Israel’s Prophecy for Simeon and Levi

Israel’s Prophecy for Simeon and Levi

Genesis 49: ⁵ “Simeon and Levi are brothers;
Instruments of ^[cruelty are in their dwelling place.
⁶ Let not my soul enter their council;
Let not my honor be united to their assembly;
For in their anger they slew a man,
And in their self-will they hamstrung an ox.
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.

 

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Furious at their sister’s assault, Simeon and Levi decided to take matters in their own hands. They killed the man who violated their sister. They tricked the men of the town to get circumcised and in their pain, they murdered them. Jacob did not forget that Simeon and Levi could have put the family in extreme danger.

 

My Observations:

• Rage was addressed by Jacob because all their lives, Simeon and Levi would immediately go to emotions that would cause people harm.
• Cruelty was addressed by Jacob because they used excessive force to deal with their issues.
• Anger was addressed by Jacob, otherwise known as Israel, as he spoke to them as his father and as the tribal nation GOD promised.

 

Simeon’s tribe would eventually shrink in power. The Levites would not inherit land, but be “scattered” in Israel as prophesied. These men were now older and had acted on their internal rage for decades.

 

It was no surprise to anyone that Jacob gave this prophecy about these two sons. Simeon was thrown in jail by Joseph, skipping Reuben who was the oldest. Joseph may have seen Simeone’s rage when he made his choice. Our emotions can make us do and say things that are not well thought out, just like Simeon and Levi. BUT GOD blessed them anyway.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD tell Moses about Jacob’s dislike of his son’s rage?
• Is rage an emotion that causes you to act without thinking?
• Can you look at rage as your enemy and tame it with GOD’s love, peace and joy?

 

Prayer

Dear LORD, please guide this reader away from extreme emotional decisions and place YOUR love, joy and peace inside. It does not matter how old he or she is, or what emotional decisions they have made. What matters is that we bow to YOUR grace and mercy. amen

Israel’s Prophecy for Reuben

Israel’s Prophecy for Reuben

Genesis 49: And Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days:

 

² “Gather together and hear, you sons of Jacob,
And listen to Israel your father.

 

³ “Reuben, you are my firstborn,
My might and the beginning of my strength,
The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power.
⁴ Unstable as water, you shall not excel,
Because you went up to your father’s bed;
Then you defiled it—
He went up to my couch.

 

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Knowing he was going to die, Jacob called for his sons to hear his last words. He began with the oldest to the youngest. For Reuben he spoke words of excellency of dignity and power, but instability.

 

My Observations:

• Jacob remembered that Reuben slept with one of his wives, Bilhah.
• Jacob may have taught Reuben how to be wealthy and powerful, but recognized his weakness of being doubleminded.
• Reuben crossed a line that could not be repaired, but was not disowned or disinherited.

 

Jacob’s words would come true. No judge, prophet, ruler, or prince came from the tribe or Reuben. Reuben’s decision making would haunt him. Even though Reuben had committed the sin forty years prior, Jacob could never forget it.

 

Reuben tried to stop his brothers from throwing Joseph in the pit. Reuben was not chose by Joseph to throw in jail, rather he chose Simeon, the second born. There may have been some significance in skipping Reuben, but it is not stated. GOD was preparing how the tribes would later interact.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD tell Moses about Israel’s prophecy of the tribe of Reuben?
• Have you made mistakes that you regret?
• Are you glad that GOD removed your mistakes away from HIM as far as the east is from the west?

 

Prayer

Dear LORD, please bless this reader today. Let him or her know that YOU have accounted for mistakes and that you have forgiven each one. Please show YOUR grace, and mercy today. amen

Blessing Can’t Be Steered

 

Blessing Can’t Be Steered

Genesis 48: ¹⁷ Now when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; so he took hold of his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. ¹⁸ And Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”

 

¹⁹ But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.”

 

²⁰ So he blessed them that day, saying, “By you Israel will bless, saying, ‘May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh!’ ” And thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

 

²¹ Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers. ²² Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.”

 

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Joseph saw that Israel was blessing the younger son over the older, so he tried to correct the situation. Israel refused to move his hands and provided an explanation.

 

My Observations:

• GOD was leading Israel to bless Ephraim more than Manasseh because that is what HE planned to do.
• Manasseh was still going to be blessed.
• Joseph did not care about receiving a blessing because he was already taken care of.

 

Trying to control the blessing showed that Joseph did not understand the blessing. We do the same. We try to steer GOD into blessing us, especially when HE seems to be blessing someone else. Instead of praise, we resort to jealousy. BUT GOD knows and understands what you and I are going through.

 

Ephraim and Manasseh did not ask to be blessed. They probably thought that day was going to be the same as the day before. They did nothing to earn a blessing from GOD, so any blessing was incredible! Same for us!

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD tell Moses about Joseph’s reaction to Israel’s blessing order?
• Have you ever felt jealous or envious over someone who seemed to be getting blessed?
• Is there room for growth in seeing blessings differently by praising GOD for a hope and a future?

Israel’s Intentional Blessing

Israel’s Intentional Blessing

Genesis 48: ¹² So Joseph brought them from beside his knees, and he bowed down with his face to the earth. ¹³ And Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near him. ¹⁴ Then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn. ¹⁵ And he blessed Joseph, and said:

 

“God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
The God who has fed me all my life long to this day,
¹⁶ The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil,
Bless the lads;
Let my name be named upon them,
And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”

 

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Joseph knew that Israel was about to speak the blessing from GOD. He brought his sons in to receive the blessing. He made sure that Manasseh’s head was in reach of Israel’s right hand and Ephraim’s head on his left. Israel crossed his hands and blessed Ephraim  and Manasseh.

