was extremely blessed by God!

But then, all the tribes were blessed as they entered their assigned territories in the Promised Land, and let us not forget that ALL tribes were given this warning from God: De 8:10 "When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you.  11 "Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today,”

And of course we all know, that the abundance of the Promised Land was taken away  from Asher and all the other tribes because they indeed turned away from the Lord. I gotta tell you this comparison between the abundance of early Israel, and especially the blessing of Asher reminds me of the United States of America.

There has never been a richer nation in the history of the world. We live in a fertile land, and have never had to move due to being conquered by other nations. We have been strong and prosperous, extremely blessed of God! But it seems that as a nation, we no longer bless God in return. He is far from our thoughts in that we do not keep His commandments.

As a nation, and even in the church we have gone our own way. We have made a mockery of the institution that God loves (marriage) We give no thought to keeping the marriage bed undefiled as fornication and adultery have almost become second nature. We have muddled our God-ordained roles as men and women in leadership, and sexuality.  Resulting in the acceptance of homosexuality and an   outbreak of gender confusion.  Lives of unborn babies, made in the image of God have been tossed away like garbage through legalized abortion.

We have turned God’s created order on its ear!

Have you ever considered that the latest rounds of “bomb cyclones” in our nation’s midsection may be a judgment from God?  Is it possible that God is trying to get our attention regarding our disruption of His created order, by giving us some creation disorder of His own?  Is He trying to draw us to repentance for what we have done to His created order? 

As a nation or the church, we can ignore these occurrences and continue living as we please, or we can use them as a catalyst for repentance, fasting,  with godly sorrow over the sins of our nation.

Lord have mercy on the land! Awaken us! Revive us! Make us a place like Asher again, where the Olive Oil of your sweet Holy Spirit flows once more!

# 450 The Prophecy For Gad

The Book of Genesis

Day 450

Ge 49:19 "Gad, a troop shall tramp upon him, But he shall triumph at last.

Well, that was quick Jacob! So, let’s talk a little about Gad. I think we can learn something about the power of prayer!

There were three tribes that settled east of the Jordan….Reuben, Manasseh, and Gad. They had a great multitude of cattle and found the land suitable for livestock, so they asked Moses if they might settle on the east side. Moses did not want them to do that. He thought it might discourage the other tribes from taking possession of the Promised Land on the other side of the Jordan. He thought the Israeli army would be outmanned on the other side of the Jordan without the three. But the three vowed to send their men over to fight until all the promised land was conquered.

Once the land was conquered, Joshua gave them permission to resettle east of the Jordan. He admonished them to continue to take heed to do the commandment and the Law, to love the Lord God, and walk in His ways, and to cleave to Him, serving Him with all their heart and soul. Great parting advice for anyone!

The Gadites were great fighters. According to 1 Chron 12:14, “One of the least of their commanders was a match for a hundred, and the greatest for a thousand.” As good as they were, their success was still dependent on the Lord. In 1 Chron 5:18, we read of one of their battles, and in v20 we read, “They were helped in fighting them and God handed the Hagrites and all their allies over to them BECAUSE THEY CRIED OUT TO HIM DURING THE BATTLE!        He answered their prayers, because they trusted in Him!

The location of the territory of the Gadites made them susceptible to attack from the Moabites, but in the end, just as Jacob prophesied, they would prevail because they called upon the Lord and trusted in Him for their victory! Gadite and cry out to the Lord, trusting in Him, knowing that ultimately the battle belongs to the Lord.

Are you in a spiritual battle today? Be a Gadite, Resist! fight! And cry out to the Lord!

# 449 The Prophecy For Dan

The Book of Genesis

Day 449

Ge 49:16 "Dan shall judge his people As one of the tribes of Israel.  17 Dan shall be a serpent by the way, A viper by the path, That bites the horse's heels So that its rider shall fall backward.  18 I have waited for your salvation, O LORD!

There’s some good news and bad news for Dan and his descendants. The good news is that in the short term, he will provide justice for the tribes of Israel. This prophecy came to pass during the period of the judges when Samson was raised up and defeated the Philistines. Samson was of the tribe of Dan.

The bad news is that Dan would be a serpent by the roadside, a viper along the path, that bites the horse’s heels so that its rider tumbles backward. Dan would be greatly responsible for Israel being thrown off their high horse!

