Sermons
Vander Kam on Genesis 49:16-18
Sermons
Vander Kam on Genesis 49:16-18Genesis 49:16-18 – "'Dan shall judge his people,
As one of the tribes of Israel.
Dan shall be a serpent in the way,
A horned snake in the path,
That bites the horse's heels,
So that his rider falls backward.
For Thy salvation I wait, O Lord.'"
(New American Standard Bible)
Beloved in the Lord: in the days of Elijah, as every child in the audience also knows, when he is standing there on Mount Carmel and is ready to defy the priests and prophets of Baal, that he says to the people as they are getting ready; that sacrifice that they are going to bring which is finally going to determine who is God; and he says to the people at that time "why go ye any further limping on the two sides? Why are you limping on two opinions? Why are you divided? Why is it in this way that you are seeking to serve the living God and at the same time are serving idols?" And that is the kind of a division, of the double-mindedness that has been found in Israel throughout.
This was the kind of a thing that was very prominent of course, in the days of Elijah when he is standing there on the top of Mount Carmel with the prophets of Baal. Those are the kind of things beloved, that have also been found in the church and especially in the New Testament when the New Testament opened. And there is also no group of people to whom the woes of Jesus Christ are more pronounced than to the Pharisees who are of that same nature. These are also the individuals who are seeking to serve the true God and they are the ones who would therefore also look at the law very closely. And they are going to unravel that law to see just exactly what is involved in order that you will not go contrary to any one of the precepts or by any one of the small commandments. And at the same time, they are also the ones who crucified Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of the law. And as a result of that it may also be said to them, "Why go ye any longer limping on two sides?"
Now concerning that kind of people, Dan is their father. And those are the kind of things beloved, that we also see in the history of this man, Dan, and in his descendants. And he is also standing before us as one of the sons of Jacob, who reminds us of this again and again throughout his history and also the history of his tribe, that there is that division, that double-mindedness, whereby you are never able to serve the true God aright.
We speak to you tonight on, "Dan, A Divided Life." And then notice in the first place, the beginning; secondly, the historic development; and finally, the only hope.
Now it is at this time that we are also to look very carefully at all the various historic accounts that are given to us. And it is also so necessary beloved, and that has also been one of the reasons why we have chosen to speak, to preach this series. In order that we may also come to an understanding of the history of the people of God, and that we may also learn to see that history in its proper light. And that we will also learn to see that it is covenant history. And that we will therefore also be able to see that it is not something whereby each individual part is separated from every other, but where it is one complete whole, wherein is shown to us in all the revelation of God that it leads unto Jesus Christ.
Now it is at this time, at the time of the birth of these children, that there ever so much is spoken already concerning the things that are going to be. And Rachel is the one who has become desperate, desperate because of the fact that there is indeed an odious cloud that is hanging over her because of the fact that she has no children. And she is therefore the one who is despised, who is going to be rejected, as she is not to be placed on the same par as a Leah, because Leah is ever so much richer in that she has borne four children to her husband.
And now in this desperation, and it is a desperation of jealousy, and in that kind of a desperation then you will also say many things which have nothing to do with the truth. And which is also totally unreasonable, and she says to Jacob, her husband, "Give me children, or I die! Give me children. Because I am not able to go on in this way. I am not able any longer to stand the reproach that comes upon me because I am childless."
And finally even Jacob's anger is directed at Rachel and he says, "Am I in the place of God, can I give children?" And is that unreasonable? Finally she says to him, "Take my maid, take her to wife in order that her children may be mine." Because she is still her slave, and therefore has no rights, and has no right of property or of children, and therefore any child that you have with her, that child is going to be mine. And take her now. And here you see beloved, in that family of the patriarch, in that family that is, ought to be, standing as an example to all future generations. You have this, that there is that kind of a polygamy that is denied by Scripture, and that is condemned by Scripture throughout.
And he takes this maid, and then she rejoices when this maid has now a child, and it borders of course, on illegitimacy. And that's why Jacob says, "Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel. I will protect him." There's a question that is going to arise later on with the sons of Leah. Is this one, this interloper, this one, this stranger, this illegitimate one, is he also going to inherit among the tribes. Dan is also going to judge as one of the tribes of Israel. He is going to have a place, and the father protects him therefore already for the future.