 

My Observations:

• GOD led Israel to cross his hands when blessing Joseph’s sons.
• Israel blessed Joseph, but his focus was on Ephraim and Manasseh.
• The Angel who has redeemed is the preincarnate JESUS.

 

Israel finally got it! His words did not contain any complaint, only blessings. He knew that JESUS guided him and poured out a blessing on Joseph and his sons. He intentionally crossed his hands being led by the HOLY SPIRIT.

 

This intentionality would in fact, play out later in the gifts given to each tribe. Israel adopted Joseph’s sons as his own and blessed them with an inheritance that was greater than earthly wealth.

 

Challenge

• Why did GOD tell Moses about Israel’s intentional crossing of his hands?
• Has GOD intentionally put you somewhere so HIS blessing can be placed on you?
• What blessing is GOD intentionally placing on you?

Extra Blessed

Extra Blessed

Genesis 48: ⁸ Then Israel saw Joseph’s sons, and said, “Who are these?”

 

⁹ Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me in this place.”

 

And he said, “Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.” ¹⁰ Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. Then Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them. ¹¹ And Israel said to Joseph, “I had not thought to see your face; but in fact, God has also shown me your offspring!”

 

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Israel saw Joseph’s sons and asked “Who are these?” Joseph introduced his sons to Israel who became delighted! He thought he would never see Joseph again, but now he was able to see Joseph and his sons!

 

My Observations:

• Joseph did not spend a lot of time in Goshen due to his responsibilities of running Egypt.
• Joseph’s sons may have been teenagers by the time they met Israel.
• Israel never imagined he would see Joseph or his sons because he was told Joseph was dead.

 

Not only did he see Joseph alive and well, but he also saw Joseph’s sons. Israel was delighted to have been so blessed. He did not know how GOD’s prophecy would play out. All Israel knew was that GOD would make many nations through his lineage.

 

Now that Joseph showed his sons to him, he could see how GOD was working. He had no idea that GOD had a different lineage through which JESUS would be born. All he knew was that Joseph, his beloved son, had children.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD tell Moses about the first meeting of Israel’s grandsons?
• How do you react if a blessing came much later than you thought?
• Can you praise GOD when HE blesses you, especially when HIS timing took longer than you expected?

Foreshadowed

Foreshadowed

Genesis 48: Now it came to pass after these things that Joseph was told, “Indeed your father is sick”; and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. ² And Jacob was told, “Look, your son Joseph is coming to you”; and Israel strengthened himself and sat up on the bed. ³ Then Jacob said to Joseph: “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, ⁴ and said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a multitude of people, and give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.’ ⁵ And now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine. ⁶ Your offspring whom you beget after them shall be yours; they will be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance. ⁷ But as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died beside me in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath; and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).”

 

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Some time after Israel made Joseph promise to bury him near his fathers, he got sick. Joseph got word of his sickness and took his two sons to see him. What Israel said, would come to pass.

 

My Observations:

• Ephraim and Manasseh would become tribes of Israel.
• The tribe of Joseph would be replaced by his sons and referred to as the house of Joseph.
• Rachel died in Bethlehem, birthplace of JESUS.

 

On Israel’s deathbed, he foreshadowed things to come. One day Joseph’s children would become prominent tribes, receiving earthly inheritances as great as the other tribes. He then recalled the death of Rachel.

 

She died on the way to Ephrath in a little town called Bethlehem. This would be the birthplace of CHRIST two-thousand years later. Her deathplace was significant. GOD’s plan was far greater than expected. Most people think it’s about earthly possessions, but it is about JESUS establishing an everlasting Kingdom.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD tell Moses about Israel’s prophetic words?
• Do you think the places you have been, are insignificant?
• Can you accept that everything you do and everything you are has significant meaning to GOD?

World’s Best Isn’t Good Enough

World’s Best Isn’t Good Enough

Genesis 47: ²⁷ So Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions there and grew and multiplied exceedingly. ²⁸ And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the length of Jacob’s life was one hundred and forty-seven years. ²⁹ When the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “Now if I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Please do not bury me in Egypt, ³⁰ but let me lie with my fathers; you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.”

 

And he said, “I will do as you have said.”

 

³¹ Then he said, “Swear to me.” And he swore to him. So Israel bowed himself on the head of the bed.

 

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After living in the land of Egypt for seventeen years, Israel spoke to Joseph. His one request was to be buried outside of Egypt, back in the land of his fathers.

 

My Observations:

• Goshen was the best land Egypt had to offer and the Israelites prospered more than they ever had.
• Israel and Joseph got to spend a great amount of time with each other during the seventeen years he was there.
• Israel saw the ways of the Egyptians and did not want any parts of it, so he made Joseph promise to bury him with Abraham and Isaac.

 

Israel’s request was a strong rejection of the Egyptian ways. Egyptians regarded Pharaoh as a god. They believed in multiple gods and worshiped the sun and even frogs. Israel had spoken to the one and true GOD. I believe he had encountered the preincarnate JESUS.

 

Israel’s desire to be physically buried near his fathers was highly symbolic. He made Joseph place his hand under his thing, similar to Abraham’s oath he made his servant take. This is something Joseph would never forget! Goshen represents wealth and the best. But the world’s best falls short of GOD’s glory.

 

Challenge

• Why did GOD tell Moses about Israel making Joseph take an oath?
• Are you pursuing the world’s best, thinking it will save you from your current situation?
• Have you placed a priority of obtaining the world and watching a little piece of your soul go away in the pursuit?