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NOTES
The Introduction
The promise of Messiah progressively unfolds throughout the Old
Testament. Messiah became the proper name associated with the promised
Anointed One of Yahweh Who would come to deliver, redeem, and restore Israel. Since
the fall of Adam and Eve into sin, God has kept the hope of His people alive
through the promise of Messiah. The Hebrew term Mashiach (מָשִׁ֖יחַ) literally translates Anointed One.
The Greek equivalent of Mashiach/Messiah appearing in the New
Testament is Christos (χριστός).
Each time the word Christ appears in the New Testament, it is a
reference to the office of Jesus as the Messiah.
In the study of Messiah in the Books of Moses, six Old
Testament prophetic predictions will be explored: The Edenic Prediction
(Gen. 3:15); The Noahic Prediction (Gen 9:25-27); The Abrahamic
Prediction (Gen 12:1-3); The Judaic Prediction (Gen 49:8-12);
The Balaamic Prediction (Num 24:15-19); and, The Mosaic
Prediction (Deut 18:15, 18). Each prophecy will be studied within its
historical context and in light of its fulfillment in the Person and work of
Messiah Jesus as recorded in the New Testament.
After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples, opening
their minds to understand all that was written concerning Himself in all the
Scriptures. “Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained
to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures” (Luke 24:27). A
study of Luke 24 introduces Messiah in the Books of Moses, establishing the
primary importance of studying messianic prophecy in the Old Testament. This
study focuses on the first six predictions of Messiah in the Pentateuch.
Genesis 3 – The Edenic Prediction (Gen 3:15): Humanity of
Messiah
Genesis 3 records the fall of Adam and Eve into sin. Before casting the man and the woman from the garden of Eden, God gives the woman a promise that includes the first predictive prophecy of Messiah in the Bible. Genesis 3:15 has commonly been called the protoevangelium (“the first gospel”) because it is the first prophecy in the Bible, revealing the promise of a future Redeemer Who will crush the head of Satan.
Genesis 3 records the fall of Adam and Eve into sin. Before casting the man and the woman from the garden of Eden, God gives the woman a promise that includes the first predictive prophecy of Messiah in the Bible. Genesis 3:15 has commonly been called the protoevangelium (“the first gospel”) because it is the first prophecy in the Bible, revealing the promise of a future Redeemer Who will crush the head of Satan.
Genesis 3:15 is the “mother prophecy” that launches the promise of
redemption for fallen humanity through the Messiah Who is the “seed/offspring”
of the woman. The Edenic Prediction establishes the humanity of Messiah, the
promised “seed/offspring” Who becomes the central figure of God’s unfolding
kingdom plan.
Genesis 9 – The Noahic Prediction (Gen 9:25–27): Divinity of
Messiah
Based on the genealogies in Genesis 5, at least 1500 years pass
between creation and the great flood in the days of Noah. With the assumption
that the seven days of creation took place around 6000 BC, some biblical
scholars tentatively propose, and evidence supports, 3800 BC as the estimated
time of the flood.
In the millenniums that follow the entrance of sin into the world
through Adam and Eve, wickedness multiplies exponentially until the whole earth
becomes corrupt in God’s eyes. “God looked on the earth, and behold, it was
corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth” (Gen 6:12).
Genesis 6–9 records God’s execution of judgment on the earth by a flood that
destroys all living things except for Noah, his three sons, Shem, Ham, and
Japheth, their wives, and the animals God preserved on the ark.
When Noah and his household disembark after the flood waters
receded, God blesses them and commands them to “be fruitful and multiply and
fill the earth” (Gen 9:1). Genesis 9 records the sin of Ham, Noah’s son,
against his father, resulting in the blessing of Shem and Japheth, and in the
cursing of Canaan, the son of Ham. Within this prophetic passage of blessing
and cursing, the second prediction of Messiah occurs in Genesis 9:25-27,
predicting God’s dwelling in the tents of Shem.
