Lesson 99 The Blessing of the 12 Sons, Genesis 49:1- 27

The Blessing on Reuben, Simeon and Levi. 49:1-7

49 Then Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather together so that I can tell you what will happen with you in ⌊days to come⌋. 2 Assemble and hear, O sons of Jacob! Listen to Israel your father!

3 Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength, and the firstfruit of my vigor, excelling in rank and excelling in power.

4 Unstable as water, you shall not excel any longer, for you went up upon the bed of your father, then defiled it. You went up upon my couch!

5 Simeon and Levi are brothers; weapons of violence are their swords. Let me not come into their council. 6 Let not my person be joined to their company. For in their anger they killed men, and at their pleasure they hamstrung cattle. 7 Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce, and their wrath, for it is cruel. I will divide them in Jacob, and I will scatter them in Israel.

W. Hall Harris III et al., eds., The Lexham English Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012), Ge 49:1–7.

We are quick to note that these verse are not necessarily brimming over with good news. If you are expecting to get the “warm and fuzzies” over this, hang on for a wild ride. But Jacob speaks the truth. And, we can tell you that it is as much for future generations to note as it is for the present circumstances of Jacob’s sons. We can also point out that is is prophetic in nature, Messianic, and last days ministry. The King James Version gives nod to the last days nature of verse one.

King James Version (Chapter 49)

Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.

The angst that is built up in this small statement can not only be felt across the room, but our world is feeling that dread even today through the war going on in the Gaza Strip. When we think Jacob and his sons, we don’t usually think of preparing us for the last days, but this is it. Jacob is preparing a last days warning or sorts for those of us who are looking keenly into this section of Scripture. This does have the earmarks of what Timothy is saying to the church in II Timothy 3:

The Lexham English Bible (Chapter 3)

3 But know this, that in the last days difficult times will come, 2 for people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 hardhearted, irreconcilable, slanderous, without self-control, savage, with no interest for what is good, 4 traitors, reckless, conceited, loving pleasure rather than loving God, 5 maintaining a form of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid these people. 6 For from these are those who slip into houses and captivate foolish women loaded down with sins, led by various kinds of desires, 7 always learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth

If we are uncomfortable with what Jacob or Timothy have to say, it is because the Bible is a warning shot across the bow for the appearance of the last days. It is interesting that the last days warning of each passage has to do with sexual sin. Last days is not just an end time pronouncement, it is a message for today. We probably are in that season.

Verse two give us the call that is going to from a Father to his sons! The father Israel, calls out to the sons of Jacob. Both names are being used just so there is no doubt as to who is to listen.

Reuben

There was so much promise wrapped up in this man as evidenced by verse three: He had the strength of his father as a firstborn. He was all man, he was “The Man.” All of Jacob’s were put into the making of this son! He excelled. Reuben was a leader with status. He carried the family honor. But he could not control those strong passions and abilities and it resulted in instability. He defiled his fathers bed. He slept with a step mom. The action made him a profane man. It is mentioned twice: “you went upon the bed of your father, you went upon my couch.” While these things may have been consensual, the mark of sin is greatest against Reuben.

Simeon and Levi

Theirs were the sins of cruelty, anger, and violence. Now yes, Levi became the priestly line, but they did not own land. They were scattered throughout the 12 tribes, but mostly they were concentrated in the area near the temple of worship. They lacked the wisdom of council because of their anger. And their anger made them cruel toward men and animals. Their anger and wrath are cursed(vs.7) This a statement about the state of those who have uncontrollable outbursts of anger. They will not be among the decision makers.

Next up is Judah. This is where the line of Christ is built. These are prophetic words about Jesus Christ Himself in verses 8-12. We do not hear from the other sons of Jacob and Leah before Judah. They will be dealt with in a few verses:

Judah, Zebulon, and Issachar Vs. 8- 12

8 Judah, as for you, your brothers shall praise you.

Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies. The sons of your father shall bow down to you. 9 Judah is a lion’s cub. From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bowed down; he crouched like a lion and as a lioness. Who shall rouse him?

10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff between his feet, until Shiloh comes. And to him shall be the obedience of nations. 11 Binding his donkey to the vine and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, he washes his clothing in the wine and his garment in the blood of grapes. 12 The eyes are darker than wine, and the teeth whiter than milk.

W. Hall Harris III et al., eds., The Lexham English Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012), Ge 49:8–15.

Judah is the recipient of His brothers praise and his hand will be at the neck of his enemies. He will be persistent as a judge of the people and the brothers will now bow down to him and not Joseph and his sons. from verse 9 we see the character of the Lin of the tribe of Judah. Why a Lion’s cub? Because Jesus came as a babe. There was something that the Lion went after as prey. That prey was the souls of men that he came to have as his own. Who will rouse him? The heavenly Father does. The scepter and staff of rule belongs to Judah because of Christ. The nations obedience is his and it is future. The donkey/colt are all pointed at Christ and then he washes His robes in red and in the blood of his grapes. Blood will be shed and it will be His. There is a description of Jesus here that may not be found anywhere else:

 The eyes are darker than wine,

and the teeth whiter than milk.

Blue eyed pictures of Jesus that we have seen portrayed over the years are probably not Biblical.

W. Hall Harris III et al., eds., The Lexham English Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012), Ge 49:12.

The truth is, I love it when a family can lead us into the future because the Lord Jesus is prevalent in their lives. Jacob is saying prophetically, look at my family and you will see Jesus somewhere. Let us follow Him all the way into eternity by way of the cross.