T HE T ENTH ― T HE P ROPHETIC B LESSING O F J OSEPH
This article is the second in a series that deals with the tenth.
As stated in article #27, December 2009, The Tenth ― The Kingdom Tax [Tithe] , I
was writing on the subject of the tithe and received a revelation of a truth that I
had never seen before or read from others. Perhaps it is not new to others, but it is
new to me, and this is what led me to write this article.
Simply stated, the tenth signifies the birthright and sonship as seen through
Joseph, who is a type of the Son of God and His coming a second time to establish
His kingdom among the nations during His 1,000-year reign. Further, this tenth
ties in with Abram giving a tenth to Melchizedek, a type of Christ, which is
addressed in the next article (#29). This all has to do with sonship in the coming
kingdom of God.
Sonship.
At the outset, let us be clear that sonship is about the Father having many sons and
daughters. Paul makes it very clear to us.
(16) For you are a temple of the living God, even as God said, “I will
dwell in them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they
shall be My people.” Lev. 26:12; Ezek. 37:27 (17) Because of this, “come
out from among them and be separated,” says the Lord, “and do not
touch the unclean thing, and I will receive you.” Isa. 52:11 (18) “And I
will be a Father to you , and you will be sons and daughters to Me,” says
the Lord Almighty. 2 Sam. 7:8, 14; Isa. 43:6 (2 Corinthians 6:16-18 LITV)
Sonship is a collective term that speaks of position in God’s kingdom; it is not
based on gender, for both men and women will qualify to be sons in the coming
kingdom of God.
Individually, believers are a temple of the living God; but, collectively, all believers
are being fitted together, growing into a holy temple in the Lord, being built
together into a dwelling of God in spirit (Ephesians 2:21-22).
God’s dwelling is New Jerusalem, and it will begin to be manifested with the fall
feasts of Trumpets (first resurrection) and Tabernacles (transfiguration,
glorification) that usher in the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.
Those who come forth in the first or better resurrection [men and women
(Hebrews 11:35-40)] neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they
cannot die anymore, because they are like angels, and are sons of God,
being sons of the resurrection (Luke 20:35-36).
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T HE T ENTH ― T HE P ROPHETIC B LESSING O F J OSEPH
Thus, sonship speaks mightily of God’s purpose and plan of the eons to become all
in all new through a family of sons.
The person who conquers will inherit these things. I will be his God,
and he will be my son . (Revelation 21:7 ISV)
The number 10.
To begin, it should go without saying that the tenth (tithe) is based on the number
10, which is one of the perfect numbers.
As E.W. Bullinger, in his book titled Number in Scripture , states:
“Ten is one of the perfect numbers, and signifies the perfection of Divine
order , commencing, as it does, an altogether new series of numbers. The first
decade is the representative of the whole numeral system, and originates the
system of calculation called “decimals,” because the whole system of
numeration consists of so many tens , of which the first is a type of the whole.
Completeness of order, marking the entire round of anything, is, therefore,
the ever-present signification of the number ten . It implies that nothing is
wanting; that the number and order are perfect; that the whole cycle is
complete.”
This is a vital point in our understanding of the tenth that Jacob-Israel gave to
God, as well as the tenth Abram gave to Melchizedek, which, by the way, is the first
mention of the tenth.
Jacob promises the tenth to God.
In a dream, Jacob saw a ladder on earth and its top reaching to heaven, and then
he heard the Lord promise to give him and his descendants the land upon which
he stood. When he awoke from his sleep, Jacob knew he had met the Lord in that
place, which he called Bethel , meaning “house of God.”
(12) He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its
top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending
and descending on it. (13) And behold, the LORD stood above it and
said, “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of
Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your
descendants.” (Genesis 28:12-13 NASB)
(16) And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is
in this place; and I knew it not. (17) And he was afraid, and said, How
dreadful is this place! This is none other but the house of God , and this
is the gate of heaven. (18) And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and
took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar,
and poured oil upon the top of it. (19) And he called the name of that
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place Bethel : but the name of that city was called Luz at the first. (20)
And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep
me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to
put on, (21) so that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then
shall the LORD be my God: (22) and this stone, which I have set for a
pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will
surely give the tenth unto thee. (Genesis 28:16-22 KJV)
Jacob knew that he had met the Lord, but given his character as a supplanter and a
deceiver, he made a deal, so to speak, with God. I can imagine God laughing. If
God would keep him, bless him, and provide for him, then the Lord would be his
God and he would give God the tenth of what God had given him. Notice that his
vow to God was based on God giving to him. “If God!” It was a conditional vow that
God had to agree to and do for Jacob. We could say that the ball was in God’s court
and He caught the ball, so to speak. Jacob was rather brazen in his request, but
God honored it, knowing his heart and knowing that Jacob, one day, would be
changed into Israel.
But the question is: Did God bless Jacob, and if so, did Jacob ever fulfill his
promise to give God the tenth of what God had blessed him with? If so, what was
the tenth that he gave back to God? Was it material possessions? Or, was it
something of an entirely different nature? I believe it was of the latter.
The answer to this question is rather fascinating. I want to build the answer with
seven points, so please bear with me.
The birthright and the two mandates.
First , God most assuredly did bless Jacob. When God met him at Paddam-aram
and gave him the name Israel , meaning “God rules,” God blessed Israel.
