Praise Yah we made it through 2023 together! We’ve endured shakings and hard times, but more is yet to come. Many are anticipating major changes, prophecies unfolding and judgment falling. What do the Scriptures have to say about what will happen to you in 2024 and future years?
The Double Emphasis on Gathering
For those who have ears to hear, the last words of our forefather Jacob told us what would happen to us in our day when he:
‘called his sons and said to them: “Gather together so that I can tell you what will happen to you in the last days. Be assembled1 and listen2, sons of Jacob, and listen2 to Israel your father.” Genesis 49:1
Jacob was commanding his offspring, which includes the exiles of Israel in these latter days, to do two things that he twice emphasized: 1. Gather together and assemble; and 2. Listen – Shema in Hebrew. Shema means more than to just listen, but to take it to heart, believing what you hear, and be obedient to what our forefathers said to his sons.
When does YHWH command us to gather and assemble? On the Sabbaths of course (Lev 23:2). We are not to forsake the gathering of ourselves together as some do, especially as that day approaches (Heb 10:25) – in the last days. We come together to Shema and hear from the Father with faith that the blessings were written for us today.
Jacob’s Prophetic Words For His Twelve Sons
The last words of Israel blessing his sons belong to you and I. Because of our redeemer Yeshua, we believers in the Messiah belong to the commonwealth of Israel and the covenants of promise (Eph 2:12-22). But, interestingly, some of Jacob’s prophetic words do not sound like a blessing, but a curse – or are they? What will happen to you, the children of Israel, according to our forefather Jacob’s prophesies in Genesis Chapter 49 (NASB)? To find out, let’s go over the twelve sons’ blessings one by one. Your faith in YHWH our Elohim will be stronger and your hearts will be encouraged when you shema what our forefather Israel had to say to his latter-day children:
“Reuben, you are my firstborn; my might, and the beginning of my strength, preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power. Uncontrolled as water, you shall not have preeminence, because you went up to your father’s bed; then you defiled it – he went up to my couch.” Genesis 49:3-4
Sexual sinners will be removed from positions of authority over Yah’s people. They will no longer excel at anything they do and will lose all their dignity and preeminence in our society. When will Hollywood and the mainstream media become unstable as frothy water and cease to excel at pushing their smut around the world? When will dignitaries in politics finally lose out on their extra-curricular activities of sexual abuse and lose their preeminent positions? When will the sex trafficking rings become as unstable as uncontrolled, filthy water poured out of a pot and disappear into the ground? Their day is coming soon. Declare to the fleshpots with Jacob ‘You shall not have preeminence.’
Jacob is dealing with the carnal side of his once proud, firstborn Reuben, whose name’s meaning gives us the answer to his weakness: ‘Behold a Son’. Behold the Son of God hanging on the cross, stripped naked, covered with blood, taking on the curse and punishment for all sexual sinners. Hear His merciful answer to sexual sin – death to the pride of life, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eye, as we behold our Savior upon the cross.
“Simeon and Levi are brothers; their swords are implements of violence. 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. 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
Weapons used for violence will no longer be glorified. Violent anger is being cursed. Violent bands armed to slay people in their wrath will be destroyed. Their day is coming.
The world is waking up to the horrifying atrocities of what hateful, angry people can do. The nation of Israel is succeeding in its war against the cruel, hateful people of Hamas (which means ‘violent’) in Gaza. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Pray for shalom – to destroy the authority that brings chaos (in paleo Hebrew). What happens in the Land will one day be seen around the world when the prophet Obadiah’s prophecy will be fulfilled.
One reason YHWH dispersed and scattered Simeon and Levi is to keep them from banding together again since violent anger was the tribes’ Achilles heel. So Abba gave Levi a job to do with those big knives they liked to use – slaughter animals for prescribed sacrifices. Expect Yeshua to turn violent, angry people around to preach the Gospel.
The Gospel declares that the perfect sacrifice of the Messiah slays enmity (Eph 2:15-16) and violence in the flesh when heard and believed, the meaning of ‘Sh’mon (Simeon)’.
After being cut off by our sin from the life of God, the finished work of the cross grafts us back into the olive tree (Rom 2:17). We then become one in Messiah – ‘joined together,’ the meaning of Lewi (Levi). Expect more connections with believers in the near future.
“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. 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? 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. He ties his foal to the vine, and His donkey’s colt to the choice vine. He washes his garments in wine, and His robes in the blood of grapes. His eyes are dull from wine, and his teeth white from milk.” Genesis 49:8-12
The brothers who speak evil of Judah and attack his identity will turn around to praise their brother Yehudah! Jacob gives extensive details on the characteristics of Yehudah and what the Jewish Messiah would do. Identifying who the Jews are starts in Genesis.
The Jews are finally rousing up against their surrounding enemies. We see the hand of Judah now on the neck of Hamas in southern Gaza. One day the Lion of Judah will get the upper hand – finally! In the land, there will no longer be a tiny heel nation, but He will rouse up like a lion and regain rightful rule by the Torah. Together as a re-united Israel, we will rule the nations from Jerusalem with Shiloh (tranquility), a title for King Yeshua.
What would it take for Shiloh to have the obedience of the people? The Son of God had to come humbly to us on a foal of a donkey. Tied to the vine, we are grafted into Him through His humility. Humility is the only way to exaltation and Kingdom authority.
Our Messiah will wash His people completely clean of all that our enemies have defiled us with by the blood of the Lamb we overcome. One day, He will judge our tyrannical enemies when He comes to trod the grapes of wrath. On that day and in our day, we give the highest praise to YHWH! (The meaning of ‘Yehudah’)
“Zebulun will dwell at the seashore, and he shall be a haven for ships, and his flank shall be toward Sidon.” Genesis 49:12
The hospitable homes of fellow believers and their congregations are becoming safe residences, and habitations (meaning of Zebulun), where we can find a safe harbor during the storms of life. With today’s distresses of tyrannical rulers, rioters, looters, increasing crime, radical anarchists, and escalating rumors of war, many are searching for a safer, more secure place to move to and to live in to weather out the coming storms.
The name of the city of Tsidon means ‘catching fish.’ When tossed, lost souls find that the people of Messiah welcome them into the safe habitations of the house of Jacob, and they will come into our harbors. Becoming hospitable is a way to become fishers of men.
Leslie and I are not rich in money or material goods, but we are sure our rich in relationships. We have many safe-haven homes locally and spread abroad where we can go in time of need. We expect many more safe havens to develop for many more of our mishpochah.
Are you preparing for the Greater Exodus? Getting ready to bug out? Our Master Yeshua is preparing safe havens in store for us on the way back to the Promised Land!
“Issachar is a strong donkey, lying down between the sheepfolds. When he saw that a resting place was good and that the land was pleasant, He bowed his shoulder to bear burdens, and became a slave at forced labor.”
Genesis 49:14-15
What happens to you who work hard to make a living? In Yeshua, the hard-working man or woman can go to bed with the reward of a good place to rest safely in a pleasant land. Bondservants of the Messiah can rest tired bodies and minds without the stress and anxiety of not being paid what is due him but rightfully rewarded by Abba for his labors.
Those who bear others’ burdens will know that the ones served won’t take advantage of them, nor steal nor fraudulently extort wages. YHWH Yireh sees our needs and provides.
Issachar’s name means ‘He will bring a reward or wage.’ That wage won’t be determined by today’s unjust weights and balances, but rightfully rewarded when the Messiah turns over the tables on the money changers of our day by His great reset!
“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.” Genesis 49:16-18
Today’s courts and judges make so many perverted rulings because so many are bribed and arm-twisted. The higher the court, the more the Deep State has control over them. But their day is coming. Let’s pray for righteousness to be restored in the courts.
Pray for and expect surprising acts of justice in favor of the oppressed, for the wrongfully accused, and for persecuted brethren. Remember how Yah reversed Joseph’s injustices.
Messiah’s second coming is that of a Judge. So maybe that’s why Dan is not needed among the 144,000. Be patient, Yeshua will justly do their job for them when He returns.
The central axis of all of Jacob’s blessings to the twelve tribes is in his longing plea for his sons found in the center of a chiastic structure of symmetrical themes:
→ “For Your Salvation I wait, O LORD (YHWH).” ←Genesis 49:18
Salvation, ‘Yeshuat’ in Hebrew, is being preached to all of Israel throughout the world. Because of the work of the cross, we can be assured that anyone can be saved from their sins, no matter what the sin – sexual defilement, cruel violence out of anger, fierce storms of life, oppression by the enemy with its hand choking the neck, unrighteous judges in court… you get the picture. Adonai Yeshua is still in the saving business to the end:
‘all Israel will be saved. Even as it is written, ‘There will come out of Zion the Deliverer, and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.’ Romans 11:26
“As for Gad, raiders shall raid him, but he will raid at their heels.”
Genesis 49:19
What will happen to Yah’s people who have been robbed, taken advantage of, or plundered in any way? The adversary of our souls attempts to invade our thoughts with floods of false narratives to steal our faith and joy. The snake wants to invade our bodies with toxic vaccines, pharmakia, GMOs, etc, to steal our health. The serpent wants to invade our homes listen in on all our conversations, and watch our every move, stealing our privacy and the sanctity of our homes. Deep State operatives have infiltrated every level of government. Never have we been invaded on so many fronts.
