Jacob's Blessings — Prophetic Words That Changed History

This Portion Was Popular for a Reason

The Torah portion of Vayechi was very popular and powerful in the intertestamental period — that is the period between the time of Ezra and Nehemiah and the establishment of the royal house of Herod. The reason that this Torah reading was so popular and important is because Jews from the 3rd Century B.C. started to think that the blessings that Jacob gave his sons is prophetic and it has to do with the far future or the Messianic Period of the last days.

There are important books written during that period called "intertestamental," books that are based on Jacob's blessings to his sons. The major one that has some important "messianic" elements is the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs. A quotation from the Testament of Gad 6:10 is found in Romans 12:19:

A quotation from the Testament of Benjamin 4:3 is found in Romans 12:21:

A quotation from the Testament of Naphtali 3:1 is found in Ephesians 5:6:

This does not mean that the New Testament writers or the Holy Spirit is implying that this Pseudepigraphic Hellenistic Jewish literature is inspired, but, like Paul in Acts 17 used a quotation from a Greek poet, he also used literature that was very popular in his days among Pharisaic rabbis.

Jacob's Blessings as Messianic Prophecy

Jacob called his sons and said,

Here is the commentary of Ramban — one of the greatest rabbis who lived in Spain, and later Egypt, in the 14th Century A.D.:

The prophecy of Judah is one that is rather obscure, but it is interesting how rabbinical commentators stay with the tradition that there is a messianic promise and prediction in these words of Jacob that affirm that the Messiah will come from the tribe of Judah. The connection of Yeshua the Messiah with the tribe of Judah and the house of David is clearly confirmed in the first chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, made clear in the very first verse:

It is good for us to know that this revelation is in concert and based on this text of Genesis as the rabbis of the days of Yeshua saw it from their point of view.

The Importance of Blessing Your Children

The prophetic blessings in this Torah portion that Jacob gives his sons from his deathbed are very interesting and important. Each of the blessings was fulfilled. This shows how important the blessing of your family is, and especially the blessings of a father to his children.

The blessing of a father is much more than the physical "things" that you give your children. Giving your children physical things, gifts and toys, nice clothing and beautiful things, are all nice. But things are going to be lost, broken, and forgotten. But your putting your hands on the heads of your children and speaking blessing on them and their lives is so much more important and powerful than buying your children "things." As a father and a mother, you should look for every opportunity to verbally bless your children. It is so important not only to discipline your children, but also to bless them and recognize not only their mistakes but also their achievements. Even when your children fail and make mistakes it is important to bless and encourage them.

In the case of Simeon and Levi, Jacob does not really bless these two brothers. He actually curses them. His "blessing" was fulfilled many years later. The tribe of Levi did not receive a territory in the land of Canaan, and was actually spread throughout the tribes of Israel. The tribe of Simeon was given a territory deep in the Negev desert, and could not survive there, and actually disappeared from history rather early.

I have said many times how important it is for fathers to bless their children. My father never blessed me. He loved me and was generous with gifts, but he also cursed me very often. I am glad that none of my father's curses were fulfilled, and the reason for this is that I have changed my life. I became a disciple of Yeshua, and died with Yeshua in the waters of baptism, and was resurrected to a new life when I came out of the water and became a servant of God, a New Man, a New Creature. Not the same Joseph that went into the water, but a new Joseph born not only of the flesh, but also of the Spirit of God.

The New Testament Is Not a Standalone Book

There are endless treasures in the word of God from Genesis to Revelation. By diminishing the importance of the Torah and the "Old Testament" and for the most part ignoring it, our Christian brothers are cutting off the very branch that they are sitting upon. It is tragic, but more than that, it needs to be fixed and understood that the New Testament is not a standalone book. It is a continuation of the same narrative and revelation of the Holy Spirit that starts in Genesis and ends in the book of John's Revelation.

I can't emphasize enough that everyone ought to read the Bible every day. Not all the day long, just 15-20 minutes of reading the Bible. Today you don't even have to take with you a heavy book, you can just use your smartphone and read the Bible while you are riding the subway or train, and spend your time wisely.

So let us hold fast to the whole counsel of God—from Genesis to Revelation—living as those who carry the blessing forward, rooted in the promises of the fathers and fulfilled in Yeshua the Messiah.