Scripture: Genesis 49:13-28
Video Link: https://youtu.be/DjrHzeXa9p0
Structure:
- Introduction
- Genesis 49:13-28
- Conclusion
Introduction:
Good morning everyone.
If I were to say, ‘Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get’, who would I be quoting? [Wait] That’s right Forrest Gump.
A box of chocolates normally contains a variety of flavours, some we like and others not so much. The point here is that life is full of unknowns. We don’t always know what’s coming our way. Some experiences will be to our liking and others we may prefer to spit out.
Today we continue our series in the life of Joseph. We’ve come to that part in the story where Joseph’s father, Jacob, is on his death bed saying his last goodbyes to his twelve sons. Jacob’s poem gives each of his sons an insight into their character and the destiny for their descendants.
It’s sort of like Jacob is saying, this is the flavour chocolate I see for you. The sons can do little else but listen and swallow their father’s words. Last week we heard what Jacob had to say to his four eldest sons. This week we hear Jacob’s words to his eight younger sons. From Genesis 49, verse 13, we read…
13 “Zebulun will live by the seashore and become a haven for ships; his border will extend toward Sidon. 14 “Issachar is a raw-boneddonkey lying down among the sheep pens. 15 When he sees how good is his resting place and how pleasant is his land, he will bend his shoulder to the burden and submit to forced labour. 6 “Danwill provide justice for his people as one of the tribes of Israel. 17 Dan will be a snake by the roadside, a viper along the path, that bites the horse’s heels so that its rider tumbles backward. 18 “I look for your deliverance, Lord. 19 “Gadwill be attacked by a band of raiders, but he will attack them at their heels. 20 “Asher’s food will be rich; he will provide delicacies fit for a king. 21 “Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns. 22 “Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall. 23 With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility. 24 But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayedlimber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, 25 because of your father’s God, who helps you, because of the Almighty, who blesses you with blessings of the skies above, blessings of the deep springs below, blessings of the breast and womb. 26 Your father’s blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, thanthe bounty of the age-old hills. Let all these rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince amonghis brothers. 27 “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he divides the plunder.” 28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing appropriate to him.
May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.
Genesis 49:13-28
One of the themes explored by the film Forrest Gump is the question of whether our lives are subject to destiny. Is our storyalready written by some higher power, or is what happens to us just random?
Towards the end of the movie Forrest says this…
“I don’t know if Momma was right or if it’s Lieutenant Dan. I don’t know if we each have a destiny or if we’re all just floating around accidental-like on a breeze. But I think maybe it’s both.”
With last week’s message in mind, we might want to add that the choices we make affect our lives as well. Yes, there are things in this life that are beyond our control. We don’t always know what flavour chocolate we might get. But the principle that we reap what we sow also holds true.
In verse 13, Jacob says, “Zebulun will live by the seashore and become a haven for ships; his border will extend toward Sidon”.
Zebulun was Jacob’s tenth son, the youngest of the boys born to Leah. In this verse Jacob seems to be indicating the location of the land that will be allotted to Zebulun in Canaan. The problem is that history does not square with Jacob’s prediction.
Zebulun’s territory was landlocked with no sea in sight. Jacob’s prediction (if it is to be taken literally) fits better for Asher. So how do we explain this?
Has something been lost in translation? Did Jacob get it wrong? Did God change his mind? We simply do not know.
Personally, I like the anomaly. It suggests that a people’s destiny is not set in stone. Yes, some things about the future are predetermined. Jesus will return in glory one day. God’s kingdom will be realized on earth in its fullness. There will be a resurrection of the dead and a day of judgment.
But there is also some flexibility, some wriggle room. God, in his grace, gives us options. The choices we make do matter, for this life and the next.
Remembering that this is poetry, Jacob’s words may not be intended to support a literal reading. The image of one of the tribes of Israel being a haven for ships is quite beautiful really. It speaks of welcome and sanctuary for foreigners. It’s about making room for people who are not part of ethnic Israel.
After all, the people of God don’t exist exclusively for themselves. God intended Israel to be a blessing to the nations. Perhaps this is the destiny (or the purpose) Jacob had in mind for Zebulun.
In verses 14-15 Jacob addresses Issachar, his ninth son. Issachar is compared to a donkey lying down. This is a strange image. Donkeys are work animals, the ancient equivalent of a ute. And yet this donkey is resting. Donkeys were also symbolic, in ancient Israel, of peace (in contrast to warhorses).
Is Jacob saying that Issachar’s tribe will be peaceful but lazy? We can’t be sure. Verse 15 sheds more light though, saying, “he will bend his shoulder to the burden and submit to forced labour”, apparently to remain on the land.
