Christ in all the scriptures Genesis 49

 Genesis chapter 49

The Judgment seat

"And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, gather together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.  Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father."

Jacob was 17 years in the land of Goshen in Egypt before he died.  He was preserved and protected under the administration of Joseph, in relative luxury.  His last days were free from trouble and anxiety, and he became a worshipper, albeit suffering bodily pain-Heb.  The time of his death drew near and he prophesied, concerning each of his sons, how they would be in the course of time.  This prediction went beyond the individual to the progeny, and the details of their character was spelt out in terms of morality and status.  Some have described this as "The judgment seat of Jacob", and there is evidence for this in the epistle of James where the characteristics of each of the twelve tribes was highlighted.

We note that James writes to the twelve tribes, and that his name, James, is the modern equivalent of the old Jacob.   The trends indicated in Genesis 49 come through clearly in the letter and is a wonderful illustration of the unity of holy scripture.   The thought links are as follows;

Reuben    Genesis 49v4  “unstable as water thou shalt not excel.”   James 1v8 “a double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”

Simeon and Levi   Genesis 49v5-7 “Cursed be their anger for it was fierce, and their wrath for it was cruel.”   James1v19-20 “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath, for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.”

Judah   Genesis 49v10 “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh come”.   James 2v8-12, now that Shiloh has come “fulfil the royal law” and “So speak ye and so do as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty”.

Zebulon  Genesis 49v13 “Zebulon shall dwell at the haven of the sea, and he shall be for a haven of ships, and his border shall be unto ZIdon”.    All this suggests trade with the outside world, trust in its commerce and bent toward it, while living in the land.   James 4v4 “Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God...”

Issachar  Genesis 49v14-15 “Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens...and bowed his shoulder to bear and became servant to tribute”.   James 4v8-10 “Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you...humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up”.

Dan   Genesis 49v17 “Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path that biteth the horses heels so that his rider shall fall backward”.    James 3v8 “...but the tongue can no man tame, it is an unruly evil full of deadly poison”.

Gad   Genesis 49v19 “A troop shall overcome him but he shall overcome at last”.    James 1v12 “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried (approved), he shall receive the crown of life....”.

Asher  Genesis 49v20 “Out of Asher his bread shall be fat and he shall yield royal dainties”.   James  3v17 “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peacable, gentle, easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy”......royal dainties indeed!!

Naphtali  Genesis 49v21 “Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words”.   James 3v2 “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man able also to bridle the whole body”.   Also James 5v19 good words of restoration “Brethren if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him, let him know that he which converteth a sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins”.

Joseph    Genesis 49v22 “Joseph is a fruitful bough whose branches run over the wall....”.   Many links to Joseph but James 3v18 is clear “...the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.”.

Benjamin   Genesis 49v27 “Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf, in the morning he shall devour the prey and in the evening he shall divide the spoil”.  James 4v1-2 “From whence cometh wars and fightings among you...ye lust...ye kill...ye desire to have...ye fight and war”.

James works these O/T predictions into his teaching with a heart of compassion, willing his beloved people to avoid the pitfalls and imbibe the positives of the life of faith.   He wants his people like Jacob of old to be transformed to “Israel”; for the man of the flesh to become the man of God.   Truly evidence of the living word of God...prophecy spoken thousands of years before made practical in the church of the new age!

This is a sharp reminder that all of us will appear before the judgment seat of Christ. The issue of penal judgment has forever been settled, but the traits of character have to be assessed and adjusted, and, indeed, rewarded.  Many, many are the faults of God's people that need to be exposed and remedied.  The One who will assess us is the Son of God, to whom the Father has committed all judgment.  The ultimate issue is blessing, but these are written so that we may alter our ways, for we are bound for glory, and the shame of earth must be put away.  How wonderful that these principles are embedded in the history of the Old Testament.