The Sons of Jacob

 

I.                   Introduction

A.     Jacob’s Wives and Concubines

1.      Leah, (Zilpah), Rachel, (Bilhah)

 

B.     Jacob’s Sons

1.      Reuben (leah), Simeon (leah), Levi (leah), Judah (leah) – Gen. 29:32-35…

a.      Judah – “This time I will praise the Lord”

 

C.     Reuben’s betrayal

1.      Gen. 35:22 – lays with Bilhah

 

D.    Simeon and Levi

1.      Gen. 34 – Dinah taken and Shechem “lay with her by force”.

a.       Jacob’s sons hear of it. - Angered

b.      Hamor – requests Dinah and Shechem be married.

c.       Jacob’s sons require all the men of Hamor’s city be circumsized.

d.      While in pain, Simeon and Levi come and kill all the men and take everything.

 

II.                Jacob’s Prophecy before he dies.

A.     Reuben – Gen. 49:3-4

  1. Will not excel or have preeminence.  Position as first born worthless

 

B.     Simeon and Levi – Gen. 49:5-7

  1. Cursed, dispersed, scattered.

 

C.     Judah – Gen. 49:8-12

  1. The one to whom all bow down
  2. The one who was named in Praise of the Lord
  3. The one from whom Christ comes

 

INTERLUDE – 430 Years in Egypt – Exodus 12:40 – Prior to Exodus

 

III.             Jacobs Sons - The History of Simeon and Levi

A.     Moses on Mount Sinai – Ex. 32:19-29

  1. Israel turns to Idol Worship
  2. All the people are given the opportunity to stand for the Lord

a.       Only Levi stands for the Lord

·        They stood as judges of the people

 

  1. Simeon stands as one who chooses the world

a. Though they still have an open door to serve God.

 

B.     The Granting of Territory –

  1. Duet. 10:5,8-9, – Levi leaving Mt. Sinai are ordained Ministers, inherit Lord - Deut. 10:5,8

a.       They are given offerings of fire to the Lord - Joshua 13:14

b.      They are also scattered among cities - Joshua 21:3-4

c.       Bleak didn’t turn out so bleak.

 

  1. Josh. 19:1-9 – Simeon does not have a bordered land, but it is scattered among a few cities.

a. Received from the Inheritance of Judah

  1. Note: Prophecy of curse of Scattering was fulfilled in both cases of Simeon and Levi

C.     The Levite Inheritance of the Lord

  1. The Levites were seperated into three categories

a.       High Priest – Ministered – Only one allowed in the Holy of Holies

b.      Priests of the Holy Place – The sons of Aaron – Ministered at the Altar of Incense

c.       Levites - cared for the service of the sanctuary.

·        Deuteronomy 33:8-11 – Served as teachers of the law.

  1. The Cursed became a beacon for the people to look to for guideance
  2. The Levites were blessed to be entrusted with duties of the Lord

a.       If they failed to do those duties, they would be punished.

·        Nadab and Abihu

·        Malachi 2:1-9

 

IV.              Sons of the Father – Parallels of Ages

A.     Old Testament Era

  1. Patriarchs, Gentiles and Hebrews – Ex. of Simeon and Levi

a.      They were cursed by sin

·        Gen. 3:3 - but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

·        Gal 3:10 -  For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.

·        Rom. 3:23 - for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;

·        Ex. Adam, Cain, Babel, Ninevah

 

b.      All receive the fruit of their deeds

·        Gal. 6:7 - Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

·        Rom. 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death,…

 

  1. Who did they Serve?

a.       The Gentiles (Simeons) served the god of the World – satan

·        They followed after their own lust… Flesh, idols, money, self pleasure

 

b.   The Hebrews (Levi’s) chose to follow God (Crossed the Red Sea)

·        This began when Abraham drew a line in sand with faithfulness to God

·        Sign of their kinship was circumcision

 

c.       All groups had an open door to serve God.

·        Rom. 2:12-16

·        Rom. 1:18-21

·        The life of the Hebrews was not in a box… It was evident to all.

 

  1. The Hebrews had Commands to Follow (As did the Levites)

a.      Ex. 19:5-6

b.      When they obeyed God, they were blessed.

c.       When they failed in their duties, they were punished as Simeon and Levi.

d.      As the Levites, They had a duty to teach…

·         Deu 6:6-9 - And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be upon thy heart; and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, and they shall be for frontlets between thine eyes.  And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thy house, and upon thy gates.

B.     New Testament Era

  1. Non-Christian and Christians – Examples of Simeon and Levi

a.       They were cursed with sin

b.      Again, both receive the fruit of their deeds

 

  1. Who do they Serve?

c.       Non-Christians (Simeon’s) serves the god of the World – satan

d.      Christians (Levi’s) choose to follow God (Baptism)

·        Sign – Circumcised hearts – Col. 2:10-12, Rom. 4:9-13 - Works, Deeds.

 

e.       Both groups have open invitation to serve God

·        Rev 22:17  - And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

 

  1. Christians Have Commands to follow (As did the Levites)

a.       When they obey God they will be blessed.

·        Heb 5:8-9 - though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation;

·         Joh 8:31-32 - Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him, If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

 

b.      When they fail in their duties, they will be punished as Simeon and Levi

·        Mat. 10:32-33 – Every one therefore who shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven.  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven.

 

c.       They have a duty to teach

·        2 Tim. 2:24, Col. 3:16

 

V.                 Reminder:

A.     As Christians, (Levites), we stand as judges to the world

  1. We are judges by our examples of repentance and Obedience.

 

  1. 1Co 6:2 - Or know ye not that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world is judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

 

  1. Luk 11:29-32 - And when the multitudes were gathering together unto him, he began to say, This generation is an evil generation: it seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of Jonah. For even as Jonah became a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and shall condemn them: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here.  The men of Nineveh shall stand up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah is here.

 

B.     Mankind is either Simeon’s or Levites.

1.      We are all cursed as they were – We reap the fruits of our deeds – Good or evil.

2.      Bad Beginnings are not a sentence of ultimate death.

 

C.     If You are a Christian, Beware to be faithful

1.      Not all Levites did and their fate will be as the rest of the disobedient.

 

D.    In the End, we all Bow down and receive our inheritance from the Man from Judah.