Genesis 49

Genesis 49:8-12

Chapter 39 Jacob’s Prophecy Concerning Judah “Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee. Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk Genesis 49:8-12 Before the written Word of God was given, God revealed himself to chosen sinners, and spoke to them both by word of mouth testimony and in various, supernatural ways concerning his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the great work of redemption and salvation he would accomplish (Hebrews 1:1-3). We have no way of knowing how much those early believers knew about the Person and work of Christ; but they clearly knew and understood much more than most people seem to think! Abel understood the necessity of blood atonement and brought a blood sacrifice to God by faith, showing that he knew salvation was by grace alone through the blood of Christ, the sinners’ Substitute (Genesis 4). Enoch walked with God by faith in Christ and even prophesied of Christ’s glorious second coming (Jude 1:14). Abraham knew and believed much by God’s special revelation (Genesis 22). The Lord Jesus Christ said of Abraham, “He rejoiced to see my day” (John 8:56). And Job, who probably lived about the same time as Abraham, spoke confidently of both redemption and resurrection by Christ (Job 19:25-27). In this prophecy of Jacob concerning Judah, we see another example of the fact that these early saints were rich in knowledge and in faith. Jacob had called his twelve sons before him to tell them, by the Spirit of prophecy, how God would deal with the twelve tribes of Israel in the future. The dying patriarch had a word from God for each of his sons and the tribes that would descend from them. Judah was singled out and given special honor. Jacob praised him and prophesied many good things concerning him. Particularly, we are told that Jacob prophesied that Messiah, “Shiloh,” would spring from Judah. Both David and Solomon, Israel’s greatest kings, sprang from the tribe of Judah. And the Lord Jesus, the great King of God’s Israel, our Redeemer-King, is “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Revelation 5:5). When Jacob spoke to Judah and made this prophecy concerning him, he was, by the Spirit of God, speaking about the Lord Jesus Christ. Judah was a type of Christ. We see this in seven distinct ways. Judah must be praised by his brothers (Genesis 49:8).“Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise.” The name Judah means “praise”. Matthew Henry wrote, “God was praised for him (Genesis 29:35), praised by him, and praised in him; and therefore his brethren shall praise him.” Certainly, this speaks of Christ, our Messiah, Redeemer, and King. He is worthy of praise and shall have the sincere praise of his people. Christ alone is to have our praise. “He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:31; Psalms 115:1). “Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus our blessed Redeemer!” Heav’nly portals loud with hosannas ring! Jesus, Savior, reigneth forever and ever, Crown Him! Crown Him! Prophet and priest and King!” Believers delight to give all praise to Christ, because of the excellence of his person as the God-man, our Mediator. We praise him for the wonders of redemption, the abundant grace of God in him, and the goodness of his sovereign, providential rule. As Judah’s brethren praised him, so all Christ’s brethren, all his people, give all praise to him. Some praise the pope, some praise the church, some praise preachers, and some praise themselves; but God’s saints praise Christ. They praise him forever in heaven (Revelation 5:9-10); but they learn to praise him on the earth! (Psalms 115:1). God’s people are a praising people. We do not merely offer him the pretense of praise, or the hypocrisy of lip praise. Believers give praise to God their Savior. Nothing is more inconsistent with our profession of faith in Christ than murmuring, complaining, and unhappiness. Murmuring is the fruit of unbelief. Praise is the fruit of faith. Judah must be victorious over all his enemies (Genesis 49:8). “Thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies.” When a man has his hand securely in the neck of his enemy, he has subdued him. He can, at his pleasure, force him to the ground, snuff out his breath, and destroy him. This, too, speaks of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:25; Hebrews 1:13; Hebrews 10:13). He is in complete control of his enemies; and he will bring them down. Our Savior met Satan and defeated him. In the wilderness of temptation (Luke 4:1-13), in the garden of Gethsemane, and upon the cross of Calvary, our Lord Jesus conquered and bound the devil, crushing his head, just as the Scriptures declared he would (Genesis 3:15; John 12:31-33; John 19:30; Revelation 12:10; Revelation 20:1-3).

