Scripture Reading: Gen. 49:16-28
Ⅰ
The apostasy with Dan was the setting up of a divisive center of worship—Gen 49:16-18; Judg. 17:9-10; 18:27-31; 1 Kings 12:26-31:
A
Dan fought as a young lion to gain more land (signifying Christ), but after being successful and victorious, he became a serpent—proud, individualistic, and independent—Deut. 33:22; Josh. 19:47; Judg. 18:27-30.
B
The source of Dan's apostasy was in not caring for their brothers; not caring for the other parts of the Body is the source of apostasy, resulting in competition—v. 31.
C
Division is not only denominationalism but can also involve localism and regionalism; even in our personal experience we can be distracted from the right way in following God and actually be working for our self-interest:
１
The best way to be safeguarded from falling into apostasy is by taking care of others to care for the entire Body and the Lord's unique testimony in the Lord's one work; if Dan had consulted the other tribes, he would have been kept from apostasy—cf. 1 Cor. 12:20; 15:58; 16:10; Acts 15:1-2.
２
We can be healed from our apostasy and enjoy the Lord's boundless love by returning to the Lord, acknowledging our offense to Him to be forgiven of all our iniquity, seeking His face, and pursuing to know Him so that we may live in His presence, in resurrection—Hosea 5:13—6:3; 14:1-8.
Ⅱ
The recovery with Gad was not only his victory but also that he would not enjoy his victory by himself—Gen. 49:19; Deut. 33:20-21:
A
Gad provided the first part of the good land (the land east of the Jordan) for himself, but before enjoying his portion, he fought with his brothers to gain their portion of the land west of the Jordan—vv. 20-21; Num. 32:1-32.
B
Dan took care of himself individualistically, but Gad took care of the Body corporately; today this is to be filled with the sense of the Body to accomplish God's will to have the Body life—Rom. 12:1-21.
Ⅲ
The sufficiency of Asher typifies the enjoyment of Christ as the rich provision of life for fighting and building—Deut. 33:24-25:
A
Just as Asher was the one "dipping his foot in oil," we can "walk in oil" by enjoying the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ for our daily walk— v. 24; Gal. 5:25.
B
When we enjoy the Lord daily as our rich provision of life ("as your days are, so shall your strength be"—Deut. 33:25b), Christ is our secret of sufficiency for us to be content in any situation (Phil. 4:11-13; Psa. 23:1).
Ⅳ
The consummation with Naphtali typifies that when we experience Christ in resurrection, we become those who will take the earth by preaching Christ as the gospel of the kingdom to the whole inhabited earth—Deut. 33:23; Psa. 22:27; Matt. 28:19; Acts 1:8; Rom. 15:19; Matt. 24:14:
A
Beautiful words, rich and pleasant words, words of joy and life, come out of the experience of the resurrected Christ—Gen. 49:21; Psa. 22:22; Acts 5:20.
B
We need to be full of the resurrected Christ as God's grace and God's blessing to take the earth for the Lord in building up the Body of Christ to consummate the New Jerusalem as the eternal Naphtali—Deut. 33:23.
Ⅴ
The universal blessing of the Triune God was with Joseph as the one who was separate from his brothers in the principle of a Nazarite—Gen. 49:22-26; Num. 6:1-8, 22-27:
A
Joseph as a fruitful bough by a fountain with branches running over the wall typifies Christ as the branch (Isa. 11:1) for the branching out of God through His believers as His branches, with God as the source of their fruitfulness, to spread over every restriction and limitation (Gen. 49:22; Phil. 1:20; Acts 4:31).
B
As the one universally blessed by his father, Joseph typifies Christ, the appointed Heir of all things, and His believers, Christ's partners, who participate in His inheritance and who are blessed by the Father with every spiritual blessing—Heb. 1:2, 9, 14; 3:14; Eph. 1:3:
１
The blessings bestowed on Joseph encompass all time, from ancient time to eternity (Gen. 49:26; Deut. 33:15), and all space, from heaven to earth, including the deep under the earth (Gen. 49:25b; Deut. 33:13-14, 16a); time and space equal the universe.
２
Joseph overcame his sufferings because he was strengthened by God, the Mighty One of Jacob and the All-sufficient One, and because he saw that everything was arranged by God to be a blessing to him—Gen. 49:24-25; 45:5; 50:20; 1 Cor. 3:21-22; Rom. 8:28; Eph. 5:20; 1 Thes. 5:18.
Ⅵ
The dwelling place of the Triune God was with Benjamin to ultimately consummate in the New Jerusalem as the mutual dwelling of God and His redeemed for eternity; this is the greatest blessing to God's people— Deut. 33:12, cf. v. 16a; Exo. 3:2-6, 14-15; Mark 12:26; Rev. 21:5:
A
Moses' blessing of Benjamin says that he will dwell securely beside Jehovah and that Jehovah will dwell between Benjamin's shoulders; Jerusalem with God's temple, God's dwelling place, was located in the territory of Benjamin— Deut. 33:12; Judg. 1:21.
B
All the blessings issue in God's dwelling; this is God's good will, the desire of His heart—cf. Heb. 11:21; Prov. 4:18; Psa. 90:1; John 15:4; 14:23; Isa. 66:1-2.