Jacob was named Israel not on the basis of physical requirements (i.e., genealogy)
but based on a changed heart. The name indicates that his heart was circumcised,
and the divine law of God was written upon his heart. Simply, he had a new nature
that desired to obey and serve God.
As an aside, all who have this same heart are joined with Israel; in fact, they are
spiritual Israel . This is the ecclesia, which is the body of Christ, the new creation
and the Israel of God (Galatians 6:15-16).
Consider the blessing that God gave Israel.
(11) God also said to him, “I am God Almighty; be fruitful and multiply ;
a nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall
come forth from you. (12) The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac,
I will give it to you, and I will give the land to your descendants after
you.” (Genesis 35:11-12 NASB)
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Does this blessing look familiar? It should, for it was first spoken to Adam, the son
of God (Luke 3:28), and the first man (1 Corinthians 15:35) and king of the earth.
God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be f ruitful and multiply , and
fill the earth, [fruitfulness mandate] and subdue it; and rule [dominion
mandate] over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over
every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:28 NASB)
Adam, by right of his creation in the image of Elohim , was given two mandates,
one pertaining to procreating, that is, begetting sons and daughters, and the other
pertaining to ruling or having dominion over the earth.
The first one is called the fruitfulness mandate and the second one is called
the dominion mandate . Together, they form what could be called the
birthright , for Adam was given these mandates by right of his birth as a son of
God. It is the right to have dominion in the kingdom of God on earth as a son of
God (King Adam) and to produce more sons to fill the kingdom. Thus, the two
mandates signify a king (ruler) and a kingdom (sons and citizens). The two are
inseparable if God is to fulfill His plan to have a kingdom of many sons with His
only begotten Son on the throne.
For a little more understanding of the birthright, please see my periodical, The
Upward Call , issue #03-09143, September 3, 2009, The Birthright: Two
Mandates .
God the Father is after a large family, and this is expressed through His desire for
many sons (Exodus 4:22-23; Hebrews 2.10; Revelation 21:7). The birthright
speaks of sonship , and the birthright name is Israel .
When Adam died, the birthright and its mandates were passed down to his
descendants from generation to generation, and this can be seen throughout
Hebrew Scripture in types and shadows. The two mandates were passed on
together to make up the birthright; that is, they were not separated, and, together,
they were passed on to a son in each generation. As revealed through the blessing
from God, Jacob was the recipient of the birthright and its two mandates, for he
was blessed to produce many sons (i.e., fruitfulness), which, in turn, would lead to
the coming forth of many nations and kings (i.e., dominion).
The law of the inheritance.
Second , under the law of inheritance, the birthright was reserved for the firstborn
son; however, it was not guaranteed, for it could be forfeited, which is what
happened to Esau, Jacob’s twin brother who entered the world first. Esau was
famished and wanted Jacob to give him some lentil stew. Being the shrewd one
that he was, Jacob said: “First sell me your birthright.” Esau thought he was
about to die and saw no value in the birthright, so he sold it to his younger brother.
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Thus Esau despised his birthright (Genesis 25:27-34), and it passed on to
Jacob.
When their father was old and his eyes were too dim to see, Isaac wanted to bless
Esau, his older son, but, as the story goes, Jacob, at the prodding of his mother,
deceived his father and received Esau’s blessing. Esau cried out over what his
brother had done to him: “Is he not rightly named Jacob, for he has
supplanted me these two times? He took away my birthright , and
behold, now he has taken away my blessing ” (Genesis 27:36 NASB).
Notice that the first supplanting pertained to the birthright and the second one
pertained to blessing. The birthright establishes who has the right to rule over a
father’s estate, that is, who will become the successor to the estate when the father
dies. However, to receive the right to rule, the son must be appointed or placed by
the father as the successor or, in kingdom terms, the ruler. Generally, the first son
to be born is the recipient of the birthright; however, he must be placed as the
ruler.
In the day of the patriarchs, it was customary for a father who was near the end of
his life to formally establish his successor, the one who would rule over his estate
after he was gone, and he did this as a blessing. In the case of Esau, not only had he
sold the blessing of the birthright (fruitfulness) to Jacob, but Jacob stole the
blessing of the dominion mandate from him. So, when Esau cried out over his loss,
he was crying over his loss of sonship and rulership.
We see the same principle applying to believers in our day. When we are born from
above, we are given a new life, the seed of God planted within our inner man, and
we become children of God. As children, we are also sons of God, but, to be a son
of God in the coming kingdom, we must be placed or adopted as a son through the
glorification of Tabernacles.
This is what Paul meant as he wrote that God predestined us to adoption as
sons through Jesus Christ to Himself (Ephesians 1:5), that we might
receive the adoption as sons (Galatians 4:5), that you have received a
spirit of adoption as sons (Romans 8:15), and that we are waiting eagerly
for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body (Romans 8:23).
I imagine that some people will be crying out, just as Esau did, when they realize
that they are not adopted or placed as a son in the coming kingdom of Christ. Such
ones will have to wait for the second resurrection and the Great White Throne
judgment; saved, yet so as through fire (1 Corinthians 3:15).