As Genesis 3:15 establishes the humanity of Messiah, Genesis
9:25-27 establishes the divinity of Messiah. The human and divine converge for
the first time in the advent of Messiah Jesus, the unique God-Man, the Word of
God Who became flesh and made His dwelling among humanity (cf John 1:1-18).
Genesis 12 – The Abrahamic Prediction (Gen 12:1-3): Seed of
Blessing
From among the Shemitic or Semitic people, who are descendants
of Noah’s son Shem with whom God had promised to dwell (Gen 9:27), Yahweh selects
a single man, Abram, from whom Messiah would descend. Yahweh calls Abram to
depart from his native country and to go to a land that Yahweh would show him. Abram
then goes out of Ur with his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot to go to the land of
Canaan.
When Yahweh calls Abram to the land of Canaan, He enters into an
everlasting, unconditional covenant that initially included seven promises (Gen
12:2-3): (1) “I will make you a great nation” (2) “I will bless you” (3) “make
your name great” (4) “you shall be a blessing” (5) “I will bless those who
bless you” (6) “the one who curses you I will curse” (7) “in you all the families
of the earth will be blessed.” After Abram’s arrival in the land of Canaan,
Yahweh changes Abram’s name to Abraham, and He covenants an eighth everlasting
promise: (8) “I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of
your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I
will be their God” (Gen 17:8).
The Abrahamic Prediction of Messiah occurs in one of the
initial seven promises of the Abrahamic Covenant. Genesis 12:3, “And in you all
the families of the earth will be blessed.” The pronoun “you” is a
singular masculine pronoun that refers to Abraham, representative of his collective
offspring through Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the covenant, who carried the Seed
in whom all families of the earth would be blessed.
The apostle Paul explains, “The Scripture, foreseeing that God
would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham,
saying, ‘All the nations will be blessed in You’” (Gal 3:8). The loins of
Abraham carried the human seed of the divine Messiah through Whom salvation comes
to bless all nations.
Genesis 49 – The Judaic Prediction (Gen 49:8-12): Messiah of
Tribe of Judah
Yahweh establishes His covenant with Abraham that includes eight
promises of blessing to Abraham and his descendants, including the promise of
Messiah in his seed through whom all nations would be blessed. Yahweh then
promises to give a son to Abraham and to barren Sarah in their old age. Abraham
questions Yahweh about bearing a child in their old age and proposes that He
bless Ishmael instead. “But God said, ‘No, but Sarah your wife will bear you a
son, and you shall call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with
him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him” (Gen 17:19-20).
When Abraham was 100 years old (ca. 2065 BC), Isaac was born and
established as the heir of Yahweh’s covenant. Isaac and his barren wife Rebekah
bear twin boys. Before their birth (ca. 2005 BC), Yahweh tells Rebekah that her
older son (Esau) will serve the younger son (Jacob). Esau later sells his
birthright to Jacob for a bowl of soup, and Jacob tricks his father to bless
him in place of Esau. Yahweh establishes His covenant with Jacob as heir of His
promises to Abraham. Jacob’s name is changed to Israel (Gen 32:28).
Jacob/Israel bears twelve sons with his wives Leah and Rachel and
their concubines Zilpah and Bilhah. The names of Jacob’s twelve sons are – (of
Leah): Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun; (of Rachel): Joseph
and Benjamin; (of Bilhah, Rachel’s maid): Dan and Naphtali; and (of Zilpah, Leah’s
maid): Gad and Asher. Before his death, Jacob/Israel gathers his twelve sons to
tell them “what will befall you in the days to come” (Gen 49:1). Jacob/Israel
speaks a prophetic message to each of his twelve sons.
Each son would become a tribe, and the twelve tribes become the
nation of Israel, the nation which God first covenanted with Abraham to make
great (Gen 12:2). Israel is the nation created to carry the human seed of
Messiah. In Genesis 49, Jacob prophetically reveals the kingdom destiny of each
tribe. The royal tribe chosen by God to carry the seed of Messiah is Judah (Gen
49:8-12). Judah is granted the right to rule over Israel as kings until the
coming of Messiah, the One to Whom the kingdom of God belongs forever.
STUDY QUESTIONS
1.
