Jacob's Blessing, Part 3

If you have your Bible, I want to invite you to turn with me to Genesis chapter 49. Genesis chapter 49, as we continue our study in Jacob's blessing of his sons. And we have been looking through the blessing of Jacob's sons by looking at each of these boys and the blessing he bestows upon them. And the Bible says in verse number 28 of Genesis 49 that these blessings are appropriate for each of these boys.

That's very significant, because we've been looking at each of these boys and understanding the significance of their names. You know, what's in a name? There's a lot in a name. And you recall back when these boys were born, we spent a great deal talking about their names and what their name meant to them and how their name was a picture of the coming Messiah. And as we close out Jacob's life, we see these young men. And as he begins to bless them, all the blessings he gives, all the prophecies surrounding them, somehow centers around their name.

We looked at Reuben, and his name means see a son. And the one who was supposed to have the preeminence did not have preeminence because of the sin of his life, because of the character qualities that would cause him to compromise his position as the rightful heir, as the firstborn son. Then we saw Simeon and Levi, and Simeon's name means to hear. But Jacob said, don't be too quick to listen to his counsel. And Levi's name means to be joined to. And he said, don't be too quick to join yourself to this individual.

Then we looked at Judah. His name means to praise. And how from the one the lion would come, the lion of the tribe of Judah, whom all men would praise and fall at his feet and claim him as Lord of the universe. As we continue on in our study, we will continue with the sons of Leah. And then we'll go to the sons of the handmaids. And then if time permits, the sons of Rachel, both Joseph and Benjamin this morning. So we'll pick up our narrative in Genesis chapter 49, verse number 13, beginning with Zebulun.

Zebulun shall dwell at the seashore, and he shall be a haven for ships, and his flank shall be toward Sidon. As you recall, Zebulun's name means to dwell. That is very significant in terms of the prophecy and the blessing given to Zebulun. And while he wasn't necessarily right on the Mediterranean Sea, he was adjacent to that. And he would become a haven for ships, Jacob said, meaning that he would have a strategic location, such a location that those who come from the north and come from the south will pass through Zebulun.

That's significant because that area is the area of Canaan and Nazareth. And the Bible tells us that there was one from Nazareth named Jesus. He was called Jesus of Nazareth. And as you recall, they used to put this indictment on our Lord Jesus Christ, can any good thing come out of Nazareth? You recall John 1, 14, the word became flesh and dwelt among us. In Zebulun would be the one who would dwell, Jesus the Messiah. You see, Zebulun would be listening to the prophecies and blessings to his brothers.

To Reuben, he was the bad boy. To Simeon and Levi, they were the brutal boys. To Judah, he was the bold boy. But Zebulun, he was the boring boy. There was nothing about his life, nothing great to speak of. I mean, you already ever talk about Zebulun in the Bible. And yet, from that one, in that area of habitation, would come one that would dwell among man, Jesus the Nazarene. And it would be so significant to understand that these people, in their territory, would house the one whom they would proclaim his coming, the Messiah himself.

And Zebulun, whose name means to dwell, would have the one who would dwell among us live in that territory. And so there was great blessing, great prominence that would come to Zebulun. And then we move on to Issachar. Issachar's name means to hire. You remember Issachar? He was the guy that came about as a result of Leah going to Rachel and saying, I will give you my mandrakes if you give me Jacob for the night. And Rachel, of course, wanted the mandrakes because she thought that somehow by eating this herbal fruit, it would cause her to be fertile and conceive.

And so she loaned Jacob to Leah for the evening. And Leah bore Issachar, whose name means to hire. She hired Jacob for the night and got Issachar. And that was his name. And the Bible tells us this about Issachar. A strong donkey. Now think about that for a moment. Judah was likened to a lion. Benjamin was likened to a wolf. Naphtali was likened to a deer. Dan was likened to a serpent. Any of those things would be pretty good. But a donkey? Great. Thanks a lot, Dad. Lying down between the sheep folds.

When he saw that a resting place was good and that the land was pleasant, he bowed his shoulder to bear burdens and became a slave at forced labor. Interesting. His name means to hire. And he would end up hiring himself out for slave labor. That's significant. Because, you see, instead of fighting for prominence, instead of fighting for his land, he would hire himself out in order to keep the peace. That's what Issachar did. That's what was foretold of this man and his people. That's interesting, isn't it?

Why? For the simple reason that the Bible says if you know what you're supposed to do and you don't do it, it's sin, right?

You know, a lot of times we don't want to take any risks. We don't want to fight the battles. We'd rather hire ourselves out. We'd rather become the slaves of others than just take stands on what we know to be true. Right? Why take the risk to stand true to the Word of God? We move from Zebulun and Issachar to the sons of the handmaids, Zilpah and Bilhah. We begin with Dan, verse number 16. Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent in the way, a horned snake in the path that bites the horse's heels so that his rider falls backward.