The idea of forced labour suggests the tribe of Issachar will be oppressed at some point. If a people are oppressed, they basically have three options:
Fight back, find somewhere else to live or stay and submit.
Issachar’s tribe choose to stay and submit, such was their love for the land.
Submitting probably doesn’t seem as brave or patriotic as fighting back, but the tribe of Issachar’s choice to submit is not dishonourable. This is, in fact, what Jesus instructed his followers to do.
Jesus told the Israelites of his day to submit to Roman rule. Turn the other cheek. Walk the extra mile. Don’t take up arms against Rome for you will lose. ‘My kingdom’, said Jesus, ‘is not of this world.’
Dan was Jacob’s fifth son, the eldest born to Bilhah. Jacob says that Dan will provide justice for the people of Israel. He will be like a snake that bites the horse’s heels so that its rider tumbles backward.
A snake generally attacks alone and by stealth, taking the horse and rider by surprise. It could be that Jacob is talking about Samson here. Samson was one of the Judges of Israel and part of the tribe of Dan. Samson had superhuman strength and a temper to match.
Samson did not sit in a court of law, following due process and passing verdicts. He wasn’t that kind of judge. Nor did he lead an army. Samson was more like Judge Dread. He acted alone as judge, jury and executioner. Samson’s justice was destructive. Issachar’s tribe submitted to oppression, but Samson (from the tribe of Dan) fought back.
In verse 18 Jacob pauses to offer a prayer to God saying, “I look for your deliverance, Lord”. This is interesting. Even though Samson dealt some heavy blows to Israel’s enemies, he did not deliver Israel (not properly).
Violence begets violence. Revenge may provide relief from oppression for a short while but eventually the weeds of hate and injustice grow back.
Jacob was looking to the Lord to provide a lasting deliverance. Not an unreliable peace, brought about by brute force, but a permanent peace brought about by justice and mercy. Jesus is God’s answer to Jacob’s prayer for deliverance. Jesus is the Prince of peace.
In verse 19 Jacob says that Gad, his seventh son, the first born to Zilpah, will be attacked by a band of raiders, but he will attack them at their heels. Yet again we read of the sons of Israel facing opposition and attack.
The land allotted to Gad was on the border of Israel and was subject to raids from other people groups. Consequently, the tribe of Gad became renowned as warriors who defended the borders of Israel. Their symbol was a military tent.
The image of attacking the raiders at their heels suggests the raiders will be chased off by the tribe of Gad.
Given what’s happening in Israel and Gaza at present, we may feel uncomfortable with this military imagery. I don’t understand the politics of the middle east so best not to share my ignorance on that subject.
I will say though that the Bible should not be hijacked or weaponized to serve a contemporary military / political agenda. Nor should we impose our twenty-first century context on the Old Testament. The world we live in is not the same as the ancient near east.
If you want to take anything from Jacob’s words to his sons, take his prayer for the Lord’s deliverance. As followers of a crucified Messiah (who understands human suffering first hand) our role is to pray for God to deliver all sides from the war.
In his letter to the Ephesians, the apostle Paul writes…
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against… the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms…
As Christians, who live in New Zealand, our fight is not a geo-political one. Our fight is a spiritual one. Our weapons are not guns and grenades. We protect ourselves with the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit.
They say that geography is destiny. Where you are born and where you live has a huge influence on what happens to you in this life. If you were born in New Zealand, then you won the lottery. Your destiny would look a lot different if you lived in the Ukraine. New Zealand is not perfect, but it is still a relatively good place to live. Our generation has the privilege of not needing to go to war.
The tribe of Gad were not so fortunate. Located on the eastern border of Israel, they faced more armed conflict (in ancient times) than the tribe of Asher, who were situated out of harm’s way by the Mediterranean Sea.
Jacob says, Asher’s food will be rich; he will provide delicacies fit for a king. This is an image of prosperity. The soil of the land of Asher was particularly fertile.
The tribe of Asher was renowned for the abundance and quality of the olive oil they produced. This oil was used in cooking and in religious rituals. It made the tribe of Asher rich. I’m reminded of the oil of God’s Spirit who enriches our lives and relationships.
In verse 21 Jacob comes to his sixth son, Naphtali. The name Naphtali means my struggle, my strife or wrestling. (Not the cutest name for a baby.) Jacob had more than his share of struggle and strife. He wrestled with God and man.
So, it is significant that Jacob says, “Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns”. It’s like saying my struggle is over. My strife is finished. I am released from my wrestling match. The image here is one of deliverance from some ordeal. Jacob sees good things in store for the tribe of Naphtali.
In Luke 4, verse 18, Jesus said…
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free…”
It is through Jesus that we too can share in the blessing of Naphtali, to be set free from our struggle and strife.
