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In this message we come to Gen. 49:8-15, the most difficult section of this chapter. In order to understand these verses, we need a strong spirit and a clear mind.
As I pointed out in the last message, the twelve sons of Jacob are divided into four groups of three. This is not according to my opinion; it is absolutely according to the arrangement of the Bible. The books of Moses reveal that the twelve sons of Jacob are arranged in three different orders: the order according to birth, the order according to blessing, and the order according to encampment. Let us first consider the order according to birth. Jacob's twelve sons were born of four mothers. The first was Leah, Jacob's proper wife. The first four sons, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, were born of Leah. The second mother was a maid named Bilhah. Jacob's fifth son, Dan, and his sixth, Naphtali, were born of her. Jacob's seventh and eighth sons, Gad and Asher, were born of another maid, Zilpah. The ninth and the tenth, Issachar and Zebulun, were also born of Leah. Finally, Joseph, the eleventh, and Benjamin, the twelfth, were born of Rachel. This is the order according to birth.
In the order according to blessing, the first three sons are Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, the same as in the order according to birth. They are followed by Judah, Zebulun, and Issachar. Thus, the first two groups in the order according to blessing include the six sons born of Leah. However, in the order according to birth Issachar precedes Zebulun, but in the order according to blessing Zebulun comes before Issachar. The third group includes Dan, Gad, Asher, and Naphtali. According to birth, the order was Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher, but according to blessing, it is Dan, Gad, Asher, and Naphtali. Later we shall see that Gad was moved from this group and replaced Levi in the group with Reuben for encamping. The fourth group is composed of the sons of Rachel, Joseph and Benjamin, the same according to blessing as according to birth. (In the encampment, Joseph became two tribes through Ephraim and Manasseh.)
In the book of Numbers we see the order according to encampment. This book reveals that the twelve tribes of Israel were encamped around the tabernacle. At that time, they were armies, and they camped as armies. The arrangement of the tribes around the tabernacle went from the east, to the south, to the west, and then to the north. According to the encamping order, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun were on the east, toward the sun; Reuben, Simeon, and Gad on the south; Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin on the west; and Dan, Asher, and Naphtali on the north. Gad was placed with Reuben and Simeon because Levi had been uplifted and taken into the tabernacle, the center of the camp. Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin were the equivalent of Joseph and Benjamin. Through Ephraim and Manasseh, Joseph became two tribes to inherit the double portion of the land.
In the foregoing message we considered the first group in the order according to blessing in Genesis 49: Reuben, Simeon, and Levi. In that message we saw mainly the changing of the birthright and the transformation of the natural disposition. The outstanding feature of the first group is that it reveals that our natural status and disposition can be changed. In this message we come to the second group, composed of Judah, Zebulun, and Issachar. Verses 8 through 15 are very difficult to understand. In order to understand chapter forty-nine, we must know the Bible in black and white. Furthermore, we must know the history of the children of Israel, we must have the experience of Christ and the church life, and we must know how to allegorize the Bible. If you do not know how to allegorize the Scriptures and interpret the poetry of the Bible, how could you be able to understand such a portion as Genesis chapter forty-nine? In verse 9 Judah is likened first to a young lion and then to a lioness, and verse 11 speaks of the choice vine and of binding the foal to the vine. When those who oppose the allegorizing of the Bible read this portion of the Word, they will have no way to understand it. Verse 13 says that Zebulun will be a haven of ships and dwell at the haven of the sea; verse 14, that Issachar is a strong ass couching between the sheepfolds; and verse 15, that Issachar saw that "rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant." What does all this mean? Because this is so difficult, very few Christians have any understanding of it at all. The only way to understand it is to allegorize it.
However, it is not an easy matter to allegorize the Bible. In order to understand such a portion as 49:8-15, we need several things: the knowledge of the Bible in black and white; the knowledge of the history of the children of Israel; the experiences of Christ and the church life; the wisdom to allegorize the Bible; and the knowledge of how to apply the types to today's situation. When we have all this, then we shall be able to see the true significance of this portion of the Word.
The Bible is very economical. Not one word is wasted. Jacob's prophecy with blessing in chapter forty-nine is poetry. Poetry is the most thoughtful and meaningful form of writing. Jacob's utterance of prophecy with blessing is stately and filled with grandeur.