As I often remind, when we are given the faith to believe on Jesus and we confess
Him as Lord, we receive the promise of immortal life. It is not a question of if we
will become immortal but of when we will become immortal, that is, in the first
resurrection or in the second resurrection.
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Jacob-Israel prophesied over his sons.
Third , as his life was coming to a close, Jacob-Israel called his sons together to
give them a word that would explain or sum up their lives. We could say that he
prophesied over their lives by telling them what would befall them. The word befall
refers to what one will encounter.
(1) 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.”
(Genesis 49:1-2 NASB)
The fading elder spoke to his sons as Jacob, their natural father, who was a
supplanter, and as Israel, their spiritual father, who came to know God and His
rule. One of his responsibilities, if not the most important one, was to pass on the
birthright to one of his sons.
Judah received the dominion mandate .
Fourth , however, in prophesying over his sons, Israel did not pass on the
dominion mandate as part of the birthright. He altered the rules, so to speak, and
gave the dominion mandate to his fourth son Judah.
(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. (9)
Judah is a lion’s whelp; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He
couches, he lies down as a lion, and as a lion, who dares rouse him up?
(10) The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from
between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the obedience
of the peoples.” (Genesis 49:8-10 NASB)
In other words, Israel removed the dominion mandate from the birthright, which
was all in accord with the plan of God. It pointed to the fact that dominion or
kingship would come through the house of Judah (Psalm 78:68; Revelation 5:5).
When He came the first time, Jesus was born of the Davidic line of Judah in the
region of Judea in the town of Bethlehem. He is the Son of David and through His
death and resurrection secured the scepter of the kingdom and the right to rule
over the house of Judah. This is prophesied in the picture of Judah couching down
as a lion that died and needed to be roused up.
Shiloh, the place where God first placed His name, refers to God’s Son ruling over
the nations, that is, when the people (nations) will be obedient to Him. But
according to Jacob’s prophetic word, Shiloh is not a place but a person, and it
appears that the scepter will pass from Judah to Shiloh, which means that, in type,
both Judah and Shiloh refer to Jesus.
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The record does not indicate that Judah had a son by this name, but as we will see,
the sons of Joseph were linked to the town of Shiloh.
Please hold this thought; we will come back to it in a moment, for it is significant
in regard to reuniting the two mandates with the birthright.
The disqualification of Jacob’s sons.
Fifth , when it came to Jacob’s sons, there are two ways to look at the matter of the
firstborn son. Strictly speaking, Rueben, who was born of Leah, was the first son
out of the twelve sons begotten of Jacob. Simply numbering the brothers in the
order of their birth reveals that the birthright bypassed most of his sons that stood
in line of birth.
Rueben lost the birthright because of his immoral act of defiling his father’s bed
(Genesis 35:22; 49:4; 1 Chronicles 5:1). Simeon and Levi were next in line but were
disqualified because of their violence and anger as evidenced by their massacre of
Shechem’s house (Genesis 34:25-31; 49:5-7). Judah was next in line, but he too
was disqualified from receiving the birthright, for it was his idea to sell his brother
Joseph into slavery. Judah was a deceiver like his father, for he deceived Jacob
into believing that Joseph was dead by dipping Joseph’s tunic in the blood of a
goat (Genesis 37:26-36).
The fact of the matter is that the first ten brothers in the line of succession were
disqualified from receiving the birthright.
However, there was another way to determine the firstborn in Jacob’s household.
Jacob had four wives. Rachel was the one he truly loved and for whom he labored
in Laban’s camp all those years. The firstborn of Rachel was Joseph.
Joseph received the birthright.
Sixth , Israel loved Joseph, the eleventh in line but the firstborn of his wife Rachel,
and he chose him as the firstborn of his twelve sons.
Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son
of his old age; and he made him a varicolored tunic. (Genesis 37:3 NASB)
Joseph’s status as the birthright son was proven by the varicolored tunic given to
Joseph by his father (Genesis 37:3). In those days, it was customary for the father
to make known to all the identity of his birthright son by giving him a multi-
colored coat to wear.
Obviously, Jacob’s other sons knew that Joseph was favored, and they resented
him, even more so when he recounted a dream of his brothers bowing down to
him. Their jealousy led them to sell their 17 year-old brother to some Ishmaelites
heading to Egypt, who, in turn, sold him into Egyptian bondage at the age of 18.
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However, the blessing of God was upon him, and, after a period of trial, he rose in
power to become the Prime Minister of Egypt at the age of 30; only Pharaoh
exceeded him in authority. He was in God’s place (Genesis 50:19).
For 21 years, Jacob thought his son was dead. However, when Joseph was 39 years
of age, he was reunited with his father, and the entire family joined Joseph in
Egypt during the time of the great famine.
When it came time for him to die, Israel did three things. First, he summoned
Joseph to himself and made Joseph pledge not to bury him in Egypt. Second, he
met with Joseph and his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. He took the two sons
as his own and blessed them with his name, the name of Israel.
“Bless the lads; and may my name live on in them….” (Genesis 48:16
NASB)
As a result of this blessing, the name of Israel was forever attached to the house of
Joseph. This is an important point that is often missed by many Christians. The
name of Israel was not attached to the house of Judah. As long as the house of
Judah remained with the house of Joseph, which became known as the house of
Israel, the name of Israel stood over all twelve tribes, including Judah. After the
reign of Solomon, the kingdom was split into the house of Judah [southern nation
comprised of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin] and the house of Israel [northern
nation comprised of the remaining ten tribes] (1 Kings 12:16-24).
