His Dying Breath Has Brought Us Life: Commentary on Genesis 49v1-27

 

In this chapter we see a great deal of length and detail given to Jacob’s blessing of his sons. We must understand that there are great thematic elements of a father’s blessing to his sons on display here that are a theme throughout Scripture, and carried on into the gospel itself. There are many great details we could zoom in on in nearly every line of this chapter if we wanted to chase rabbit trails and explore connections from these blessings to that of Israel’s future. We will do our best to not get lost down any rabbit trails and stay on track with the heart of our text before us today, so that we might glean great benefits to our souls from it.

In this chapter we see some surface level things concerning Israel, as well as lessons for our lives, and most importantly we are lead to Christ in many ways throughout this passage.

 

But before we begin to study each particular blessing, let us take a few moments to observe the introductory verse to this chapter as the stage for blessing is set.

 

First, remember the context, that this is at the bedside of a sick and dying old man. I won’t restate everything I said about this in chapter 48; but let us remember that there is often blessings to be had at the bedside of sickness; and that it is often the case that it is to the bedside of sickness that we must travel, and there are some blessings that we only receive there at the bed of sickness.

 

Verse 1-2: First, let us prepare ourselves, for the blessings that Jacob will give to his sons, are not mere blessings, but are prophetic tellings of what is to come for Israel, and each individual tribe.

 

Second, we do see an admonition for sons to listen to their father, and more broadly, for children to listen to their parents. Jacob gathers and assembles his sons around him and tells them to listen to their father. The sons, listen and obey their father, as they gather around to hear from him, as he nears the end. Though Jacob was not a perfect man, His children listened to him and obeyed him. The Bible tells us in Ephesians 6v1, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”

 

Not only are we given this reminder of listening to our parents, we also see this principle of gathering around our parents in their old age. Though of course we don’t practice this type of blessing in the same way, and certainly our fathers don’t tell us our futures on their death beds, as Jacob does, we are to gather around our aging parents so to speak, and be near them, toward the end. Both to take care of them as they have taken care of us, but also to have our ears open and listening for any godly and biblical wisdom that they might impart to us in their last hours, if we are so blessed to have such godly parents, as many are not.

 

On the flip side of this, we see as well that parents and aging parents have opportunity to be a blessing to their children, as their children are to be a blessing to them. And there is no greater blessing a parent can give to their child than God’s Word, teaching it to them, teaching them to hide God’s Word in their heart, and reminding them of it, just as Jacob gives his sons God’s word, so to speak. It can be easy for parents to see their failures with their children and despair of any good parenting they have or can do. Therefore it is good to remember that Jacob was a highly flawed father. He failed in many ways with his sons. Yet, his lifetime of failure does not prevent him of blessing his sons at the end. If you feel like you have failed and failed as a parent, well, you probably have, but Christ died for that! A lifetime of parental failing, does not mean that corrections cannot be made late in life that can have a positive impact on your children. Jacob does so on his death bed, and it is such an impactful time, it is recorded in Scripture for us to learn from. Take heart.

Verse 3-4: Jacob begins by addressing his first born, Reuben, and listing off all of the things that the first born is supposed to be, “my might, my strength, preeminent in dignity, preeminent in power…” But then he turns on a dime saying that he is “unstable” and will not have preeminence. This isn’t merely out of Jacob’s desires or his tendency to play favorites, but he notes the reason – because Reuben defiled his father’s bed. In Genesis 35, we were told, almost in passing, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah. Only one verse is given to it, and all we are told at that time is that “Israel heard of it.” We were not told if it was dealt with, and if so, then how. Nothing. Just that, Israel heard of it. But here Jacob calls it to mind, and that sin that Reuben may have thought that he had gotten away with, finds him out. He is stripped of his preeminence, his firstborn status, rights, and blessing, and brought to shame before his brothers.

Here we are taught and reminded of the great dangers of sexual immorality. As 1 Corinthians 6v9-10 tells us, neither the sexually immoral, nor adulterers will inherit the kingdom of God. There is no sin that has cost men more than that of sexual sin, and here Reuben is for us, yet another warning, crying out for us to guard our steps. Sadly Reuben lives out Proverbs 6v32-33, “He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself. He will get wounds and dishonor, and his disgrace will not be wiped away.” Might we cling closely to wisdom and make her our dear friend.

We seem to have this theme of the continual failure of the firstborn to live up to what he is supposed to be. Abraham’s firstborn was born of the wrong mother. Isaac’s firstborn despised his birthright. Jacob’s firstborn defiled his father’s bed.

But unlike Reuben, Christ is the firstborn of all creation, Colossians 1v15. And He is the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent, Colossians 1v18. Christ was not one with whom his father was displeased, but one with whom the Father was well-pleased, his beloved son, preeminent in all things.