And so we come to Joseph, Jacob’s eleventh son and Rachel’s first. We need to remember that Jacob’s blessing for Joseph is also a blessing for Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who Jacob had adopted as his own.
In verse 22, Jacob describes Joseph as a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall. There is some ambiguity with the original Hebrew here which means we should be cautious with our interpretation.
A fruitful vine that is well watered by a nearby spring so that its branches climb over a wall, speaks of vitality and abundance and growth. The vine and its fruit do not exist for its own sake. The vine exists to feed and sustain others. As Prime Minister of Egypt, Joseph’s outreach in feeding the nations was far and wide.
Looking further ahead from the time of Joseph, we note that Joshua (the great leader of Israel mentored by Moses) was descended from Joseph’s son, Ephraim. Joshua led the people of Israel in climbing walls and taking possession of the land.
But, even with this wonderful image of a fruitful vine, life was not plain sailing for Joseph. Joseph faced some serious opposition and so would his descendants. In verse 23 we read how archers attacked Joseph with hostility, but Joseph’s bow remained steady.
I don’t know if you saw Country Calendar last Sunday. It featured a farmer from Southland who grows veges. The farmer was explaining his attitude to life. He said, when you are running with the ball (in rugby) you can expect to be tackled. When that happens, you get up again and carry on with the game.
When Joseph was running with the ball, his brothers (those on his own team) tackled him. But Joseph didn’t stay down. He got up and carried on with the game. Joseph was not rattled. His bow remained steady and his arms strong.
But Joseph did not do this in his own strength. Joseph prevailed because the hand of God steadied him and blessed him and made him strong.
Do you remember Gideon from the time of the Judges, who famously laid a fleece? Well Gideon was also descended from Joseph, through Manasseh’s line. God’s hand steadied Gideon so he defeated thousands of Midianites with just 300 hundred men.
Like Judah, who we heard about last week, Joseph gets five verses, while most of the other brothers get just one or two verses. The descendants of Joseph would rule the northern tribes of Israel, just as the descendants of Judah would rule in the south.
Six times the word blessing is repeated in connection with Joseph and his descendants. Blessings of the skies above and blessings of the deep springs below is a poetic way of saying Joseph’s tribes will be surrounded by blessings wherever they go. It’s like that song, Love is all around me and so the feeling grows…
Blessings of breast and womb refer to sustenance and fertility. Joseph’s tribes will be large in numbers and well fed. And your father’s blessings, which are greater than the ancient mountains, speak to the resilience of the blessing Jacob gave Joseph and his sons. The blessing will last, like the hills.
The poem finishes with Jacob’s words for Benjamin, his youngest son.
27 “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he divides the plunder.”
Wolves have a fearsome reputation. But, as apex predators, they also have an important role to play in protecting the environment for all creatures. Without wolves, grazing animals would become too numerous and destroy the vegetation, upsetting the balance in nature.
Unlike snakes, which are solitary creatures, wolves are communal. They normally hunt in packs, with a leader. This improves their chances of survival.
The tribe of Benjamin were known as skilled warriors, sort of like the special forces of ancient Israel. Perhaps the most famous descendant of Benjamin was king Saul, the first king of Israel.
Sadly, it did not end well for Saul. While king Saul had some early success, he also had a tendency to go rogue and act without reference to God. So the Lord gave the leadership to David, who was from the tribe of Judah. David was a shepherd, not a wolf.
Conclusion:
When we look back at Jacob’s words to his twelve sons, we notice that most of the descendants of Israel faced a destiny that included fighting or opposition of some kind. While Jacob certainly had good things to say to his boys, the blessings are mixed with hardship and difficulty.
Jesus’ message to his disciples was similar…
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
This implies that the ultimate destiny for those who follow Jesus is a reward in heaven. But the road to that destiny is marked by opposition. May God give us strength to stand and hope to endure. Amen.
Questions for discussion or reflection:
- What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
- What did Forrest Gump mean when he said, ‘Life is like a box of chocolates…’? Do you agree? What ‘chocolates’ has life given you?
- Do you believe we each have a destiny or is life more random than that? Why do you believe this? What difference do our choices make?
- Of the twelve sons of Israel, who do you identify with the most and why? If you had a choice, which tribe would you want to be a part of?
- How do you normally respond to conflict or opposition? What opposition do you face? What is your best strategy for managing this?
- What does Jacob mean when he prays, ‘I look for your deliverance, Lord’? What deliverance do you look for from the Lord?
- Where were you born? Where do you currently live? How has this shaped your destiny?
- In what ways do the sons of Israel point to Jesus? In what ways are they different from Jesus?
Tawa Baptist 