As we consider these verses, we need to be impressed with the fact that in the first group, composed of Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, Christ has not yet come. We do not see Christ in Reuben, in Simeon, or in Levi. What we see in Levi is his absoluteness, his desperation, and his faithfulness. It was due to these characteristics that the Lord gave him the priesthood. Although Levi had the priesthood with the Urim and Thummim, we do not see Christ in him. Only when Judah comes does Christ appear. Judah typifies Christ. In fact, we may even substitute the name of Christ for Judah in this prophecy. Although Jacob had twelve sons, Christ came only out of Judah. In Revelation 5:5 He is called the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Hence, because Christ came out of Judah, He belongs to Judah. In order to understand verses 8 through 12, we must apply these verses to Christ and substitute the name of Christ for Judah.
We can all testify from our experience that once we were Reubens. Were you not a sinful Reuben before you were saved? Were you not, like Reuben, one boiling over with lust? We also were Simeons, those who were natural and filled with the natural disposition. Everything we did was according to our lusts and our disposition. But praise the Lord that we were saved and became a Levi! Now we are qualified to come into the presence of God and, with the Urim and Thummim, to receive God's vision and God's revelation. Furthermore, as priests, we can bring others into God's presence and learn the Lord's mind regarding them. Is not your experience somewhat like this? Although you may be the least among the saints, day by day you come into the presence of the Lord. As you stand in His presence, you sense that there is something shining and enlightening within you. This is the Urim and the Thummim. At times you bring others to the Lord and pray for them. Perhaps you say, "O Lord, remember my father, my brother-in-law, and my sister-in-law." This is the priesthood. Neither Reuben nor Simeon had a function like this. Only Levi did. And we also have it today. We are no longer Reuben and Simeon; rather, we are today's Levi.
However, although I had been a Levi for years, I can testify that I had little experience of Christ. Thus, in addition to the experience of Levi, we need the experience of Judah, that is, the experience of Christ. It is good to come into the presence of the Lord to receive enlightenment, revelation, and vision, and it is good to bring others into His presence. Nevertheless, we still need Christ as a young lion, the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Have you ever experienced Him as a strong lion? As the young lion, Christ is for fighting, for putting His hand on the neck of His enemies. To place the hand on the neck of our enemies means to defeat them, to subdue them, and to gain the victory over them.
Verse 8 says, "Judah, thy brethren shall praise thee: thy hand shall be upon the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee" (Heb.). Here we are told that Judah's brothers will praise him and that his father's children will bow down before him. This means that Judah's brothers will praise and worship him for his victory. Does this actually refer to Judah or to Christ? It refers to Christ. Thus, I say again, we may substitute Christ for Judah and declare, "Christ, Thy brethren shall praise Thee, and Thy Father's children shall bow down before Thee."
Verse 9 says, "Judah is a young lion: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up," and verse 8 says, "Thy hand shall be upon the neck of thine enemies." We need to see the picture portrayed here. A lion dwells on the mountain. When he goes after some prey, he descends from the mountain. As he is waiting to seize his prey, he crouches. But after he has taken his prey, he brings it up the mountain with him. Thus, the words, "From the prey, my son, thou art gone up," mean that the lion has gone up the mountain to devour his prey. After eating it, the lion no longer crouches; instead, he couches, that is, he lies down. This indicates that, after swallowing up his prey, he is satisfied and lies down to rest.
We need to apply this picture to Christ. Christ was firstly the young lion crouching as He waited for His prey. After seizing His prey, He brought His captive to the heavens where He enjoyed him. This reminds us of Ephesians 4:8, which says, "When he ascended up on high, he led a train of vanquished foes" (Gk.). This train of vanquished foes was Christ's prey. Now, after enjoying the prey He has captured, He is satisfied and rests in the heavens. To put it in plain words, this means that Christ is now sitting on the throne in the heavens. But according to the poetry of verse 9, after devouring His prey, Christ was satisfied and couched to enjoy His rest.