Let me try to briefly sum up the history of the tribe of Dan They never really took all of their inheritance in Canaan. They failed to conquer the Amorites. Later, during the period of the judges, some of their tribe journeyed to what became the “northern kingdom” and conquered the city of Laish, which they renamed Dan. They were singled out in the Book of Judges as being the tribe that actually set up their own system  of priests complete with the worship of idols, all contrary to the Word of God.

Later, Dan was one of the cities chosen for the golden calf when the kingdom was split and Jeroboam instituted substitute worship. 1Ki 12:30 says, “Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan.”

This idolatry was the “straw that broke the camel’s back,”  “For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they did not depart from them,   until the LORD removed Israel out of His sight,”  (2 Kings 17:22,23)

Now, to catch the drift of this prophecy from Jacob concerning Dan, let’s turn to Jeremiah 8, beginning at verse 16 as the prophet foretells of the destruction of Israel as it comes through Dan. Not only will the Assyrians physically begin their conquest in this city of Dan, but the idolatry connection to the Danites would be the reason that the Israelites were “overthrown.” The idolatry of the Danites would be the “serpent that bites the horse’s heels and overthrow the rider, (the rest of the kingdom). Listen to Jeremiah: Jer 8:16,17:  The snorting of His horses (The Assyrians) was heard from Dan. The whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of His strong ones; For they have come and devoured the land and all that is in it, The city and those who dwell in it. 17 "For behold, I will send serpents among you, Vipers which cannot be charmed, And they shall bite you," says the LORD.

The serpents of Assyria would knock Israel off their high horse. I believe Jacob saw all these things as plain as day as he pronounced this blessing on Dan, and that’s why he concluded his blessing with a prayer: “I look for Your deliverance O Lord.”

We don’t put up golden calves anymore for alternate forms of worship, our idolatry is much more subtle, but certainly just as dangerous. Look how we spend our time! Look how we spend our money! Look what we rely on to deliver us! When will we learn that “our help is in the Name of the Lord!”

Time after time we read of God’s anger coming up against Israel because, “they did not believe in God, AND did not trust in HIS salvation.

What are you trusting in my friend? Let’s stop adding straws to the camel’s back as we chase after our own little gods. Let’s turn from our idolatry and trust in God alone! Turn back to Jesus wholeheartedly today, for He is the One whom Jacob prayed about in this blessing of Dan. He is our deliverance!

# 448 The Prophecy for Issachar

The Book of Genesis

Day 448

Ge 49:14 "Issachar is a strong donkey, Lying down between two burdens;  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.

Jacob now blesses and prophesies for Issachar, and he likens him to a strong (willed) donkey. I get the picture here of a donkey fully loaded with burdens packed on each side, and then the donkey lying down and refusing to move. He saw that “rest was good, and that the land was pleasant.” (In other words, “I think I’ll stay right here) Or maybe this donkey is of the kind that just as you are about to load him up, he drops his shoulder in order to slip the load rather than receive it.

With this in mind, Issachar strikes me as being stubbornly lazy, and we all know what laziness leads to…..slavery. Pr 12:24 says, “The hand of the diligent will rule, But the lazy man will be put to forced labor.” And  Pr 24:33,34 reminds us: “A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest;  34 So shall your poverty come like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.”

In the parable of the Talents, the servant who did nothing with his talent was called a wicked and slothful servant. His sin, was not investing his talent! God given talents (measures of grace) are invested in us when we receive the Holy Spirit, and these spiritual aptitudes are invested in the kingdom whenever we exercise faith, or confidence in God’s Word through obedience.  To not invest is a laziness that is equated with wickedness. In Heb 6:12 we are admonished to “not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

In this day and age of “feel good” religion, I sense the spirit of Issachar is alive and well. People stop by church  for their once a week shot of “feel good,” then out of pure laziness neglect the matters of faith. They lack understanding just as a donkey does. They think somehow that this burden of acting on God’s Word is too heavy, but that’s not what Jesus says! He says, “Come unto Me all ye that are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”

Do you think following Jesus is a load? Well, think about this! Why was He able to come into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday sitting on a donkey’s COLT!(Jn 12:14,15) I believe this was a physical demonstration  of a spiritual reality! Jesus’ burden is light! Succumb to it!

