The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Genesis 49:1-8, “Then Jacob summoned his sons and said, ‘Assemble yourselves that I may tell you what will befall you in the days to come.
2 “Gather together and hear, O sons of Jacob; and listen to Israel your father.
3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn; my might and the beginning of my strength, preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.
4 “Uncontrolled as water, you shall not have preeminence, because you went up to your father’s bed; then you defiled it– he went up to my couch.
5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers; their swords are implements of violence.
6 “Let my soul not enter into their council; let not my glory be united with their assembly; because in their anger they slew men, and in their self-will they lamed oxen.
7 “Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; and their wrath, for it is cruel. I will disperse them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.
8 “Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down to you.”

Taken from the Scriptures of Genesis, we might well believe that there was excitement among the sons of Jacob as he assembled them for a most notable father-son talk. How many of us can relate to such an assembly. “What’s it all about?” one son would say to another. “Oh, our father is going to tell us what is going to take place in the days ahead,” the other would reply. In the end, Jacob’s words would not be received acceptably – at least, not as acceptably as they all would have anticipated.

The words of Jacob would surely have at first excited Reuben, as he was the eldest. But then, it was openly revealed that Reuben’s sin with his father’s wife had without question eliminated his right to be the family leader at the time of Jacob’s demise. (Strangely enough, those “enjoyable” sins are often the most costly!)

Simeon and Levi were doubtlessly fine warriors. We can only imagine that their pride exceeded their ability with their swords because they were known for their violence. Furthermore, they were angry and thoughtlessly slew men and lamed oxen, resulting in their useless endeavor to pull heavy loads.

By the grace of Almighty God, we can avoid these senseless slaughters and become invaluable to the work of the LORD. We ought never to follow the ways of prideful, thoughtless men. “Cursed be their anger,” the Scriptures say, as they cover us as well as the cruelty of Simeon and Levi.

Judah, the last-mentioned son of Jacob, was praised! Jacob’s words so regarded Judah. He was without a doubt, Jacob’s choicest son! The scepter, indentifying rulership, was resident in Judah hands; and it would remain their “until Shiloh comes.”

How does our LORD Jesus Christ rate us? Yes, He redeemed us, and He put responsibilites in our hands. How are we doing? Are we truly like Judah? Or are we too often like Simeon and Levi? We all (this writer included!) need to evaluate our standing day-by-day.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom