LASTING HERITAGE (2)
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. Biblical example of instructive will and pronouncement of blessings
a) Jacob's blessings
i) Jacob's "will" included a detailed description of what God would do in each son's life, based on their actions, character and abilities.
#1) Reuben was judged and his firstborn privileges were given to Joseph.
@1. 3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power. 4 Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father’s bed, onto my couch and defiled it. (Genesis 49:3-4 NIV)
@2. "22 While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard of it (Genesis 35:22 NIV)."
#2) Simeon and Levi were judged for their cruelty in killing the children of Hamor.
@1. 25 Three days later, while all of them were still in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took their swords and attacked the unsuspecting city, killing every male. (Genesis 34:25 NIV)
@2. 5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers—their swords are weapons of violence. 6 Let me not enter their council, let me not join their assembly, for they have killed men in their anger and hamstrung oxen as they pleased. 7 Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in Jacob
and disperse them in Israel. (Genesis 49:5-7 NIV)
#3) Judah is blessed with his brothers' praise and shall overcome all his enemies. He shall rule over his brothers and the Kingship and the Messianic lineage shall come from his descendants. He shall also have victories, abundance and health.
@1. 8 “Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you. 9 You are a lion’s cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? 10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his. 11 He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. 12 His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk. (Genesis 49:8-12 NIV)
#4) Zebulun shall inherit the land by the sea and prosper through shipping.
@1. 13 “Zebulun will live by the seashore and become a haven for ships; his border will extend toward Sidon. (Genesis 49:13 NIV)
#5) Issachar shall be strong and able to bear much burdens. He shall have rest and good land.
@1. 14 “Issachar is a rawboned donkey 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 labor. (Genesis 49:14-15 NIV)
#6) Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.
@1. 16 “Dan will 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. (Genesis 49:16-18 NIV)
#7) Gad shall overcome at the last.
@1. 19 “Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders, but he will attack them at their heels. (Genesis 49:19 NIV)
#8) Asher shall be blessed with abundance of good and riches.
@1. 20 “Asher’s food will be rich; he will provide delicacies fit for a king. (Genesis 49:20 NIV)
#9) Naphtali shall have freedom and speak with wisdom.
@1. 21 “Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns. (Genesis 49:21 NIV)
#10) Joseph shall be abundantly fruitful, though he has gone through much trials but he was strengthened by it. God shall greatly bless him above the blessings of all his brethren (double portion).
@1. 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 stayed limber, 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, than the bounty of the age-old hills. Let all these rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince among his brothers. (Genesis 49:22-26 NIV)
#11) Benjamin shall overcome and be provided for abundantly.
@1. 27 “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he divides the plunder.” (Genesis 49:27 NIV)
#12) Jacob blessed his 2 grandchildren, Ephraim and Manasseh. This Joseph had a double portion of his father's blessing.
@1. 9 “They are the sons God has given me here,” Joseph said to his father. Then Israel said, “Bring them to me so I may bless them.” 10 Now Israel’s eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see. So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.
11 Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too.”
12 Then Joseph removed them from Israel’s knees and bowed down with his face to the ground. 13 And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel’s left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head, though he was the younger, and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn. 15 Then he blessed Joseph and said, May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, 16 the Angel who has delivered me from all harm —may he bless these boys. May they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they increase greatly on the earth.”
ii) 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. (Genesis 49:28 NIV)
The End ...
1. Biblical example of instructive will and pronouncement of blessingsa) Jacob's blessings
i) Jacob's "will" included a detailed description of what God would do in each son's life, based on their actions, character and abilities.
#1) Reuben was judged and his firstborn privileges were given to Joseph.
@1. 3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power. 4 Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father’s bed, onto my couch and defiled it. (Genesis 49:3-4 NIV)
@2. "22 While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard of it (Genesis 35:22 NIV)."
#2) Simeon and Levi were judged for their cruelty in killing the children of Hamor.
@1. 25 Three days later, while all of them were still in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took their swords and attacked the unsuspecting city, killing every male. (Genesis 34:25 NIV)
@2. 5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers—their swords are weapons of violence. 6 Let me not enter their council, let me not join their assembly, for they have killed men in their anger and hamstrung oxen as they pleased. 7 Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in Jacob
and disperse them in Israel. (Genesis 49:5-7 NIV)
#3) Judah is blessed with his brothers' praise and shall overcome all his enemies. He shall rule over his brothers and the Kingship and the Messianic lineage shall come from his descendants. He shall also have victories, abundance and health.
@1. 8 “Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you. 9 You are a lion’s cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? 10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his. 11 He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. 12 His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk. (Genesis 49:8-12 NIV)
#4) Zebulun shall inherit the land by the sea and prosper through shipping.
@1. 13 “Zebulun will live by the seashore and become a haven for ships; his border will extend toward Sidon. (Genesis 49:13 NIV)
#5) Issachar shall be strong and able to bear much burdens. He shall have rest and good land.
@1. 14 “Issachar is a rawboned donkey 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 labor. (Genesis 49:14-15 NIV)
#6) Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.
@1. 16 “Dan will 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. (Genesis 49:16-18 NIV)
#7) Gad shall overcome at the last.
@1. 19 “Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders, but he will attack them at their heels. (Genesis 49:19 NIV)
#8) Asher shall be blessed with abundance of good and riches.
@1. 20 “Asher’s food will be rich; he will provide delicacies fit for a king. (Genesis 49:20 NIV)
#9) Naphtali shall have freedom and speak with wisdom.
@1. 21 “Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns. (Genesis 49:21 NIV)
#10) Joseph shall be abundantly fruitful, though he has gone through much trials but he was strengthened by it. God shall greatly bless him above the blessings of all his brethren (double portion).
@1. 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 stayed limber, 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, than the bounty of the age-old hills. Let all these rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince among his brothers. (Genesis 49:22-26 NIV)
#11) Benjamin shall overcome and be provided for abundantly.
@1. 27 “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he divides the plunder.” (Genesis 49:27 NIV)
#12) Jacob blessed his 2 grandchildren, Ephraim and Manasseh. This Joseph had a double portion of his father's blessing.
@1. 9 “They are the sons God has given me here,” Joseph said to his father. Then Israel said, “Bring them to me so I may bless them.” 10 Now Israel’s eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see. So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.
11 Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too.”
12 Then Joseph removed them from Israel’s knees and bowed down with his face to the ground. 13 And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel’s left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head, though he was the younger, and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn. 15 Then he blessed Joseph and said, May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, 16 the Angel who has delivered me from all harm —may he bless these boys. May they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they increase greatly on the earth.”
17 When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim’s head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 Joseph said to him, “No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”
19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.” 20 He blessed them that day and said, In your name will Israel pronounce this blessing: ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’” So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh. 21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you and take you back to the land of your fathers. 22 And to you I give one more ridge of land than to your brothers, the ridge I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.” (Genesis 48:9-22 NIV)
19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.” 20 He blessed them that day and said, In your name will Israel pronounce this blessing: ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’” So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh. 21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you and take you back to the land of your fathers. 22 And to you I give one more ridge of land than to your brothers, the ridge I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.” (Genesis 48:9-22 NIV)
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