To be content with where your at in your spiritual walk is slothfulness! It is lukewarmness and Jesus tells the lukewarm that He will spew them out of His mouth! Any slothfulness in exercising faith will lead to enslavement. The way out of this dilemma is simply this: Turn to Jesus! Surrender to Him. Let Him lift your burdens. Don’t just go to church to “feel good.” Go to church to worship your burden lifter. Worship the one who has lifted all your sins. Worship the One who yearns to lift all your worries and concerns, and start exercising faith OUTSIDE the walls of your church, lest you become enslaved again!

It’s simple! Pray that God will speak to you through His Word, and when He does, (and He will speak to the surrendered) act on what He has told you! When you do, the spirit of the lazy Issachar will be defeated in your life.

# 447 Like A Merchant Seeking Valuable Pearls

The Book of Genesis

Day 447

Ge 49:13 "Zebulun shall dwell by the haven of the sea; He shall become a haven for ships, And his border shall adjoin Sidon.

I find this prophecy concerning Zebulon a little perplexing. Jacob says that the tribe of Zebulon will be a haven by the sea, with his border adjoining Sidon, yet when I look at a map of the tribes and their allotted territories, Zebulon is landlocked!  And they don’t even come close to the city of Sidon. In fact, Sidon was on the northern boundary of the tribe of Asher. What gives? 

Well, in spite of their initial landlocked geographical condition, they were blessed to be along major trade routes, and were thereby able to “feast on the abundance of the seas.”  Moses said this concerning Zebulon in De 33:18,19, “And of Zebulun he said: "Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out, And Issachar in your tents!  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."

Their location along the trade routes gave them a direct link with the seagoing Phoenicians who controlled the port of Sidon, and there we see the connection.  It was the Phoenicians who provided the wood for the temple that Solomon built. Perhaps even more importantly, it was in Zebulon that Jesus would begin His ministry, just as the prophet Isaiah had predicted. We read of it in Mt 4:13-16, “And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali,  14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:  15 "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles:  16 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. 17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

And we all know what the kingdom of heaven is like! “It’s like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls,  46 "who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.(Mt 13:45,46)

This statement of Jesus would be understood by all in His day because of the trading done by the tribe of Zebulon. They would understand the value of a pearl. This was the treasure that Moses spoke of in his prophecy that would be hidden in the sand. That pearl is the kingdom of heaven! That kingdom of course is still here today and it is the greatest treasure of all. The knowledge of the forgiveness of sins and life eternal for those who trust in Jesus.

The kingdom of heaven is like this: When someone realizes the value of this great pearl, they will gladly forsake all and surrender all to Him. Only God can help you see the value of this pearl and help you to forsake all and follow Him. Therefore, repent! Think differently about all you do, and all the worthless things that you desire to hang onto.  Rather, desire to follow Him, for the kingdom of heaven, the pearl that came out of Nazareth of Zebulon is at hand.

# 446 The Lion of Judah Part 2

The Book of Genesis

Day 446

Ge 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.  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?  10 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.  11 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.

More on the blessing of Judah today As we mentioned last time, the scepter is symbolic of a ruler, and verse 10 here has been traditionally understood to be Messianic. By that I mean it was initially fulfilled in David, but ultimately in Jesus Christ. 

Let’s look at some other prophecies in Scripture and see if we can make the connection between this blessing of Judah and the Messiah, Jesus Christ.In Num 24:17, we read of the scepter once again, this time from the lips of Balaam, who had been asked to curse Israel by Balak. But instead, Balaam says, “I see Him but not now: I behold Him but not near. A star will come out of Jacob, a scepter will rise out of Israel…..a ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.” Again, this was initially fulfilled in David, but ultimately in the coming Messiah’s rule. Jesus Himself tells us in Re 22:16b "I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star."

Also in this blessing of Judah, we have the reference “until Shiloh comes.” Shiloh is associated with peace, and this phrase is another way of saying, “until He comes into that which belongs to peace.” Who else could this be but the Messiah? 

And let us not miss the reference in this prophecy to Palm Sunday. Jesus is the vine (See John 15) that is bound to the donkey and the colt of the donkey as He rode into Jerusalem!

It’s interesting to note still another prophecy concerning this “Ruler of Peace.” It’s found in Ezek 21:26 when Zedekiah, (who was the last king of Judah before the Babylonian captivity) was told to remove the crown from his head because dominion over Jerusalem will ultimately be given to the one to “whom it rightfully belongs.”  Eze 21:26,27 reads: 'thus says the Lord GOD: "Remove the turban, and take off the crown; Nothing shall remain the same. Exalt the humble, and humble the exalted.  27 Overthrown, overthrown, I will make it overthrown! It shall be no longer, Until He comes whose right it is, And I will give it to Him."'