Verse 5-7: Jacob of course here is calling to mind Genesis 34 when Simeon and Levi kill and plunder Shechem, wrongfully enacting vengeance for the defiling of their sister, Dinah. We saw, even then, that Jacob was greatly displeased about what his sons did. And here he calls this to mind and curses their anger. Very strong language. It’s as if Simeon and Levi have lived out Proverbs 29v22, “A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression.”

In these verses we are met with a reminder and a warning of the damage that unchecked anger can and will produce in our lives. Oh let us not be fools and give in to our emotional impulses to rage. Here we are shown that anger is not a small thing, but it can cause great harm and bring devastating destruction. Let us not fly off the handle and do things in our anger that could cost us dearly.

Unlike Simeon and Levi, Jesus entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. And instead of killing men in his anger, He was killed, by the wrath of God, that was not cruel, but that was righteously angry toward sin, so that sinners like us, won’t be destroyed by the fierce wrath of God toward our sin. And it was there on the cross of Calvary that Christ was cursed, with the curse that we deserve, so that in Him, we are blessed, with the blessing Christ earned for us. Though we are revilers toward the holiness of God like Simeon and Levi, who deserve a curse, we can find blessing in Christ, because he took our curse for us, so that we could be blessed as sons.

Matthew Henry points out something that is very moving about Reuben, which we could also apply to Simeon and Levi, he says, “…his dying father here solemnly degrades him, though he does not disown nor disinherit him…” Isn’t that wonderful? Though they have committed great atrocities, they are still sons, they are still part of Israel and receive the blessings of Israel as a whole. What a wonderful thing to know that if we are sons of God, we are always sons. We cannot be kicked out, disowned, or lose our inheritance in Christ, no matter how vile of sin we commit – if we are truly sons, we are always sons.

Verse 8-12: Here Jacob raises up his son Judah to a position of honor and dignity, saying that his brothers shall praise him. With Judah, Jacob is most clearly not speaking out of personal preference or taste, but from the oracles of God. For this is more than just about Judah, but about what is to come from his tribe.

We see very clearly this theme of royalty, kingship, and authority, in this blessing. We see his brothers praising him, bowing down to him, and obedience from the peoples. We see dominance, victory, and triumphing over his enemies. We see the imagery of a lion, which signifies kingship, in that the lion is the king of the jungle, and is often associated with a king. We see a scepter and a ruler’s staff. And we see great success, wealth, and prosperity in the wine imagery. When he washes his garments in wine, he is signifying that wine is so abundant and overflowing that it is as common as water. This pointing forward to the wealth and riches of the kingdom. As Calvin puts it, “the abundance of wine shall be so great, that it may be poured out to wash with like water, at no great expense; but that, by constant copious drinking, the eyes would contract redness.”

All of this royal, kingship, imagery foreshadows to us the reign and rule of David that is to come. But more importantly, ultimately, and specifically, it points us forward to Christ, the better and truer King. Jesus of course coming from the line of Judah. Revelation 5v5 telling us, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered…”

Oh what wonderful and glorious eyes of faith Jacob looks through to bless his son Judah and behold the lion, the king, who is to come, the ultimate object of his faith. The one who will be the savior and the ruler of the brothers. Nearly everything that is said here about Judah could be ultimately said about Jesus, the one who is specifically called by Scripture, the Lion of Judah. It is Christ who shall be praised. It is Christ who crushes his enemies. It is Christ whose father’s sons shall all bow down before him. Christ is the Lion of Judah. Who shall dare to rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Christ, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet. Tribute shall come to Christ. The obedience of the peoples shall be to Christ. And Christ’s kingdom will be overflowing with wine and riches because he dipped his garments in blood. Oh what a mighty picture of our Lord, hear him roar! Do not dare cross him, only bow in obedience to him. Though Jacob’s sight is dim, his eyes of faith are clear. Such a faith that even in the book of beginnings he can see through to the end, to the lion of Judah, Revelation 5v5.

As clearly and specifically as Judah calls us to look forward to Christ, we can see Christ in all the other sons as well, being that Christ, though he came specifically from Judah, came generally from Israel.

Verse 13: This is of course happens in years to come, Zebulun gains land at the shore of the sea. There are of course very little, short blessings said about Zebulun through Naphtali, but we will briefly glance at them to see glimpses of Christ. For as Zebulun became a haven for ships, so Christ is a haven for sinners to be sheltered from the raging storm that is the wrath of God toward their sin, where Christ, as a haven, takes the blows for those who would find refuge in Him.

Verse 14-15: As Issachar became a servant, so Christ, emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant. Christ’s servant-hood was not forced labor, but a willing sacrifice. Christ serves his people by doing the work necessary for salvation for them, and on their behalf. Christ as the servant does the work for us. Christ also serves his people by ministering to them his salvation and all the benefits therein.

