📅 June 4, 2025

📖 DAILY BIBLE READING

✨ Genesis 49 – Blessed with Open Eyes – Jacob’s Final View

🌍 God’s Plans Through Imperfect People – And What That Means for You

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📜 Bible Text – Genesis 49 (KJV)

¹ And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.

² Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.

³ Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:

⁴ Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.

⁵ Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.

⁶ O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.

⁷ Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.

⁸ Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.

⁹ Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?

¹⁰ The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

¹¹ Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:

¹² His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.

¹³ Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon.

¹⁴ Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens:

¹⁵ And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute.

¹⁶ Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.

¹⁷ Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.

¹⁸ I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord.

¹⁹ Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last.

²⁰ Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.

²¹ Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words.

²² Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:

²³ The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:

²⁴ But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)

²⁵ Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:

²⁶ The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.

²⁷ Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.

²⁸ All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them.

²⁹ And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto 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 with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace.

³¹ There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.

³² The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth.

³³ And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.

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🔵 Introduction

What would you say if you knew your last words would be remembered – as a legacy, as a prophecy, as a blessing?

In Genesis 49, Jacob stands at the end of his life. He calls his twelve sons together, looks back – but more importantly, he looks ahead. What follows is not just a farewell speech: it’s a spiritual mirror and a prophetic vision for the future of Israel’s tribes.

What’s striking is the honesty. Jacob hides nothing. And yet, within everything he says lies hope – because God works through brokenness.

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🟡 Commentary

1. Verses 1–2: A Prophetic Framework

Jacob opens with a bold declaration: “I will tell you what shall happen to you in days to come.”
He speaks as a prophet. Jacob sees beyond the moment. What follows is not just a personal blessing, but a divine revelation of Israel’s destiny.

2. Verses 3–7: Sin Is Not Hidden (Reuben, Simeon, Levi)

• Reuben (vv. 3–4): As the firstborn, he should have held honor and leadership. But his moral failure (sleeping with his father’s concubine) disqualified him. Jacob speaks the truth: “You shall not excel.”

• Simeon and Levi (vv. 5–7): Marked by violence and uncontrolled anger (see Genesis 34 – the massacre at Shechem). Jacob declares they will be scattered in Israel – which later becomes true (Levi in priestly cities, Simeon absorbed into Judah).

👉 Lesson: Sin has consequences, even for future generations. But God still weaves His plan through broken stories (e.g., Levi becomes the priestly tribe).

3. Verses 8–12: The Promise Through Judah

Judah receives a special prophecy:

• Rulership: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah…” (v.10)

• Messianic Promise: “…until Shiloh comes” – a reference to the coming Messiah.

• Rich imagery: Wine, prosperity, royal authority.

👉 Lesson: Despite his past (Judah sinned with Tamar), God chose him as the line of the Messiah. Grace triumphs over shame.

4. Verses 13–27: Diverse Portraits of the Tribes

Each son receives a unique description:

• Zebulun (v.13): Maritime expansion.

• Issachar (vv.14–15): Hardworking, but burdened.

• Dan (vv.16–18): Cunning like a serpent (later seen in Samson).

• Gad, Asher, Naphtali: Brave, fruitful, eloquent.

• Joseph (vv.22–26): Highlighted as fruitful despite persecution; strong through God.

• Benjamin (v.27): Fierce warrior, devours prey.

👉 Observation: God’s plan takes into account individual character, strength, and calling. Not a “one-size-fits-all” blessing – but a tailor-made destiny for each.

5. Verses 28–33: Farewell and Promise

Jacob ends with intentionality and faith. He reminds his sons of the promise of Canaan, the Promised Land. His final wish: to be buried with Abraham, Isaac, and Leah – a declaration of faith in God’s covenant.

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🟢 Summary

Jacob’s final blessing is honest, prophetic, and deeply spiritual. He doesn’t ignore sin – but he emphasizes God’s sovereign hand. Each son is seen individually, yet all are part of God’s redemptive plan.

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🔴 Message for Today

1. God knows your real character – and still blesses you.
   Just as Jacob looked at his sons with both truth and hope, God sees you – all of you – and doesn’t turn away.

2. Your past doesn’t define your future.
   Judah failed – yet became the ancestor of Jesus. Grace is stronger than your mistakes.