So this blessing given to Judah from Jacob is built upon and clarified through the ages by the prophets, always pointing to the ultimate fulfillment in Jesus! Peace belongs to Him! He is our Shiloh, “and to Him shall be the obedience of the people.”  In other words, He shall rule.

Is He ruling in your heart? Have you bowed your knee to Him? What are you waiting for? The Bible tells us that at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow of those in heaven and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father!. (Phil 2:10,11)

Every human being who ever lived or shall live, will eventually bow their knee to Jesus. Every mouth will agree that His is Lord. Some will bow and confess in their heart while living and go on to their eternal reward which will be so peaceful, so abundant that one could tie a grape eating donkey to the choicest vine and not be concerned over losing the grapes! All will be clothed with the royal color of purple as children of the King. Perfect health as symbolized by eyes darker than wine and teeth whiter than milk!

Others, who refuse His free gift of salvation and reject His rule in their lives, will bow and confess Him as Lord, but it will be too late on that final Day and they will be tossed into the fiery pit forever!

Friend, don’t overlook the overwhelming prophetic evidence of Jesus as the Messiah. Bow your knee to Him today, while you still have time! Today is the day of salvation! Today is your day of salvation! This same prophetic word from Jacob offers the same promise of peace for your soul today.

If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ, (the offspring of Judah) and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (Rom 10:9)

Just now, in the quietness of your heart, kneel and confess and you too will become a citizen of Shiloh, you will be a part of His eternal kingdom of peace!

# 445 The Lion of Judah

The Book of Genesis

Day 445

Ge 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.  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?  10 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.  11 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.

Judah, the ancestor of Jesus. Jesus of course often being referred to as “The Lion of Judah.” In Re 5:5, we read, “But one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals."

 Alexander Cruden’s writes in his Concordance of the Bible, “Christ Jesus, the great, mighty, and invincible Lion of the tribe of Judah, who conquers and leads captive His own and His people’s enemies.”

Surely, this Lion is One to be praised.

The immediate prophecy of Jacob was that the tribe of Judah would literally become the leader among all the tribes, and it  was the tribe of Judah that was commissioned to lead in the conquest of the Promised Land after Joshua died.

Then some 640 years later, David ascended to the throne, and his hand was definitely “on the neck of his enemies.” In Ps 18:40 David writes: “You have also given me the necks of my enemies, So that I destroyed those who hated me.”

Later, it was Judah that would remain loyal to the house of David when Sheba, the son of Bichri, led a rebellion against David.

And it was Judah and Benjamin who remained loyal to the house of David at the time of the revolt which split Israel into two kingdoms. In fact the Southern Kingdom became known simply as Judah.

Yes, the scepter would not pass from the house of David of the tribe of Judah! His throne would be established forever. (2 Sam 7:16) and of course we know who is on that throne now, and the ultimate fulfillment of Jacob’s prophecy!  It is Jesus Christ! The Lion of Judah!

This fiercely loyal lion is fiercely loyal to you too! So loyal, too you that in spite of being a Lion, He took on the character of a Lamb, and willingly gave His life for you! "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (Jn 3:16) He is worthy of our praise!

# 444 The Self-set Snare of Violence

The Book of Genesis

Day 444

Ge 49:5 "Simeon and Levi are brothers; Instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place. 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. 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 brothers? No kidding! What Jacob meant here is that they are kindred spirits. They were inherently cruel. Stay away from such people. Steer clear from those who think violence is the answer. To be counted among them as a companion is a good way to lose your honor.

How cruel were these brothers? They were the ones who used  the sacred rite of circumcision as a ploy to weaken the Shechemites, and after they were weakened, they slew them all and released their sister Dinah. By using such tactics, they brought mistrust and dishonor to the house of Jacob. (See Gen 34:30,31)

Their cruelty extended to animals too as they had apparently at one time had crippled an ox. Oh these were cruel men, with terrible tempers. They didn’t just get mad, they got even with planned acts of cruelty. Hamstringing an ox is a carefully planned act of violence as was the massacre at Shechem. Because of their cruelty, Jacob  said they would not receive an inheritance. Simeon’s inheritance was included with Judah’s, and the Levites had no inheritance of their own either., as the priestly tribe, their cities were scattered throughout the land. (They were literally “scattered in Israel!”)  The Levites did redeem themselves later on in the golden calf incident. Their zeal was never in question, it was their tactics that was the problem.

