Jacob s Final Blessings

Transcription

1 Genesis Lesson 30, Part 1 Home Study Questions Jacob s Final Blessings Genesis Our story pauses while Jacob, on his deathbed, prophesies over each of his sons. In Genesis, the patriarchal blessing is not so much an invocation of favor as it is a prophetic pronouncement of the recipient s future. Take note of Jacob s description of each man s character and his prophecy of the effects of that character on the tribes that will descend from him. Watch especially for Judah s prophetic word, because Jesus Christ, the Messiah comes from the tribe of Judah. As always, pray for understanding of this difficult chapter. Surprisingly, Joseph s brothers have one last deception to use against Joseph. If they had really understood their brother, they would have realized how unnecessary it was. Day Two Write God s Word for the week: Genesis 50:20a. You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good. Genesis 49:1-21 The Patriarchal Blessing of Ten Sons of Jacob 2. a. What sin has disqualified Reuben from inheriting the birthright? (See Genesis 35:22; 1 Chronicles 5:1.) b. Why will God disperse the descendants of Simeon and Levi? Explain in light of Genesis 34. c. For further study: How would this dispersion be accomplished in the future? (See Numbers 35:1-8; Joshua 19:1-9.) 3. For personal thought: If you have ever suffered the consequences of a bad choice you made, how has God used this painful experience to bless you or others in some way? Or how has God used the painful experience of another to bless you?

2 170 GENESIS LESSON 30, PART 1 HOME STUDY QUESTIONS 4. a. What future does Jacob foresee for the descendants of Judah? b. Who is the ultimate fulfillment of the prophecy in 49:10? c. Read Revelation 5:1-5. What names reveal the lineage of this eternal ruler? Day Three Write God s Word for the week: Genesis 50:20a. Genesis 49:22-28 The Blessing of Rachel s sons, Joseph and Benjamin 5. a. How does Jacob s blessing reveal his knowledge of all Joseph suffered and his awareness of God s sovereign care and protection throughout Joseph s life? b. How would being certain of God s loving protection and care for your loved ones shape your attitude toward their journey through life? 6. a. What present and future blessings does God promise His children in the following verses? 1) John 5:24 2) Romans 8:1 3) Ephesians 1:7 4) Hebrews 4:16 5) 1 John 3:1-2

3 HOME STUDY QUESTIONS GENESIS LESSON 30, PART b. What must we do in order to be counted among God s children? (See John 1:12.) c. Does God see you as His child? Why or why not? (See Romans 8:14-16; 1 John 5:10-12.) Day Four Write God s Word for the week: Genesis 50:20a. Genesis 49:29 50:15 The Patriarch s Death and Burial 9. a. Where does Jacob instruct his sons to bury him? b. How does this remind his sons that Egypt is not their permanent home? c. How does Revelation 21:1-5 remind us that this earth is not our home? 10. a. How does Joseph s response to Jacob s death demonstrate his love and respect for his father? b. Who accompanies Joseph and his brothers as they return to Canaan to bury their father? What does this reveal about the Egyptians regard for Joseph? Day Five Write God s Word for the week: Genesis 50:20a. Genesis 50:15-26 Postscript: The Sadness of Distrust 11. a. What assumptions do Joseph s brothers make after their father dies?

4 172 GENESIS LESSON 30, PART 1 HOME STUDY QUESTIONS b. What does this reveal about their view of Joseph? c. For deeper thought: How do you explain the guilt people continue to feel over past sins for which they have asked and been granted forgiveness by God? What does this indicate about a person s view of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ? 12. What assurance does the Bible give us of God s complete forgiveness through Christ? (See Colossians 2:13-14; 1 Timothy 1:15-16.) 13. a. What can we learn about Joseph from his response to his brothers false assumptions? b. As his own death approaches, how does Joseph affirm his faith in God s promises? (See also Hebrews 11:22.) Day Six Write God s Word for the week: Genesis 50:20a. Lessons from the Patriarchs Genesis a. As you reflect back on our lessons from the lives of the patriarchs, share one important spiritual principle you ve learned from the life of each of these men. 1) Abraham (Genesis 12 24) 2) Isaac (Genesis 22 28) 3) Jacob (Genesis 25, 27 49) 4) Joseph (Genesis 37 50) b. What effect has the study of the patriarchs had on your vision of God?

