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In this message we come to the third group of Jacob's twelve sons. As we have seen clearly, the prophecy with blessing in Gen. 49 portrays not only the lives of the twelve tribes of Israel in the Old Testament, but also the spiritual life of Christians in the New Testament. This is based on the principle that the twelve tribes of Israel are a type of the church with all the believers. Thus, everything in chapter forty-nine is a type, a shadow, a picture, and our experience today is the reality, the fulfillment, of Jacob's prophecy with blessing.
The prophecy with blessing uttered by Jacob is poetry. It is difficult to understand the language of poetry. Poetic language is meaningful and descriptive, but it is not easy to probe the depths of its meaning. If you are able to probe into the depths of the poetic language in this chapter, you will realize how meaningful, rich, and profound it is.
There is another reason many readers of chapter forty-nine have difficulty understanding it, and that reason is the shortage in their Christian experience. Even if we are able to understand the poetic language in this chapter, we may lack the experience necessary to know how to make the application. In order to understand such a prophetic record, we must know the language in black and white, we must know the history of the twelve tribes of Israel, we must know the significance of the poetic figures, and we must have experience. Jacob used many poetic figures in this chapter: a young lion, a couching lion, a lioness, a foal, a young donkey, wine, the vine, garments, the haven, ships, the serpent, and the horned snake. In order to know the significance of these figures and to know how to interpret all these types and apply them to our situation, we need experience. The reason this chapter has been closed for centuries is this lack of experience.
More than fifty years ago, I sat at the feet of a great Brethren teacher. He gave a number of messages expounding Genesis 49, showing us how these prophecies were fulfilled in the following books of the Bible. However, he had a great shortage in the matter of experience. All he had was the knowledge of the language in black and white. But because he did not know the spiritual significance of the figures, he did not apply any of them to today's Christian experience. Therefore, I did not receive from him any help in life or spiritual experiences. Nevertheless, I still thank God that I heard from him the interpretation and exposition of this chapter in a historical and scriptural way. Later, by putting this chapter together with my spiritual experience, I was able to get into the depths of the significance of this prophecy with blessing.
This record concerning Jacob's twelve sons begins with Reuben, a sinner. No one has been more sinful than Reuben. Although Paul said that he was the chief of sinners, I would say that Reuben was actually the foremost sinner, more sinful than Saul of Tarsus. What a terrible sin he committed! At the beginning of our Christian experience we also were sinners. How we thank the Lord for His mercy! Although I was once a Reuben, now I have been saved. Although this prophecy with blessing begins with a sinner, it ends with the two beloved sons of Jacob, Joseph and Benjamin. It begins with a sinner and ends with a king, a reigning one, one in power and authority. Between Reuben and Joseph we have Simeon, Levi, Judah, Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, and Naphtali.
We have seen that this prophetic record begins with a group of sinners, Reuben, Simeon, and Levi. Reuben's sin was lust, and the sin of Simeon and Levi was the anger that issued from their disposition. Matthew chapter five also speaks of the sins of lust and anger. After this group of sinners, who were filled with lust and anger, Christ came in as the lion. Judah is Christ as our glad tidings. Following him is Zebulun, the haven for shipping out the gospel, and Issachar, the enjoyment of the church life. How wonderful! Are there still some Reubens among us today? We have to declare that in the church there are no Reubens and no Simeons and that all the Levis have become priests. Thus, there are no more sinners. Christ is here and He is everything. Because Christ is here, we have the glad tidings that are shipped out through the preaching of the gospel, and we have the church life. Hallelujah, we are no longer sinners! We are in the church life. On the one hand, we are the haven to ship out Christ; on the other hand, we are the tents to stay with Christ in the full enjoyment of Him.
Deuteronomy 33:22 says, "And of Dan he said, Dan is a young lion: he shall leap from Bashan" (Heb.). The mention of the young lion in this verse links the second and third groups of the twelve sons, showing that the third group is the continuation of the second. The crucial figure in the second group is the lion; and Dan, the first of the third group, is also called a lion. As a young lion, Dan is not fighting for the prey, but for more land (Josh. 19:47; Judg. 18:27-29). By this we see that the young lion has progressed from fighting for the prey to fighting for the land. In typology, to fight for more land means to fight for more Christ. The young lion in Judah was for seizing the prey. But the young lion here is fighting for more land, fighting to gain more Christ. In Judges 18 we see Dan as a young lion, fighting for more land.
After Dan obtained the city of Dan in Judges 18, an idol, made by Micah, was set up in it (Judg. 17:4-5; 18:30-31). At that time God's tabernacle was in Shiloh. But in the city of Dan there was an idol. Today we have the light to understand the spiritual significance of this. It means that some Christians have been able to gain more of Christ. But after gaining more of Christ, they set up another center of worship. According to the book of Deuteronomy, in the good land there should have been only one center of worship for God's people (Deut. 12:11, 13-14, 21; 14:23-26). At that unique center there were God's name and God's habitation. During the time of the book of Judges, the center of worship was in Shiloh, where God's tabernacle and priests were. Although Dan gained the victory, this victory made him independent. All independence comes from pride. Do not think that spiritual gain cannot make you proud. Even the gain of Christ can make us proud. This is what is called spiritual pride. Those who are spiritually proud will not be subject to others. Rather, they say, "Why must we go to Shiloh? We can set up something ourselves." Immediately after Dan's victory, another center of worship, with the idol made by Micah, was established in the city of Dan.
If you consider the history of Christianity, you will see that this kind of thing has happened again and again. A certain individual or group of believers has been victorious in gaining more of Christ. But this gain of Christ made them proud and independent. Because they were not willing to submit to others, they set up another center of worship. They should have gone to the worship center in Shiloh, for the priests ordained by God were in Shiloh. But they set up something man-made and man-ordained. This is the creeping in of the serpent, the subtle one.
The serpent of Genesis 3 appears again in Judges 18. In this way Dan, the young lion, became a serpent. Genesis 49:17 says, "Dan shall be a serpent on the way, a horned snake on the path, that biteth the horse's heels, so that his rider shall fall backward" (Heb.). The serpent here is worse than the serpent in Genesis 3, for here it is a horned snake. Without knowing the history in the Old Testament, the spiritual significance, and how to make the practical application, it is difficult to understand this verse. However, if we know all these things, we shall see that there have been many Dans in Christian history. First these Dans were young lions gaining more of Christ, but they eventually became serpents, even horned snakes, setting up other centers of worship. Even today, many spiritual ones who have gained something of Christ have set up another center of worship in addition to the unique center ordained by God and established by Him. We must apply this to ourselves and ask if we are setting up other centers of worship. It is a shame and a sorrow to say that during the past fifteen years at least two or three who were once among us have done this very thing. They gained something, but that gain made them proud and independent, unwilling to submit to what the Lord has ordained. As a result, other centers were set up. These have caused some to fall backward.
In Genesis 49 this was prophecy. But today we see the fulfillment of this prophecy in past history and in the present situation. Once again, this convinces us that the Bible is truly inspired by God. How impressive is the picture given here of Dan! Today we see centers of worship with spiritual idols, with so-called spiritual images. The idol and the separate center of worship became the greatest stumbling block to the nation of Israel. By reading the historical books in the Old Testament, we see that by taking in this idol Dan truly became a horned snake. This snake bit the horse's heel and caused the rider to fall backward. This means that the snake became a great frustration and held the people back. As they were riding on, Dan bit the heels of the horse and caused them to fall backward; that is, he frustrated them from going on.
At this point Jacob said, "I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord" (v. 18). After speaking about Dan as a serpent by the way and a horned snake on the path that bites the horse's heels, Jacob cried to the Lord for salvation. If we see the situation of today's Dans, we also will cry "O Lord, save us. Lord, save us from the Dans, from the idols, and from the other centers of worship. Lord, save us from the serpent and from the horned snake. O Lord, save us from the biting of the serpent." Jacob not only prayed; he also called on the name of the Lord. This verse does not say, "I am waiting for thy salvation," or, "I will wait for thy salvation." It says, "I have waited for thy salvation." Jacob seemed to be saying, "Lord, with this situation with Dan, nothing can help except Your salvation. Only Your salvation can save us from this harm, this damage. Lord, I have already waited for Your salvation. Lord, I have cried to You. I have called on You. Lord, we need Your salvation."
Throughout history, many Dans have become serpents setting up idols to frustrate others. Our heart has been deeply hurt by this. In 1969 another center of worship was set up, and many young people have been frustrated by it. The heels of many horses were bitten, and many young riders fell backward. The only thing we can do about such a situation is to call on the Lord and say, "Lord, I have waited for Your salvation." In the past we have seen the Lord's salvation and we are still seeing it today. I can testify that many have been saved from the bite of the serpent.
We have seen that Dan is firstly the continuation of Judah, the continuation of the victory of Christ. Then Dan fell into the worship of idols. Whenever the worship of idols is introduced, the serpent is there. Behind every image there is an evil spirit. Behind every idol is the subtle one seeking the worship of people. Thus, when the image was set up, Dan became a serpent. In other words, because Dan was one with the idol, he became Satan. After this terrible fall, God's salvation came. Praise the Lord for His salvation! History testifies of this, and our present surroundings and environment confirm it. We have seen the fall, and we have seen a situation where the serpent has come in. But we have also seen the salvation of the Lord. Hallelujah, a great many have been saved! O Lord, we have waited for Your salvation.
Jacob prophesied that Dan would judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel (v. 16). This prophecy with blessing indicates that Jacob was concerned that Dan would be cut off. According to the Mosaic law, anyone who set up an idol or worshipped an idol had to be cut off from the people (Deut. 13:5-18). Among the twelve tribes, the tribe of Dan brought in an idol. Thus, according to the law, Dan should have been terminated as a tribe. Therefore, Jacob, not wanting to see one of his sons cut off, blessed him prophetically out of a loving heart. This is the reason Jacob said that Dan would still be a tribe judging his people. This word was particularly fulfilled in Samson, who was of the tribe of Dan (Judg. 13:2, 24; 15:20).
Jacob said that Dan would judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel. The Hebrew word for tribe firstly has the meaning of branch, then stick, staff, and scepter. A scepter signifies authority. Therefore, the Hebrew word for tribe actually means scepter. Every tribe has a scepter, an authority. The twelve tribes were twelve scepters, twelve powers, twelve authorities. During the time of Samson, the tribe of Dan certainly became a scepter. With Samson, the tribe of Dan was a power, a real authority. This is the meaning of Jacob's prophetic blessing concerning Dan in verse 16. Jacob's word meant not only that Dan would remain as a tribe, but also that Dan would be a scepter, an authority. This prophecy has been fulfilled.
In 1 Chronicles 2 — 9 the tribe of Dan was omitted in the record of the holy people of God. In 1 Chronicles 2:2 Dan's name is mentioned, but in the following record his tribe was omitted. Furthermore, the tribe of Dan is also not mentioned in the record in Revelation 7. It is a serious matter to be omitted from God's record of His people. We find this warning in the New Testament in Revelation 3:5, where we are told that he who overcomes will not have his name erased out of the book of life. This implies that the names of the defeated believers will be erased from the book of life during the coming age of the kingdom. This does not mean that the defeated believers will perish. The tribe of Dan did not perish. But because Dan fell and became one with God's enemy, becoming the serpent and bringing in a stumbling block to God's people, his name was omitted in the record in 1 Chronicles and Revelation.