Have you ever seen such a vision or experienced such a Christ? In your experience, do you have Christ as a young lion? Do you also have Him as the satisfied lion who lies down to rest? Years ago, when I was young, I was troubled by many kinds of enemies. But one day I saw that my enemies had already become a prey to my Christ. My temper, my problems, my weaknesses, and all my other enemies were Christ's prey. He went to the cross and captured them, and in resurrection He led a train of vanquished foes to the heavens for His enjoyment. Now, in the heavens, He is no longer fighting; He is couching. He is Lying down to rest, and I am experiencing Him as a resting lion. He is couching, and I also am resting. Why should I be troubled by anything? I simply need to enjoy this victorious, satisfied, and resting Christ.
I know the situation of the brothers and sisters, especially of the young people. In the last message you learned that you were a Levi. However, during the past week, you have probably been troubled by some enemies. Perhaps an enemy came in through your roommate, your parents, your husband or wife, or your own disposition. But after you have read this message, I hope you will also be able to say that you are a Judah. Immediately after Levi, Judah appears. This means that Christ has come. Today our Christ is no longer the young lion; He is the resting lion. When the Apostle John was weeping because no one was qualified to open the scroll of God's mystery, an elder said to him, "Do not weep; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome to open the scroll and its seven seals" (Rev. 5:5). This verse does not say that our Christ will overcome; it says that He has overcome already. He has captured the prey and swallowed him. Hallelujah, all the enemies have been devoured by Christ! Today Christ is not the fighting One; He is a couching One, the resting One sitting in the heavens. If you see this, you will forget your enemies, your temper, and the troubles caused by parents and children, and you will say, "Hallelujah! Lord, I worship You and praise You! Lord, You were the young, fighting lion. But today You are resting in the heavens as the victorious lion. And now I am partaking of all You have done."
Notice that, according to the Hebrew, verse 9 says, "He couches, he lies down as a lion, and as a lioness." Why does this verse first speak of a lion and then a lioness? The young lion is for fighting, for gaining the victory, and couching is the sign that the fighting lion has won the victory, has devoured the prey, and is now resting in satisfaction. Here we firstly have the young lion and then the couching lion. But what is the significance of the lioness? It is that the lion is about to bring forth many cubs, many baby lions. Thus, Christ is not only the fighting lion and the resting lion, but also the producing lioness. Christ is our mother lion, and we are all His lion cubs. In the last message we saw that we have become priests. In this message we need to see that we also have been made lion cubs. When the enemy troubles you, you should realize that you are a baby lion. Let the enemy challenge us all he wants. We are not merely priests; we are also lions. Christ is the producing lioness who has brought forth us as His many cubs.
The last part of verse 9 says, "Who shall rouse him up?" Some versions say, "Who dares to rouse him?" This means, "Who dares to defy Him?" Today, not only is Christ the lion; we also are lions.
Verse 10 says, "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the obedience of the peoples be" (Heb.). The scepter here denotes the scepter of the kingship or of the kingdom. Psalm 45:6 says, "The sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre." The scepter, a symbol of the kingdom, refers to the kingly authority of Christ. Thus, the scepter in verse 10 refers to Christ's kingdom, Christ's kingship. For the scepter never to depart from Judah means the kingship will never depart from Christ.
Hebrew poetry is written in pairs; hence, "the ruler's staff" in this verse is synonymous with "the sceptre." Undoubtedly the ruler here is Christ. The Hebrew word for ruler in this verse means lawgiver. Christ is the One who gives the law, for He has the staff and the scepter. He is the Ruler who has the authority, the staff and the scepter of the kingship.
This verse says that the ruler's staff will not depart from "between his feet." The words "between his feet" are a poetic term denoting seed or posterity. Thus, they refer to Judah's descendants. This means that the tribe of Judah will always have kings. According to 1 Chronicles 5:2, Judah has the kingship, and rulers come out of his posterity.
This authority will continue until Shiloh comes. The word Shiloh means "Peace bringer." Most good Bible teachers agree that Shiloh refers to Christ in His second coming. When Christ comes the second time, He will come as the Prince of peace, as the One who brings peace. At that time, the whole earth will be filled with peace.
Verse 10 also says, "And unto him shall the obedience of the peoples be." The peoples here are equivalent to the nations. At the second coming of Christ, all nations will submit to Him and obey Him. Isaiah 2:1 through 3 and 11:10 indicate that from the beginning of the millennium at the Lord's second coming, all nations will obey Christ. They will come to Him to receive God's instructions.
