V1 – Jacob gathers his children around Him to tell them what will happen to them in their future. He does this prophetically, through faith in God and through the Holy Spirit. Jacob had kept God’s word in his heart. He knew that his descendants will be a great nation as the Lord had promised. He was now speaking prophetically from this understanding.
Oh that we would so filled with the Holy Spirit, filled with God’s presence that we even are able to see mysteries in the Spirit. God always has a way of speaking to man, even about the future. And at his will, the Lord also reveals mysteries. Look at what Daniel says:
Daniel 2:28a NLT – But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the future.
Remember, the Lord also revealed the future to Pharaoh, the King of Egypt at the time of Joseph. When the Lord chooses to do this, it is important to heed and follow his direction.
One of the biggest mysteries that has been clearly revealed is Jesus Christ, through whom we are all saved. The prophets and righteous people of old longed to see this great mystery but did not see it (Matthew 13:17, I Peter 1:10 -12). Jesus is the exalted King, the High Priest of God, who is seated at the right of the Father. He rules over all things and He gives life to all who believe in Him, to all who make Him their Lord and Master.
V2 – Sons have to listen to their father. This exhortation to listen is critical. It’s also seen in other verses like Proverbs 4:10, 1:8. One of the benefits of the human earthly family is that it is a model of the kingdom of God. God is our Father. And He is more loving, caring and just than any of our fathers here on earth. We are to listen to Him.
V3-5 – Although Reuben is first in rank and power, He has an issue— He is very unruly (definition – disorderly and disruptive and not amenable to discipline or control.) The Amplified version says: But unstable and reckless and boiling over like water [in sinful lust], you shall not excel or have the preeminence [of the firstborn]
Because Reuben is this way, He went up to his father’s bed and lay with his father’s wife Bilhah and defiled his father’s marriage bed. Jacob says that Reuben will no longer be first place. This birthright was now given to Joseph as we learn in I Chronicles 5:
I Chronicles 5:1-2 NIV: The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father’s marriage bed, his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel; so he could not be listed in the genealogical record in accordance with his birthright, 2 and though Judah was the strongest of his brothers and a ruler came from him, the rights of the firstborn belonged to Joseph)
This predicament that Reuben suffers seems to be a direct result of his sin and disobedient character. It is a reminder of the great consequences of sin. The distinguishing factor between Joseph and Reuben was that Joseph feared the Lord and therefore the Lord exalted Him. Unlike his brother Reuben who burned with sinful lust and even sleeps with father’s wife, Joseph actually ran away from sexual sin when He was tempted. In Genesis 39, He ran away from Potiphar’s wife which is a great testament of his Godly character. Potiphar was Joseph’s master and Joseph could not allow himself to sin against God by sleeping with master’s wife. Yet Reuben slept with his Father’s wife!
V5-7 – Simeon and Levi, on the other hand, also suffered a predicament which is very close to Reuben, their elder brother, also because of their sin. Part of their sin was anger and unforgiveness. In particular, this is because they murdered Hamor, his son Shechem and all the males in the city (Genesis 34), because Shechem had raped Dinah, their sister.
When he heard what had happened, Jacob was angry or heartbroken about this. They had dishonored him by making him obnoxious to the Canaanites and Perizzites. When Jacob told them their mistake, they were not remorseful about it. In fact, they replied:
Genesis 34:31 NIV – But they replied, “Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?”
This clearly shows that they had no remorse about it. They felt justified in their actions because of what Shechem had done to their sister. As a result of this sin, Jacob says about Simeon and Levi,
“I will scatter them among the descendants of Jacob; I will disperse them throughout Israel.” (v7)
Do you feel justified in your sin? Do you feel justified in your anger and unforgiveness simply because someone wronged you?
Be warned, there is no blessing in that. God says “forgive” and “vengeance is mine.” Stop revenging, forgive.
V8- 12 – Judah is a ruler. He is the strongest of the brothers and Jacob says in v10 that ‘The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants, until the coming of the one to whom it belongs, the one whom all nations will honor. ‘ (NLT)
The one who to whom it belongs is Jesus, our Lord and Savior. One of the names we call Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Judah’s tribe went on to produce Kings. For example, King David came from the tribe of Judah and Jesus is also recorded as coming from this lineage because his earthly father, Joseph, was also from this lineup.
One of the distinguishing factors about Judah was that He was willing to be held accountable for his brother Benjamin. He essentially lay down his life for his brother. Judah essentially proved himself a leader because of How He wanted to even protect his father from being hurt again. Read Genesis 44:18-34.
V13 -21 – Jacob speaks about each of his sons differently. Based on the trend, it is possible to say that He is doing this prophetically and in a way, He is also reflecting their characters.
V22 -26 Joseph is blessed above all of his brothers. He clearly gets the greatest blessings.
Jacob says “his arms were strengthened by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, by the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel.” He also says “May the God of your father help you; may the Almighty bless you with the blessings of the heavens above, and blessings of the watery depths below, and blessings of the breasts and womb.” and says “May my fatherly blessings on you surpass the blessings of my ancestors.”
There are fatherly blessings which fathers can bless their children with.
Fathers, do you bless your children? What do you speak over them? Bless your children as directed by the Lord.
As for children, Godliness is always of great gain. Love the Lord and honor Him in all your ways.
V29-32 – Jacob continues the tradition that had been set by his grandfather Abraham by saying that He should be buried in the “cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, that Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite as a permanent burial site.”
Jacob is careful to honor that. This speaks about building and keeping Godly family traditions. We need to set good precedence for our children and our children’s children. One of the foundational precedence we can build is one of godliness and godly living. Let your children and your children’s children, your family and all around you, know that you love and trust the Lord. And let this be the most important memory they have of you.
It starts now, live in and for Jesus, today and everyday
(Father in Heaven, thank you for this great privilege to call you Father. Thank you because you are the best father we can ever have. You are always present, never ending because you are not limited by time nor do you have a human decaying body so that you get old. You are the ancient of days and the ever living God from whom all life comes. I pray that you will help my reader and I to fear you like Joseph did and to honor you like Jacob does. Be the center of our lives and may you cause us to fully, gladly and willingly submit to you. Help us to get rid of our sinful desires because we see and understand that they have great consequences. And may we be led by the Holy Spirit so that we may live a life pleasing to you. We submit our lives again to you, in Jesus name. Amen.)