Jacob's Last Words

Introduction

Don’t underestimate the importance of this chapter to your understanding of the rest of Scripture. It is in this chapter through the final words of Jacob to his sons that the foundation for the twelve tribes of Israel is laid. Why is that important to us?

It is an important cultural background for the rest of Scripture.

More importantly it plays a structural part in determining who the prophesied Messiah would be.

It is in this text that we learn from which son of Israel the Messiah would descend.

Reuben

Leadership

Jacob’s final words to Reuben begin as a blessing but end as a rebuke.

Reuben was the first born and that should have afforded him the double portion of this blessing and inheritance.

“When you were born Reuben you were my pride and joy.”

Perhaps Jacob’s words in verse three refer to what he wished Reuben would have become rather than the man he became.

Consequences

Jacob then describes Reuben as “unstable as water”. Reuben wasn’t reliable one minute he would defend you and the next he would stab you in the back.

Jacob illustrates this by reminding everyone of one of Reuben’s greatest misdeeds.

Reuben in what is possibly an attempt to subvert his father’s authority slept with Bilhah, one of Jacob’s wives. (Genesis 35)

This action was such a disgrace to the family that Reuben lost his rights as the first born of Jacob.

Jacob tells Reuben that he will not excel. This prophetic word from Jacob comes true. The tribe of Reuben is very obscure in history with no prophet, judge or ruler would ever come from the tribe of Reuben.

Simeon & Levi

Brothers

It is interesting to note that only Simeon and Levi are joined in this list.

This is probably because of their similarities and their history of violence.

Violence

Jacob calls them “instruments of cruelty”

Jacob intentionally separates himself from these two (v. 6a)

What did they do? - Murder - This references the murder of the men of Shechem (see ch. 34). Simeon, Jacob’s second son, would have been next after Reuben (v. 4) to inherit the blessing. Instead, his actions at Shechem nullify his status

Consequences

Genesis 49:7 “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.”

And both tribes were divided and scattered, so that neither of them were given a portion of the land. The tribe of Simeon virtually disappeared after the time of the conquest of the promised land; because they were essentially enveloped by the tribe of Judah. And when the tribe of Levi was given the responsibility of the priesthood, its people were therefore disallowed from having their own territory.

Application: Actions have consequences.

Judah

Leadership

“you are he whom your brothers shall praise.”

They are going to be looking up to you.

“Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies”

Military victories

The tribe of Judah had some significant military victories, but they also had some significant loses.

One of the most important keys to understanding O.T. prophecy is the concept of near and far fulfillment.

Royalty

“Your father’s children will bow down before you.”

Was Judah himself ever a king? No, but a number of his descendants were the kings of Israel and Judah.

There is a change that takes place with Jacob’s words. Currently the brother that they are bowing down to is Joseph, but Jacob says that one day it will be Judah.

Lions have often represented royalty.

Jacob calls Judah a lion’s cub.

This certainly makes sense because while Judah himself would never be a king his descendants would grow into that role.

Jacob pictures Judah’s descendants as fierce lions dragging their prey back to their den.

Take care of rousing the sleeping lion!

The scepter shall not depart from Judah nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet.

The scepter is another symbol of royalty.

Jacob’s declaration is that the royal line will always be with Judah.

“Until Shiloh comes” is one of the more difficult passages in the Old Testament to translate and interpret.

My best understanding is that it probably means “until the one to whom the scepter belongs comes.”

“And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.”

This verse is very important because it narrows the scope of Jacob’s prophecy from the entire tribe of Judah to just one man. In other words there is a particular person we are waiting on to completely fulfill the words of Jacob.

This is clearly Messianic. They were waiting on Jesus and so are we. Perhaps the OT is more relatable than we often think.

Prosperity

When this King comes both He and the land in general will experience great prosperity.

The wealth will be so great that you will tie your donkey to the best grape producing vines without a care of how many the donkey eats.

Even Solomon didn’t bring this kind of prosperity to Israel.

There will be such a surplus of wine that if they could the people would use it to wash their clothes. I feel like there was someone in the NT for whom this would not be a problem. Someone who with a thought turned water into wine.

Health

His eyes are darker than wine.

His teeth are whiter than milk.

This is certainly a picture of strength and health. You can imagine how many people in Jacob’s day had white teeth.

Key Question: Did any of Judah’s descendants really fulfill Jacob’s words or are we still waiting? Never take your eye off the soon return of Jesus.

The first gospel promise of a deliverer from the seed of the woman who would crush the head of the serpent—in Genesis 3:15—was preserved through the flood through righteous Noah, and then through Noah’s son Shem (cf. 9:26), and then through Shem’s son Abraham (cf. 12:3), and then through Abraham’s son Isaac (cf. 21:12), and then through Isaac’s son Jacob (cf. 25:23), and then through Jacob’s son Judah (cf. 49:10). And then, beyond the history of Genesis, God chose a descendant of Judah, King David, to be the line through which Messiah would come (cf. 2 Samuel 7:12–16). When the Lion of the tribe of Judah came, he was born in Judah (his tribal territory) in the town of Bethlehem (cf. Micah 5:2). No one but Jesus had these credentials. And when he changed the water to wine, his disciples knew that the Messiah was present!

Believing in Jesus is not some new religion that popped up in the 1st century. Never forget that Adam and Eve believed in and watched for the Messiah.

Zebulun

Context

Historians are perplexed by the reference to Zebulon living “by the seaside” (i.e., the Mediterranean) and being a “haven for ships,” for the territory allocated Zebulon in Josh 19:10–16 was inland.

Most probably the idea is that his descendants would prophet from international trade.

Commerce - Perhaps Zeb was a good businessman.

Issachar

Land - Issachar would settle in a fertile part of the land.

Labor - Despite the productivity of the land the tribe of Issachar would often find themselves indentured to others.

Dan

Judgmental or vindicated - this is a play on Dan’s name based on Rachel’s words when he was born. “I have been vindicated.”

Traitor - Dan is a snake in the grass. It is through Dan that much idolatry finds its way into Israel.

Prayer (v. 18)

It is unclear if this prayer is just for Dan or all those that preceded.

But regardless Jacob was at a time in his life where prayer was literally all he had left to give. Don’t reject those moments but rather embrace them.

Gad

Militaristic

Protective

Asher

Food

Provision

Naphtali

Freedom

Fruitful

Joseph

Thrive

Jacob describes Joseph’s family as a fruitful vine

A vine that grows so abundantly that it climbed over the walls.

Providence

Here Jacob gives a poetic review of Joseph’s life.

Trials and tribulations (v. 23)

By God’s hand Joseph overcame (v. 24) Jacob recognized that Joseph’s success was God’s doing. This certainly brings us back to the main theme of Joseph’s life, the providence of God.

God’s names used by Jacob:

Mighty God -power

Shepherd - tender

Rock of Israel - stable

Blessing

Jacob desire is that God would bless Joseph

Prosperity

Progeny

He charges Joseph to wear the blessings of God like a crown on his head.

Benjamin

Militaristic

Ambitious

Conclusion

Blessed v. 28

Charged - bury me with my fathers in the promised land. (v.29-32)

Died (v. 33)