Sermons
Vander Kam on Genesis 49:21
Sermons
Vander Kam on Genesis 49:21Genesis 49:21 – "'Naphtali is a doe let loose,
He gives beautiful words.'"
(New American Standard Bible)
Beloved in the Lord: in the Psalm that we sang a moment ago, Psalm 29, there we find a very remarkable statement, a statement that also has become very well known to us. And it is this statement that the people of God are going to worship in the beauty of holiness. That is therefore the way in which the people of God are to worship, that it is to be done in the beauty of holiness. And then the question naturally arises, what do we mean by that? What does it mean mainly, that there is a beauty in holiness? Because of the fact that most people had always thought that there was no beauty in that at all.
But it is also one of the great problems beloved, before us even unto the present day, that we are not able to understand how there can be beauty in holiness. A great majority in our day believe that there is no beauty in it, and there are ever so many others who believe that in all beauty there is no holiness. And consequently, these are the two that are very difficult to join, very difficult to get together; how is it ever possible that we are going to have beauty and holiness joined!
Now those are the kind of things of which the Bible also speaks again and again, and Naphtali is the father of all those who believe in beauty without holiness, that is a beauty that is standing all by itself. And these are the kind of things beloved, that are also found throughout the Old Testament and which the New Testament also speaks, and many of these things must also be understood, would we have the proper conception of even the things that Jesus Christ has made known to us.
We speak to you tonight on: Naphtali: Beauty Without Satisfaction. Then we notice in the first place, its prophesy; secondly, its reason; and finally, its condemnation.
Also with the birth of this Naphtali, here we are also again to realize and we follow the order of Genesis 29 and 30. And there there is also again clear that this is again not one of the sons of Leah or Rachel, but that it is the son of the handmaiden of Rachel: Bilhah. And as it is also true with the former one, Dan, so is it also true here that Rachel believes that through the children that are born by this handmaiden, by this slave, thereby she is also going to have children and thereby overcome the difficulties of not having motherhood.
She believes therefore that in this way she is also able to have children for herself. And Jacob safeguards it with regards to Dan and says that he is also going to rule in the midst of Israel. He is going to have a place; he is going to have a place among the tribes. And now concerning Naphtali, here it is said and Rachel says, with great wrestlings have I wrestled before God. With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister and I have prevailed. And now therefore she calls his name Naphtali, because of the fact that she has wrestled so well and that she has prevailed against her sister.
And hereby you again see beloved, that kind of a piety, the kind of a false piety that was so common, and that believes that this is the blessing of God that rests upon her labor, that rests upon her best, and believes also that she has overcome, that she has prevailed, that God has given the victory. And then you are also able to see so clearly that that is His blessing, and it is not His blessing at all. That is the kind of an exegesis that we find again and again among the saints of the Old Testament. And that is the kind of an exegesis that we also see to the present day, that people come to the conclusion, this must be the will of God, when it isn't His will at all.
And here you have also those kind of wrestlings, wrestlings against the will of God, against the way in which He has led things, against the way that He had devised things. And it is therefore not the kind of a wrestling that we find later on of Jacob at Peniel, but it is a wrestling wherein she believes that she has prevailed.
And Jacob, this father, as he is now about to leave this life, and now comes with a prophesy which is to be a prophesy of blessings, but it is almost as much a prophesy of curse upon his children. He is now speaking prophetically of those things that are going to be, and those are the words that are true. That name that they have given him in the beginning may not be true at all, but the prophesies wherewith this patriarch comes, these are going to come to pass, and he says, "That Naphtali is like a gazelle; beautiful of body, swift; all the grace is given to it." And therein Moses also says later on, "Satisfied with favor is Naphtali." Beautiful to behold, and therefore is also standing out among all the tribes of Israel.
Not only that but he has this beauty in body, but it is also even more than that. For this is also the one who is able to speak goodly words. Here is also the one who has not only the beauty of body, but has also that kind of a beauty, so that he is able to utter beautiful words. And therein is the father not critical, but at the same time points out the danger, and the dangers are there that amid all the beauty that he possesses, satisfied with favor, favor that no one else among all the tribes of Israel; this is the one who speaks goodly words, beautiful words; but they are going to be words that will not last, that are not filled with content, not the kind of words upon which people later on will stand, but the kind of words that are empty.