Judah alone cannot claim the right to the name of Israel, something that the
present Middle East state of Israel has done. They have usurped the name of Israel
that rightfully belongs to what Jesus referred to as the lost sheep of the house of
Israel (Matthew 10:6; 15:24).
Prophetically and typologically speaking, Joseph must be found and reunited with
Judah for the kingdom of Christ to be established among the nations, and, for this
to occur, the birthright sons of Israel must be manifested, for they are the ones
who will rule and reign with Christ.
Some of this might appear to be a bit of a diversion from our topic; however, I see
these as crucial to our proper understanding of Israel and the birthright.
Now, as we have already seen, the third thing that Israel did as he was about to die
was to assemble his sons to speak a word over their lives.
The prophetic blessing given to Joseph stands out in its length and breadth, and is
rather unique, for it is the only one that includes blessings from Israel and God the
Almighty. To his other sons, Jacob simply intimated the future character of their
lives, but not so in the case of his son that had been separated from him for 21
years; the son who, allegorically speaking, came back from the dead.
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“Joseph is a fruitful bough [ ben meaning “son”] , a fruitful bough by a
spring; its branches run over a wall. The archers bitterly attacked him,
and shot at him and harassed him; (24) but his bow remained firm,
and his arms were agile, from the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob
(from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel), from the God of your
father who helps you, and by the Almighty who blesses you with
blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath,
blessings of the breasts and of the womb. (26) The blessings of your
father have surpassed the blessings of my ancestors up to the utmost
bound of the everlasting hills; may they be on the head of Joseph, and
on the crown of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers.”
(Genesis 49:22-26 NASB)
Israel prophesied that Joseph would be a fruitful bough, meaning the fruitfulness
mandate was passed on to him. The Hebrew word for bough is ben , meaning “son.”
Thus, Joseph would be a son who bore much fruit, that is, one who would bring
forth many sons.
However, Israel did not stop with fruitfulness, for he proceeded to bless his son,
something he did not do for the others. In fact, the words bless or blessing are not
to be found in the prophetic words given to Israel’s other sons.
The Hebrew word for bless is barak , which is a primitive root meaning “to kneel’
and, by implication, “to bless God.” The Hebrew word for blessing is brakah ,
which is derived from the root word barak , meaning “benediction” and, by
implication, “prosperity.” These words only appear in the prophecy pertaining to
Joseph.
There are two parts to the blessing given to Joseph. The first part was the blessing
of the Almighty that had been on Joseph. For about 13 years, Joseph was attacked
and harassed, but God was with him, strengthened him, and helped him. God had
blessed him with blessings of heaven, blessings of the deep, and blessings of the
breasts and wombs. God’s blessing upon Joseph extended from heaven to earth
and beneath the earth, and to the womb, which, again, speaks of fruitfulness in
producing sons.
The question is: How do we know that the blessing given to Joseph by Israel was
the blessing of the birthright? We see the fruitfulness mandate in the blessing but
how do we know that this refers to the birthright? The answer is found in the
Chronicles.
Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the
firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was
given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel ; so that he is not enrolled
in the genealogy according to the birthright. (2) Though Judah
prevailed over his brothers, and from him came the leader, yet the
birthright belonged to Joseph )…. (1 Chronicles 5:1-2 NASB)
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These two verses pretty much sum up what Israel spoke over his son as he was
about to die. The birthright belonged to Joseph and was given to his sons. The
name of Israel was upon the sons of Joseph. This is not only the birthright but also
the name of the birthright. Notice how Judah is singled out and identified with the
leader, which refers to the dominion mandate.
At this point, it appears that the dominion mandate was separated from the
birthright and the fruitfulness mandate, essentially, became the birthright; that is,
the two became synonymous.
As long as Judah and Israel are separated this appears to be true; however, this is
only a temporary situation, for the two houses must be reunited for the kingdom of
Christ to take root among the nations.
Obviously, the prophets that would come later foretold of their reunification
(Jeremiah 3:18; 31:31; 33:14; Isaiah 14:1; Zechariah 8:16; Hebrews 8:8), but Israel
was the first to prophesy of it. The fact of the matter is that he foretold of their split
and their reunification when he spoke over the life of Judah. The split was foretold
when Israel gave the scepter to Judah and not to Joseph. However, the
reunification also was foretold with the mention of Shiloh within the prophecy
spoken over Judah’s life.
Until Shiloh comes .
So, let us return to Judah for a moment. Earlier, I said that we would come back to
Shiloh, for it is significant in regard to reuniting the two mandates with the
birthright.
(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. … (10)
The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from
between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the obedience
of the peoples.” (Genesis 49:8, 10 NASB)
Notice that the scepter will not depart until Shiloh comes. Judah’s retention of the
ruler’s staff was temporary, for it would be relinquished upon the arrival of Shiloh.
In other words, Shiloh would replace Judah as the rightful holder of the scepter.
But who is Shiloh? No one by that name appears in Scripture. When this occurs,
the general rule is to consider the meaning of the name.