Many Christians today have become Dans. Although they have become one with Satan in bringing in stumbling blocks to frustrate God's people, they seem not to care about what they have done, or to have any feeling concerning it. Yes, God will forgive them, but their names will not be found in the record during the time of the coming kingdom. There will be a certain situation in which their names will be omitted. Although Dan was omitted in the record in 1 Chronicles and Revelation because of his evil, he will still be a tribe in the millennium because of his father's blessing (Ezek. 48:1). This is a picture of God's mercy.
We should not read the record of Dan merely as history. We must see it as a shadow, a figure, of our experience as Christians. Although we may be the continuation of Judah, of Christ's victory, we must be careful. Often, after a time of victory there is the danger that our gain of Christ may immediately cause us to be proud and independent, making us unwilling to submit to others. At such a time we may set up another center of worship and thus become one with God's enemy, Satan. This will cause us a great loss. We shall not perish, because once we are saved, we are saved forever. But there is the definite possibility that in a certain period of time and in a certain situation we may be omitted in the record of God's people.
Because of the failure of Dan, Jacob called on the Lord for His salvation. The Lord has answered this call. Thus, after Dan we have Gad as his continuation. Verse 19 says, "Gad, a raiding band shall raid him: but he shall raid their heels" (Heb.). With Dan we see the defeat, but with Gad we see the victory brought back. Do not consider Dan separate from Gad or Gad separate from Dan. They are part of a whole. Dan ends with failure, but Gad, who shall raid the heels of the raiding band, comes in with the recovered victory.
Deuteronomy 33:20 says, "Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad." By this victory Gad was enlarged by God. It is exactly the same in our spiritual experience. Some time ago we may have been defeated, but by means of God's mercy through the prayer of some saints, the salvation of the Lord has come to us. Thereby, we regain the victory. Now we are no longer Dan — we are Gad, the one who raids the heels of the enemy. Through this victory, we are enlarged by God. Many of us can testify that God has enlarged us.
Deuteronomy 33:20 also says, "He dwelleth as a lioness, and teareth the arm, even the crown of the head" (Heb.). Here we see that Gad is a lioness. Gad is not couching: rather, he is dwelling. This is an improvement over Judah as a couching lion. The Gad who is dwelling as a lioness tears the arms and even the crown of the head of the prey. In Moses' poetic language here, the top of the head, the crown, refers to the skull. This prey, of course, is not an animal, but a person. Gad tears the arm of his prey, even the head, the skull of his prey. This means that Gad is so strong that he not only defeats his enemy, but also tears him to pieces. He even tears his skull into pieces. The poetry here describes the tearing of the enemy to the uttermost. As Gad, we smash Satan into pieces. In Deuteronomy 33 the lioness is not couching for enjoyment; she is dwelling, settling down, and tearing the enemy to pieces. It seems that Gad could say, "Enemy, don't bother me. I want to dwell here peacefully. But if you trouble me, I will not only tear your arm, but I will also tear your skull into pieces. After that, no one will see your figure again."
Deuteronomy 33:21 says of Gad, "He provided the first part for himself, for there a portion of the lawgiver was reserved" (Heb.). Victory always gives us enlargement, which is the expansion of space. Therefore, this verse says that Gad provided the first part for himself. For years I was not able to understand this. According to the history in the Old Testament, the first part refers to the first part of the good land east of the Jordan River. In their journeys, the twelve tribes firstly entered this part, which was on the east side of Jordan. Desiring this rich, fertile land, Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh begged Moses to give it to them. Although Moses agreed, he charged them not to stay there, enjoying their good land, while their brothers had not yet obtained their portion of the land. Thus, Moses charged them to fight the battle for the rest of the land (Num. 32:1-32). After that, they would divide the land justly. If the two and a half tribes had stayed there and had not gone on to fight for the rest of the land, they would not have been just. Thus, Gad provided the first part for himself. There a portion was reserved for the lawgiver. This points to the fact that Moses, the lawgiver, was buried there (Deut. 32:48-52; 34:1-6).