Christ took our sins to the cross and vanquished them (Colossians 3:15). The Son of God met death, bowed to it, and then conquered it (1 Corinthians 15:51-58). There is no enemy of Christ, or of his people, that shall not be finally destroyed.All his father’s children must bow down before Judah (Genesis 49:8). “Thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.” Without question, this prophecy refers immediately to the whole nation of Israel bowing before David and Solomon as their kings. But, behold, a greater than David and a greater than Solomon is here. This is a prophecy of that glory and honor which belongs to and is reserved for Christ alone. Christ is Lord of all. By virtue of his own deity (Romans 9:5), by virtue of his Father’s decree (Hebrews 2:5; Hebrews 2:8), and by virtue of his sin-atoning death (Romans 14:9; Philippians 2:8-11), the Lord Jesus Christ is that great Lord King who rules the universe, before whom all men must and shall bow (Isaiah 45:22-25). All of God’s creation shall one day bow before the Lord Jesus Christ and confess that he is indeed Lord of all.

All God’s elect bow to him in faith as their Lord (Romans 10:9-10). But all the universe shall bow before him and confess that he is Lord in the last day (Philippians 2:9-11). “Judah is a lion’s whelp” (Genesis 49:9). Our Lord Jesus is compared to a young lion, because he is strong and courageous. The lion is “the king of the jungle”. He goes where he wants to go, does what he wants to do, fears nothing, and is never in danger. Here is “The Lion of the tribe of Judah.” Our Savior is not spoken of here as a lion raging and ranging, but as a lion couching and resting. “From the prey, my son, thou art gone up.” Christ Jesus, the Son of God, left heaven and came to this earth to engage the enemy and redeem his people by his own mighty arm. Now, having accomplished his great work, he has “gone up,” ascended back into heaven again. “The Lion of the tribe of Judah hath prevailed!” (Revelation 5:5). There is no possibility of failure with Christ (Isaiah 42:4). He is the Lion of Judah. He has prevailed, and shall yet prevail. “He stooped down.” What a great stoop he made! (Philippians 2:5-8; 2 Corinthians 8:9). God became man. The Son of God became a servant to men. As a man, Christ was obedient to his Father in all things to establish righteousness for men. He was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, that he might redeem us from the curse of the law. “He couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?” He stooped, he conquered, he took his prey, he ascended, he sat down, having accomplished his pleasure, having gotten what he sought, having fulfilled his mission (Matthew 1:21; Hebrews 9:12; Hebrews 10:10-14). Who shall dare rouse him? Who shall be able to disturb him? Behold, the sovereign serenity with which the Son of God sits in heaven! 5. “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah until Shiloh come” (Genesis 49:10). This tenth verse is a great and notable prophecy. All of the ancient Jewish writers said that this verse is a prophecy of the coming of Christ, by which God assured his people that the kingdom and civil government of Judah would continue until the Christ, the Messiah, came. That being the case, by their own instructors, the Jews should be convinced that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, because the kingdom and civil government of Judah ceased when Christ came. The name which Jacob used for Christ is “Shiloh”. Where did he get that name? God gave it to him. It was a special name, given by special revelation, for a special Person, who would come at a special time. It is a name full of significance. Shiloh means “sent” (John 9:7). Christ is truly the “sent One” (John 19:21). Shiloh means “Son” (Isaiah 9:6-7). Christ Jesus is the Son of God. He is the Son of David. He is the Son of Man. Shiloh means “the one to whom it belongs”(Ezekiel 21:25-27). The sceptre, the crown, the throne, the kingdom, the worship, the praise belongs to Christ alone. All others are imposters! (Colossians 1:14-19). Shiloh also mean “peace”. It comes from the same word as “Salem, – King of Peace.” Christ is our Peace. He made peace for us by the blood of his cross. And we have peace with God by faith in him (Romans 5:1). Again, Shiloh means “prosperous”. It is written concerning Christ that “the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand” (Isaiah 53:10).6. “Unto Him shall the gathering of the people be” (Genesis 49:10). The object of Christ’s coming into the world, the object of his covenant engagements with the Father as our Surety, the object of his death upon the cross for his people, was that he might redeem a people by his blood and gather them by the arm of his omnipotent grace to himself forever. The people God has chosen shall be gathered unto him (John 6:37-39; John 10:14-16; John 17:1-10). They shall, each one, at the appointed time of love, be gathered to Christ by the irresistible power and grace of his Spirit, gathered to him in repentance and faith, and in love and willing devotion (Psalms 65:4; Psalms 110:3). And all God’s elect shall be gathered unto him in glory. Judah shall be strong and fruitful (Genesis 49:11-12). Without question, these two verses refer to the glorious work of redemption by Shiloh, the Lord Jesus Christ. When he came to redeem his people, he came into Jerusalem riding upon a colt, the foal of an ass (Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 22:2; Matthew 22:5). When he suffered and died upon the cross as our Substitute, his garments, his human nature, and the garments he wore were washed in blood (Isaiah 63:1). Yet, his eyes sparkled with joy, the joy of blood bought redemption for his people, as he endured the cross, despising the shame (Hebrews 12:2). These two verses also refer to the manifold blessings of grace that are ours in Christ. Christ is the choice, true Vine, a Vine strong enough to have all burdens bound to him (Genesis 49:11). The blood of Christ is a fountain of cleansing and joyful refreshment for our souls (Genesis 49:11). Let us ever bind our burden to Christ. Cling to him. We find strength, when Christ is our Strength. And there is an abundance of grace in Christ to meet all the needs of his people (Genesis 49:12). Wine for joy and milk for purity, wine for men and milk for babes, every need of our souls, in all circumstances is found in him who is our All.

