The Book of Genesis
Part 100
Chapter 49:20-26
The study of the blessings of Jacob and Moses upon the twelve tribes of Israel unfolds a whole train of events, connected events which controlled the course of the entire nation. As history is the post-written aggregate of a natural career, even so prophecy is the prewritten history of a future career. In these blessings upon his sons, Jacob reveals their history, and predicts their future.
Asher
The name Asher means happy. His mother expressed her emotion of joy in thus naming her little son.
While some spiritualize the details of the blessings pronounced upon this tribe by both Jacob and Moses, there is no doubt but that they were first intended to be taken literally. Whatever moral lessons may be drawn from the statements of Asher’s father, one must first of all consider the statements as facts.
The territory allotted to Asher stretched from Carmel along the Mediterranean coast to Zidon. This area was extremely fertile and produced corn, oil, and wine in large abundance.
From the subsequent history, temporal prosperity made this tribe self-satisfied and ease-loving; consequently, the tribe was readily influenced by idolatrous neighbours. Asher became so indolent that she took no part in the war against Sisera (Jud.5:17), although later she did participate in the struggle and victory of Gideon (Jud. 7:23).
It is rather interesting to notice that the whole nation although divided was represented at the time of Christ’s birth. Zecharias represented the tribe of Levi, the exclusive priestly tribe. Anna of the tribe of Asher represented the northern kingdom composed of the ten tribes which seceded from the house of David. If, as is supposed by some, Simeon was of the tribe of Judah, then he represented the southern kingdom which remained with David’s heirs.
How frequently temporal prosperity improverishes the beauty of a high moral and vigorous spirituality! The Lord said to the church of the Laodiceans, “Because thou sayest, I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; …” (Rev. 3:18).
Naphtali
It was Rachel that named Bilhah’s son, Naphtali the Wrestler. His own mother was slave to Rachel; consequently, Rachel claimed him as her child. She wrestled with her sister; later, her husband, Jacob, wrestled with the Angel. Although he bore such a name, it is questionable whether Naphtali inherited either the envy of his mother or the intrepidity of his father.
Naphtali, although a numerous tribe, did not possess what the world calls leadership; nevertheless, one of her sons became a national hero in the days of the Judges. It was Barak the son of Abinoam of Kedesh-Naphtali that Deborah the prophetess called and commanded to take soldiers from Naphtali and Zebulun and to fight against Sisera the captain of Jabin’s army. Barak apparently was a self-effacing individual, notwithstanding, his name appears on the honour roll of the faithful (Heb. 11: 32).
One notices that in the record of the battle in Judges, its preparation and success, Deborah is quite boastful and claims much of the praise for herself, but in the New Testament, her name is not even mentioned; whereas, the timid Barak is honoured with the nations mighty. It is better to wrestle in seclusion and defeat self there, and be praised publicly by the Lord on the proper occasion than to praise oneself and eventually to be ignored.
The portion of the land allotted to Naphtali lay in the northern angle of Palestine, and was bordered on three sides by Zebulun, Asher, and Manasseh; south, west, and east respectively. This territory is well known to all now under the name of Galilee an area of great importance in the life of the Lord Jesus.
There is another picture of the tribe over which we must not hurriedly pass: “Naphtali is a hind let loose; he giveth goodly words.” He was not always in grips with an opponent wrestler. There were times when he was free, let loose, when in liberty he dashed like a deer that had broken loose from a trap and bounded through the forest. How like the Christian life! At times the believer is in the close grip of hand to hand fighting; at other times he enjoys the full pleasure of perfect freedom. May one have grace to as readily submit to the one as to delight in the other.
Joseph
That Joseph, the first child of Rachel, was Jacob’s favourite is obvious to all who read the Holy Scriptures. Doubtless this partiality arose not so much from the circumstances of his birth as from the excellency of his character. No matter what personal qualities may be, favouritism invariably results in jealousy and dislike. Consequently, we read, “When his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him” (Gen. 37:4).
Although Joseph grew to be a man of a most distinguished character, and although many of his experiences provided illustrations of the different phases in the life of our blessed Lord, one must not apply the excellencies of the Man Christ Jesus to Joseph. Joseph, like all others save Christ, was born in sin and shapen in iniquity. There is ever a vivid contrast between Christ and any other man. Of Him and Him only was it said, “An High Priest …, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens” (Heb. 7:26).
Jacob pictured Joseph as a fruitful bough by a fountain whose branches run over the wall. This is a picture not only of fertility but of benefience; Joseph shared with those on the other side of the wall, the benefits of his life.
Life has its highlights and shadows; Joseph experienced these in reverse order; the shadows of hatred, misunderstanding, slavery, injustice, and imprisonment crowded the early part of his life. The story of how Egypt’s prisoner became Egypt’s Prime-Minister provides delightful reading.