Now as we follow it then through the history of the people of God, that we also find only a little while later, in the book of Judges, that that Barak also comes from the tribe of Naphtali. And here is indeed a very strange individual. This is the one who will also give his life as it were, for the people of God, and Deborah has also sung of that, that Naphtali, like a young lion, was ready to lay down his life. But this Barak will not go, will not go into battle, except Deborah go along, except Deborah go with him, and that is the only way that he will go against Jabin and Sisera.
And then come the goodly words, not from Barak of the tribe of Naphtali, but the goodly words come from Deborah. She now has to speak for him, and she speaks in that beautiful song, that song in which she sings the praises of God.
And again, when we look into that history that we also find that it is at the time of the building of the temple of Solomon, and that Solomon now also looked about in order that he may find someone who is able to do all the work of art that is to be done on that temple of God. And he now goes to Hiram of Tyre, and of him we read that his mother was a widow of Naphtali, who had married a man of Tyre, and that is the man that is brought to Jerusalem, this man of art, this man of beauty, who has devised all of the brass in the temple. And then you also have a catalog of all the things that he has made.
Herein you see beloved, that that is the prophesy that has come true; like a gazelle, like a gazelle that's loose, with beautiful, goodly words, satisfied with favor; he has all the favors that have been bestowed. That is the place of Naphtali among the tribes.
Secondly, notice also, the reason why it does not satisfy. Now the reason for that is given in this beloved, that here you have an attempt at beauty without holiness at all. And here is an attempt that a beauty shall arise and that it is a beauty without any content. And that it is a kind of a beauty where there is no holiness to be found at all. And that is typical, typical of Naphtali, typical of ever so many. An art for art's sake; a beauty for beauty's sake, and that there is nothing more than that, and then we are able to look upon it, and look at it in awe, at the splendor that is to be viewed in depth, they're so confident.
Now that has been the struggle in Israel throughout, because Israel is not the place of beauty but Israel is the place of holiness, that's where the emphasis lies. If you want beauty, then you have to go outside of Israel, then you have to go to Tyre, or later on to Aven. There you see the memorials, there you see the monuments, there you see the beauty that man has devised. But in Israel it is something different.
Those are the things that are shown throughout beloved, in order that we may also see what is the relationship between the two, and also how very difficult it is that they have to be joined together. That we will therein see that it is indeed the beauty, but that it is of an entirely different nature than this world knows it. That it is the kind of a beauty that is found nowhere else. And that even in that temple, where there is such beauty as has not been seen before, where it is so costly, where it is made in such a way that it is made after the pattern of God Himself. And that artists are to come even from foreign lands in order to make it, so that that temple is a thing of splendor, a thing of beauty. And in it, they bring sacrifices; the opposite, the very opposite of beauty. There the smell, the stench arises from that burning flesh, in that place of beauty.
And Naphtali comes in order to work on the artwork of the temple, to make it so beautiful as had never been seen before. And then God says to Levi, "Now you bring your sacrifices of animals here in this temple. And indeed, let incense arise, arise unto God." Oh, there is virtually no possibility that there is ever going to be that kind of a joining of that beauty and of that holiness, and it seems as though they are opposites. It seems as though the two can never be brought together. And yet that is precisely the thing that is being overcome also in that temple worship. That here the people are also to realize that these two are to be joined, that they are to be brought together, and that it is not brought together in any way that this world knows, not in any way that Naphtali knows, but that it is going to be brought together on an entirely different plane, and that is the plane of the beauty of holiness, wherein that beauty receives content, when there is that inner beauty. That beauty that is the desire of God Himself.
Now there are ever so many of these things, beloved, that are still before us to the present day. And these are the kind of things that run into the very fabric of Scripture, so that these are the difficulties that we there see, and the outside world looks upon that temple in its beauty and is awestruck; and sees the sacrifices and they turn their back. And God says, "Those are the two that belong together." And then teaches Israel to sing, "In the beauty of holiness worship the Lord."
