Forgiven And Forgiving – Genesis 49-50

“And Jacob called his sons and said, ‘Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days: ‘Gather together and hear, you sons of Jacob, and listen to Israel your father.’” Genesis 49:1-2

In John 18:37, Jesus said to Pilate, “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth hears My voice.” God speaks truth. Thus, every parent or individual who wants to be godly should aim to leave words of truth with those they love before they leave this world.

I read a poster that said if we don’t teach our children to believe in Jesus, the world will teach them not to.”

Due to his personal relationship with God, Jacob was able to speak prophetic words over his sons before his soul left this world.

Hebrews 11:21 says, “By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.”

“Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power. Unstable as water, you shall not excel, because you went up to your father’s bed; then you defiled it—He went up to my couch.” Genesis 49:3-4

My firstborn, my might, my strength, dignified and powerful! Reuben had so much going for him but made a very bad decision when he laid with one of his brother’s mother. “No judge, prophet, nor ruler sprang from his tribe.” [JFBC] Jacob did not tell Reuben what he wanted to hear. He told him the truth. This way Reuben and his descendants knew what to expect.

Herein is a good lesson, I might assume that my sin is personal. It only impacts me. Not true! Bad choices have ripple effects. I heard Adrian Rogers say, “Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.”

1 Timothy 6:6 says, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” The world tells us we need to be somebody. Well, everyone is somebody. God knows you by your name. That’s pretty amazing!

The world tells us we need great possessions to be significant. Hebrews 13:5 says, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” Things are temporary. God is forever.

Philippians 4:11 says, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Have you learned this lesson? Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.” The key phrase is “through God.” When God fills circumstances with His presence, all is well.

Reuben’s descendants did not excel. They experienced instability. But they were still a part of God’s family. In God’s family, there’s always enough. I read a poster that said, “With an attitude of gratitude, there’s always enough.”

“Simeon and Levi are brothers. Instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place. 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. 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.” Genesis 49:5-7

It is important to note that Jacob cursed Simeon’s and Levi’s anger and not them. Jacob was discussing marriage arrangements for his daughter Dinah with Shechem’s father Hamor when Simeon and Levi took over the negotiations and conspired to massacre them and the men in their village. They did this without their father’s approval. They only thought about exacting revenge because Shechem raped their sister. They left behind a bloody mess of dead men’s bodies. Their anger could have yielded death to their parents, brothers, sisters and children. They dishonored their father in this act. God promised to keep them apart in the future.

“Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise. Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies. Your father’s children shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion’s whelp. From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; and as a lion, who shall rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people. Binding his donkey to the vine, and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine. He washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes. His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk.” Genesis 49:8-12

Matthew Henry Commentary says of Judah, “God was praised for him, praised by him, and praised in him, and therefore his brethren shall praise him.” The tribe of Judah was victorious in battle via David. Judah’s father's children bowed down to him since he was the king and the law enforcer. Jacob compared Judah with a resting lion rather than a ferocious one. He enjoyed the satisfaction of his power and success, without creating vexation to others. Shiloh is a reference to Messiah. Jesus identified Himself as the Vine. He rode the colt of a donkey into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. He made wine symbolic of His atoning blood that washes sins away and leaves behind a clean garment of righteousness. He provides the milk of God’s Word for babes in God, and the wine of God’s love made tangible for all who believe in Him. He is the ruler of his father's children, and the conqueror of all his father's enemies.

“Zebulun shall dwell by the haven of the sea. He shall become a haven for ships, and his border shall adjoin Sidon.” Genesis 49:13

Zebulun’s territory was in Galilee, situated between the Mediterranean Sea and the Sea of Galilee. They were a maritime-focused tribe with trading ports.

“Issachar is a strong donkey, lying down between two burdens. He saw that rest was good, and that the land was pleasant. He bowed his shoulder to bear a burden and became a band of slaves.” Genesis 49:14-15

Issachar settled between Mounts Tabor and Gilboa, serving as a “buffer zone” or borderland. The descendants of Issachar were mostly peaceful farmers. To maintain their comfortable land, they paid tribute to stronger nations like Egypt and Assyria. 1 Chronicles 12:32 says, “Issachar had men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do—200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command.” Farmers know how to make land serve them.

“Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent by the way, a viper by the path, which bites the horse’s heels so that its rider shall fall backward. I have waited for your salvation, O Lord!” Genesis 49:16-18

One of Israel’s future judges, Samson, was a Danite. Samson was difficult for horse and rider to defeat. He killed a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of an ass. Who would have imagined such a thing possible! When they stood him by two pillars to mock him, Samson pushed the pillars down and the temple of Dagon collapsed and killed more people in this one deed than throughout his entire life. God used Samson to save Israel out of the hands of the Philistines.

“Gad, a troop shall tramp upon him, but he shall triumph at last.” Genesis 49:19

Gad means troop. His descendants were a warlike tribe. 1 Chronicles 12:8 says, “The Gadites were men of war fit for the battle.”

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

The tribe of Asher settled in a fertile, coastal region of northern Canaan that produced an abundance of olive oil, crops, and rich food. They supplied both local needs and foreign, royal, or wealthy markets. Their tribe grew significantly in population. They were well-fed.

“Naphtali is a deer let loose. He uses beautiful words.” Genesis 49:21

Naphtali settled in northern Galilee. Deer are quick and agile which aligned with their role in Barak’s army in the Book of Judges. Their “beautiful words” are a prophetic nod to Jesus speaking His beautiful words throughout their region in Galilee.

“Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a well. His branches run over the wall. The archers have bitterly grieved him, shot at him, and hated him. But his bow remained in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob (from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel), by the God of your father who will help you, and by the Almighty who will bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb. The blessings of your father have excelled the blessings of my ancestors, up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. They shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.” Genesis 49:22-26

The descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh, Joseph’s sons, inherited rich land. Joshua who led the Israelites into the Promised Land was from the tribe of Ephraim and Gideon was from the tribe of Manasseh. Joshua helped Israel to inherit the land. Gideon helped them to retain the land. These two tribes became strong and prosperous.

“Benjamin is a ravenous wolf. In the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.” Genesis 49:27

Jacob was “guided by a spirit of prophecy, and not by natural affection, or else he would have spoken with more tenderness of his beloved son Benjamin. Ehud the second judge, and Saul the first king, were of this tribe; and so also in the last times Esther and Mordecai, by whom the enemies of the Jews were destroyed. Paul was of this tribe. He did devour the prey as a persecutor, but, in the evening, divided the spoil as a preacher.” [JFBC]

“All these are the 12 tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them. And he blessed them; he blessed each one according to his own blessing. Then he charged them and said to them: ‘I am to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite as a possession for a burial place. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife, there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah. The field and the cave that is there were purchased from the sons of Heth.’ And when Jacob had finished commanding his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed and breathed his last and was gathered to his people.” Genesis 49:28-33

Rachel, Jacob’s first love, was buried near Bethlehem. She died there while giving birth to Benjamin. Jacob requested to be buried near his father Isaac and grandfather Abraham. He also buried Leah there. Leah bore to Jacob six sons and his daughter Dinah. Throughout her life she competed with her sister Rachel for Jacob’s affections. The future Messiah would come from her family line. In death, Jacob wanted to be buried near to her.

“Then Joseph fell on his father’s face, wept over him, and kissed him. And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So, the physicians embalmed Israel. 40 days were required for him, for such are the days required for those who are embalmed; and the Egyptians mourned for him 70 days.” Genesis 50:1-3

Though Joseph was rich, mighty and famous, the Lord kept his heart in a good place. He was grateful and loving towards his father. His father’s soul had left his body, but Joseph still showed his remains the utmost respect. His body got the best of care. Memories of him were honored with 70 days (over two months) of tears.

