As Jacob (Israel) was dying, he offered up many blessings and prophecies for his children and grandchildren.
He begins by once again demonstrating that being firstborn is no guarantee that you will be blessed. Like Seth over Cain, Jacob over Esau, and Joseph and Judah over Reuben, Israel gives his blessing to Ephraim over Manasseh. Israel says of Manasseh “his younger brother shall be greater than he,” in Gen. 48:19.
Many years later, Ephraim would be larger tribe, while Manasseh’s tribe splits. Deuteronomy 33:17 says “and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.” Thus, we note a fulfillment of prophecy.
The meat of this study, however, is in Genesis 49. Jacob passes on his last will and testament, while essentially giving us prophecies for each of his sons.
Reuben “shalt not excel” (Gen. 49:3-4), which is true. No leader, priest, or king ever came from his tribe.
Simeon and Levi were “instruments of cruelty” (Gen. 49:5) and because of their violent behavior in Genesis 34, they were not to be “united” (Gen. 49:6) and God will “divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.” (Gen. 49:7).
Simeon’s inheritance would come from Judah (Joshua 19:1,9) and Levi’s would come from all the children of Israel (Joshua 21:3).
Zebulun would be given access to a sea port (Gen. 49:13) – the Mediterranean Sea.
Issachar was a good land “between two burdens” who would become “a servant unto tribute” (Gen. 49:14-15). This tribe was under tribute to the Ephraimites (Josh. 16:10) and Solomon (1 Kings 9:21).
Gad will lose a battle, then take the land back.
Asher’s land will be bountiful.
Naphtali gives “goodly words.”
Benjamin is a wolf who devours in the morning and “divides the spoil” at night. Saul of Tarsus (who would become Paul – the greatest evangelist of all time) and King Saul (a type of Antichrist who tried to kill David – a type of Christ from the tribe of Judah) came from this tribe.
Joseph will be fruitful, and his blessing will transcend that of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. His blessing would flow through those of his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh (see above).
I wanted to set the last two tribes apart from the others. These are the tribes of Judah and Dan, and I believe they are connected until the very end of the Earth.
Dan shall be a judge. He is a serpent that bites the heels of a horse in an attempt to buck the rider off (Gen. 49:17) and Israel “waited for thy salvation” in verse 18. You can read more about Dan at https://simmonsopinions.com/20…/…/10/notes-on-genesis-30-31/
Judah is the tribe of kings. This prophecy was made by Jacob in Gen. 49:8, 10 and was fulfilled by David whose kingly line was passed on to Jesus Christ.
Furthermore, Dan, in Deut. 33:22 was called a “lion’s whelp.” Judah, in Gen. 49:9” was also called “a lion’s whelp.”
It seems to me that Dan and Judah are linked throughout history. This only serves to strengthen the idea that the half-Jewish Antichrist comes from Dan. Who better to battle Jesus Christ, the lion of Judah, than Antichrist, the lion of Dan?
All of these prophecies were laid out between 350-400 years before the Israelites conquered their enemies and took their rightful places in the Promised Land. The regions given to the tribes may be a self-fulfilling prophecy, but the supernatural predictions of servanthood and the line of Kings could not possibly be mere coincidence. The “personalities” of the tribes over the course of hundreds of years cannot be chalked up to self-fulfilling prophecies.
Yet the prophecies remain accurate, but not all have been fulfilled.
The whelps of lions are destined to meet after the tribulation. Dan and Judah will lead their armies to Armageddon where Jesus Christ will vanquish His enemies forever. The greatest prophecy, the second advent, is coming soon.
Our fractured world is already experiencing global civil wars, and a major international financial disaster is being predicted by dozens of reputable firms. ISIS, Russia, the United States, N. Korea, and China are on the brink of another World War III, and the tiny state of Israel has become the sworn enemy of the United Nations.
These are all Biblical prophecies on the verge of becoming fulfilled. The clock is running out! The Book has been 100% accurate on all prophecies already fulfilled, do you really think it will become inaccurate now?
I don’t think so.
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