Month: November 2024

 

Deu 33:22  And of Dan he said, “Dan is a lion’s cub that leaps from Bashan.”

This may not be a complimentary phrase. History records that Dan was a troublesome tribe. They were the tribe to introduce idolatry into Israel (Judges 18:30); Jeroboam set up one of his idolatrous golden calves in Dan (1 Kings 12:26-30), and later Dan became a center of idol worship in Israel (Amos 8:14). Indeed, Jacob said of Dan in Genesis 49:17, Dan shall be a serpent by the way. (Guzik)

Dan is a lion’s whelp; or like one for boldness, strength, and courage; and was verified in Samson, who was of this tribe; who, when a young lion roared against him, the Spirit of the Lord came on him, and he tore it to pieces, Judges 14:5, (Gill)

Jacob compared Dan to a serpent that suddenly springs forth by the way, and bites the heels of a horse so that the rider falls backward. Moses here compares the tribe to a young lion that suddenly leaps from its lair in Bashan on the object of its attack. Both similitudes relate to the vigor and force which the tribe should display in conflict. (Unknown)

Deu 33:23  And of Naphtali he said, “O Naphtali, sated with favor, and full of the blessing of the LORD, possess the lake and the south.”

The tribe of Naphtali was indeed satisfied with favor. Naphtali’s land was in a key portion near the Sea of Galilee, the region where Jesus did much of His teaching and ministry. Since the ministry of Jesus was based in the tribal lands of Naphtali, his blessing was indeed full. (Guzik)

 “Scarcely any of the tribes was more particularly favoured by the wondrous mercy and kindness of God, than Naphtali and the tribe of Zebulun. The light of the glorious Gospel of Christ shone brightly here, Matthew 4:13, 15, 16. Christ’s chief residence was at Capernaum in this tribe, Matthew 9:1; Mark 2:1; and this city, through Christ’s constant residence, and the mighty miracles he wrought in it, is represented as being exalted unto heaven.” (Clarke)

That only is the favour that satisfies the soul. They are happy indeed that have the favour of God; and they shall have it that place their satisfaction in it. And full with the blessing of the Lord — Not only with corn, wine, and oil, the fruit of the blessing, but with the blessing itself, the grace of God, according to his promise and covenant. (Benson)

O Naphtali, satisfied with favour; with the favour of men, which to have is a great blessing; and as he gave goodly words to others, he had the good word of others, Genesis 49:21; and with the favour of God, as the next clause shows; which is the greatest blessing of all, and is special and peculiar, free and sovereign, and the source of all blessings, temporal and spiritual; and to be full of this, and satisfied of an interest in it, is the highest of enjoyments; and nothing is of a more satisfying nature, it is a feast of itself. The blessing of the Lord; as such must needs be who are full of and satisfied with the your, good will, and love of God; for they are filled with all spiritual blessings, with all the blessings of grace, which spring from his free favour, as pardon of sin, a justifying righteousness, adoption, sanctifying grace, a right and title to eternal life. (Gill)

In Jacob’s blessing, Naphtali appears invested with the attributes of freedom, gracefulness, and graciousness; here Moses assures that tribe of the Divine grace and blessing, and promises to it prosperity, joyfulness, satisfaction, and pleasure. (Unknow)

 

Deu 33:20-21  And of Gad he said, “Blessed be he who enlarges Gad! Gad crouches like a lion; he tears off arm and scalp. He chose the best of the land for himself, for there a commander’s portion was reserved; and he came with the heads of the people, with Israel he executed the justice of the LORD, and his judgments for Israel.”

The lion-like character of the tribe of Gad was shown by the fact that Gad furnished many fine troops for David. Gad held the central area of land among the Israelite tribes on the eastern side of the Jordan. (Guzik)

“Gad’s area was by far the largest and best, conforming well to its description as ‘the leader’s portion.’” (Merrill)

Teareth the arm with the crown of the head, i.e. utterly destroys his enemies; both the head, the seat of the crown, their dignity and principality, and the arm, the subject of strength and instrument of action; both chief princes, and their instruments and subjects. (Poole)

He dwelleth as a lion; bold and courageous, secure, and without fear of any of his enemies, though near him, on his borders, as the Moabites and Ammonites were; of the same spirit and temper were the men of the tribe of Gad in the times of David

The Gadites had promised this to Moses and the heads of the people; and this promise Moses regarded as an accomplished act, and praised in these words with prophetic foresight as having been already performed, and that not merely as one single manifestation of their obedience towards the word of the Lord, but rather as a pledge that Gad would always manifest the same disposition. (Keil)

I like how Keil said it above. Could you imagine if our lives were lived for Christ in like manner? “As if already performed”, “always manifest the same disposition”. The commitment so deep and strong, the desire to always perform, and the intentional choice ever before them should be more than fitting for us. The problem with being consumed by the busyness of life is that it draws away from our commitment to Jesus Christ. We allow shallow commitment through neglect of God’s Word, desire to study it, and certainly knowing how to apply it. 

When being “lukewarm” is considered being “hot” there is a falling away. Confusion, worry, hate, fear, stagnation, division, darkness, boastfulness, arrogance, pride, greediness, self-worth, self-reliance, jealousy, and loneliness are close companions. 