But here beloved, when now Bilhah has given birth to this child; "this is now mine," says Rachel." And it isn't! Everything here is imitation. Everything here is not actual. Here she has this child, it isn't her own, and this is the child she says whose name is going to be Dan, that is, God has judged, and judges me. And in this kind of a strange piety she now comes and says, "This is God's work;" and it isn't at all. But that's the kind of exegesis you get quite often.
That when people want to put things in such a light so that they are always in the right, then it is God's will. This isn't His will at all; but it is a very handy way whereby you cover your own sins, whereby you cover your own indiscretions. And then say, this is the way in which it had to be. And she has learned this also from Leah, who did that same thing. And she said, "This is now the one, the judge, God has judged me." And she called his name Dan, a play on words in the Hebrew.
So that God is now judge, this is God's gift. This is therefore all according to His will. It isn't at all. And as a result of that beloved, it is going to do only one thing, and that is, divide. This is not the kind of a judgment that is going to come in this way, that he is indeed going to bind together. Jacob says, "Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel. And Dan shall be a serpent by the way. He is going to be like a snake, an adder, that biteth the horses' hoofs, and causes the rider to fall over backward."
That's the way God judges, and that is the way in which He judges the kind of things that a Rachel is doing, where she cannot wait of course, for the ways of God to be finished. She cannot wait for the time of God to come, and that is so prominent in that early history. Jacob himself could not wait for the blessing of God to come to him, but had to bow to deceit in order that he might get the birthright; can't wait for God's time. And Rachel is going to have Joseph and Benjamin later on. Of course, she doesn't know that at this time, but she can't wait, can't wait for God's time; God moves so slowly. Much slower than I want Him to. "Now then, if you do it in this way," says Rachel, "God has judged me, and judges me correctly, and judges in such a way so that this is the pathway that should be followed." That's the beginning.
And secondly, notice also the historic development. And the historic development beloved, is one that is indeed most interesting, also in the history of the tribe of Dan. And even though we usually look upon it in this way of course, that it is the tribe of Judah that stands out above all the others, and it does. And though it is the tribe of Judah that has given rise and has given birth to Jesus Christ, that nevertheless you and I are also to look very closely at all the other tribes in order that we may be able to understand that history of the people of God under the old covenant.
And then you find that also in that history of the tribe of Dan, there there are those things that are indeed outstanding, so that the Spirit of God is given in such great measure, so that he receives now the ability to be the architect of that great temple, that great tabernacle that is going to arise there in the wilderness. And God takes this one man out of the tribe of Judah, Azaliel, and this other one, Aholiab, out of the tribe of Dan, and pours on them that Spirit of God so that they are able to do those things that nobody else is able to do. That the Spirit of God is poured out, not for the purpose of salvation, but to give artists soul. Notice it! To give the soul of an artist to this man, Aholiab, this man out of the tribe of Dan, and the Spirit of God is given to him in such measure so that he is able to make all that intricate work of the tabernacle, and that it is to be made according to the plans that thou hast seen at the top of the mountain.
A man taken out of the tribe of Dan, in order that he may now accomplish this work of God. Again, when you look into the last part of the book of Judges, there you will also find that indeed the Danites have gone contrary to the will of God throughout. And that though they are pressed along the seaside and are now pressed for room, that they go far to the north and there overcome that place which was called Laish. And they have mercilessly slain the people of that city, and they have taken that land for themselves, and that is the reason why later on it can be said, that Israel's borders stemmed from the top, that is from Dan, to the bottom, to the south, to Beersheba.
Dan has taken it by himself, and not only that but also stopped in the household of Micah, whom we will meet again when we deal with Benjamin. And this Micah, who has introduced Baal, and idol worship, who has graven images, who has there also a Levite in order that he may be the priest of Micah. This is the man that is now taken out of the home of Micah, together with all the graven images, and they are brought there in the north to that new place where Dan is going to live, and there they set up their own religion and this Levite becomes now the priest of a whole tribe. He has received a call to a far larger church, and he accepts.