The writer of Proverbs warns us about keeping company with cruel and violent people. “My son do not walk in the way with them, for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.” Simeon and Levi paid for their planned acts of cruelty, and so will those who engage in them today. Their rhetoric and zeal will be a powerful attraction for some, but beware! Stay clear, lest you too become caught in their self-set snare.

# 443 Indecisive?

The Book of Genesis

Day 443

Ge 49:1 And Jacob called his sons and said, "Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days:  2 "Gather together and hear, you sons of Jacob, And listen to Israel your father.  3 "Reuben, you are my firstborn, My might and the beginning of my strength, The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power.  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.

Jacob, ready to die, calls his sons together to tell them what will befall them in their latter years. He starts with the oldest, Reuben. Being the first born, he is called the father’s might and beginning of strength. He was strong, harshly rough, and off to a good start. But sexual sin and instability would plague him.   At this point it might be wise to encourage any young person reading this to beware of falling into sexual sin. You can read about its negative effects in the Book of Proverbs!

Reuben began dabbling in sexual sin at a very early age when he gathered mandrakes for his mother Leah. Mandrakes were considered a sort of love potion. This was just not normal activity for a son. It’s an indication of an unhealthy preoccupation with sex. Later he would commit incest with his father’s concubine, Bilhah. This latter indiscretion cost him his birthright.

Jacob calls Reuben as “unstable as water.” The idea being like that of boiling water. Go ahead watch a pot of boiling water and try to predict where the next bubble will show up! You can’t! It’s too unstable, and so was Reuben.

This instability would show up later with the Reubenites in the days of the judges. When Deborah called upon them to join the fight against a common enemy, they couldn’t make up their mind to fight or not! We read in Judges 5:15,16, that they had “great thoughts of the heart, and great searchings of the heart.” They spent so much time thinking and searching, that they froze and did nothing!

The tribe of Reuben would produce no prophet, judge, or hero, but that is to be expected from those who are as “unstable as water.” It’s the lot of those who hem and haw and can’t make up their mind. It’s like you and I when doubts assail us and we fail to exercise faith in the Word of God.

The way to overcome that “Reuben” in us is to begin by taking small steps of faith. Day by day trusting the Word of God. Once you start doing this, you will find out how utterly reliable God is, and your instability and uncertainty will begin to fade. You don’t have to be a Reuben! Start with small steps of obedience and trust today!

# 442 That Guy Had A Lot of Joseph In Him.

The Book of Genesis

Day 442

Ge 48:17 Now when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; so he took hold of his father's hand to remove it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head.  18 And Joseph said to his father, "Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head."  19 But his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations."  20 So he blessed them that day, saying, "By you Israel will bless, saying, 'May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh!'" And thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh.  21 Then Israel said to Joseph, "Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers.  22 "Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow."

Joseph, thinking that his father’s failing eyesight was leading him to bless the wrong child, tried to remove his father’s hand from Ephraim’s head, but Jacob said, “I know what I’m doing,” and he went on to bless Ephraim. Jacob told Joseph that Manasseh’s descendants would be great, but Ephraim’s descendants would be greater in number and would become a “multitude of nations.”

When we follow the history of the descendants of these two brothers, we see that indeed, according to the Book of Numbers, the tribe of Ephraim grew to 40,550, while the tribe of Manasseh grew to 32,200. And as we keep on reading Scripture we see that these two tribes split when the kingdom was divided after the death of Solomon. Many of the descendants of Manasseh eventually wound up in the southern kingdom, or Judah, while most of the Ephraimites wound up in the northern kingdom of Israel. In fact, many times, the northern kingdom  is referred to as Ephraim.

When the Assyrians defeated the northern kingdom in 722 B.C, the Ephraimites pretty much ceased to exist as a people.  The Assyrians carried them off to captivity, and if not carried off, they were mixed with other religious and ethnic groups, thereby losing their identity in the resettlement process. This mix of people became known as the Samaritans, and as Jacob had said in his blessing, they became a “multitude of nations.”

Now, understand that a remnant from each tribe remained and after the Babylonian captivity, and the land was re-allotted to the twelve tribes, including the remnant of Ephraim, but for the most part the Ephraimites became the Samaritans.

Imagine that! Samaritans! Direct descendants of Joseph! Maybe that explains the reason that Jesus included the Good Samaritan in His parable of mercy and compassion. The guy had a lot of Joseph in him!

# 441 Bless Your Children and Grandchildren

The Book of Genesis

Day 441

Ge 48:10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. Then Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them. 11 And Israel said to Joseph, "I had not thought to see your face; but in fact, God has also shown me your offspring!"  12 So Joseph brought them from beside his knees, and he bowed down with his face to the earth.  13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near him.  14 Then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh's head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn.  15 And he blessed Joseph, and said: "God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has fed me all my life long to this day,  16 The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, Bless the lads; Let my name be named upon them, And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth."

What a scene! Jacob with failing eyesight and his time on earth winding down is gathered together bedside with Joseph and his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. This was a very special moment for this family and one can only hope that this scene could be played out in our own lives in our waning years.

Jacob kisses and embraces them, and you can sense his thankfulness as the one who was totally without hope of ever seeing his son alive again, but now God has allowed him to embrace Joseph and his sons on his deathbed! What a miracle! What a blessing!

Joseph puts his sons in the traditional position to receive the blessing, with the eldest on the right of Jacob and the youngest on the left, but God has other ideas and Jacob crosses his hands and bestows the blessing on the younger child first. (Seems to be a pattern in this family! And it always serves as a reminder that God will have mercy on whom He will have mercy.  Ro 9:10-15 puts it this way: “And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac  11 (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls),  12 it was said to her, "The older shall serve the younger."  13 As it is written, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated."  14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not!  15 For He says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion."

I find it interesting too, that as Jacob placed his hands on Manasseh and Ephraim, and bestowed the blessing on them, that “he blessed Joseph.” (verse 15,) A reminder for grandparents everywhere that in blessing your grandchildren, you are blessing their parents! And what a blessing this was!

First of all, Jacob recounts the history of God working in their family. (“The God before whom Abraham and Isaac walked.”) Then he recounts the impact God had on his life. (“The God who fed me.”) The term for fed here is shepherd and this is the first time in Scripture that God is referred to as a shepherd.) So this is the God who “shepherded Jacob all his life even to this day. This was the Angel, (capital A) a reference to the eternal Christ, who has redeemed (or been a Savior) to me from all evil. May this same God who did all these things for my grandfather, my father, and me, bless these boys of yours! Let my name be upon them and the name of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac. (In other words, may they continue in the faith, and let them multiply on the earth, bringing others to faith as well.”

Can you think of a better blessing for your children and grandchildren? Pronounce this blessing on them early and often. Reaffirm this blessing throughout their lives. Recount God’s goodness, His faithfulness every chance you get! And pray this blessing on all your offspring!

# 440 Passing the Pro-Life Message Along

The Book of Genesis

Day 440

Ge 48:5 "And now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.  6 "Your offspring whom you beget after them shall be yours; they will be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance.  7 "But as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died beside me in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath; and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem)."  8 Then Israel saw Joseph's sons, and said, "Who are these?"  9 And Joseph said to his father, "They are my sons, whom God has given me in this place." And he said, "Please bring them to me, and I will bless them."

Have you ever heard of the tribe of Joseph? Me either. In an unusual deathbed move Jacob adopts Joseph’s two children as if they were his own, thereby in effect giving Joseph a double portion of the inheritance. No reason is given for this. Perhaps it has something to do with Rachel passing before she could have more children, and this doubling of the inheritance would help make up for the difference. At any rate, I think there is yet another lesson for us here, and in light of our culture today, we ought to spend some time on it.

Notice how Joseph responds to Jacob’s question about the boys. He says, “These are my sons whom God has given me.” And once again we see a pro-life declaration from Scripture. Joseph rightly proclaims where the gift of life comes from. This must’ve warmed Jacob’s heart, and who knows, just may have triggered some memories of a time when his brother Esau asked him the same question, and he had replied, “These are the children whom God has graciously given your servant.”

Joseph has learned the pro-life message well. Are your children learning the pro-life message from you? Are you teaching this vital biblical truth in your family devotions? How about In your Sunday School programs at church? Are you observing an annual “pro-life” Sunday in your church? Is the pro-life message being proclaimed from the pulpit?

Pass this truth along! Live this truth! Children are a gift from God! Once that truth is grasped, it changes everything. Our whole outlook on the size and care of our families changes and we begin to trust God for all our gifts and appreciate them, especially the gift of children! “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is His reward. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them!” (Ps 127:3,5)

# 439 The “Talk”

The Book of Genesis

Day 439

Ge 48:1 Now it came to pass after these things that Joseph was told, "Indeed your father is sick"; and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.  2 And Jacob was told, "Look, your son Joseph is coming to you"; and Israel strengthened himself and sat up on the bed.  3 Then Jacob said to Joseph: "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me,  4 "and said to me, 'Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a multitude of people, and give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.'

The time of Jacob’s death is near, so Joseph hurries to his side. He takes his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim with him. Three generations of a family gathered together to hear Jacob recount the covenant of God. Once again the family is reminded of the heritage they have from the Almighty. I’m sure Jacob had told them the story before, but he didn’t assume they would necessarily remember it. So he told them again: My descendants (that’s you boys) will be a great people and Canaan has been given to my descendants as an everlasting possession.”

When’s the last time you talked with your family about the heritage promised to you? When’s the last time you talked to your children and grandchildren about the time God met you and spoke His promise to your believing heart? What was that promise that God spoke to you? What do your children and grandchildren have to do in order to receive the same heritage?

I remember in my own life, watching a Jimmy Swaggart telecast, and as he started to preach the Scriptures, the Word of God did it’s thing, and I was convicted of the sin in my life, and I saw my deep need for a Savior, and so I turned to the only One who could save me from my sins….Jesus Christ.  God assured me that from the moment I received Jesus, my sins were completely forgiven. He set me free and gave me a peace that passed all human understanding.

But this promise is not just for me! When Peter preached to the throng on the day of Pentecost, and they were convinced of their sins, they cried out, “What shall we do?” and Peter replied, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  39 "For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." (Acts 2:38,39)

Never weary of telling your children and grandchildren your story of salvation, and never weary of telling them what God requires of them to receive His forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is the same for them and for their children and for their children’s children. It is a promise similar to Jacob’s in that it is everlasting,

“Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus”. Never assume they know, for it’s not about “assumptions,” Rather it is about declaring what God has done for your soul!  Put Ps 66:16 into practice in your family! “Come and hear, all you who fear God, And I will declare what He has done for my soul.”

# 438 Be Graceful To Loved Ones Last Wishes

The Book of Genesis

Day 438

Ge 47:28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the length of Jacob's life was one hundred and forty-seven years.  29 When the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, "Now if I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Please do not bury me in Egypt,  30 "but let me lie with my fathers; you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place." And he said, "I will do as you have said."  31 Then he said, "Swear to me." And he swore to him. So Israel bowed himself on the head of the bed.

By our culture’s standards, this method of oath taking would be called “awkward” at best. But we have seen this kind of oath taking before in the book of Genesis. (24:2-9) When you think about it, this kind of oath taking makes perfect sense since children are called the fruit of the loins or thighs, a hand placed on that part of the body was a charge to posterity to carry out the terms of the oath. Jacob was getting a guarantee from Joseph that he would be buried in the land of his fathers, and that oath was carried out years later by Jacob’s posterity.

I am always amazed at the apparent fascination of people with burying places. Throughout history, we read of elaborate burials. Archaeologists still dig up old burial sites for clues of ancient civilizations. Even today, we insist on being buried in family plots, side by side with loved ones, or we may even look for cemeteries with scenic views and locations.  Many churches have cemeteries located on their land, perhaps serving as a reminder that believers are all in one family.

On one hand, this preoccupation with burial  seems kind of silly to me. What difference does it make where you are buried? You’re dead! The real question is, were you alive in Christ before you went under the sod?

1Th 4:16 ,17 tells us what will happen when the Lord returns:  “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.  17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”

Burial locations weren’t exactly high on the list of Jesus’ priorities either! When responding to a man who wanted to delay following Him while he buried his father, He said to the man, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead." (Mt 8:22)

Having said that, remember to not make it an issue. Burial is very important to some people. That burial plot is a tangible connection to someone important in their life. Honor that! A little grace can go a long way when the matter of burial comes up. Joseph honored his father’s request and gave him comfort while he was still alive and able to receive it. Should we not do the same for our loved ones?