Why does Jacob summon his sons to assemble? When would Jacob’s
words befall them? (49:1-2)
2.
How does Jacob describe his firstborn son Reuben? Why will Reuben
NOT become preeminent in dignity and in power? (49:3-4)
3.
Which two brothers receive
the same prophetic destiny? What are their swords? (49:5) Why would Jacob’s
soul not enter into their council nor his glory be united with their assembly?
(49:6) Why is their anger and wrath cursed? What would happen to their
descendants? (49:7)
4.
(P) Prophecy: (Judaic Prediction – Gen 49:8-12)
Who will praise Judah? Upon whose neck will his hand be? Who will bow down to Judah? (49:8) How does Judah move like a lion’s whelp? How is Judah like a lion? (49:9)
(OB) What does this reveal about Messiah Jesus Who descended from the tribe of Judah? (Try to use verses outside of this passage to show how this is realized in the Person/work of Jesus.)
Who will praise Judah? Upon whose neck will his hand be? Who will bow down to Judah? (49:8) How does Judah move like a lion’s whelp? How is Judah like a lion? (49:9)
(OB) What does this reveal about Messiah Jesus Who descended from the tribe of Judah? (Try to use verses outside of this passage to show how this is realized in the Person/work of Jesus.)
5.
(P) Prophecy: (Judaic Prediction – Gen 49:8-12)
What will not depart from Judah? What will not depart from between his feet? For how long? What will belong to Shiloh? (49:10)
(OB) What does this reveal about Messiah Jesus Who descended from the tribe of Judah? (Try to use verses outside of this passage to show how this is realized in the Person/work of Jesus.)
What will not depart from Judah? What will not depart from between his feet? For how long? What will belong to Shiloh? (49:10)
(OB) What does this reveal about Messiah Jesus Who descended from the tribe of Judah? (Try to use verses outside of this passage to show how this is realized in the Person/work of Jesus.)
6.
(P) Prophecy: (Judaic Prediction – Gen 49:8-12)
What does he tie to the vine and to the choice vine? In what does he wash his garments and robes? (49:11) Describe his eyes and teeth. (49:12)
What does he tie to the vine and to the choice vine? In what does he wash his garments and robes? (49:11) Describe his eyes and teeth. (49:12)
(OB)
What does this reveal about Messiah Jesus Who descended from the tribe of
Judah? (Try to use verses outside of this passage to show how this is realized
in the Person/work of Jesus.)
7.
Which one of Jacob’s twelve sons
will dwell at the seashore? For what will he be a haven? Toward what will his
flank be? (49:13)
8.
Which one of Jacob’s twelve sons
is likened to a strong donkey? Where does he lie down? (49:14) Why does he bow
his shoulder to bear burdens and become a slave at forced labor? (49:15)
9.
How will Dan judge his people? (49:16) How will Dan be a serpent in
the way, a horned snake in the path? What happens when he bites the horse’s
heels? (49:17) For what does Dan wait? (49:18)
10. What will happen to Gad? How will he respond?
(49:19)
11. Describe Asher’s
food. What will Asher yield? (49:20)
12. To what is
Naphtali compared? What does he give? (49:21)
13. Who is a fruitful bough by a spring? Describe
its branches. (49:22) What will the archers do? (49:23) What remains firm? Why
are his arms agile? Describe the Shepherd. (49:24) Who helps Joseph? With what
does the Almighty bless Joseph? (49:25) What do the blessings of Jacob surpass?
Upon the heads of which two brothers does Jacob say his blessings will rest? (49:26)
14. Which one of Jacob’s
twelve sons is like a ravenous wolf? Describe what he does in the morning and
in the evening. (49:27)
15. Who are all
these who Jacob blessed? According to what does Jacob bless each one? (49:28)
16. As Jacob is
about to be gathered to his people, where does he charge his sons to bury him?
Who had previously purchased this cave along with the field of Machpelah for a
burial site? (49:29-30)
17. Who else is buried in the cave that is in the
field of Machpelah? (49:31) From whom was the field and the cave purchased?
