# 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!