Year of the Bible: Part Four of Twelve Sample

Moses Blesses the Tribes of Israel Before His Departure.

The blessing given in this passage was like a "last will and testament" before Moses died, and he blessed the tribes just as Jacob had done. The Baker Illustrated Bible tells us that these deathbed blessings played a vital role in the ancient Near East cultures and were valid in a court of law even though they were given orally and often were in a poetic form.

There are no warnings of curses, only blessings, and a very optimistic tone, assuming that the people would always love and honor God as He had commanded them. He names all the tribes and blesses them specifically, except Simeon, who seems to have assimilated into Judah.

Moses blessed Joseph, even though the realization of the blessing would be given to both his sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. In his commentary, Tony Evans tells us that Joseph was the most blessed of all of Jacob's sons and was a foreshadow of Jesus in that he was the redeemer of his family in the famine that would have ended in their deaths.

God's heart is displayed in these blessings because He promised such great things. Greatness and blessing are His ultimate desire for His people, and He pours out promises through His man Moses. On a fun side note, this instance is the first time Moses is called a "man of God."

Question: What are some promises in God's word that you want to have faith to believe?

Prayer Focus: Ask God to give you faith to believe what He has said and the courage to ask for things He has promised.