5 HOME STUDY QUESTIONS GENESIS LESSON 30, PART APPLY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED It isn t enough simply to see the lives of the four patriarchs in the developing nation of Israel. They must be viewed with an eye toward their relationship with God. Each man has flaws that are no secret to us. That is comforting not that we enjoy seeing a fellow pilgrim falter, but that God picked them up and helped them continue the journey, just as He will do for us! Each man experienced trials of very different kinds, from Isaac being bound on the altar of sacrifice to Joseph s years in prison. Yet God brought them through better equipped to move ahead, just as He will do for each of us. And each man had a personal, intimate relationship with God. God appeared at the altar of worship to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. To Joseph, He revealed the future in a dream. God will also come to you if you will choose by faith to seek Him wholeheartedly. Hear His words to you: You will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD (Jeremiah 29:12-14). Lecture Notes

6 174 GENESIS LESSON 30, PART 2 COMMENTARY The Death of Jacob Genesis The book of Genesis opens with the first man and woman living in paradise potentially for eternity; sadly, it closes with still another death. Both Jacob and Joseph die in these final two chapters. Each has made a lasting mark on his generation. Jacob, who struggled to be born and then struggled again as he was transformed spiritually, at last passes off the scene. He leaves behind the beginnings of a great nation. While Jacob seems to make spiritual progress only through bitter experience, Joseph is another story. Even as a young man, he is convinced of the reality of Israel s God. By his faithfulness and trust in Yahweh, he saves the lives of millions and reunites his family peacefully. Though a great figure in a mighty kingdom, he recognizes that his family s greatest possession lies in its covenant ties to Yahweh. With his brothers, he demonstrates the reality of divine forgiveness. In his death, he displays an undying hope in God s kind intentions for himself and his people. I. The Patriarchal Blessing of Jacob s Older Sons (Genesis 49:1-21) At the age of 147, Jacob calls his sons together to bless them and foretell the course of their lives. He addresses them in groups according to their mothers, with Leah s children first, and summarizes their character and the effect that their character will have on future generations. He begins with Reuben, the firstborn. Though Reuben by right and tradition ought to have been the leader among the brothers, he will not be chosen as patriarch. His secondary place does not come from of a lack of ability (49:3), but because of a defective character. His removal from privilege is a direct consequence of his seduction of Bilhah, Jacob s concubine (35:22). No prophet, priest, judge, or ruler will ever be born from his tribe. Choices made by parents often have unforeseeable long-term effects for good or ill for many generations, and so it will be with Reuben. For Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, Jacob s predictions point to sorrow and loss rather than future blessing. Neither Simeon nor Levi, next in birth order, will take Reuben s place as the honored firstborn. Their lives have been marked by violence and cruelty (49:6-7), a reference to the brothers place in the destruction of Shechem (Genesis 34). Not only did they take the lives of men in an outburst of anger, they also hamstrung oxen as they pleased (49:6). Here we discover a point not mentioned in the text that describes the massacre (34:28). Oxen were hamstrung by cutting tendons in their legs. This effectively rendered these animals useless by making it impossible for them to pull a plow. Oxen were of no use in warfare, so they posed no threat to Israel. This action of the brothers was useless and senseless brutality. As a result, Simeon and Levi will be punished by being scattered throughout the rest of the nation. For the Levites, this dispersion will occur when they are made the priestly tribe and excluded from a single tribal area. The