Verse 16-18: Dan shall judge his people, but Christ is the judge of all the earth. But Christ is the judge who doesn’t bite at heels, but he crushes the head of the serpent that bites at his heel.

I find verse 18 a bit perplexing as to why Jacob, in the middle of blessing his sons, seemingly randomly shouts out that he will wait for the salvation of the Lord. But it is not random, though it may be hard for us to make sense of. I get the sense that the imagery of the serpent biting the horses heel, in his blessing to Dan, brings forth the Genesis 3:15 promise that the seed of the woman will crush the head of the serpent, and Jacob, blessing his sons in faith, looks forward and sees the serpent crusher, and declares that he will wait for that salvation. Oh what a remark. Oh that we would have faith to look and wait for the salvation of the Lord. Looking forward to the fulfillment of his promises.

Verse 19: Again we observe the heel imagery. But as Gad shall be raided and raid, so Christ raided death, robbed it of all its power, stole away its sting, took its victory, and in raiding death he took all his people from it, as his treasure and reward.

Verse 20: Asher’s food shall be rich as Christ’s kingdom will be rich and overflowing with delicacies. His table will be filled with a feast for us to enjoy. And what’s more, Christ himself is our food, our sustenance, our portion, our daily bread, our great delicacy to feast upon for all eternity at his table. A royal delicacy Christ is.

Verse 21: We see here that as Naphtali bears beautiful fawns, so Christ bears fruit in his people. He bears people with beautiful feet who bring good news. And His Spirit gives a second birth to all his people.

Verse 22-26: We now arrive at Joseph, of which, as we can expect, much more time and blessing is given. Much of what is said of Joseph here is a recounting of his history and what has happened to him, in poetic terms. Joseph is pictured as a bough, or in other words, the main branch of a tree. The archers bitterly attacked him, shot at him, and harassed him severely. This of course referring to his brothers and all that they did to him, as well as Potiphar’s wife who falsely accused him and had him imprisoned. Then in verse 24, it says, “but his bow remained unmoved.” So now Joseph is the one with a bow in his hands, thus signifying to us how the tables were turned in his life. From the persecuted, lowly, and despised one, to the ascension to the throne, ruling over Egypt, a savior of the world. Jacob then looks back and gives some theological interpretation of these historical events, crediting the Mighty One of Jacob, God, for strengthening Joseph and prospering him.

Joseph then becomes a Shepherd of Israel, as he is risen to be a provider for Israel during the famine by preparing food for them, as well as fulfilling the protecting role of a shepherd in protecting them from Egypt, during their time there, by placing them on the outskirts in Goshen. This of course can ultimately point us forward to Christ.

In verse 26, Jacob declares that the blessing that will be upon Joseph far exceed Jacob’s parents, up to the bounties of everlasting hills, Jacob looking to the blessing of a greater country, the land beyond. It is here that John Calvin tells us, “…the abundant riches of the grace of God which have flowed to us in Christ, exceeds a hundredfold, any blessings which Joseph received and felt.”

In the last half of verse 26 we observe Joseph as the one who was set apart from his brothers with special blessing put upon his head. It is here as well that we see Christ. Like Joseph, Christ was set apart. He was blessed beyond the rest. And so in Christ we are set apart from the world, blessed with an everlasting bounty in Christ beyond what we can imagine.

Verse 27: Finally, brief mention is given here to Benjamin. One commentator made a connection here with the apostle Paul. Paul came from the tribe of Benjamin, and pre-conversion he was as a ravenous wolf, devouring Christians. And yet we know how wonderfully that changed when he met Christ. And so we see here that Christ is the Good Shepherd who fends off the ravenous wolves, protecting His sheep.

Conclusion: But as we come to the close of Jacob blessing his sons, as he lays on his death bed, breathing his last, we are brought to another, who is breathing his last. As Jacob blessed his sons in his dying breath, so Christ blessed us, his sons, in his dying breath, with a greater blessing, saying, “it is finished.” Oh what great blessings there are to be had in the dying breath of the savior of men. He dies and breathes his last on the cross as a means of blessing his people with sweet gospel promises and the blessing of his own salvific work being imparted to us, undeserving wretches, whom he calls sons.

In the blessing of his sons, particularly Judah, as we saw, Christ was promised. But in our salvific blessing, Christ is given, given to us. Not just Christ promised. But Christ received.

 

If we are to be blessed with salvation and all the benefits therein, let us travel to side of our dying savior, where it is there that we are given the blessings of forgiveness of sins, perfect righteousness, and eternal life, riches, and a great inheritance in Him. It is there that we hear, through heavy gasps of exhaustion those eternally comforting words, “it is finished.” His dying breath has brought us life.