For thy salvation I wait, O Lord. Dan's name means to judge. Dan and his people would become the tribe of judges. They were the ones who were supposed to stand for justice. They were the ones who were supposed to stand for righteousness. As you recall, Samson was one of these men who came from this line, probably the most renowned of the tribe of Dan. And yet these people who were supposed to stand strong, this is very important, stand strong for truth, Jacob prophesied that they will be a serpent in the way.

There's going to be a problem here. They're going to cause the nation to fall backwards. Why is that? Because it would be that tribe, the tribe designed to stand for truth and justice and righteousness, which would lead the nation into idolatry. And so as the work of the serpent would lead them into idolatry, the work of the Savior will lead them out of iniquity. That's why Jacob prays these words in verse number 18. For thy salvation I wait, O Lord. That's very significant. You see, because as you recall in our study before, that Dan is left out of the tribal territory.

There is none of the 12,000 that come from his tribe during the tribulation, remember? Why? Because he's a cursed nation. But in Ezekiel 48, he's back in again. Why? Because that's the restoration of Israel. And Jacob is crying for the salvation for Yeshua, Jehovah saves. And in the mind of Jacob, he is trusting in the salvation of the Lord. This is the first time the word salvation is used in the Bible.

The book of beginnings is the book of firsts. And this is the first time salvation is used in the Bible.

And Jacob is trusting in Yeshua to be his Savior. If you were to read the book of Isaiah, the 43rd chapter, it tells us God says that there is none like me.

I am the Savior of men. And you read Luke 2.11, it talks about the Messiah coming who will save man. Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. Jesus Christ is the Savior of mankind. And Jacob was anticipating the coming of the Messiah. Knowing that the Messiah would come and save the world. Knowing what was said way long ago in Genesis 3, verse number 15, about the serpent and the curse upon the serpent. And how the Messiah, the seed of the woman would come and crush the head of the serpent. Oh, Dan would be like a serpent in the way.

Oh, he has to stand for truth and righteousness and justice. But he's going to do something that's going to cause the nation to falter. But salvation will come through the Messiah. That's good. That's true. And sure enough, Jacob would be able to express his trust. And Jacob was trusting God, the Savior of the world. And God would save Dan. God would restore this tribe back to its preeminence. Because that's the work of the Messiah. We move from Dan. We go to Gad. And it says, As for Gad, raiders shall raid him, but he shall raid at their heels.

Gad's name means good fortune. Good fortune. And it speaks of the continual battles that he would face as he would try to maintain his tribal territory. Whether it's for the Midianites or the Moabites or the Arabians, he was in constant turmoil. But he would still become the conqueror. He would still become the ruler. He would still become the overcomer, Jacob says. And that's good news. Why? Because our good fortune comes when? Not through a life of ease, but through a life of difficulty. And that's how Gad's good fortune would come.

Why? Job said it well, Job 5, 7. Man is born into trouble as sparks fly upwards. Man's life is full of trouble. Man's life should not be at ease. And because of the trouble that comes our way, we know that we are more than conquerors through him who loves us. The Bible calls us the overcomers. And true fortune comes when? When we are able to do and stand for God and become overcomers. And we are able to experience the fortune that comes our way. We move from Gad to look at verse number 20, Asher.

As for Asher, his food shall be rich, and he shall yield royal Danish. Fertile and productive land in the lower land of Carmel, one of the most beautiful lands in all of Israel. We don't know much about Asher, but we do know this. His name means happy. His name means joy. And understanding that when you are able to do what God has called you to do, when you are good stewards of what God has entrusted to you, great joy and great happiness come your way. And Asher gives us that example as he was able to till the land and bring forth great fertile fruit for the people there in his tribe.

We realize that when God has given us a responsibility and we follow through on that responsibility, there is great joy and satisfaction in our lives. God has gifted us. God has gifted you. He's gifted me. And when we do what God's called us to do, guess what? That's when we are the happiest. That's when we're the happiest. That's why we encourage you to be involved in the church. That's why we encourage you to exercise your giftedness. That's why we encourage you to be involved in the ministries of the church.

Because we know that when you are involved in the ministries of the church, exercising your giftedness, that that's where joy and happiness really, truly lie. Because you realize your identity in Christ, and therefore you're able to rejoice in his work in you and through you. And then we come to Naphtali. Naphtali in verse number 21. Naphtali is a doe let loose. He gives beautiful words. I thought about that. A deer let loose. Naphtali's name means to struggle. It means to wrestle. But when you're let loose, you give beautiful words.