Genesis 49:22-26

Chapter 40 Boundless Blessedness “Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: (23) The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: (24) But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:) (25) Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: (26) The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.” Genesis 49:22-26 In Genesis 49, we see Jacob on his deathbed; and here we see him at his best. He showed himself a noble man in many things; but his final scene is by far his best. Like the sun at sunset, Israel appeared most glorious when he was leaving this world. Spurgeon said, “Like good wine which runs clear to the very bottom, unalloyed by dregs, so did Jacob, till his dying hour, continue to sing of love, mercy, and goodness, past and future. Like the swan, which (as old writers say) singeth not all its life until it comes to die, so the old patriarch remained silent as a songster for many years, but when he stretched himself on his last couch of rest, he stayed himself up in his bed and, although with faltering voice, he sang a sonnet upon his offspring.” In Genesis 49:22-26, Jacob gives his richest, fullest benediction to his beloved son, Joseph. Without question, the benediction here given to Joseph speaks of the blessedness of him of whom Joseph was a type and picture, the Lord Jesus Christ. Because the one spoken of here is Christ our Lord, the blessedness here bestowed upon him is also a declaration of that boundless blessedness which is the portion of God’s elect. So, as we read these lines, I will endeavor to show you how that everything written in these verses applies first to Joseph, then to our Lord Jesus Christ, and then to all who are Christ’s. A Fruitful Bough Genesis 49:22 – “Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall.” Joseph was made to be a fruitful bough. This prophecy refers to Joseph’s seed, his children, which are here compared to a tree so heavily loaded with fruit that its branches hang over the wall of the garden in which it stands. I do not doubt that the promise here given refers to Joseph’s physical seed; but it goes beyond that. This is a prophecy concerning the boundless fruitfulness of our great Joseph, the Lord Jesus Christ. The fruit of our great Savior’s substitutionary sacrifice at Calvary is a great, innumerable host of redeemed sinners who shall serve him forever. The Lord Jesus Christ was cut off in the prime of his manhood, a single man, with no children. The question is asked, “Who shall declare his generation?” It appeared that he would never have a seed to serve and honor his name; but that is not the case. In fact, his death as our sin-atoning Substitute is the very means by which his bountiful, innumerable seed is born. His death, as an offering for sin, guaranteed the birth and everlasting life of his people. “He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities” – (Isaiah 53:8-11) Therefore we read in Psalms 22:30-31, “A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.” This promise is also a promise concerning each of God’s elect in Christ. Every child of God, every true believer shall be a fruitful bough, bringing forth fruit unto God, by the power of his grace. The Lord God declares, “From me is thy fruit found.” (Hosea 14:8); and he makes all his children fruit bearing trees. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23). A Hated Man Genesis 49:23 – “The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him.” Joseph had to endure the envy of his brothers, by which he was grieved, the temptations of Potiphar’s wife, the slander she heaped upon him, and the uncaused hatred of them all. All God’s Josephs in this world are marked, hated men. Our Master, like Joseph, was hated without a cause. He was tempted in the wilderness, envied by the Pharisees, hated by the Jews, slandered by his enemies, grieved in his very soul, and at last slaughtered on trumped up charges as a common criminal. Let none who follow the Son of God expect better treatment while living in this world. The disciple is not above his Master, nor the servant above his Lord. Though blessed of God, boundlessly, everlastingly blessed of God, in this world, every child of God has the lot of Joseph. “We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Every believer must endure the temptations of Satan, the envy of men, the betrayal of friends, the slander of evil tongues, and the hatred of men, even the hatred of men whose interests they serve. This is our lot in this world; but it is as surely a part of our blessedness as the most pleasant things we experience (Luke 6:20-26). A Man Made StrongGen_49:24 – “But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel).” Joseph was a man made strong by the mighty God of Jacob. The text says nothing about Joseph’s natural strength or superiority over his brothers. The text says he was “made strong by the mighty God of Jacob” Though many