Verse 11 says, "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." This verse is extremely difficult to understand. In the Bible an ass, or donkey, signifies one who labors very hard, especially laboring in the matter of transportation. Even the Lord Jesus rode upon an ass into the city of Jerusalem (Matt. 21:5, 7). Although an ass is usually used for labor in travel, in verse 11 the ass is not laboring; it is bound to the vine. This signifies that labor was over, that the destination has been reached, and that the rest has begun. Do not think that the word "binding" in this verse is negative. No, it is very positive. Any ass used for long journeys would certainly enjoy being bound to a vine. Whenever a rider binds an ass to something, even to a stake, the ass will be happy. In the poetic language of verse 11, the binding of the ass depicts rest. According to this verse, even the donkey has stopped his work. The ass here is not bound to a stake, but to a fruitful vine full of vegetation.
If we consider this picture, we shall see that it signifies that labor is over and that the harvest has come. We know that this verse refers to the harvest because it speaks of wine, the produce of the vine. This implies the riches of the harvest. The latter part of verse 11 says, "He washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes." This indicates that there is an abundance of wine. The supply of wine is so bountiful that people not only drink it, but even wash their clothes in it. Revelation 6:6, speaking of famine, says, "Do not harm the oil and the wine." This warning indicates the scarceness of wine during famine. However, in Genesis 49:11 there is an abundance of wine. The words "the blood of grapes" refer to grape juice. Have you ever seen a country with such riches that its inhabitants even washed their clothes in grape juice? Although America is a rich land, it is not that rich. What a picture we have in verse 11! This picture shows that labor is over and that rest in the enjoyment of the riches has begun, even for the donkeys. Now is not the time for sowing the seed; it is the time of harvest. Verse 11 is a poetic description of the millennium, the coming age of the thousand years. In that age, labor will cease, and instead of labor, there will be rest. If you still choose to labor, you should bind your ass. Do not loose it. According to Leviticus 23, on the day of the feast of Tabernacles, no one was permitted to work. Labor was prohibited because everything had been accomplished. All that remained was to enjoy the produce of the rich harvest. The feast of Tabernacles typifies the millennium. During the millennium there will be no labor because all the labor will have been completed in the preceding dispensations. The asses, the laboring ones, will be bound. Instead of labor, there will be the rich enjoyment of an abundant harvest. There will be so much wine that we shall wash our clothes in it.
Verse 12 says, "His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk." In the Bible wine symbolizes the joy of God's salvation of life. The first miracle the Lord Jesus performed was that of changing water into wine (John 2:1-11). This wine signifies not only redemption, but also the salvation of life and the salvation in life. When we have the salvation of life, this salvation becomes the wine that constantly stirs us to rejoice. Along with the wine, we have milk. Just as the source of the wine is the vineyards, the source of the milk is the sheepfolds spoken of in verse 14 (Heb.). Milk signifies the nourishment of life that satisfies us.
When someone is dying of starvation, the area around his eyes becomes greenish grey. But in this verse the eyes are not greenish grey; they are "red with wine." Furthermore, the teeth are "white with milk." The calcium contained in milk produces healthy teeth with the proper color. These figures regarding the eyes and the teeth indicate that, when the asses are bound and labor is over, the produce of the rich harvest will be more than sufficient. It will be so adequate that people will even wash their clothes in wine. Eventually they will have eyes that are red with wine. Also, their teeth will be strong and white.
This rest and enjoyment depend on Christ as the fighting, resting, and producing lion. As such a lion, He has brought forth us, His baby lions. Because the work has been accomplished, there is no need for us to labor. Instead, we should simply rest and enjoy the rich produce of the good land. Today we are enjoying the wine and the milk. Whenever people look at us, our eyes should be red and our teeth white. This is a picture of the church life today and of the millennium in the coming age.
Even in today's church life, all the asses should be bound. Often the brothers and sisters bring a laboring ass with them to the meeting. This indicates that they are still laboring and journeying and that they have not yet come to their goal, their destination. But all these asses must be bound. Because we have already entered into rest and have come to our destination, there should be no laboring or journeying. We have reached our destination, our goal, the place where we can enjoy the boundless supply of wine and milk. Do you still need a laboring donkey? Some of the older ones always have a donkey with them. It seems they are still journeying, still laboring. After hearing one of my messages, they expect to labor and journey even more. But verse 11 says that we must bind our ass to the rich vine. This means that we must cease our laboring and our journeying. Today, in the church life, we are in the goal, the destination. Here there is no labor, only rest and enjoyment. I expect to see all the asses bound. Instead of laboring, go home to wash your clothes in wine. Then come to the next meeting with red eyes and white teeth. Come full of milk, full of joy and nourishment.