According to A.R. Fausset’s Bible Encyclopedia and Dictionary , Shiloh means “the
Peacemaker,” as it comes from the word shalah , meaning “to be at peace” or “to be
tranquil or at rest.” Thus, prophetically speaking, Shiloh is the name of the Prince
of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).
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There is only one Person who fits this descriptive title, and it is none other than the
Son of God, our Lord Jesus. He alone is Shiloh, for the nations are destined to bow
the knee to Him and confess Him as Lord.
As I see it, with His death and resurrection, Jesus rightfully took the scepter of the
kingdom and fulfilled Jacob’s prophecy regarding Judah. It seems that the
prophecy regarding Judah ended with the first coming of the Son of God, and the
emphasis shifted to Shiloh and its meaning. God’s King had to come from the line
of Judah, but once He did come and take the scepter, the emphasis shifted from
Judah to Shiloh, and this shift has to do with Joseph and the birthright.
By the way, Jesus had to come from the line of Judah in order to fulfill the promise
of the Lord regarding King David, a descendant of Judah.
“For thus says the LORD, ‘David shall never lack a man to sit on the
throne of the house of Israel….’” (Jeremiah 33:17 NASB)
“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the
Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David….” (Luke 1:32
NASB)
Further, Jesus could not have come from the line of Levi, for if He were, He would
not be a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. The fact that Shiloh
means “Prince of Peace” and Melchizedek means “King of Peace” should catch our
attention, for this links Shiloh to Melchizedek, which, again, shifts the emphasis
from Judah to Shiloh.
But there is more, for Shiloh shifts the emphasis to Joseph as well.
There are two other significant facts about Shiloh that shift the emphasis from
Judah to Joseph and that is discovered in the history and location of Shiloh.
According to Scripture, Shiloh does not appear in history until Joshua led the sons
of Israel out of the wilderness and into their inheritance in the land of promise.
Joshua is a type of Christ who will lead the sons of God into their inheritance
of immortal bodies . Shiloh was where Joshua and company pitched the tent of
meeting and then divided up the land that had not yet been allotted to the tribes
(Joshua 18:1-3). Shiloh was within the territory of the sons of Joseph ,
specifically, the sons of Ephraim (Joshua 16:4-10), Joseph’s younger son.
I might add that, although it was within Ephraim’s territory, a Biblical map of that
area in that day reveals that Shiloh was nearly on the border of the territory of
Manasseh, the firstborn son of Joseph, as if to signify that it refers to both sons of
Joseph. However, Israel purposely gave the greater blessing to Joseph’s younger
son Ephraim.
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(18) Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the
firstborn. Place your right hand on his head.” (19) But his father
refused and said, “I know, my son, I know; he also will become a
people and he also will be great. However, his younger brother shall be
greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of
nations.” (20) He blessed them that day, saying, “By you Israel will
pronounce blessing, saying, ‘May God make you like Ephraim and
Manasseh!’” Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh. (Genesis 48:18-20
NASB)
Consequently, it appears the greater blessing that fell upon Ephraim is also
connected to the coming of Shiloh.
Although God later removed His name and departed from Shiloh because of the
disobedience of the sons of Israel (Joshua 18:1; Jeremiah 7:12; Psalm 78:60-61), it
appears that His name, once again, will come to rest, not on a piece of earth but on
His Son, the Prince of Peace, and upon a people (Revelation 3:12) that will rule and
reign with Him as a kingdom and priests (Revelation 5:10). In turn, as pointed out
already, this should remind us of Melchizedek, the king of Salem, the king of
peace; the type of Christ and the many sons that are destined to become a kingdom
and priests.
Putting these facts together indicate that Shiloh appeared in the prophecy over
Judah’s life to reveal that the line of Judah was necessary to bring forth the
Messiah, the King-Priest to fulfill the promise to David, but this was not the
endpoint, for something greater was to follow and that has to do with Shiloh and
the second coming of Christ. The coming of Shiloh is a clear reference to Jesus
coming as both Joshua and Joseph and bringing the sons of God into their
inheritance of immortal, glorified, celestial, spiritual bodies. It refers to the
blessing of the birthright given to Joseph.
Now, with this in mind, let us return again to the blessing given to Joseph by
Israel, for here we see a reference to a crown, and further indication of the blessing
that Joseph received.
The blessings of your father have surpassed the blessings of my
ancestors up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills; may they be
on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of the one
distinguished among his brothers.” (Genesis 49:26 NASB)
Strictly speaking, in this case, the Hebrew word for crown refers to the top of the
head. However, by inference, I believe that the crown also points to a kingly crown.
Part of the blessing is the crown of kingship. Thus, we have Shiloh following Judah
and a blessing on the crown of Joseph’s head. Both speak of kingship, and both
point to one king, our beloved Lord Jesus.
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I find it curious that the prophecy given to Judah is not called a blessing. Truly,
receiving the scepter is a glorious blessing. So why wasn’t it called a blessing. I do
not want to minimize Judah’s scepter, but it seems to me that Judah, in fact, did
not receive a blessing because the blessing truly belongs to Joseph. Judah was
given the scepter as a temporary measure until Shiloh comes, which means until
Joseph comes, and, when he arrives, the entire original birthright as given to
Adam belongs to him alone.
Joseph alone brings reunification of the house of Judah and the house of Israel to
bring forth the true Israel of God.
