Value of blessings (Gen 47:28-50:26)

[Jacob Ben Avraham]

PARASHA: “VaYechi” (and he lived)            GEN 47:28-50:26

 

     In this we see Jacob (Israel) in his last days, he prepares to “go the way of all men” (As King David put it), Jacob is getting ready to die.  He prepares himself, ensures that his sons and grandsons are blessed, and knows what is ahead of them.  A father's blessing to his children is essential.

   

     Jacob/Israel was set side “Kadosh” for YHVH's special purpose.  His life was tough and challenging for 147 years, yet God promised to protect him and keep him in HIS will.  Now, toward the end of his days, he has all his children together, now grown with their own kids. It is time to bless them. 

 

     Yet, do you know the hour of your death? no one knows, and for that reason, we need to bless our children while we are alive and breathing.  The value of blessings from a father and mother is very important to the children.  

 

     Jacob includes Efraim and Manasseh as "his children" and tells them ALL about their futures.  Some are bleak, and not so nice (one reaps what one sows).  Each name of “b'nei Israel” (children of Israel) has a symbolic meaning, what do these names mean to us as “born-again believers in Yeshua HaMashiach?” well, let's see;

 

     RUEBEN (Re'eh) is “to see”, SIMEON (Sh'ma) is “to hear”, LEVI (lev=heart) is “united, joined together” Y'HUDAH (contains the most sacred name of God, YHVH) “praise”, DAN “judge”, NAPHTALI “wrestling” GAD “a troop comes”, ASHER “blessed”, ISSACHAR “wages”, ZEBULUN “dwelling with husband”, YOSEF “YHVH will add a son”, BENJAMIN “son of the right hand” MANASSEH  “forget my toil and my father's house”  (pray 4 Zion, the significance of the twelve tribes of Israel). 

 

     One interesting note in the prophecy concerning Y’hudah is the verse; “The scepter shall not depart from Y’hudah, nor a scholar from among his descendants until Shiloh arrives and his will be an assemblage of nations” 49:10

 

     Who is “Shiloh?” We can pretty much agree that it is Messiah Yeshua.  Even Rashi and Onkelos render: “until the Messiah comes to whom the kingdom belongs.” 

 

      All nations of the world will be gathered unto Messiah Yeshua/Jesus when he returns to reign 1000 years.  Even the rabbis of old concurred that "Shiloh" symbolizes the coming Messiah.  Shiloh was also the place where the Tabernacle was set up once the Israelites entered Canaan, so, it is a place as well.  Yet the prophecy says that "all nations will gather to HIM" or "to HIM will be the obedience of the nations" So, it speaks of a "Person" And that person can only be Messiah Yeshua/Jesus Christ. 

 

     There is one interesting thing about “Yosef” it is the blessing that Israel pronounces on his favorite son.  It is found in Gen 49:22;

 

    “Yosef is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall” 

 

     We wonder what this could mean.  If we take some of these words in the original Hebrew, we see the words; “Porat” which is a boy’s name in Israel, means; “fruitful” from the verb “Parah” which means “to bear fruit”     

 

     Yosef will be “porat” fruitful, because of him bringing his family to Egypt, they “multiplied” in population in four hundred years.  The family began with 70  persons, and left Egypt four hundred and some years later with perhaps two million! Now THAT is what I call being FRUITFUL (porat) The verse also says; “Ben Porat” or “son of fruitfulness” This is mentioned TWICE, before and after the name YOSEF.  Could this mean a “double portion of fruitfulness?” again, we see 70 persons become two million.  Take even the sons of Yosef; Manasseh and Efraim, they became many and it is believed that the descendants of Efraim spread out to many nations, yet Israel claims his grandsons as “his own” meaning they are part of the 12 tribes, which is “Adat Yisrael” (Community of Israel).

 

     We also must remember that "70" persons, counted were males.  children are not mentioned.  We must also remember that many widows and children were taken from Shechem when Simeon and Levi raided that city and slew the men, for the rape of Dina. Those "captives' became part of Jacob's "extended" family.  So, perhaps, there were several hundred that came down to Egypt with Jacob, besides the "70".     

 

     What were the names of the two trees in the Garden of Eden?  The Tree of Knowledge, and the Tree of Life! Is there a connection?  If we, as descendants of perhaps Efraim, who descends from Yosef, adhere to the instruction of the Torah, we will be blessed with life, and life in abundance and we will be fruitful, not so much biologically, but in bringing “spiritual fruit” bringing others close to Messiah, through witness and teaching others HIS Word.  We are then “B’nei Porat” (sons of fruitfulness) This is just an idea.  We can think on this.

 

     What do we see when we apply these meanings to our lives as “born-again believers?” We can all SEE the changed lives, and the miracles that have been done in believers' lives, and we HEAR of the faith of others who oppressive governments have challenged, we HEAR God's Word through SEEING the words in the Torah, and take them into our HEART, so that the words of Torah are JOINED TOGETHER to our lives, so that we may PRAISE the name of YHVH.  We must all look at our lives and JUDGE ourselves in light of the scriptures, are we living the way YHVH wants us to live? We must judge ourselves, lest we be judged, yet we will ALL incur JUDGEMENT at the “Judgment seat of Messiah.  Every day is a kind of “WRESTLING” match between our old nature and our renewed nature, the sinful flesh against our new “born again” selves. 

 

     We are Adonai's TROOPS, we are at war against HaSatan, and his unholy fallen angels, it is spiritual warfare, and our weapons are the WORD of God, His Holy Spirit, and HIS holy angels, and our prayers, we have been BLESSED with a new relationship with our creator and redeemer, and we will receive WAGES for our good works, (mitzvoth) in form of rewards in heaven, as “gold, silver, precious stones” 

 

     Our future hope is one day, to DWELL WITH OUR HUSBAND, who is Messiah Yeshua, who loves us as his “bride”.  Every time a lost person is “born again” a SON IS ADDED, to God's redeemed family of believers. We are sons of Adonai's RIGHT HAND, who is Messiah Yeshua, who stretched out his HANDS to receive the nails.  We can forget our TOILS, and rest from them on the Sabbath, Every Sabbath day is our time to rest from our TOILS and to be in OUR FATHER'S HOUSE.  Someday, we will have our permanent “Sabbath rest”.

 

     We must not forget that one of the blessings of Judah is the coming forth of SHILOH, who is Yeshua, who will have the ruler's scepter, who will be “king over all the earth” to him and will gather ALL nations.  Judah is the "Lion" and Yeshua/Jesus will be the "Lion of Judah" who will return to destroy his enemies and set up his Millenium kingdom of peace and righteousness.  From the "Lamb of God, who gave up his life for us all" to the "Lion of Judah, who will "fight for his people" and sit on the Throne of David forever.  Will you be part of his kingdom?  His kingdom presence is with us now.  We can all be "fruitful boughs" and share the gospel with those who have willing ears to hear and open minds to the WORD of God, and the "LIVING" Word!  

 

Shalom 

 

Jacob blesses his children