7 COMMENTARY GENESIS LESSON 30, PART tribe of Simeon will own the southern portion of the Holy Land, but will mingle with the other tribes, especially Judah, and in time lose their distinctiveness. THINK ABOUT delayed consequences of bad choices. As we read the patriarchal blessing, we are reminded again that choices have real consequences. Sometimes the results of our decisions are so delayed, we mistakenly think we have escaped suffering for a bad choice or have gone unrewarded for a good choice. But, ultimately, there will be a payday or a judgment day. King David seemed to get away with his sin with Bathsheba and the arranged murder of Uriah, her husband. But God remembered. For many months nothing happened. Then the awful consequences began (see 2 Samuel 12). Jacob s sons went for years before being confronted with their sin against Joseph. Hopefully, they accepted their father s just pronouncements and did not live the rest of their lives angry, bitter, and resentful. Regardless of what they did, our job is to decide how we will respond to our own bad choices, especially those which seem to have had no consequences, at least so far. God has not forgotten. Don t wait for the consequences! Seek forgiveness today. Pray David s prayer of repentance in Psalm 51:1-3. Trust God s promise to forgive (1 John 1:9), then seek His direction in making amends. Finally, ask God to help you make good choices from now on including how you choose to respond to consequences which yet may occur as a result of earlier choices. Judah, by contrast, will become a leader among the tribes. His descendants will become powerful military leaders, and their prowess will be recognized by the others. Judah will also have the distinction of being the tribe from whom Messiah will come. The tribe of Judah will own the scepter and the ruler s staff until the day that He comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is His (49:10). Ezekiel 21:27, which references this verse, seems to agree with a Messianic meaning. The fulfillment of Jacob s prophecy will occur partially in the rise of the Davidic monarchy. Ultimately, however, the prediction will be realized in the Second Coming of David s greater Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Only then will an Israelite ruler experience the full obedience of the nations. The prophets picture this glorious rule of Messiah with magnificent detail as seen in Zechariah 14:4-21 and Isaiah 2:2-4. The angel Gabriel connects this Ruler to Jesus Christ when he visits Mary (see Luke 1:32-33). The next six blessings are expressed more briefly, beginning with Zebulun, whose association with the sea in this passage (Genesis 49:13) is a perplexing one. The prophecy was probably fulfilled after the initial conquest of Canaan. Though Zebulun s original tribal allotment was landlocked, extrabiblical data indicates that, for a time during Solomon s rule, Zebulun s borders touched the Mediterranean. Zebulun s territory undoubtedly became a conduit for goods brought into Israel s ports from elsewhere, because it lay astride a primary trade route.

8 176 GENESIS LESSON 30, PART 2 COMMENTARY Issachar is singled out for criticism. Like a lazy donkey, his family will prove difficult to provoke into constructive activity. Their tribal territory will include some of the best farming country in Canaan, and Issachar will be motivated only by the enjoyment of its produce. The people of Issachar will seem reluctant to drive out their Canaanite counterparts and will be content instead to submit to servitude (49:15). Dan, by contrast, will prove to be a champion of justice for the tribes. Samson, a Danite by birth, will reduce Philistine influence over the land by his mighty exploits, especially by his self-sacrifice at the end of his life (Judges 16:28-30). When Jacob completes his blessing of these first six tribes, he foresees the peril they will experience as they try to control the land. While pondering this, he prays for the deliverance of his children in the future (Genesis 49:18). The conquest of the land will prove to be a testimony to Yahweh s faithfulness. The second half of the group is now blessed, beginning with Gad. This family will find life difficult in the future. Gad will be one of the most exposed tribes, settling east of the Jordan River. Its nearness to Gentile territory will make it susceptible to raiding parties. Unable to engage in full-scale warfare, the tribe will be forced to resort to guerilla raids, nipping at the heels of the more formidable outsiders (49:19). Asher, like Issachar, will enjoy rich food, perched as they will be on the western area of the Galilee plateau. The region of Asher, which includes the northwestern end of the Jezreel Valley, forms part of the breadbasket of modern Israel. Adjacent to Asher and just west of the Jordan lies the land of Naphtali. The tribe is pictured in verse 21 as a doe. The term describes what is today known as the fallow deer, a small animal that is fleet of foot. The imagery seems to suggest that the descendants of Naphtali will be known for their agility and frequent movement. II. Joseph and Benjamin s Blessings (Genesis 49:22-28) Just as Judah stood out among the first six sons, Joseph is distinguished among the final six. He is likened to a fruitful vine (49:22). Jacob s blessing recalls the bitter experience of Joseph s youth, when his brothers (the archers of verse 23) attacked him. Joseph did not panic, however. God s hand was evident in his life, and he has come to know blessings beyond his dreams (49:25). Though he leads an enormous Gentile empire, he is to remember that his father s blessings are far more important (49:26). Jacob places the finest of those blessings on the head of this favored son, a man who is without peer among his brothers. To Joseph belongs the status of firstborn among the 12. Benjamin, though the youngest of the clan, is among the most aggressive. Jacob compares him to a ravenous wolf who rises early in the morning looking for victims. He kills more than he can consume, so late in the day, he shares his kill with others. By the time of the book of Judges, the tribe of Benjamin will have gained a considerable reputation for bravery and skill in battle (see Judges 3:15-30; 20:13-21).

9 COMMENTARY GENESIS LESSON 30, PART Following the completion of his blessings, Jacob explains that he will die soon. As he had insisted with Joseph, he informs the rest of his sons that he must not be buried in Egypt. He should be transported to Canaan, to the cave now occupied by his parents, grandparents, and Leah (49:30-31). Though he still holds dear the memory of his beloved Rachel, he chooses to lie alongside Leah and his ancestors. He sees the propriety of maintaining the unity of the chosen line even in death. He still holds title to the place, a property that Abraham had purchased at great cost from the local Hittites (49:32). True to his word, as soon as he finishes speaking, Jacob breathes his last (49:33). The patriarch departs from this world quickly, his struggles over. His life is spread over the second half of the book of Genesis, and his departure marks a turning point in the history of the people of God. THINK ABOUT encouraging your family to expect great things from God. Jacob talked to his sons and, presumably, Joseph s sons about the land they would one day possess, but it is clear that his emphasis was not on its material value but on its spiritual value. Addressing each son individually, he got their attention with insights into their character and future. He wanted to remind them of the promises of God (though still unfulfilled) and the faithfulness of God that he had experienced. Do you ever encourage your family to expect great things from God by telling them about His faithfulness to you? Do you tell them how God has worked in your life? And openly and unashamedly praise Him for His goodness in both your triumphs and your tragedies? Make it personal; that s what your kids and grandkids will remember. III. The Patriarchal Burial by Jacob s Sons (Genesis 50:1-14) Though all the sons were doubtless affected by Jacob s death, the writer of Genesis calls our attention in particular to the depth of Joseph s grief. His sorrow does not stop him from proceeding to honor his father s last request. Because he is about to undertake a long journey in a hot climate, he orders that his father be embalmed according to Egyptian custom. This was a lengthy process, one that was typically performed only on dignitaries. Jacob qualifies as such a person because he is the father of Egypt s savior. Joseph is so beloved by the Egyptians that they mourn for his father for 70 days probably the 40 days of embalming plus an additional 30 days. At the end of the period, Joseph requests permission to honor his oath to Jacob. He wishes to accompany his father s body as it is returned to Canaan, and the Pharaoh grants his request (50:6). In fact, the long trek becomes a state occasion, with many of Egypt s high officials accompanying the body. The 11 brothers of Joseph also make the trip, leaving their children in charge of the family fortunes while they are away. The entourage is a very impressive one (50:8-9). The threshing floor of Atad, located north of the Dead Sea and east of the Jordan River, lies some miles northeast of the group s final destination near Hebron. It is here that they

10 178 GENESIS LESSON 30, PART 2 COMMENTARY stop, however, and have a formal weeklong period of mourning for Jacob. Perhaps the thinly populated region would not be disturbed by such a gathering, which might have unforeseen consequences had it taken place nearer to Hebron. The Canaanites observe the group carefully and conclude that they have no hostile intent. They are merely engaging in a large funeral rite. The activity gives the area a new name, Abel Mizraim: wailing of Egypt. After the mourning, the group crosses the Jordan into Canaan. They deposit Jacob s body in the cave of Machpelah and then return to Egypt. IV. Postscript: The Sadness of Distrust (Genesis 50:15-26) A still more bitter sorrow remains. Once back in Egypt, Joseph s brothers conclude that their lives are in danger. They have decided that Joseph s generous treatment of them is probably just an act carried out for the sake of their father. Now that Jacob is gone, they reason, Joseph will unveil his real attitude toward them. He will probably kill them to get back at them for their harsh treatment of him so long before. They are reluctant to face him, so they send a messenger with an urgent appeal. They say that Jacob left instructions before his death asking Joseph to forgive his erring brothers. Joseph is crushed when he receives this communication (50:17). Do they know his heart so little that they think he is capable of treachery against them? When the brothers appear before him, they insist that they will be his slaves for life (50:18). Perhaps, they reason, Joseph will be content to enslave rather than to kill them. But Joseph knows the freedom of forgiveness and choosing to live with God s perspective on all the events of his life good and bad. He speaks reassuringly to them and distinguishes between their purely harmful intent (50:20) and what God made of it. Joseph has no intention of doing them harm. Indeed, he has only their welfare in mind. This brief episode pictures a mistake that Christians often make. Though God has sworn to forgive them eternally for Christ s sake, they see the enormity of their past sins and doubt either His ability or His kind intent. Like Joseph, God must say repeatedly that He will allow no harm to come to the one whose trust is in the finished work of Christ. How the Holy Spirit must be grieved when He sees believers who doubt His word. THINK ABOUT accepting God s forgiveness. Some Christians can actually forgive other people who have sinned against them more easily than they can receive God s forgiveness for themselves. They dwell on their own failures instead of dwelling on God s successful plan for dealing with those failures. They think of their own self-hate rather than God s incredible love for them. Does God mean it when He tells us, God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8)? Yes, He means it! Jesus Christ died 2,000 years ago. How many of our sins did He carry when He died? It has to be either all of them or none of them! We know it is all of them (Hebrews 7:27). Christian, the good news of the gospel is that every sin we have