The key to our understanding is in the fact that Joseph is a type of Christ coming a
second time to establish His kingdom among the nations and to manifest the sons
of God.
Again, consider Israel’s blessing of Joseph, for in this we see Jesus. Read the
following with Jesus in mind and take note of the references to suffering, to heaven
and earth, to the womb, which speaks of children or, to be more precise, sons, and
to the crown on the head.
“Joseph is a fruitful bough [ ben meaning “son”] , a fruitful bough by a
spring; its branches run over a wall. The archers bitterly attacked him ,
and shot at him and harassed him; (24) but his bow remained firm,
and his arms were agile, from the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob
(from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel ), from the God of your
father who helps you, and by the Almighty who blesses you with
blessings of heaven above , blessings of the deep that lies beneath ,
blessings of the breasts and of the womb . (26) The blessings of your
father have surpassed the blessings of my ancestors up to the utmost
bound of the everlasting hills; may they be on the head of Joseph, and
on the crown of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers.”
(Genesis 49:22-26 NASB)
After His resurrection, Jesus declared to His disciples: “All authority has been
given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples
(i.e., sons) of all the nations” (Matthew 28:18-19).
The Hebrews were given the word of sonship: For it was fitting for Him, for
whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing
many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through
sufferings (Hebrews 2:10 NASB).
And, when heaven is opened and the King of kings is revealed, He is clothed
with a robe dipped in blood , and on His head are many diadems
(Revelation 19:12-13 NASB)
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Under Pharaoh, Joseph had all authority in Egypt; with His Father, Jesus has all
authority. Joseph suffered and brought forth sons; Jesus suffered and is bringing
forth many sons to glory. Joseph saved all of Egypt; Jesus saves the whole world.
Joseph’s birthright coat was dipped in blood; Jesus will return clothed in a robe
dipped in blood. Joseph had a blessing on the crown of his head; Jesus will return
with many diadems (crowns) upon His head.
Also, take note that within Joseph’s blessing is the mention of the Stone of
Israel , which, not only speaks of Christ the Rock but also of Christ as the King of
the Stone Kingdom (Daniel 2:35; 7:9-14).
God’s plan cannot and will not be achieved until the dominion and the fruitfulness
mandates are joined together once again; something that has yet to take place but
will occur soon with the second coming of God’s Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. The
two mandates are fulfilled and reunited in Him alone, and Joseph is the type.
The fact of the matter is that separation of the birthright into two mandates was
essential, for it was a prophetic sign of the two comings of Christ. However, the
reunification of the two is essential for the King and His Kingdom to be established
on earth.
Further, it is essential to restore the birthright as first given to Adam. The first
Adam was a type (Romans 5:14) of the last Adam, and ultimately, both mandates
are fulfilled for mankind in Jesus, the Second Man, the Son of God.
When the Son of God came to this earth the first time, taking on the form of man
over 2,000 years ago, He (Jesus) was of the tribe of Judah and rightfully took the
scepter as the King of Judah. Judah, Jacob’s son, was the type, and Jesus is the
antitype (the fulfillment, the reality). In other words, the Son took possession of
the dominion mandate. The Father declared it; Jesus confirmed it; and John saw
and heard it.
“But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain.
(7) I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ‘You are
My Son, today I have begotten You. (8) Ask of Me, and I will surely give
the nations as Your inheritance , and the very ends of the earth as Your
possession. (Psalm 2:6-8 NASB)
Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered,
“You say correctly that I am a king . For this I have been born, and for
this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is
of the truth hears My voice.” (John 18:37 NASB)
“All authority [i.e., Kingship] has been given to Me in heaven and on
earth.” (Matthew 28:18 NASB)
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And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF
KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:16 NASB)
Since Calvary, all who believe on Jesus are joined to the King of Judah and come
under His reign. Thus, the dominion mandate speaks of the King, the One who
holds the scepter of the kingdom. In essence, this mandate was settled at the Cross
and has been fulfilled in Christ.
However, for His kingdom to take root among the nations, the King must receive
the nations as His inheritance (Psalm 2:8), and to do this, He needs sons of God to
rule and reign over the nations with Him; that is, He needs conquerors
(overcomers) that will sit upon His throne (Revelation 3:21). Simply, He needs a
kingdom and priests (Revelation 5:10; 20:4-6).
Joseph was sold into bondage and suffered for a period of time, but he overcame or
conquered through his trials. He is a type of the conquerors who will overcome the
trials of life and be counted worthy to sit upon the throne of the King of kings. Just
as Joseph rose to be Prime Minister so will the conquerors rise to be kings and
lords in the kingdom of Christ.
Children of God must grow up in Christ to be placed (adopted) as sons (Romans
8:12-25; Galatians 4:4-7); they must be trained and disciplined (Hebrews 12:4-11),
and God’s divine laws written on their hearts (Hebrews 8:10), so that they can
judge the world (1 Corinthians 6:2) in righteousness and with justice and equity
and full of lovingkindness (Psalm 32:5; 96:10, 13; 97:2; 98:9). But first, they must
grow up and mature to be complete in Christ (Colossians 1:28), to be conformed to
His image (Romans 8:29), to become His complement or fullness (Ephesians 1:23;
3:19). Many sons must be brought to glory for the kingdom of Christ to come to the
nations.