After Judah, Zebulun comes in. Verse 13 says, "Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for a haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon." This verse says Zebulun is a haven for ships. The method of transportation here has been changed from asses to ships. We cannot understand the poetry in this verse without referring to the New Testament. The fulfillment of this verse is in Matthew 4:15, which says, "Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, way of the sea beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations." Christ began His ministry from Zebulun in Galilee, and it was the Galileans who brought the glad tidings of Christ to all the earth. The Galilean disciples were a haven of ships. They brought forth the good news of Christ as the fighting, resting, and producing lion to every part of the world represented by Zidon.
Deuteronomy 33:18 says, "Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out." According to this verse, Zebulun had to go out. And Zebulun did go out. All the Galileans went out with the glad tidings of the victory of Christ, bearing the word of the victorious, restful, and productive Christ. These Galileans went forth with Christ's victory, Christ's satisfaction, and Christ's productiveness. This is the glad tidings.
Although Zebulun went out, Issachar stayed in the tents (Deut. 33:18). Thus, Zebulun rejoiced in going out, and Issachar rejoiced in his tents. One had to go out, and the other had to stay.
Genesis 49:14 says, "Issachar is a strong ass couching down between the sheepfolds." In interpretation, this is linked to the foal and the colt, the young ass, in verse 11. The young ass there is tied to the rich harvest; hence, the strong ass is couching, resting, here. Issachar is not working; he is couching, that is, he is lying down and resting between the sheepfolds. Are you today's Issachar? Are you couching or laboring? Some think I am always working. But they are wrong. They do not realize that my working is my couching. There is a hymn which says that as we work, we rest. If I do not work, I have no rest. The more I work, the more I rest. As I am working, I am couching. In the Lord's recovery there is no need for laboring asses. Although we need strong asses, they should couch, not work. According to the picture portrayed in this verse, Issachar is couching between the sheepfolds. Although the strong ass does nothing, the sheep produce the milk. I can testify that I am a strong ass couching down and watching the sheep produce milk. While you are producing the milk, I am resting.
Verse 15 says, "And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant under taskwork" (Heb.). Issachar saw that the rest was good and that the land was pleasant. Issachar, the strong ass, is resting and enjoying the pleasant, rich land, which is Christ. At such a time, he bows his shoulder to bear burdens and thus he becomes a servant under taskwork. This means that he serves in order to have something to offer to the Lord. Instead of "under taskwork," the King James Version says "unto tribute," which is a payment given as an offering. Without experience, we cannot understand this matter. According to Christian experience, proper Christians do not labor as hard-working asses. Rather, they rest as strong asses. While they are resting, they enjoy the riches of Christ. Through the enjoyment of these riches, they become willing to bow their shoulder, take up a burden and serve for tribute rendered to the King. In the proper church life, we do not labor as common asses. Instead we lie down to rest and enjoy both the finished work of Christ and the riches of Christ. By this enjoyment we are willing to bow our shoulder and lift up a heavy burden, serving to gain tribute to render to our Master, our King. Although this will be completely fulfilled in the millennium, we have a foretaste of it in the church life today.
In the church life we experience our Christ as the fighting, resting, and producing lion. Due to His victorious work, there is a rich produce, a rich harvest. Thus, there is no need for our labor. But there is the preaching of the glad tidings concerning Christ; for Zebulun, the haven of ships, sends out the good news of the Lion of the tribe of Judah. We also have the experience of Issachar. We are not laboring; rather, we are resting and enjoying the riches of Christ. As we rest and enjoy Christ in such a way, we are willing to bow our shoulder to bear a heavy burden to do the taskwork, the work assigned by our King-Master, so that we may be able to render tribute to our King. Thus, today's church life is a miniature of the coming millennium. If you pray over all the points covered in this message and digest them, you will see that in this portion of the Word we have a portrait of the coming millennium. This portrait reveals that we may now participate in a miniature of the millennium. By considering this picture, we shall know where we must be today.