11 COMMENTARY GENESIS LESSON 30, PART ever committed or ever will commit is forgiven under the blood of Christ! How do we experience that forgiveness? The key is confessing, and the word confess means to agree with. In order to experience God s forgiveness, we must agree with Him that we have sinned, but also that we are forgiven if we confess. How much plainer can He say it than 1 John 1:9? We ve considered this verse before. Please hear it this time deep in your heart: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. But until we agree with Him, we will never experience being forgiven. Joseph s brothers didn t believe he had forgiven them; neither had they completely accepted God s forgiveness. The news was too good. Is the good news of God s gospel too good for you to believe? Accept God s forgiveness and experience the clean conscience the freedom that is available to you in Christ. The family remains in Egypt for many generations. At 110, when Joseph realizes he is dying, he calls the remaining brothers together and gives orders concerning his burial. He requires an oath from the family that whenever God calls them out of Egypt, they will not leave his bones behind. Like his father, Joseph recognizes that Canaan is the only proper home for an Israelite. Four hundred years later, this promise will be honored when Moses brings the body of Joseph out of Egypt with the departing Israelites (Exodus 13:19).

12 180 GENESIS LESSON 30, PART 2 COMMENTARY PERSONALIZE this lesson. The story of humanity began in the Garden of Eden with two people in paradise. Their relationship with God and each other was unbroken. They were innocent and vulnerable completely open to each other and to God. On that sad day when the pair allowed the Tempter to persuade them to disobey God s known will, Adam and Eve, no longer innocent, hid in the Garden. Twenty-first century men and women no longer innocent are still hiding from God, not in a garden, but in a bar or an office or their own backyard. As God sought them, He still seeks us. He created us for fellowship with Himself, so the Divine Trinity made a choice and took action. The Son came to visit our world as a man of Jewish descent, of the tribe of Judah. He voluntarily came to pay the penalty for the sins of all mankind. However, as the horror of what He faced closed in on Him, He spent a terrible few hours in the Garden of Gethsemane. It was there that He committed to following the divine plan and was able to say to His Father, not as I will but as You will. may Your will be done (Matthew 26:36-42). It was in a garden that Adam and Eve made the fateful decision that first broke fellowship with God, and it was in a garden that Jesus made the difficult decision that canceled the wrong choice of Adam and Eve. Our heavenly Father has graciously chosen to make a way for each of us to be forgiven for our bad choices, and to come into His presence, cleansed and prepared for intimate fellowship with Him. That s His deep desire. But we still have a choice. Will we continue to be bound by the choice Adam and Eve made in the Garden of Eden and remain separated from God, or will we choose to have a relationship with God, who created us, based on what Jesus did on Calvary s hill after praying in the Garden of Gethsemane? Two gardens; two very different scenarios. The choices made in those two gardens force a choice on each of us that will determine our eternal destiny. This is the most crucial choice we all must make. Many of us have already chosen to receive God s gift of salvation, some many years ago. Praise God! But we all know that life still requires choices, not just once in a while, but every day. Will we learn from our study of the Bible? Will we obey God s Word? Will we walk and talk and fellowship with Him, or will we drift away in the busyness of life, finding ultimately only emptiness? Remember how the Lord went looking for Adam and Eve, calling to them? He is a loving, seeking God. Our hiding from Him breaks His heart. Do you know the words of the old Gospel hymn? I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses And He walks with me and He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own, And the joy we share as we tarry there, None other has ever known. * Are you experiencing that joy, Christian? The Lord is waiting for you. * C. Austin Miles, 1912, public domain.