For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom
are all things, in bringing many sons to glory , to perfect the author of
their salvation through sufferings. (Hebrews 2:10 NASB)
To whom did God will to make known what is the riches of the glory of
this secret [mystery] among the nations―which is Christ in you , the
hope of the glory . (Colossians 1:27 YLT)
When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed
with Him in glory . (Colossians 3:4 NASB)
In other words, without sons, the kingdom of Christ cannot and will not come to
the nations. The Son’s inheritance begins with the inheritance of many sons of
glory. The fruitfulness mandate must be fulfilled for the King to establish His
Kingdom. Again, the dominion mandate speaks of the King, and the fruitfulness
mandate speaks of His Kingdom of many sons. The two mandates must be
reunited in order for the kingdom of Christ to come to the nations, and this will
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take place with the first resurrection and transfiguration (glorification) in
fulfillment of the fall feasts of Trumpets and Tabernacles when Christ reveals
Himself to His elect, the first fruits anointed.
Dear brethren, this is our hope and with perseverance and patience we wait eagerly
for it. Paul tells us so.
For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of
childbirth together until now. (23) And not only this, but also we
ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan
within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the
redemption of our body . (24) For in hope we have been saved, but hope
that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? (25)
But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait
eagerly for it. (Romans 8:22-25 NASB)
The redemption of our body comes through resurrection and transfiguration. All
who believe will eventually come to this glorious state, either in the first or the
second resurrection. The issue is whether we are walking in a manner worthy of
the kingdom in this day, so that we will be counted worthy to enter the kingdom
through the first resurrection and transfiguration. If not, we will have to wait for
another thousand years for God’s Day to come into view.
We need to be like Paul who is an example of one who endured to the end and who
will be counted worthy of the kingdom (2 Timothy 4:7-8, 18). Paul was truly a
conqueror.
(12) Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect,
but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid
hold of by Christ Jesus. (13) Brethren, I do not regard myself as having
laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and
reaching forward to what lies ahead, (14) I press on toward the goal for
the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14
NASB)
Selah!
Now, if you can believe it, all that has been presented so far is background
information for the final point, which is the question that was raised at the
beginning.
Seventh, did Jacob give the tenth to God as promised?
A quick read of Jacob’s life might indicate that he never did give God the tenth.
However, on careful examination, Jacob indeed did give God the tenth, but it is not
the usual tithe or tenth that comes to the mind of most trained by the tradition of
men, of which the Lord Jesus was most critical (Mark 7:8). In fact, we must throw
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off the shackles of the “church tithe” of our day in order to understand what
follows. It is not about 10% of one’s income or even 10% of the increase of
production from the physical land. It is far greater.
As we consider the answer, let us be reminded that the tenth is based on the
number 10, which signifies “the perfection of Divine order.” Again, according to
E.W. Bullinger, “it implies that nothing is wanting; that the number and
order are perfect; that the whole cycle is complete.” The tenth that Jacob
gave completes a mighty and glorious perfect order.
As I was meditating on this question, I felt a prod from the spirit of God to number
the prophecies Israel spoke over his sons. When I did, I realized that the tenth was
more than a future view of what would befall one of his sons; it contained a
prophetic blessing and it is none other than the blessing given to Joseph and all
that we have seen in regard to this blessing in relation to the birthright.
I will explain.
In the line of sons, Joseph was the eleventh in order of the prophecies, but he was
the tenth in prophetic order because Jacob-Israel prophesied over Simeon and
Levi together. In other words, one and the same blessing went to these two
brothers.
(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. (Genesis 49:5-7 NASB)
The plural pronouns are underlines to emphasize that this was one prophecy for
two brothers.
Thus, the first prophecy was for Reuben, the second for Simeon and Levi together,
the third for Judah, who, as we have already seen, is a type of Christ in His first
coming when He took the scepter as the King of Judah; the fourth for Zebulun, and
the fifth for Isaachar, and so on, until we come to the tenth prophecy, which was
for Joseph.
The tenth prophecy given by Jacob for his beloved son Joseph exceeds all the other
prophecies spoken over the lives of Joseph’s brothers because this tenth prophecy
spoke of the blessing of the birthright that is fulfilled in God’s Son.
Again, the birthright consists of the dominion mandate , which was fulfilled by
the Son of God coming the first time, taking the scepter as the King of Judah ,
and the fruitfulness mandate , which will be fulfilled when the Son of God
comes a second time bringing forth many sons of glory . The dominion mandate
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refers to the King , and the fruitfulness mandate refers to the Kingdom of many
sons. Both mandates must be fulfilled for the kingdom of our Lord and of His
Christ to take root among the nations of the world in the next eon.
Here is the answer to our question: The tenth is the blessing of sonship that
reunites the two mandates of the birthright! In essence, the tenth
signifies the birthright.
To add more proof to this answer, let us return to Jacob’s promise to God.
(17) And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! This is
none other but the house of God , and this is the gate of heaven . … (22)
And this stone , which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and
of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.
(Genesis 28:17, 22 KJV)
Notice that before he promised the tenth, Jacob acknowledged that the place was
the house of God and he stood at the gate of heaven. In other words, he saw the
kingdom of the heavens in relation to God’s heart to have a spiritual house .