That they may also realize that there is no beauty apart from that holiness, and that that holiness is indeed beautiful. That they may learn to realize that all that He has made is indeed beautiful, but that we may also realize that the only way in which it is going to be seen properly is in holiness.
Or, to use an example; in with the humanism of the present day, this is that which stands over against Christianity. And that humanism speaks constantly of that dignity of man; and Christianity speaks of his repentance. As builder has said, "The deeper the humanist digs into the nature of man, the more he is convinced of his dignity." And Christianity, the more it digs into the nature of man, the more he is convinced of its need of repentance.
Thus we may realize that the one who does not know God, does not know man; for he is made in the image of God. That we may realize that the only beauty that there is, that is truly so called, is that beauty that shines from above, that beauty of holiness, that inner quality. Christianity does not look so beautiful to many of the younger generation. And they say that the world outside has a beauty, and in the church, perhaps, holiness. But that beauty there in the world about us is that which attracts, and the true beauty is found only therein. Where these two are brought together, and wherein that beauty of holiness, we will worship, worship the God of beauty as well as the God of holiness.
And therefore, Naphtali's beauty is always unsatisfactory. It never satisfies the deepest longing. It may satisfy for the moment, and then it is gone, while the beauty that comes out of the worship of God is that which abides.
And finally, notice also, its condemnation. And we are to realize beloved, and that is also the reason why we read to you tonight the last part of Matthew 11. That Jesus is the One who has also spoken concerning this matter and has spoken concerning it in the words that are very well known. And has spoken concerning this matter in such a way so that it also leaves no room for doubt whatsoever. That they may therefore listen to the One concerning whom it is also said, "That there is no comeliness, that we should desire Him." That He is the One who is not comely whatsoever, and that the Bible even goes to great lengths in order to emphasize that particular matter.
That it goes to such lengths so that He is born in a stable. Was that necessary? That it goes to such lengths that He hangs naked on a cross. Was that necessary? In order to emphasize therein that He is without any comeliness, and that the natural man sees no beauty that we should desire Him. That is Jesus Christ. That is the way in which He comes into the world. That is the way in which He makes His appearance, as the One who has no comeliness whatsoever, no beauty that we should desire Him. And then goes to such lengths to emphasize; born in a stable, fit only for beasts. There is no beauty, there's nothing there that we should desire Him.
And yet at the same time, says the apostle, "That we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." That beauty is entirely God. And on the other hand, says the apostle, "It is a beauty, the like of which this world has never before seen." It is the beauty of heaven itself come down to earth. It is the beauty of God, the only begotten of the Father. The One who is full of grace, full of truth.
Somehow that beauty and holiness have there come together. Christ has drawn these things together, as He does so many things. There have been so many loose ends that men have never been able to get together. And the promised things are; that mercy, and justice, and truth have come together, in Jesus Christ. That's what this world can never, never join; they are always opposite; they are always clashing. And this is the One who draws them together, and so has He also drawn beauty and holiness together.
But here in this chapter beloved, He is speaking concerning that land of Naphtali, that land of which Isaiah had spoken. That land of Zebulun and Naphtali, Galilee of the Gentiles. That is the land in which most of the great works of Jesus Christ have been performed. That was the land that bordered the Sea of Gennesaret, the Sea of Galilee. That was the land in which He had done His great works. That's the land in which He lived. That's the land in which He made His home, and that is the land in which He had done ever so many miracles and that is the land in which He had spoken His words of grace. And therefore He says, "Thou Chorazin, thou Bethsaida, woe unto thee, woe unto thee. And thou Capernaum, also in that land of Naphtali, shalt thou be exalted unto heaven? Thou shalt be cast down into the realm of the dead, into Hades. For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre." That's almost ironic!
That's where the man of Naphtali had come from, to do all the work of art in the temple. And now, if the mighty works that have been done in Chorazin, in Bethsaida, in Capernaum; if these had been done in Tyre, they would have repented. And Naphtali doesn't!
We can go even a step further; for when he says concerning Capernaum, that that is the largest city that is not going to be elevated unto the heavens, but rather is going to be cast down into Hades; that if the mighty works that had been done in thee, had been done even in Sodom – that recognizes not even in a natural beauty, let alone holiness; they would have repented. Seems as though that quality of beauty that Naphtali possessed, is now a stumbling block, has now closed his eyes, so that when the Christ appears, He comes with His woes, woes upon these cities in which His great works have been done. For what?