If you’re inclined to know, it is very easy to know if you’re “lukewarm”. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you discernment in this. You will be amazed at how much of our lives are being consumed with the busyness of life that yields being lukewarm.

 

 

Deu 33:18-19  And of Zebulun he said, “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out, and Issachar, in your tents. They shall call peoples to their mountain; there they offer right sacrifices; for they draw from the abundance of the seas and the hidden treasures of the sand.”

Both the tribes of Zebulun and Issachar were in the Galilee region and were blessed to take advantage of the Sea of Galilee. (Guzik)

 “That is, as Zebulun should be prosperous in his shipping and traffic, so should Issachar be in his tents—his agriculture and pasturage.” (Clarke)

The providence of God appoints men’s habitations, and wisely disposes men to different employments for the public good. (Henry)

Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out; in their going out to sea, to merchandise, to traffic in foreign parts, it being a maritime tribe, see Genesis 49:13; and so are called upon to rejoice and be thankful for their safe preservation on the seas, and success in trade. Issachar, in thy tents; being a tribe that stayed at home, and attended to husbandry, and dwelt in tents, to take care of and feed their cattle; in doing which they should be prosperous, and have occasion to rejoice, and be thankful to the Lord. (Gill)

I like how Henry put it; “The providence of God appoints men’s habitations, and wisely disposes men to different employments for the public good.”

Likewise, we have been blessed by God through Jesus Christ for public good, but more importantly, in this public good, there should be seen in our lives Honor and Glory to the blessing giver at all times.

 

Deu 33:13-17  And of Joseph he said, “Blessed by the LORD be his land, with the choicest gifts of heaven above, and of the deep that crouches beneath, with the choicest fruits of the sun and the rich yield of the months,  with the finest produce of the ancient mountains and the abundance of the everlasting hills, with the best gifts of the earth and its fullness and the favor of him who dwells in the bush. May these rest on the head of Joseph, on the pate of him who is prince among his brothers. A firstborn bull—he has majesty, and his horns are the horns of a wild ox; with them he shall gore the peoples, all of them, to the ends of the earth; they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.”

The two tribes that came from Joseph – Ephraim and Manasseh – were indeed blessed numerically and with land in Israel. The descendants of this one son among twelve sons of Jacob were far more numerous than all the other tribes. (Guzik)

His portion shall be excellent, and endowed with choice blessings from God, as it here follows. For the precious things of heaven, i.e. the precious fruits of the earth brought forth by the influences of heaven, the warmth of the sun, and the rain which God will send from heaven. (Poole)

For the precious things of heaven; that is, the pleasant, precious, and excellent fruits, reproduced by the influence of the heavens, particularly showers of rain which descend from thence; emblems of the grace of God, and Gospel of Christ, which bring spiritual blessings to the sons of men on earth, and make them fruitful in every good word and work. (Gill)

Can we ever expect blessings from God if we walk the ways of the world and its deceiving pleasures and what it deems as important for satisfaction and purpose in life? We do well to think on things above and how we might give glory and honor to Jesus Christ in all of our thoughts, words, and actions.

 

Deu 33:1  This is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the people of Israel before his death.

Deu 33:6  “Let Reuben live, and not die, but let his men be few.”

This tepid blessing was consistent with Jacob’s prophecy concerning the tribe of Reuben (you shall not excel, Genesis 49:4). The tribe of Reuben never did excel. As far as is known, there never came a prophet, a judge, or a king from the tribe of Reuben. (Guzik)

Deu 33:7  And this he said of Judah: “Hear, O LORD, the voice of Judah, and bring him in to his people. With your hands contend for him, and be a help against his adversaries.”

Moses prayed for the blessing and sustaining of the tribe of Judah, so that it would fulfill its prophetic destiny to bring the Messiah. Moses knew this destiny for the tribe of Judah from Jacob’s prophecy in Genesis 49:10: The scepter shall not depart from Judah. (Guzik)

Deu 33:8  And of Levi he said……

Deu 33:11  Bless, O LORD, his substance, and accept the work of his hands; crush the loins of his adversaries, of those who hate him, that they rise not again.”

Because of their obedience and loyalty to God, Levi had a blessed place among the tribes of Israel. Moses prayed that the substance of Levi would be blessed and that their enemies would be defeated. (Guzik)

“The blessing of God to the tribe of Levi was peculiarly necessary, because they had no inheritance among the children of Israel, and lived more immediately than others upon the providence of God.” (Clarke)

In the golden calf incident, “Moses had asked ‘whoever is for the Lord’ (Exodus 32:26) to come forward and punish the Israelite idolaters even to the extent of ‘brother and friend and neighbor’ (Deuteronomy 33:27). Levi volunteered and proceeded to slay their own ‘sons and brothers’ (Deuteronomy 33:29).” (Merrill)

Deu 33:12  Of Benjamin he said, “The beloved of the LORD dwells in safety. The High God surrounds him all day long, and dwells between his shoulders.”

The tribe of Benjamin had their inheritance close to mount Zion. To be situated near the ordinances, is a precious gift from the Lord, a privilege not to be exchanged for any worldly advantage, or indulgence. We should thankfully receive the earthly blessings sent to us, through the successive seasons. But those good gifts which come down from the Father of lights, through the rising of the Sun of righteousness, and the pouring out of his Spirit like the rain which makes fruitful, are infinitely more precious, as the tokens of his special love. (Henry)