So, Jacob set up a pillar of stone and called it God’s house .
This is another prophetic picture that speaks of the kingdom of the heavens
coming to earth and the Stone Kingdom that will crush all the kingdoms of men
(Daniel 2:35, 44) when the saints (sons) shall take possession of the kingdom
(Daniel 7:18, 22, 27). God’s Stone Kingdom is God’s spiritual house constructed of
living stones who are priests (1 Peter 2:5) and the many sons of God who will reign
with Christ as kings, lords, judges, and administrators.
God’s blessing of Jacob will be fulfilled: “I am God Almighty; be fruitful and
multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and
kings shall come forth from you” (Genesis 35:11 NASB).
Thus, when Israel gave the tenth blessing to his son Joseph, a type of Christ and
His coming the second time to fulfill the birthright and reunite the fruitfulness and
dominion mandates, he was fulfilling his promise to give God the tenth of all that
God had blessed him with.
Spiritually speaking, with his tenth blessing, Israel blessed God with his son who
was a type of the Son of God. Joseph, who was thought dead for 21 years, came
back into Israel’s life; he was likened unto the dead, but then he was found alive,
just as the Son of God died and rose from among the dead to appear to many.
Prophetically speaking, Israel blessed God’s Son with many sons. The Son of God
will bring forth many sons of glory to reign in the kingdom of God.
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This is the meaning of the tenth. “It implies that nothing is wanting; that the
number and order are perfect; that the whole cycle is complete.” The birthright of
the first Adam is fulfilled in the last Adam, and the kingdom has come.
Selah!
Well, I close this writing with two thoughts.
First , in Scripture, the tenth is associated with the land. Given this, how could the
tenth refer to the birthright and sonship in the coming kingdom? We need spiritual
sight that moves our thinking beyond the natural and into the spiritual.
According to Paul, the physical (natural) comes first, then the spiritual (1
Corinthians 15:46). The physical land of Canaan was promised to the ancient
Israelites, and they tithed from this land, but the land we are promised is a new
body, a dwelling from heaven (2 Corinthians 5:2). Our future land of promise
is a spiritual body that can traverse both heaven or the celestials and earth. It will
be a physical (flesh and bones, no blood) and a spiritual body.
Our human bodies came from the soil of the earth. We were sown a natural body.
The first man was out of the earth, soilish; the second Man is the Lord
out of heaven (1 Corinthians 15:47 CV). We are destined to wear the image of the
Celestial One, for flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God (1
Corinthians 15:48-49; 50), but flesh and bones will (Luke 24:39). Consequently,
our land is not a patch of dirt on earth or in heaven; rather, it is a new body
constituted of both heaven and earth. This is our kingdom inheritance.
The redemption of our body, our heavenly land, is required for us to be placed as a
son in the kingdom. The sons of God will bring heaven to earth in their person.
The tenth is the completion of the whole cycle from the soilish to the
heavenly and the joining of the two into one. It is heaven kissing earth
and the two becoming one. It is the gate of heaven opened up so that
heaven and earth truly become one. It is the perfection of Divine order.
We have not arrived at this divine destiny, so we press on toward the goal for
the prize of the upward all of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14). As
Paul sought to attain to the out-resurrection [first resurrection] (Philippians 3:11),
being counted worthy of the kingdom of Christ in the next age and encouraging
others to do likewise (1 Corinthians 9:26-27; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 18; 2 Thessalonians
1:3-12), so must we.
Just as Joseph is a type of God’s Son who overcame (conquered) the world, sin and
death, so too is Joseph a type of the sons of God who overcome (conquer) while
occupying mortal bodies. The conquerors could be called the Joseph Company .
The time is approaching when this company will be revealed and the kingdom of
our Lord and of His Christ will be manifested among the nations.
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“The one who is conquering, to him will I be granting to be seated with
Me on My throne as I, also, conquer, and am seated with My Father on
His throne.” (Revelation 3:21 CV)
May we be counted among the conquerors to be revealed at Tabernacles!
Second , as great as this is for those who, throughout our present eon, have been
given the faith to believe and have gone on to conquer, we would be woefully
remiss if we missed the heart of the Father.
The blessing of the tenth is for God the Father, for He desires many
sons like His only begotten Son. It is not about earthly possessions and giving
a tenth of our income; it is about God receiving the increase from among men that
he formed from the soil of the earth. His harvest or, if you will, crop that He
desires to come forth from His soil is a living, spiritual house of sons conformed to
the image of His only begotten Son.
God’s increase is an increase of sons. He started with one Son, and His
kingdom will be filled with many sons like the Son.
John not only heard the words from the One who sits on the throne, but he also
heard the very heart and passion of God for sons.
(5) And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things
new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” (6)
Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the
beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the
spring of the water of life without cost. (7) He who overcomes
[conquers] will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be
My son .” (Revelation 21:5-7 NASB)
Verse 7 pretty much sums up the blessing of the tenth.
Endure a bit longer; it won’t be long until Shiloh comes, and Joseph and his
company of sons are revealed.
CV
Concordant Version
KJV
International Standard Version
LITV
Literal Translation of the Holy Bible
NASB
New American Standard Bible
YLT
Young’s Literal Translation
Article: #28, January 2010
by: Stuart Pouliot
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ISV
King James Version