The Life of Joseph: Gen. 49:1-33 NIV – Jacob’s “Blessing” (Last Words) to His Sons… Jacob’s Blessing or last words to his sons. Rather than a blessing, it’s more of a Prophecy of what is to come. Interesting note by David Guzik, Enduring Word, these were the first Prophetic words by a Man in the Bible. Genesis 49 Then Jacob called for his sons and said: “Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come.2 “Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel. 3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power. 4 Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father’s bed, onto my couch and defiled it. * Rueben was the first born but forfeited his birthright through his pride and lust for the flesh… He slept with his Father’s concubine Bilhah, the mother of Dan and Naphtali (Gen. 35:22) * Unstable like water. The least little thing causes water to become unstable. Water follows the least path of resistance. * You shall not excel. No Prophet, Judge, King ever came from the Tribe of Rueben. Remember a few weeks ago, “Character and Integrity.” 5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers— their swords are weapons of violence. 6 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. 7 Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse them in Israel. * Simeon and Levi were the brothers who wiped out the men of Shechem for raping their sister Dinah. (Gen. 34:25-29) * They were men of Fierce Anger, Hot heads… * They killed Oxen just for fun. (Oxen were used for the farms…) * Let me not enter their council, join their assembly… Don’t listen to or associate with men who are hot heads, they’re unstable and lack self-control. * God will divide and scatter them… He did. * Simeon (started out as the 3rd largest tribe) but became the weakest and smallest of all Tribes, sharing land with Judah. * Levi, (The only Tribe that did not participate in worshipping the golden calf at Mt. Sinai.) was selected to serve God in the Temple. No land of their own but lived in towns scattered all across Israel. 8 “Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you. 9 You are a lion’s cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? 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. 11 He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. 12 His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk. * Judah, the brother who suggested selling Joseph into slavery, who left the family for a foreign country, intermarried with foreigners. * Did his daughter-in-law wrong because he would not offer his youngest son to provide an heir for her after her husband died. * Had sex with what he thought was a temple prostitute but it was really his daughter-in-law! * When she became pregnant… his sin was exposed… “She is more righteous than I.” * Judah repented and then offered his life for Benjamin… * Judah inherits the lead role in the family. * The scepter will not depart from Judah… Kings would come from Judah and eventually the KING OF KINGS… the LION of the Tribe of Judah – Jesus!
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