archers took aim and shot their arrows at him, Joseph’s bow abode in strength. That is to say, he was so strong that he never sought to retaliate. A warrior who draws a bow must release his arrow quickly, else his hand will quiver, and he will miss his mark. Joseph was made strong, so strong that though his bow is drawn, he holds it steady and never fires a return arrow at his adversaries. When his brothers falsely accursed him, Joseph said nothing, either in defense of himself or against his accusers. When Potiphar’s wife slandered him, he spoke not a word. When he was wrongfully imprisoned on trumped up charges, he said nothing. When the chief butler forgot his kindness to him, Joseph’s bow still abode in his strength. His arm was still made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob. That is how our Master suffered evil at the hands of men. He never once opened his mouth in defense of himself. Rather, he recognized that those who set themselves against him were but instruments by which his Father was performing his will for him, instruments by which his Father was accomplishing his covenant promise to exalt him above all. By his great example our Lord teaches us patiently endure the assaults wicked men, without vengeance or retaliation, when we are the objects of their envy, slander, betrayal, and hatred. “If, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” (1 Peter 2:20-24). The mighty God of Jacob still makes his Josephs strong by his grace. One of them, while a prisoner for the gospel’s sake, displayed this same, remarkable strength of grace. He wrote from his prison, “I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. (13) I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:12-13) “From thence is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel.” The Lord Jesus Christ, the Shepherd and Stone of Israel, is that One who was sent from “the Mighty God of Jacob” to redeem and save his people. I cannot imagine two more encouraging, assuring, comforting titles by which Judah could have described our Savior. The Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ is the Shepherd of Israel. He is our almighty Protector and Provider, who carries his lambs in his bosom. He is also the Stone, the Rock of Israel, the One upon whom we build and upon whom we are built, our Foundation and Support. Boundless BlessednessIn Genesis 49:25-26, Jacob pronounced a sevenfold blessedness upon Joseph, a sevenfold blessedness upon all who are God’s. This is boundless blessedness indeed! “Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee.” – Here is a promise of help in every time of need. He who is the God of our fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, he who is the God of Judah, who helped them and fulfilled his word to them, will help us and fulfill his word to us. “And by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above.” – Here the promise of all the blessings of heaven, grace, salvation, eternal life, and heavenly glory in Christ (Ephesians 1:3-6). “The Almighty shall bless thee with the blessings of the deep that lieth under.” – Here is the promise that all the deep mysteries of providence, all the affairs of time, all the events of the world, the demons of hell, the beasts of the field, and the adversities of life shall prove to be a blessing from God to his people (Hosea 2:18; Romans 8:28-30). “The Almighty shall bless thee with the blessings of the breasts, and of the womb.” – This is a promise that “goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” The old patriarch, speaking by the Spirit of God, here declares that God’s elect are blessed in all things, all the days of their lives, even from their mother’s breasts. Every believer may confidently speak with David, and with the Lord himself, these words of praise to God: “Thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me to hope when I was upon my moher’s breasts” (Psalms 22:9). “The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors.” – Here Judah declares that this blessedness is indescribably greater than the blessings any earthly father can bestow upon his sons. This is the blessedness of grace upon grace, the blessedness of all things, the blessedness of all fulness in Christ (John 1:16; 1 Corinthians 3:21; Colossians 2:9-10). “The Almighty shall bless thee…unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills.” – Yes, the very fulness of heavenly glory obtained by the man Christ Jesus, as our Mediator, all of it, nothing excluded, shall be ours forever (John 17:5; John 17:22). This is boundless blessedness indeed! “They shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.” – This boundless blessedness is that which God freely bestows upon all who have been separated from the sons of Adam by election, redemption, and effectual calling, and made to be the sons of God by grace in the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 6:14 to 1 Corinthians 7:1).