We don't know much about Naphtali, but we do pick up this in the New Testament in Matthew chapter 4. These words, I think, are so significant. Now, when he heard that John, verse number 12, had been taken into custody, he, that is Jesus, withdrew into Galilee, and leaving Nazareth, he came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.

The people who were sitting in darkness saw a great light. And to those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death, upon them a light dawned. From that time, Jesus began to preach and say, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Listen, it was Naphtali. It was in that region where Jesus began to preach, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. It was those people that were in darkness. It's those people that were enslaved to sin, who would be ultimately let loose. Do you know that when you are an unbeliever, and you're steeped into your sin, that what happens is that you wrestle and you struggle with who you are.

What is your life about? Who are you? And yet when Jesus Christ saves you from your sin, you are let loose, you are set free. And when the light shines in darkness, you are able to speak the beautiful words. And the one who came speaking the beautiful words, was Jesus Christ the Messiah, who would lead these people out of darkness into light. And thus they'd be set free from their bondage of sin, and be able to speak those same beautiful words to people, that they might be set free from their enslavement.

The sons of the handmaids, and now the sons of Rachel, Joseph and Benjamin. Joseph and Benjamin. It says this about Joseph. Joseph is a fruitful bough. A fruitful bough by a spring, its branches run over a wall. The archers bitterly attacked him, and shot at him, and harassed him. We'll stop right there. Joseph, name means to add. We'll talk about that in a moment. Joseph was a fruitful bough. And we saw earlier in Genesis chapter 48, where his sons Manasseh and Ephraim were blessed by Jacob. And through that blessing, Joseph would receive a double portion.

He would receive the first son's inheritance, as the double portion through his two boys, Manasseh and Ephraim.

And that's why Jacob would call him a fruitful bough. This man is going to grow. This man is going to be fruitful. I love what it says, excuse me, in the book of Jeremiah, the 17th chapter, verse number 7. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose trust is the Lord. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream, and will not fear when the heat comes. But its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor cease to yield fruit.

That was Joseph. He was a fruitful bough. Because you see, Joseph was the man above all his brothers, who learned and lived in the trust of God. Who believed in his God. You see, the Bible says that this man is going to be fruitful.

And it says that he was attacked and harassed by the archers. The archers were the masters of the bow. And it could refer back to his brothers. It could refer back to Potiphar's wife. But he would come under severe attack. But notice what it says in verse number 22, excuse me, 24.

But his bough remained firm, and his arms were agile from the hands of the mighty one of Jacob. Joseph had courage. Among all of his other brothers, Joseph was a supreme character. And he stood firm. Why? Because he knew what it meant to trust in his God. And therefore, God would use him and bless him in a significant way. And Jacob, through this blessing of Joseph, gives us five names of God. Five names of God that help us understand Joseph's commitment. What gave Joseph conviction? What gave him the power to be what he was?

It was God himself. And that's what God wants to do for you and for me in our lives. And Jacob says, amidst all that took place in his life, he was able to stand firm. His bow did not break. Why? Jacob tells us. From the hands of the mighty one of Jacob. You see, what made Joseph so unique was his relationship with God. What made him so strong was the fact that he understood his God and lived for his God. And Jacob recognized that. And Jacob says, from the hands of the mighty one of the mighty God of Jacob.

That's a phrase used over and over again in the Old Testament. As generations to come would refer back to the mighty God of Jacob. I love what it says over in 2 Samuel 23. We're speaking of David. It says, for the man anointed by the God of Jacob. Over in Psalm 46, verse number 7, it says, declare the Lord Almighty is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress. Jacob gives personal testimony to his faithfulness in his God. The mighty God. The mighty one. And that was the one whose arm, whose hand held up Joseph through all of his harassment.

And then it goes on and says this, from there is the shepherd, the stone of Israel. From the God of your father who helps you. And by the Almighty who blesses you. From there is the shepherd. He speaks of God as shepherd. Remember back in Genesis chapter 48, we talked about the very first time the word shepherd is used.

The whole shepherdology of the Messiah is stemmed in Jacob's relationship to the ultimate shepherd. Remember Jacob was a shepherd. Jacob understood sheep. He understood the dumbness of the sheep. He understood the ridiculousness of sheep. He knew, as all good shepherds know, that sheep don't respond with affection. Did you know that? I mean sheep don't come up to you and snuggle up against you like your dog does or your cat does. They purr with you. They do that kind of stuff. Sheep aren't that way.

They don't return affection. Sheep are different. Jacob knew that. You know it's important to understand that when Jesus Christ came, he didn't call himself an elder. He didn't call himself a bishop, a priest or a preacher. He called himself a shepherd. He was the good shepherd. And Jacob understood that. And then he goes on to say, not only the shepherd but the stone or the rock of Israel. The immovable rock. Is he picturing, listen very carefully, is he picturing the dual coming of the Messiah?