Verse 21 also says, "And he came with the heads of the people, he executed the justice of the Lord, and his ordinances with Israel" (Heb.). Gad came with the heads of the people, the leaders, to take the rest of the good land to execute the justice of the Lord in dividing the land and His ordinances with Israel (Josh. 22:1-5). Dan's failure was his pride. When he gained more land, he became proud and set up another center of worship. He did not care for his brothers. In your spiritual experience, you must beware of pride when you gain more land, more of Christ. Never set up another center of worship. On the contrary, you must take care of your brothers. Do not say, "I have won the victory. I have more land, more Christ. I don't care about the others. I will stay here to enjoy my victory." If you do this, you will be defeated. Even though you have gained the land, you must press on to take care of the need of your brothers. You have obtained your portion, but what about the portion of your brothers? You must fight the battle to get the rest of the land so that all your brothers may have their share. To enjoy your portion of the land without helping your brothers obtain their portion would not be just. It would not be the execution of God's justice. You must go on with the other leaders to fight the battle for the rest of the land. Then all your brothers will have a portion. To do this is to execute the justice of the Lord and to keep His ordinances with Israel.
Gad had a number of good points. He recovered the victory, he was enlarged, and he tore the enemy to pieces. Furthermore, although he provided a place for himself, he did not enjoy it until he helped his brothers gain their portion. He went on with them to fight until everyone had a portion. This was the execution of the justice of the Lord and of His ordinances with Israel. Again I say, Dan warns us not to be proud, to be independent, or to set up another center of worship. Gad helps us to know that even after we have gained the victory and have been enlarged, we should not forget our brothers. We should not rest in our portion until we have helped our brothers gain their portion. To win a spiritual victory and to gain Christ is truly wonderful. But beware of pride. You may set up a separate worship center, neglecting your brothers. Never do this. Do not enjoy the portion you have gained until you have helped your brothers win theirs. Do not be proud and do not forget your brothers. Hearing this should be a help to us all. Now we know what we should do after gaining the victory of Christ. We should not establish another center, but we should take care of our brothers, fighting for the sake of their portion.
After Gad comes Asher. The sequence here is certainly under God's inspiration. Verse 20 says, "Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties." Asher's bread is fat; that is, his food is rich. When we have the victory of Christ and help our brothers gain their portion before we enjoy our own, we have rich food. This rich food even becomes royal dainties, the royal food. It is not food for the common people, but food for kings, for the royal family. What we enjoy in the victorious life is not only regular food, but also royal dainties. No one can deny that the food in the church life is rich. In fact it is so rich that it becomes the royal dainties. We are not only a lion family, but also a royal family. We are a kingly family, and our dining is royal. Whatever we feed on in these life-study messages is royal dainties.
Deuteronomy 33:24 says, "Asher shall be blessed more than [the] sons; let him be favored among his brethren" (Heb.). You may wonder how Asher could be more blessed than Judah or Joseph. For Asher to be more blessed than the sons means to be more blessed in the riches of food and minerals.
Deuteronomy 33:24 also says, "Let him dip his foot in oil." Judah was to wash his garments in wine, but here Asher is to dip his foot in oil. Revelation 6:6 speaks of not harming oil and wine. In times of famine oil and wine become scarce. Undoubtedly the oil here is olive oil. According to both history and geography, there is an abundance of olive trees in this part of the good land. For this reason, it is rich in oil. The fact that Asher will dip his foot in oil indicates that, as far as food is concerned, he is richer than all the other tribes.
Deuteronomy 33:25 says, "Under thy sandals shall be iron and copper" (Heb.). Iron and copper are for fighting the battle and for building. Oil is food for nourishment, but iron and copper are materials for fighting and for building up the kingdom. Because Asher is so rich, the most favored in food and minerals, he is more blessed than the other tribes. He has the food for nourishment and the minerals for weapons and building materials.
