Israel’s Prophecy for Asher

 

Israel’s Prophecy for Asher

Genesis 49: ²⁰ “Bread from Asher shall be rich,
And he shall yield royal dainties..

 

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Asher was the eighth son of Jacob and the second son of Zilpah, Leah’s maidservant. Leah referred to Asher as a “one who makes me happy” because she was barren. She named him Asher or “happy.”

 

My Observations:

• Asher also hated Joseph and went along with the plot against his life.
• Israel kept the order of birth and continued talking about Zilpah's children.
• Israel’s blessing was brief and focused on Asher’s eventual wealth through baking and raw material for food.

 

The tribe of Asher would eventually declare curses or warnings to all the tribes of Israel. Through these curses, the people of Israel would refrain from bad behavior. For example “Cursed is the man who dishonors his father or his mother.”

 

Asher’s tribe was indeed blessed by GOD. They were able to speak on the LORD’s behalf and all of the tribes took the words to heart. But this does not mean Asher followed GOD all the time. Like you and I, there were moments of doubt. They did not drive out the Canaanites as commanded. GOD blessed them anyway.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think GOD tells Moses about this brief, yet powerful blessing over Asher?
• Is there a gift or skill you have that you are overlooking?
• Can you praise GOD for your gifts and talents before you see any of HIS blessings poured out on you?

Can’t Look the Other Way

Can’t Look the Other Way

Genesis 37: Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. ² This is the history of Jacob.

 

Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father.

 

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Jacob listened to GOD and returned to the land where Isaac and Rebekah lived. But the people there did not believe in GOD. Jacob was a “stranger” in the land, probably because he refused to do what everyone else was doing. Joseph was seventeen. He went out to feed the flock with Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah.

 

My Observations:

• Joseph seemed to be raised differently than the deceiver Jacob was.
• Joseph saw something that Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher were doing that he could not look the other way by ignoring it.
• Joseph told Jacob about what they were doing, possibly because he had a pure heart.

 

Bilhah was Dan and Naphtali’s mother. She may have been influenced by the people of Canaan when she slept with Reuben, Jacob’s oldest son. Somehow Dan may have been influenced by Bilhah or the Canaanites or both. Dan would eventually lead one of the twelve tribes of Israel into idolatry.

 

Dan’s name is not mentioned in Revelation or in some of the other genealogies listed in the prophetic books. Whatever Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher were doing, Joseph could not look the other way. The division between Joseph and his brothers was beginning.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD mention that Jacob was a stranger in the land of Canaan to Moses?
• Have you ever been put in an uncomfortable position where you had to choose character by saying something is not right?
• Are you willing to follow GOD even when it is not popular?

Unwanted but Needed

Unwanted but Needed

Genesis 35: Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: ²³ the sons of Leah were Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun; ²⁴ the sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin; ²⁵ the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maidservant, were Dan and Naphtali; ²⁶ and the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s maidservant, were Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Padan Aram.

 

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Jacob had twelve sons from two wives and two maidservants of the wives. Leah had six sons, Rachel had two. Bilhah had two and Zilpha had two.

 

My Observations

• Leah was unwanted by Jacob, but had the most children by her.
• Leah’s maidservant’s kids along with her kids equals eight out of twelve kids.
• Leah’s sons were the oldest and so far, caused the most problems.

 

For someone unwanted by the person who GOD spoke to, it sure seems like she was valuable to GOD. Leah was slipped into Jacob by a deceiver, Laban. Jacob was trying to circumvent tradition by bargaining to get his way. Leah felt unloved and unwanted. But she prayed to GOD and HE heard her.

 

Leah became the mother of Judah. Later we will see the JESUS is the Lion of Judah. In other words, JESUS is related to Judah who was related to Leah the unwanted. GOD watched over Leah and kept HIS promise.

 

Challenge

• Why did GOD tell Moses to write the list of sons in this order versus chronological?
• Do you sometimes feel unwanted?
• Do you know you are valuable, wanted and needed by GOD the Almighty?

Two Can Play at That Game

Two Can Play at That Game

Genesis 30: ⁹ When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing, she took Zilpah her maid and gave her to Jacob as wife. ¹⁰ And Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son. ¹¹ Then Leah said, “A troop comes!” So she called his name Gad. ¹² And Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. ¹³ Then Leah said, “I am happy, for the daughters will call me blessed.” So she called his name Asher.

 

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Years passed and Leah was now barren. She saw that Rachel’s plan was “working” so she gave Zilpha to Jacob as his wife. Zilpha bore Jacob two sons, Gad and Asher.

 

My Observations:

• Leah saw that she was barren and she saw Rachel give her maid to Jacob, so she did the same.
• Leah believed she owned Zilpah; therefore, she believed she owned the children.
• Zilpah gave birth to two sons, Gad and Asher, who would become great nations.

 

“You give Jacob your maid, I will give Jacob my maid” seemed to be the sentiment of Leah’s actions. She had already given birth to four children, but that was not enough. She took Zilpah’s children and named them as if they were her children.

 

This time she was focused on fortune and fame. “A fortune comes!”, she cried out as Gad was born. “The daughters will call me blessed” was her statement as she named Asher.  Gad means Troop of Fortune and Asher means happy. The dysfunctional family was growing and GOD was still blessing.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD tell Moses about Leah’s actions?
• What thing have you achieved that may have gotten in the way of you and GOD?
• Have you ever had a bit of success but lost sight of GOD’s plan for you?