By first coming as shepherd and by second coming as the stone or the rock that would crush those who would live in disobedience to him.

Jacob found stability in the rock of Israel, in the stone of Israel. He found protection in the shepherd of Israel. He found strength in the mighty one of Jacob, in the mighty God of Jacob. And then it speaks what? From the God of your father who helps you. Jacob personalizes his God. My God, Joseph. The almighty one, the shepherd, he's my God. He's the God of your father, Joseph. Isn't that something we should be able to tell all of our children? We want them to be able to trust in our God. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Oh it's Abraham's God, it's Isaac's God, it's Jacob's God. It's Joseph's God. But he's my God. He's my father. He's my protector. And Jacob would reaffirm that in Joseph's mind. And then he would say this. And by the almighty who blesses you. El Shaddai, the almighty one. We speak of El Shaddai as the almighty one. And look at it in terms of power.

But notice something very significant. Shaddai is from the Hebrew word, Hebrew noun, Shad, which emphasizes the female breast. Meaning that El Shaddai is the one who provides nourishment. In order to give you strength. That's El Shaddai. And it hints to that a little later on when it says this. Down in verse number 25 at the end. Blessings of the breast and of the womb. His power is dispensed to his people through the nourishment he gives to his people. And that's why they're so powerful. What a great truth for us to grasp.

See that's why Joseph was able to stand strong. You see, and that strength is available to you and me. We need to grasp that. That's the one we need to trust in. And notice what it says.

One, two, three, four, five, six different times. It's about the blessings of Joseph. And by the almighty who blesses you with blessings of heaven from above. Blessings of the deep that lies beneath. Blessings of the breast and of the womb. The blessings of your father have surpassed the blessing of my ancestors. Joseph's name means to add. And what was being added to Joseph? Blessing upon blessing upon blessing upon blessing. You want to know why? Sure you do. Because he trusted in his God. He believed in his God.

I'm telling you, when you live for God and you trust God and believe in him. He blesses your life over and over and over again. God wants to bless you. How many times have we said it? God wants to bless you more than you want to be blessed. He does. It says, following down in verse number 26. Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills may they be on the head of Joseph. And on the crown of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers. Remember way back in Genesis 37. We told you why Joseph received the coat.

It wasn't because Jacob loved him with an affection more than he loved everybody else. No, he was distinguished among his brothers because of his character. That's why he received the coat of prominence. He was distinguished among all of his brothers at a very early age. At the age of 17 his character stood far and beyond everyone else. All you high school students. 17 years of age. How many of you are 17 years of age? Raise your hand. Follow Joseph. Thus ended the sermon. You can go home now.

Joseph at age 17. His character had arisen way above his brothers. And then it says in verse number 27. Benjamin is a ravenous wolf. In the morning he devours the prey. In the evening he divides the spoil. The ravenous wolf. A tribe of warriors. If you read about it in the book of Judges. They were the left-handed slingshot artists. 700 of them. They were amazing men. They were warrior types. And Benjamin, the son of my right hand. The son that is my strong arm. The son of my right hand. Meaning the son that will stand by me in battle.

Under any circumstance would become the warrior tribe. The tribe of Benjamin. And the great Old Testament character from Benjamin is Saul. And the great New Testament character is also Saul. Who was Paul after his conversion. And who became that great warrior for the gospel. Paul did. As he wrote 13 different epistles. To proclaim the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Bible closes with these words in verse number 28. All these are the 12 tribes of Israel. And this is what their father said to them when he blessed them.

He blessed them every one with the blessing appropriate to him. And to some degree all centering around their name. Think about that. Do you understand the Biblical significance of your name? In order to fulfill the Biblical significance of your name. You must understand the Biblical significance of the names of God. The name in the Bible referring to the character of a man. And the character of God distinguished by the fact that he is El Shaddai. The Almighty One. He is the Shepherd. He is Yeshua.

Jehovah who saves. That's who he is. And all of these boys had names. That were very significant to the future of their lives. The Biblical significance of your name can be lived up to. If you understand the significance of the names of God. As Joseph did. And then live in the light of those names. Trusting on him. In him. Every single day. It was that philosopher William James. Who affirmed that the great use of one's life. Is suspended on something that will outlast it. For the value of life is computed.

Not by its duration. But by its donation. Not how long we live. But how full and how well we live. He was right. The measure of your life. Is not about how long you live. It's duration. But how well you live. It's donation. What is it you donate. In this world. While you are here. Jacob. Whose name was changed to Israel. Has a legacy. Unlike any other man in the Bible. Because you can't go home today. And turn on the news without hearing his name. How about you? What legacy will you leave behind?

Let's pray.