Genesis 49

Notes compiled from my BSF group and Bible study with Pastor Damian Kyle

JACOB STANDS UP AS A FATHER FOR HIS SONS (Genesis 49)

In Genesis 34, we saw the horror of events that happened to Jacob’s family because of his choice to settle his family in Shechem: Dinah was raped, and her brothers went out and murdered a village of people as revenge. Because of Jacob’s lack of leadership for his family, his sons had become murderers and thieves. When Jacob found out what his sons had done, Jacob did not admonish them for their actions but instead, faulted them for putting his life in danger (Genesis 49:30).

In Genesis 49, we saw how Jacob finally came out of his stupor and rightfully admonished his sons for their actions. Jacob was not perfect. We saw how he slipped; we saw how he fell. But before Jacob passed away, we also saw how he got back up. It is never too late to turn around, as Jacob shows us. It is never too late to stop walking down the path of destruction and turn back to God.

Jacob admonishes Reuben for his sins (Genesis 49:3-4)

Genesis 49:3-4
Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power. Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father’s bed, onto my couch and defiled it.

Reuben is an illustration of lusts of the flesh. He was described as water, which flows by its own way and doesn't stop until it gets to its LOWEST point -- Much like how when we follow our own will, we will only spiral down to our lowest point.

He saw what he liked, and he took it for his own pleasure with no regard for what was righteous in the eyes of God. He allowed his sinful lust to take him wherever it wanted to go, taking him down to the lowest point. Our eyes are the lamp of our bodies. If our eyes are healthy (see God's light), our whole bodies will be full of light. But if our eyes are unhealthy (see only the will of the flesh), our whole bodies will be full of darkness (Matthew 6:22-24). Reuben followed his eyes and its lust for the flesh. And because his eyes were "unhealthy," because he couldn't keep his sexual desires in check, he lost all his privileges as the first born son.

Reuben knew his family was the chosen family of God. However, he did not take that seriously. He behaved as if he did not know God and defiled his family name. If we want a place at God's table, then we must respect the sovereignty of God. Otherwise, we would be double-minded and unstable in all that we do (James 1:6-8). If we say that we know God, then we ought to behave as if we do.

Jacob admonishes Simeon and Levi for their sins (Genesis 49:5-7)
In Genesis 34, they murdered a village of innocent people to avenge the rape of their sister, Dinah. Again, like Reuben, they acted based on lust of the flesh. Jacob did not rebuke them then, but here, we see that Jacob finally got around to it:

Genesis 49:5-7
Simeon and Levi are brothers—their swords are weapons of violence. Let me not enter their council, let me not join their assembly, for they have killed men in their anger and hamstrung oxen as they pleased. Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse them in Israel.

When the two tribes of Simeon and Levi went into the Land under Joshua, they virtually became a sub-tribe of Judah. Simeon was absorbed, and Levi was made into priests. God did not give Levi a part of the Land but gave them 48 cities scattered throughout the Land. This speaks volumes of the Grace of God.

Despite their sins, God is full of grace. God redeemed Levi and his descendants by setting them aside as the tribe of Levites, as priests for the people of Israel, as the mediator between God and Israel (Deuteronomy 10:8-9; 33:8-10; and Numbers 18:20). And because they were spread throughout the Land, they were able to provide spiritual guidance throughout Israel.

Jacob blesses Judah (Genesis 49:8-12)
To Judah, Jacob blessed him as a father of a powerful tribe, the tribe of Lion (one of the titles of Christ, who came first as the Lamb but will return as the Lion), the tribe through which the Messiah would come, the King of kings would come.

"Scepter," "law giver" are terms referring to the power of a king. This prophecy speaks of tribe of Judah as Israel's kings. David came from the tribe of Judah, a great king of Israel. Jesus, a greater David, our Messiah, also came from the tribe of Judah -- And He will soon return as the Lion, King of kings!

Genesis 49:10
The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.

Because of this promise, the Israelites were prideful, knowing that they would remain in power until their King come. When the Romans took away the Sanhedrin's authority to pronounce the death sentence (no longer the "law giver"), when the last king of Israel died (Herod), some rabbis took these as signs that the "scepter" had departed. They mourned deeply, believing God's promise was broken and that God had left them. Little did they know, Jesus had just been born into this world -- fulfilling this prophecy!

Jacob blesses Zebulun (Genesis 49:13)
Cf. Isaiah 9:1; Matthew 4:13-16

Jacob blesses Issachar (Genesis 49:14-15)

Jacob blesses Dan (Genesis 49:16-17)
Dan was meant to be judges among God's people -- Samson was a great judge that rose from the tribe of Dan. However, they were also the tribe who introduced idolatry into the nation and caused Israel to fall -- And this perhaps explains why the tribe of Dan was not one of the sealed people in the end times (Revelation 7:1-8).

Jacob blesses Joseph (Genesis 49:22–26)
Despite all the difficulties Joseph faced, Joseph was productive. He never gave up. He fought through the jealousy of his brothers and sinful attacks of people. Joseph never lost sight of the Lord. God was always with Joseph and helped guide Joseph to his successes.

Joseph indeed stood above his brothers, who bowed down to him as they came to Joseph for food during the famine. The blessings of Jacob, bestowed upon him by God, was passed down to Joseph before Jacob passed away. His blessings would eventually be transferred to the tribes of his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh (Deuteronomy 33:13-17).

Jacob blesses Benjamin (Genesis 49:27-28)
As prophesied, the tribe of Benjamin would become very strong (even violent) and be a force of strong military.

Jacob passes away (Genesis 49:29-33)
Jacob knew that God will return His people to the Promised Land in the future. He thus requested to have his bones be also buried in the Promised Land, just like those of his fathers before him.