3. You are part of something greater.
   Every tribe had a purpose. So do you – even if you don’t fully see it yet.

4. Build your life on promise, not just inheritance.
   Jacob died in faith, looking toward what God would still do. Live today in expectation of God’s future through you.

~~~~~ 📚 ~~~~~

📆 June 1 – 7, 2025

📆 WEEKLY SPIRIT OF PROPHECY READING

📖 Ellen G. White │ Patriarchs and Prophets – Chapter 8

✨ After the Flood

📖 Read online here

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🔵 Introduction

The flood was over. The waters receded, and the ark came to rest. But life after the flood was not simply a continuation—it was a complete new beginning. In Chapter 8 of Patriarchs and Prophets, we read how God not only saves but also leads, protects, and grants new promises. Noah, the faithful preacher of righteousness, stands as a shining example of obedience, gratitude, and trust—even in times of deep uncertainty. The world that awaited him was no longer the same—but God had not changed: faithful, powerful, and full of grace.

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🟡 Commentary

1. Faith in the Test (The Months in the Ark)

The five months spent in the ark were a hard trial of patience. Without knowing when the waters would recede, Noah remained steadfast. He did not doubt God’s leading. Faith carried him and his family through the darkness.
Lesson: True trust is shown in the silence of waiting. God’s hand guides even when we cannot see it.

2. The Ordered Return (The Birds and Patience)

Noah sent out the raven and the dove in search of a sign. But he did not act impatiently—he left the ark only when God explicitly commanded him.
Lesson: Even when we see signs, our decisions must be guided by God’s word, not by circumstances alone.

3. The First Altar (Gratitude and Sacrifice)

Before he built a home for himself, Noah built an altar for God. He offered clean animals—an expression of his faith in the coming sacrifice of Christ.
Lesson: True gratitude first honors the One who gave everything—even when our own resources are scarce.

4. God’s Response: The New Covenant

God smelled the “pleasing aroma” of the sacrifice and declared a new covenant: there would be no more global flood. The rainbow became the sign of this covenant.
Lesson: God uses visible signs to assure us of His invisible faithfulness. His promises are for all generations.

5. A Changed Earth, A Changed Lifestyle

The earth was completely altered—landscape and ecosystem. God permitted the eating of meat as an adaptation to the new reality.
Lesson: God’s care and instructions adapt to human situations, but His moral will remains unchanged.

6. Hidden Treasures and Judgment

The flood buried not only bodies but also human pride, wealth, and idolatry. From this came coal, oil, and ore—evidence of God’s judgment but also of His mercy.
Lesson: What man abused, God transformed into a testimony of His power and justice.

7. Future Judgments: Fire Instead of Water

As water once cleansed the earth, so fire will purify it at the end. Volcanoes, earthquakes, and disasters are forerunners of Christ’s return.
Lesson: God’s warnings are not meant to frighten but to call us to repentance—His grace protects His people.

8. God’s Protection for His Own

Just as Noah was safe in the ark, God’s people will be protected by His power at the end. Psalm 91 becomes a personal promise amid chaos.
Lesson: The safe place is not geographical, but spiritual—under God’s wings.

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🟢 Summary

After the flood, Noah stepped into a radically changed world. But in the midst of death and destruction, his heart remained focused on God. His obedience, gratitude, and faith make him a model for all generations. And God responded with grace, promise, and protection. The rainbow stretching across the sky and throne remains the eternal sign: God’s covenant stands. And though future judgments will come, He will preserve those who trust in Him.

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🔴 Message for Us Today

In a world again marked by uncertainty, disasters, and moral decay, God calls us to live like Noah: with faith, obedience, and gratitude. When all that we know is shaken, we can rest assured:

God’s hand is still at the helm.
His covenant still stands. The rainbow in the sky is more than a natural phenomenon—it is a testimony of His faithfulness. And just as Noah was preserved in the midst of judgment, so we too can know:

The righteous are safe—not because they are strong, but because they trust in God.

So then, let us build altars of gratitude before we build houses. Let us give before we take. Let us believe before we see.
For the Lord, your Redeemer, says:
“My kindness shall not depart from you.” (Isaiah 54:10)

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