“Now when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, ‘If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the hearing of Pharaoh, saying, ‘My father made me swear, saying, Behold, I am dying; in my grave which I dug for myself in the land of Canaan, there you shall bury me. Now therefore, please let me go up and bury my father, and I will come back.’ And Pharaoh said, ‘Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear.’ So, Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, as well as all the house of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s house. Only their little ones, their flocks, and their herds they left in the land of Goshen. And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen, and it was a very great gathering.” Genesis 50:4-9

Seldom is recorded a word of special request from Joseph to the king. How would he spend the goodwill that he had earned with the king? He spent it on asking for permission to temporarily leave his post in Egypt to bury his father. The Pharoah granted his request and sent his servants and his elders as well as a very great gathering of chariots and horsemen to support Joseph.

“Then they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and they mourned there with a great and very solemn lamentation. He observed 7 days of mourning for his father. And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, ‘This is a deep mourning of the Egyptians.’ Therefore, its name was called Abel Mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan. So his sons did for him just as he had commanded them. For his sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite as property for a burial place. And after he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he, and his brothers and all who went up with him to bury his father.” Genesis 50:10-14

Jacob’s funeral was like a head of a state’s funeral. The nation of Egypt was impacted by it.

“When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, ‘Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him.’ So, they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, ‘Before your father died he commanded, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph: ‘I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you.’ Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father.’ And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, ‘Behold, we are your servants.’ Joseph said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.’ And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.” Genesis 50:15-21

Joseph’s brothers did not need to tell him a lie to protect themselves from him. They did not need to fall down on their faces and beg him to spare their lives. Had he wanted vengeance, he could have executed them already. Joseph’s eyes grew wet with tears that they should think he wanted to kill them. He provided for them and for their children. He repeated to them the same truth that he told them previously, “You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” He would continue to provide for them and be kind to them.

So, Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father’s household. And Joseph lived 110 years. Joseph saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation. The children of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were also brought up on Joseph’s knees. And Joseph said to his brethren, ‘I am dying; but God will surely visit you and bring you out of this land to the land of which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.’ Then, Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, ‘God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.’ So, Joseph died, being 110 years old; and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.” Genesis 50:22-26

Joseph prophesied that God would return the children of Israel to the land of their forefathers. His one request from them before he died was to have his remains transferred with them back to that land. Thus, Joseph ended his life with a statement of faith in God to keep his covenant to his people and bring them up out of Egypt.

Joseph believed in the resurrection of the dead. That’s why his remains remained important. Hebrews 11:22 says, “By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.”

Exodus 13:19 confirms that Moses took the bones of Joseph with them when Israel departed from Egypt. Joshua 24:32 says that the bones of Joseph were buried in the property that Jacob purchased from Shechem for 100 pieces of silver. His tomb is there today.

In Genesis 50:18, Joseph’s brothers fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” A readiness to bow our knee and serve should be our attitude toward Jesus Christ. Our sins brought about lashes upon His back. Our sins brought about a crown of thorns on His brow. Our sins brought about nails driven through His hands and His feet. Our sins brought about His utter humiliation. Our sins slew Him. He was cast into a grave but raised from that place by the power of God. His triumph was manifested to many eyewitnesses. Like the brothers of Joseph, we should ask Jesus to forgive our sins against Him. Like Paul on the road to Damascus, we should fall down before Jesus, and ask, “Lord, what shall I do?”

God ordained Joseph to go through trials to rescue his brothers, and to provide for the needs of their families. He was a type of the coming Messiah. In John 20:21-22, after His resurrection, Jesus said to His disciples who had doubted Him, “‘Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” Then, He breathed on them the comfort and kindness of the Holy Spirit.

Later, in Acts 10:43, we hear the Apostle Peter tell people about Jesus, “To Him all the prophets witness that, through His Name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”

The most important truth I aim to leave with my descendants is that God’s forgiveness of their sins is absolutely necessary for salvation. In fact, I told one of my grandson’s yesterday that if anything happened to me, to please remember me for this one truth: “Your sins must be forgiven by God to enter eternity with Him. God forgives us when we believe in His Son Jesus Christ.”

Blessed be the Lord our God who forgives our sins because He wants an everlasting relationship with us! Forgiveness of sin is vital for keeping relationships vibrant.

Here’s a prayer that each of us can pray to God: “Heavenly Father, thank You for freely forgiving all my sins with which I have ever offended You. I, hereby, in the light of Your great mercy toward me, cheerfully forgive all who have sinned against me in the Name of Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.”