Special From Nothing Special

 Special From Nothing Special

Exodus 6: ¹⁴ These are the heads of their fathers’ houses: The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. These are the families of Reuben. ¹⁵ And the sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. These are the families of Simeon. ¹⁶ These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. And the years of the life of Levi were one hundred and thirty-seven. ¹⁷ The sons of Gershon were Libni and Shimi according to their families. ¹⁸ And the sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. And the years of the life of Kohath were one hundred and thirty-three. ¹⁹ The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of Levi according to their generations.

 

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Generations after Adam and Eve, GOD spoke to Abraham. HE promised HE would make his name a great nation. This promise was passed down to his son Isaac and then passed to his grandson Jacob. Leah was given to Jacob as his wife. They had Reuben, Simeon and Levi as children, amongst others. This is the family of Aaron and Moses.

 

My Observations:

• GOD must have told Moses to write down the tribe leaders names to prepare him for what HE was about to do.
• Simeon and Levi murdered Shechem and the men of that town, defending Dinah, their sister, who was assaulted.
• Levi was also involved with selling his brother Joseph into slavery, which ultimately caused everyone to move to Egypt.

 

After the Garden of Eden, humanity took a beating. Their belief in their own ways and the appeal to their own culture, left GOD out of the picture. The further away we get from the garden, the more we forget who GOD is. GOD abruptly interjects a list of the first three families of Leah and Jacob.

 

I had to ask “Why is this list here?” I believe GOD was about to establish restoration of Levi. Jacob did not curse Levi, but his blessing said the tribe would be “scattered” because of Levi’s violence. Amazingly enough, the tribe of Levi would be know as a tribe of priests who would carry the Law of Moses. GOD restores.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD abruptly go into detail about the genealogy of Reuben, Simeon and Levi to Moses?
• Is your history important to GOD?
• Do you believe that GOD is actively restoring you and repairing your past?

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