Again we are also to realize beloved, that one of the greatest of the judges, one of the most famous of the judges, has come from this tribe of Dan to depict to us that it is indeed a divided life. And that is Sampson, who was of the tribe of Dan. And here you see all of these things coming together, here you see a man who is indeed one who plays with holy things. And at the same time is also counted among the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11. Here is a man who is a Nazarite, that is, who has an office, that is, who is called of God for a very specific purpose. And is also the one who denies and despises the office that he clothes. Here is a man to whom the means have been given for the salvation and for the defense and the deliverance of Israel; his tremendous strength. And then we want to mention in this regard, but then you have to be so careful. And so often it is put in this way, you know, when we teach these children, because then the stories concerning Sampson are also some of the more important ones, and they become so interesting. And then we tell them about Sampson, how strong he was, what tremendous power. Then, I suppose, the height of it would be when he takes the gates of Gaza and carries them, all alone, to the top of a hill.
That's not what the book of Judges teaches. But the book of Judges teaches that this is covenant history, and that this man has received the Spirit of God, and that that strength resides not in his arms, but in the Spirit of the living God. So that when his hair is cut, it's gone. And you have to be careful, you're teaching our children, that they also know what God has in mind with the things that He has revealed to us, and that it is not merely something wherein we rejoice. Not in his tremendous strength, but in this, that it was given for the purpose of the deliverance of the people of God. And He uses that beloved, and plays with it, recognizing not at all, as so many ministers today; that office, that purpose, can never be separated. He is a Nazarite, may touch no unclean thing. And this is the first riddle that you hear of him; the strong slew, slew a lion, and he took honey out of that body of the lion and ate it. "And out of the strong came sweetness." I deny, I trample upon my Nazarite vows.
God takes it away from him. A man, called of God, to deliver His people, and at the same time, the one who tramples upon all that is holy. Yet a hero of faith, and then we begin to wonder because you always wonder with these double-minded individuals. You always wonder with those divided lives. Always wonder with that Pharisaic spirit, whither is it going to lead? And it's anyone's guess. What are they going to do next? Are they going to serve Jehovah, or are they going in the very opposite direction?
Sampson finally is captured, and is placed there in the prison. And there when the Philistines now are celebrating, what is the teaching of Scripture! Oh, and I have read one commentator after another that says, "There is one of those who has committed suicide." No, he didn't! Oh, it had that effect, but the Scriptures place it before us – he offered himself! This Nazarite, this judge, this one who is to be the man of God to lead His people, to deliver them. Never prays! Oh except that one time when he cries out that he is so hungry, and then read that prayer; it's pathetic.
Until he is there in prison, and then he prays, "O God, return that strength to me once more, to avenge myself of my two eyes." See, it was for vengeance, and that's not good.
What's the meaning of it, entirely? This is the man who becomes as it were, a type of Jesus Christ. He does not even work with a Gideon's band of three hundred, but alone. And this is the one who finally, when he realizes that his own life is also going to go under in the lives of these Philistines, that strength is returned to him. And it is returned to him so that he takes hold of these pillars that uphold that temple, and bows himself with strength; and it topples upon them and upon him.
The writer to the Hebrews says, "What a hero of faith, and what a man who is disgusting." Double life, a divided life. That's the way it had begun, and that is the way it ends, with Sampson. Now those are the characteristics beloved, that are found already throughout that whole tribe. This is the tribe of which Moses sang, that it was like a lion, and Deborah despises its cowardice; cannot stand it. And Dan remained in the ships, where she was going against Sisera. That is the historic development of that divided life.
And finally, notice also, its only hope. For we are to realize beloved, and that we'll never be lost from sight and here in Genesis 49 we have this prophet of God who is speaking when he is looking into the future. But it is not merely a prophet that is now looking into the future, but who is also so very closely connected to that future himself, because he is dealing with it from the point of view of his own children. And that certainly is also going to color it, a prophetic gaze, if there can ever be any coloring of that. And as he now looks into the future, and as he looks about him at this time, this man is about to die; Jacob. And now he looks upon all that he has, and the man is fabulously rich, he has spoken of it already years before when he has returned to Palestine, and he says to Esau, and he says before his God, "Over this Jordan I went twenty years ago, with my staff, and now I come back in two bands." He is rich, so that he has become one of the greatest men of the east. And also looking upon it another way, that he is also rich in a numerous household. And he looks upon that as also being indeed the gift of God; how good this God has been to him.
