6. ISSACHAR
Jacob’s blessing for his sixth son begins in a strange way,
but we will see that it had a spiritual meaning…
(Genesis 49:14-15) Issachar is a
strong donkey, crouching between the sheepfolds. (15) He saw that a resting
place was good, and that the land was pleasant, so he bowed his shoulder to
bear, and became a servant at forced labor.
Today we think that being called donkey is an insult, but in
the old times, those animals meant a great resource. They were used for
transportation and loading, like a car or a truck is used today.
In the distribution of the land after the conquest,
Issachar’s tribe was assigned a very fertile portion, in the valley south of
the Sea of Galilee. It was a hard working and prosperous tribe, which knew how
to take their burdens, like a strong donkey.
Issachar’s tribe was always strong, and supported their
brothers when they needed it. They assisted Deborah when she asked for help
against the enemy (Judg. 5:15). They also helped David when Saul was chasing
him (1 Chr. 12:32); during that time, they also collaborated with food for the
soldiers (1 Chr. 12:40).
The most outstanding thing the sons of Issachar did is
written in the book of Chronicles.
(1 Chr. 12:32) Of Issachar,
men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, 200
chiefs, and all their kinsmen under their command.
Because of their dedication to the study of Torah, they
became experts in “understanding the times”. They knew the word, and they knew
what God asked of them.
Jesus explained what it means to understand the times.
(Mat. 16:1-4) And the
Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a
sign from heaven. (2) He answered them, “When it is evening, you say,
‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ (3) And in the morning, ‘It
will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to
interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the
times. (4) An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign
will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and
departed.
Understanding the times has nothing to do with the weather,
but with the times of God. It means that we are synchronized with God’s agenda.
This comes from a deep study of the Word of God.
In Moses’ blessing, he blessed the tribe of Issachar along
with the tribe of Zebulun…
(Deu. 33:18-19) And of Zebulun
he said, “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out, and Issachar, in your tents.
(19) 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.”
As we mentioned before, the tribe of Zebulun was very rich
because of their trade. Although they were prosperous, they knew that “money
isn’t everything”. Tradition says that Zebulun valued the spiritual things very
much, which is why they were willing to finance the Torah scholars, many of
whom were from the tribe of Issachar.
7. DAN
Many of Jacob’s blessings made reference to his sons’ names.
The blessing to Dan is one of these cases...
(Gen. 49:16-18) Dan shall judge
his people as one of the tribes of Israel. (17) Dan shall be a serpent in the
way, a viper by the path, that bites the horse’s heels so that his rider falls
backward. (18) I wait for your salvation, O LORD.
Dan literally means “judge”. Rachel gave him this name
because of what his birth meant for her.
(Gen. 30:6) Then Rachel
said, “God has judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son.”
Therefore she called his name Dan.
Dan is son to Rachel’s maid servant, whom she made into one
of Jacob’s concubines to have his sons.
Jacob also compared Dan to an animal: the serpent. This
comparison does not seem flattering, but the truth is that it can be positive
as well as negative.
Jesus said that we have to be “shrewd as serpents”:
(Mat. 10:16, NIV) I am sending
you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as
innocent as doves.
On the other hand, the Bible uses the serpent to represent
Satan.
(Rev. 12:9) And the great
dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and
Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his
angels were thrown down with him.
Throughout Israel’s history, Dan proved to be a shrewd serpent
in both ways…
One of the most famous Danites was Samson (Judges 13:1-5).
He was a Nazirite, so he had to be dedicated to God. God gave him a special
strength, and also shrewdness. With these, he was able to defeat many
Philistines. Unfortunately, he also turned away from God when he let a
Philistine woman seduce him, named Delilah, and from that came his fall.
Another group from the tribe of Dan used their cleverness
for evil… The land that was assigned to the tribe of Dan was the land which at
that time was occupied by the Philistines; however, they did not throw them
out. Those enemies had chariots for war, so out of fear the Danites chose to
look for another place to live (Judges 18:1-2, 7). They chose to go north.
There they found a hidden town that was easy to conquer, far from anything else
and had no allied towns to defend them (Judg. 18:27-28).
This event was prophesied in the blessing that Moses gave to
the tribe of Dan before entering the Promised Land…
(Deu. 33:22) And of Dan he
said, “Dan is a lion’s cub that leaps from Bashan.”
These words sounded strange because the territory that had
been given to Dan was to the south of Israel, while Bashan was to the north.
The most interesting thing about this tribe is that it is
not mentioned in Revelation among the 144,000 redeemed from all the tribes of
Israel that would be sealed to be protected during the Tribulation (Rev. 7).
There is much controversy as to the reason why the tribe of
Dan was not included in this list. Some believe it is because from that tribe
will come the antichrist, because of the reference to the snake. Others believe
that it is the consequence of having abandoned their territory and fallen in
idolatry – although other tribes did similar things. However it is, what is
worthy of mention is that the seal of Revelation does not have to do with
“eternal salvation”, but with the “protection” from the plagues that will come
in the final wrath.
The blessing that Jacob gives to Dan ends in:
(Gen. 49:18) I wait for your
salvation, O LORD.
Dan will be saved in the end… albeit through fire (1 Cor.
3:15).
But not everything is negative about the tribe of Dan.
Something positive and honorable was that an artist of the tribe of Dan was
chosen by God to build the Tabernacle, along Bezalel, from the tribe of Judah.
(Ex. 31:6-7) And behold, I
have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And
I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have
commanded you: (7) the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and
the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furnishings of the tent,
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