Bible Study Online Article
In the last couple of articles we took a look at Jacob's addition of Ephraim and Manasseh to the twelve tribes. We also took a look at Joseph's disappointment, that deals with how the two boys were blessed by his father. We explored the possibility, that Joseph's disappointment came from his personal expectations, that dealt with, how he thought God might move -- when it came to his two sons. Understand that it's not wrong to have expectations when it comes to God; in fact, it's God who tells us what we should expect next, during our journey throughout the history, and the future of humanity. For we must know, that the Sacred Scriptures is a complete divine record on how God tells us what's going to happen next, and records the fulfillment of those very same predictions. I like to think, that fulfilled prophecy is the one sure thing that proves the Sacred Scriptures divine authority. Just the mere fact, that the authors that God used when it comes to the Bible, were all prophets and apostles. Understand that these are not some meager, self-proclaimed prophets and apostles: for they have collectively, a one-hundred percent prophecy fulfillment record, that spans for over fifteen-hundred years. This Sacred Record alone, proves that they were lead by God's Spirit, and just how credible and reliable they really were. In all honesty, because of this record, the divine authority of the Sacred Scriptures -- really can't be debated. Sure, you have many other resources that lead credence to their reliability. The mere fact that we continue to this very day, to have many archaeological discoveries, that continues to confirm their reliability and historical accuracy. Or the fact, that many ancient texts, that also helps to support their high percentage accuracy rate, when it comes to being authenticated. Ancient texts like the "Dead Sea Scrolls" or the, "Samaritan Pentateuch" or the, "Murabba'at Discoveries" or the "Cairo Geniza Manuscripts" or the, "Chester Beatty Papyri Manuscript" or the, "Vaticanus Manuscript" ... I could continue on, but I pray you understand the point I'm trying to make. "The number of manuscripts of the New Testament, of early translations from it, and of quotations from it in the oldest writers of the Church, is so large that it is practically certain that the true reading of every doubtful passage is preserved in some one or other of these ancient authorities. This can be said of no other ancient book in the world." "The Christian can take the whole Bible in his hand and say without fear or hesitation that he holds in it the true Word of God, handed down without essential loss from generation to generation throughout the centuries." Now I went through all of that, so we can see how important it is, to take what's revealed to us within the Sacred Scriptures, very seriously -- for this is not a game full of "what if's" and "how about this or that." But I do apologize for digressing, be as it may, let's move forward -- shall we. Now after Jacob had finished blessing Joseph and his two sons Ephraim and Manasseh, he calls in the rest of his sons. It's at this time, Jacob while on his death bed, gives the prophecy for each one of them. Jacob would start with his oldest son Reuben: "Reuben, you are my first born, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power. Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father's bed, onto my couch and defiled it." Understand that with this statement, Jacob reveals the position that Reuben held amongst his younger brothers. For he was, the first sign of Jacob's might and strength, which would explain the meaning of his name "see a son." Reuben excelled in honor, dignity and power, but now -- no more. For he went unto his fathers couch and defiled it by sleeping with his stepmother Bilhah: "And it happened, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine [wife]; and Israel heard about it . Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:" (Genesis 35:22) Because of this act, that happen some forty years before, Reuben's behavior would leave an infamous mark on the family, and for this reason, he would no longer hold such a position amongst the Twelve Tribes. Next Jacob would move on towards Simeon and Levi: "Simeon and Levi are brothers; their swords are weapons of violence. 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. Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse them in Israel." As we take a closer look at this statement, Jacob reveals that Simeon and Levi are not only brothers by blood, but by nature and iniquity as well. Jacob speaks of the time, where Simeon and Levi entered into an agreement with Hamor and the Shechemites. For they didn't honor the agreement with the Shechemites and so therefore, deceived them: "They [Simeon and Levi] said to them, 'We can't do such a thing; we can't give our sister to a man who is not circumcised. That would be a disgrace to us. We will give our consent to you on one condition only: that you become like us by circumcising all your males. "Then we will give you our daughters and take your daughters for ourselves. We'll settle among you and become one people with you. But if you will not agree to be circumcised, we'll take oursister and go.' Their proposal seemed good to Hamor and his son Shechem." (Genesis 34:14-18) Jacob seems to distance himself from their actions as well: "Let me not enter their council, let me not join their assembly." Simeon and Levi's deceit leaves a bloody trail: "after they have killed men in their anger and hamstrung oxen (in reference to Shechem) as they pleased." "All the men who went out of the city gate agreed with Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male in the city was circumcised. 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. They put Hamor and his son Shechem to the sword and took Dinah from Shechem's house and left." (Genesis 34:24-26) Now let's look at their punishment (curse) for being led by their emotions: "Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse them in Israel." In the first part of this, we notice: "Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel." This statement shows that they weren't punished as in their persons, but in their wickedness. For we must understand that their anger was a sin, which caused them become a slave to it for that moment. But that moment would prove to be detrimental to them and the family as a whole. Because of this, Simeon and Levi will be scattered throughout: "I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse them in Israel." And this would happen, for the Levites no proper portion or inheritance, but were scattered throughout all the tribes. But this curse would later become a blessing, for they would become a priestly tribe, known as the Levitical Priesthood. But, when it comes to the Simeonites, they had no lot of their own within the division of the land. Part of them would eventually join the tribe of Judah, while the rest were forced to find new seats: "Shimei [a Simeonite] had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have many children; so their entire clan did not become as numerous as the people of Judah." (1 Chronicles 4:27) "Now some of them, five hundred men of the sons of Simeon, went to Mount Seir, having as their captains Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi." (1 Chronicles 4:42) Okay, so let's continue the prophecy record that concerns Jacob's sons within the next article. Understand that the Spirit of the Lord moved throughout the Sacred Scriptures as a whole. The Lord is never wrong and the Bible is a complete testament of that fact: "I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols. See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you." (Isaiah 42:8-9)
Jacob - The Path of Uncertainty **YOUR CURRENT BIBLE STUDY ONLINE SERIES WOULD BE HERE**
113) <-CURRENT PAGE-> 115) The Tribe of Kings 116) Representation of the Scepter 117) The Importance of the Sanhedrin 118) The Gathering of the People 119) The Prophecy of Zebulun, Issachar and Dan 120) Jacob's Prophecies - Gad, Asher and Naphtali 121) Jacob's Prophecies - Joseph the Fruitful Tree 122) Jacob's Prophecies - Benjamin the Ravenous Wolf 123) The Death of Jacob 124) Jacob Goes Home 126) The Death of Joseph 127) Evolutionist And Creationist 128) Moses the Historian  CrossDaily.com Web Search where you can VOTE FOR THIS SITE & other great ones. Christian search engine, directory & voting index. You'll find Bible Study Online, chat, churches, jobs, music, reviews, software, theology, & more. See the best sites! |
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