And now as the prophet of God, he must also lay the blessing upon his children. And he begins with Reuben, and shakes his head; and Simeon, and Levi. And finally Judah; "Thou art the one." From Judah is going to come the great Shiloh. Now he comes to Dan. "Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent in the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horses' heels so that his rider falleth backward." When I looked to my sons, there's no hope. Judah; but oh the life of Judah himself had also been besmirched. God is going to be gracious, and out of Judah is going to come forth He that is to be a ruler in Israel forever. And now he comes to Dan. And as he so looks prophetically into the future, then he cries out, "I have raised it for thy salvation, Oh Jehovah. It's not going to come from my children."
That salvation will not come from them; "Though I am rich, though there is a numerous household, though I loved them, each one, and that I also loved this Dan, even though he is a child of a concubine; even though I also loved Simeon, Levi; though their anger is to be cursed. That I loved a Reuben, though he has sinned so drastically against me; now I have waited for Thy salvation. It has to come in a different way, and otherwise it won't come. It has to come from Thee, O God, it has to come from someone who has not a divided life, it has to come from one who is indeed of such a nature that His yea is yea, and His nay is nay. It has to come from such a One who pronounces His woes upon the Pharisees, the Dans of His day. I have waited for Thy salvation, I have looked upon my children to give them a blessing. Abraham gives his blessing to his only son and the blessings of the God of Abraham be upon thee, my son Isaac. And Isaac, though he wants to give it to Esau, nevertheless forced by God to give it to Jacob, gives him the blessing of Abraham and of Isaac, and now also Jacob's blessing. And now Jacob says, "I have waited for Thy salvation, it won't come through these sons, they are disappointing."
For beloved, we must realize that when we turn to Revelation seven, there an indication is given concerning all of the tribes of Israel, and where we then read again and again, and it becomes so monotonous sometimes, that of the tribe of Reuben there were sealed 12,000, and of the tribe of Simeon, 12,000; and of Levi, and of Judah; not of Dan; the only one who is skipped. The Pharisee; no greater woes have been pronounced by Jesus Christ then upon them.
"I wait for Thy salvation; it won't come through my wealth, it won't come through my family, but I wait confidently for I know it's going to come." This old man, 147 years old, is a pathetic figure, when he must here speak to his sons. He says to Reuben, "You can't have it." He says to Simeon and Levi, "Your anger is a curse and let not my soul get into it." And he says to Dan, "You're a snake, you're a snake, an adder, a serpent that bites horses' heels, and causes the rider to fall over backwards." With that he has to go into the grave, but he says, "I have waited for Thy salvation."
And that was the kind of a salvation beloved, on which he had also worked himself. Not being able to wait for the time of God to come; and wanted to help God along. Helps Him along to get the birthright from Esau, helps it along to fool Laban. Now he says, "I'll wait for Thy salvation." That's where he has to be, because it is not in Dan, nor in the others, but in Jesus Christ, the One who is not divided, but undivided completely; whose yea is yea, and whose nay is nay, and who says that what is more than that is of the devil. Dan's divided life stands as a memorial, as a warning, warning to everybody, and especially when we think again today of the Reformation of the church. What we need today is, not more of those; we don't need any Pharisees; we need those who are upright, completely, and who wait for the salvation of Jehovah. Amen.
We thank Thee, our heavenly Father, for the lovingkindness Thou hast shown us. We thank Thee for the Word wherein Thou hast spoken to us. And we pray, heavenly Father, that it may be applied unto mind and heart, in order that we may walk in Thy ways, and that we may also learn to understand the truth which Thou hast made known. Grant us Thy blessing in the days of this week. Guide us by Thy Spirit, and pardon our sins, for Jesus' sake. Amen.
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE, © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
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