(49:32) What happens when Jacob finishes charging his sons? (49:33)
18.
What do you learn about God
in Genesis 49? What do you learn about Messiah in Gen 49:8-12? How could these
truths transform your life?
Write
a prayer response to Gen 49.
BIBLE TEXT (NASB)
Gen. 49:1 Then Jacob summoned his sons and
said, “Assemble yourselves that I may tell you what will befall you in the days
to come.
2 “Gather together and hear, O sons of
Jacob;
And
listen to Israel your father.
Gen. 49:3 “Reuben,
you are my firstborn;
My
might and the beginning of my strength,
Preeminent
in dignity and preeminent in power.
4 “Uncontrolled as water, you shall not
have preeminence,
Because
you went up to your father’s bed;
Then
you defiled it — he went up to my couch.
Gen. 49:5 “Simeon
and Levi are brothers;
Their
swords are implements of violence.
6 “Let my soul not enter into their
council;
Let
not my glory be united with their assembly;
Because
in their anger they slew men,
And in
their self-will they lamed oxen.
7 “Cursed be their anger, for it is
fierce;
And
their wrath, for it is cruel.
I will
disperse them in Jacob,
And
scatter them in Israel.
Gen. 49:8 “Judah,
your brothers shall praise you;
Your
hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;
Your
father’s sons shall bow down to you.
9 “Judah is a lion’s whelp;
From
the prey, my son, you have gone up.
He
couches, he lies down as a lion,
And as
a lion, who dares rouse him up?
10 “The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
Nor
the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
Until
Shiloh comes,
And to
him shall be the obedience of the peoples.
11 “He ties his foal to the vine,
And
his donkey’s colt to the choice vine;
He
washes his garments in wine,
And
his robes in the blood of grapes.
12 “His eyes are dull from wine,
And
his teeth white from milk.
Gen. 49:13 “Zebulun will dwell at the seashore;
And he
shall be a haven for ships,
And
his flank shall be toward Sidon.
Gen. 49:14 “Issachar is a strong donkey,
Lying
down between the sheepfolds.
15 “When he saw that a resting place was good
And
that the land was pleasant,
He
bowed his shoulder to bear burdens,
And
became a slave at forced labor.
Gen. 49:16 “Dan shall judge his people,
As one
of the tribes of Israel.
17 “Dan shall be a serpent in the way,
A
horned snake in the path,
That
bites the horse’s heels,
So
that his rider falls backward.
18 “For Your salvation I wait, O LORD.
Gen. 49:19 “As for Gad, raiders shall raid him,
But he
will raid at their heels.
Gen. 49:20 “As for Asher, his food shall be rich,
And he
will yield royal dainties.
Gen. 49:21 “Naphtali is a doe let loose,
He
gives beautiful words.
Gen. 49:22 “Joseph is a fruitful bough,
A
fruitful bough by a spring;
Its
branches run over a wall.
23 “The archers bitterly attacked him,
And
shot at him and harassed him;
24 But his bow remained firm,
And
his arms were agile,
From
the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob
(From
there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),
25 From the God of your father who helps you,
And by
the Almighty who blesses you
With
blessings of heaven above,
Blessings
of the deep that lies beneath,
Blessings
of the breasts and of the womb.
26 “The blessings of your father
Have
surpassed the blessings of my ancestors
Up to
the utmost bound of the everlasting hills;
May
they be on the head of Joseph,
And on
the crown of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers.
Gen. 49:27 “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;
In the
morning he devours the prey,
And in
the evening he divides the spoil.”
Gen. 49:28 All these are the twelve tribes
of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them. He
blessed them, every one with the blessing appropriate to him. 29 Then he
charged them and said to them, “I am about to be gathered to my people; bury me
with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 in
the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land
of Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field from Ephron the Hittite
for a burial site. 31 “There they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah, there they
buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah, and there I buried Leah — 32 the field and
the cave that is in it, purchased from the sons of Heth.” 33 When Jacob
finished charging his sons, he drew his feet into the bed and breathed his
last, and was gathered to his people.
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