Deuteronomy 33:25 also says, "And as thy days, so shall thy rest be" (Heb.). The Hebrew word rendered "rest" here is not the common word for rest. This word is very difficult to translate. It means safety, security, strength, peace, and quietness. It denotes a leisurely life, a life in which there is sufficiency, with no need to worry or rush. Thus, Asher was to have a leisurely life, a life that was safe and secure, with sufficiency guaranteed. This means that throughout life he would not lack anything. He would have the rich food for nourishment, the weapons for defense, and the materials for building. Instead of scarcity, there would be sufficiency, rest, peace, and leisure. He would constantly enjoy life.
Unless you have come into this stage of the spiritual life, you may not understand what I am talking about. But there is such a stage. If you have not yet arrived at it, I encourage you to go on. One day you will come to such a country. In this realm there is no need to hurry or rush. Here there is safety, security, and peace. Here we are short of nothing. We have food, weapons, and materials. When you have arrived at this stage, there is no need to worry or care about tomorrow, and there is no anxiety. Rather, there is continual rest in the riches of food and in the strong iron and copper. At least some of us have come to this point. This is the maturity of life.
Genesis 49:21 says, "Naphtali is a hind let loose." Immediately after Asher comes Naphtali, who is neither a young lion nor a lioness, but a hind. According to the Hebrew text, the title of Psalm 22 speaks of the hind of the morning, indicating that the resurrected Christ in Psalm 22 is a hind let loose. With Naphtali we have not only the victorious Christ as a lion, but the resurrected Christ as a released hind skipping on the mountaintops. Nothing can frustrate Him, and no one needs to pave the way for Him. He is the resurrected hind. Because He is in resurrection, He can leap upon the high mountains.
Verse 21 also says, "He giveth beautiful words" (Heb.). The resurrected hind in Genesis 49 corresponds to the resurrected Lord in Matthew 28. Matthew 28 firstly reveals that Christ has risen and then it tells us that when the disciples were gathered together to Him, He charged them, saying, "Go therefore and disciple all the nations..teaching them to observe all things, whatever I commanded you" (Matt. 28:19-20). This is to give beautiful words. In resurrection we can utter beautiful words. This is the maturity of life in resurrection. In order to say something beautiful for Christ, we must be in resurrection. When we are in resurrection, it is easy to speak beautiful words for the Lord.
Deuteronomy 33:23 says, "O Naphtali, satisfied with favor, and full with the blessing of the Lord." Here we see that Naphtali is satisfied with favor. Favor in the Old Testament is the equivalent of grace in the New Testament. Thus, Naphtali is satisfied with grace. When we are in resurrection speaking beautiful words, we also are satisfied with grace. Often as I am speaking, I am satisfied with favor, with grace. This verse also says that Naphtali is filled with the blessing of the Lord. He is satisfied with grace and full of blessing. This is the victorious and matured life in resurrection. As we speak for Christ to nourish others, we ourselves are satisfied with grace and filled with blessing.
Deuteronomy 33:23 also says, "Possess thou the sea and the south." The result of speaking beautiful words in resurrection and of being satisfied with favor and full of blessing is the possessing of the west and the south. For Naphtali to possess the west is to possess the Mediterranean Sea, which was on the west of Naphtali's portion of the good land. Therefore, some versions render the Hebrew word in this verse as "west." Actually, it denotes the sea, because the sea was to the west of the good land. The word "south" signifies the land. The sea, the west, signifies the Gentile world, and the south, the land, signifies the Jewish world. Therefore, to possess the sea and the land signifies possessing the Gentile world and the Jewish world. In other words, Naphtali is to possess the whole earth.
In order to take the earth, we must begin from Reuben and continue through Simeon, Levi, Judah, Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, and Asher until we come to Naphtali. When we have become Naphtali, we shall possess the west and the south, the sea and the land. We shall be qualified and empowered to take the earth. How wonderful! When we are Naphtali, it is easy to take the earth because we are in resurrection speaking beautiful words, and we are satisfied with favor and full of blessing. Thus, we are ready to possess the sea and the land, the Gentile world and the Jewish world. We are ready to take the earth.
