Message Notes

YOUTH WORSHIP SERVICE 25 February 2023

Scripture Text: Genesis 49:1-7

Message: “Listen to Israel your father” Genesis 49:2

INTRODUCTION

1. The admonition of Israel to his children

2. These were the last words of advice that were given to the sons of Israel

3. Many lessons may be learned from his word of admonition

CALLING THE SONS OF ISRAEL

And Jacob called his sons and said,
“Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days:”

Genesis 49:1

1. Historical context

a) The last formal word of admonition to the children of Israel

b) Advice from a death bed

2. Relevant word of advice

a) This has to do with the future of the sons of Israel

b) It is of “mixed significance”

c) There is some personal value

i) Father to children

ii) Words of wisdom

d) The opinion of Jacob concerning his sons

i) His opinion is not without value

ii) But his personal feelings about the sons affected him

ADMONITION GIVEN TO REUBEN, THE FIRSTBORN

“Reuben, you are my firstborn,
My might and the beginning of my strength,
The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power.

Genesis 49:3

1. The significance of the Firstborn

a) There was potential

i) Might

ii) Strength

iii) Dignity

iv) Excellence of power

b) But this potential was:

i) Negated

ii) Lost

iii) His role in leading the tribe was adversely affected

2. A word of rebuke

Unstable as water, you shall not excel,
Because you went up to your father’s bed;
Then you defiled it—
He went up to my couch.

Genesis 49:4

a) The rebuke was his defilement

b) He went up to his father’s bed

c) He cohabited with Jacob’s concubine, Bilhah Genesis 35:22

2. A word of warning

a) Reuben showed instability when he sinned in this manner

b) He will not excel

i) Because he was unstable

ii) Because this was his punishment

ADMONITION GIVEN TO SIMEON AND LEVI

5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers;
Instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place.

6 Let not my soul enter their council;
Let not my honour be united to their assembly;
For in their anger they slew a man,
And in their self-will they hamstrung an ox.

7 Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce;
And their wrath, for it is cruel!
I will divide them in Jacob
And scatter them in Israel.

Genesis 49:5-7

1. Rebuke of the two brothers

a) For their cruelty

b) For their anger

c) For their fierce wrath

i) They killed

ii) They would hamstring an ox

iii) It would suffer from being lame

2. Refusal to honour them in any way

a) Jacob would not sit in their council

b) He would not be associated with their assembly

3. Pronouncement of a curse

a) Upon their unbridled anger

b) For their sin of slaying people

THE MEANING OF THESE WORDS OF ADMONITION

1. The words of rebuke

a) They are meant to cause them to feel remorseful

b) To repent

c) To change their ways

2. The words of warning

a) To forewarn the danger with reference to the future

b) If they do not change, they would face adversity in life

c) They can end up being judged and punished by the LORD

CONCLUSION

1. The problem of sin

a) It is not just a deed

b) It may reflect character flaws

c) Sin can cause many deeper problems

2. The power of the LORD

a) This must be sought

b) For cleansing

c) For positive changes