This is also the place beloved, where the Sermon on the Mount has been preached. Jesus sat there on the mount in Galilee and there spoke those words, "Blessed are the meek, blessed are the pure in heart, blessed are the peacemakers." And they heard Him with gladness, they heard Him gladly; these are beautiful words, goodly words. But they demand your repentance. But now! Then they turn away and say, "Then crucify Him!" Now these words are indeed beautiful, and those are also the shades of the day in which you and I are living, that there are ever so many who are indeed overcome as it were, with the beauty of the Sermon on the Mount. Now the only thing that has in mind is this, repent, repent ye, and do the works that have been shown you in this text. No!
They followed Him gladly, the common people heard Him gladly, they followed Him in droves, they would even gladly make Him king. And Jesus says, "Woe unto you, for had it done in Tyre and Sidon, and indeed, they would have repented, but ye did not."
Now those are the kind of ways beloved, in which Naphtali has gone throughout the history unto the day of Jesus Christ. And when it comes to the goodly words, He is the One who has better words than Naphtali ever had. And Naphtali is overcome, "You, you!" Christ says, "That isn't the point. The point of it is, become citizens of that kingdom of heaven. And apart from that, there is no life."
Now thereby are we then also able to understand the latter part of that eleventh chapter. When Christ there, when He has pronounced His woes upon these cities in which the mighty works had been done, that He then says, "I thank Thee, Father, that these things have been hidden from the wise and prudent, and that Thou hast revealed them to babes." The wise and the prudent have never been able to get beauty and holiness together. They have never been able to join them, and that Thou hast revealed it unto babes, that for the wise it is always a stumbling block, and that for the wise it is always foolishness. That they stumble at that Word of Christ, that the beauty can also demand holiness, and that the two are brought together. "That Thou hast revealed it to babes." There are so many that have so many problems with the Bible, and we need translation upon translation, and it has to be brought into the vernacular of the day, because otherwise this learned generation can't understand it. Of course not! "And Thou hast revealed it to babes." Still to have not progressed far educationally, and they glorify God in the beauty of holiness. They have brought them together, and they understand, and they therein rejoice, and they can glory in that cross, that despicable cross; despicable in the eyes of the world. They can glory in that stable, but that stable is only for poetry in the world about us. I thank Thee God, that Thou has hidden it from the wise and prudent, for wisdom is never going to bring the two together. But that Thou hast revealed it to babes. And to show you, to show you that He means it, He takes up Naphtali fishermen. And these become the pillar of the church of Jesus Christ and the foundation stones of the New Jerusalem. These out of Naphtali! Yet, when I look at Revelation 7, and at Naphtali, 12,000 were sealed. That's more than could be said of Dan. But this son of this slave woman, this one that also borders on illegitimacy, of this woman 12,000 are sealed. For some of the babies have indeed come to the faith and they can sing Psalm 29 and have no difficulties at all. In the beauty of holiness they can worship the Lord. Because that beauty of holiness rests in the holiness, that beauty is found there, it is found in its rich content. And then he becomes altogether lovely. No comeliness, no beauty that we should desire Him. He is the fairest of ten thousand. "In the cross of Christ I glory," says the apostle. There I have seen all beauty. Athens, Tyre, shall go down into the dust. And thou Bethsaida, Chorazin; woe unto thee, and Capernaum shall be cast down into Hades. And I will reveal it unto these babes out of Naphtali.
It was despicable at one time, that country of Naphtali, but finally it has been made most glorious with the coming of Jesus Christ in her borders. And there He has spoken, and there He has spoken His words of life, and there He did His mighty works, and revealed it to those who believe, who cry out, "Help my unbelief." Amen.
We thank Thee Father, for Thy Word. We pray, bless it to our hearts, to our minds, to our lives. That we may grow in Thy grace, may be brought ever nearer to Thee. Grant that it may then also be our food and drink during the days of the week to come. Grant us Thy benediction. Forgive our sins, and hear us, 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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