Yeshua not only destroys the works of the devil, He restores what’s been stolen from the redeemed. He empowers His overcomers to take back what the devil stole from them (Exo 22:14) seven times over (Prov 6:31). If we don’t grow weary, we will be rewarded.
The name Gad means ‘a troop,’ meaning we collectively can take back what’s been stolen from us. He has a purpose in our day as well to restore to us what’s been stolen, for He promised:
‘The wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous. Proverbs 13:22
Leslie and I see her as characterized by this tribe. Gad is spelled ‘gimel dalet’; in paleo, it means to go through the door. Leslie has a way of invading a person’s heart, even if there is no door and the heart is walled off with defenses. With her hugs and her love, she gimels through the dalet of the heart. With the love of Yeshua, hearts can be invaded when nothing else gets through to a person to minister to them. Expect more invasions!
“As for Asher, his food shall be rich, and he will yield royal dainties.” Genesis 49:20
What will happen around the family table? Fellowship is sweet around a table where food is served that everyone can enjoy! Eating at a table together is an act of covenant with our King. Everything from Him is kosher: no GMOs, no toxins, nothing artificial, no harmful anything, but pure delight (the meaning of oneg). Our King has the best main courses to be served and desserts of royal dainties like we’ve never tasted!
Asher means ‘happy, or blessed.’ Jacob and his twelve sons were happy and blessed to eat at a royal table together with their brother Joseph, the Prince of Egypt. So do we break bread together with gladness? So will we at the wedding supper of the Lamb!
“Naphtali is a doe let loose, He gives beautiful words.” Genesis 49:21
Naphtali means ‘my wrestling.’ Those who have wrestled with writing and composing will be let loose like a doe leaping free in a forest! We haven’t seen anything yet! Anointed musicians will be even more anointed – unhinged in the liberty of the Spirit!
Anointed words have creative power. So beautiful words and beautiful songs will create beautiful people with beautiful lives. There’s nothing like words set to beautiful music that uplifts, inspires, and frees a soul to worship YHWH in everything you do and say!
The most beautiful lyrics, the most moving, anointed songs, poems, and words ever spoken, are on the way! After five Dove awards and over a dozen albums, Aaron Shust said his first Messianic song ‘Zion’ is his best yet. What will happen to you by such music?
“Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a spring; Its branches run over a wall. The archers bitterly attacked him, and shot at him and harassed him; 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 (Shaddai) Who blesses you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath, blessings of the breasts and the womb. 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
Even during devastating end-times tribulation, the descendants of Joseph scattered here in exile will be doubly fruitful and will overcome our enemies attacking within and without. Benai Yoseph won’t grow weaker under the attacks, but stronger and even more fruitful!
Standing on the Rock, with the armor of Light, having clothed ourselves with Messiah, we will stand firm against the greatest onslaughts the dragon can send our way (Rev 12). The strength of a valiant warrior will be in us by the hand of our Messiah Yeshua, Who is Shaddai, the Almighty, our all-sufficient Shepherd! He will help you overcome to the end.
Shaddai will employ all of creation from its depths to its heights to deliver and bless us and our offspring. America has already experienced many of these blessings, but what our Father has in store for us in the Promised Land will exceed everyone’s imagination. The American Dream will fade away as a distant memory. No longer under tyrannical slave masters, nor under the satanic deep state, the crown of leadership and righteous rule (Rev 12:5) will be upon the heads of Joseph’s offspring once again. HalleluYah!
“Benjamin is a ravenous wolf. In the morning he devours the prey, and in the evening he divides the spoil.” Genesis 49:27
Wild with the hope of a brand new day, the tribes of Israel will no longer be prey for the enemies of our souls. Like the wolf on top of the animal kingdom, you’ll live wild and free.
Two Benjaminites named Esther and Mordechai were faced with Haman’s plot for all Jews to become prey and to be annihilated. Instead, the tables were turned on their adversary and Esther’s enemies became the prey for the Jews and Benjaminites ‘to plunder their possessions’ (Esther 8:11b) Instead, Haman and his sons were hanged on the gallows made for Mordechai and the Jews. The Benjaminites divided the spoils.
Celebrating the feast of Purim can be a rehearsal of what will happen to you according to this prophetic book being replayed in our day. Purim can revive your purpose and victorious destiny for:
‘you are come to the kingdom for such a time as this.’ Esther 4:14
A ravenous, religious zealot named Saul (Acts 8 & 9), a Benjaminite, was much like King Saul, also a Benjaminite, who persecuted David. Not only did Saul persecute the righteous, he was complicit in murdering righteous believers in the Messiah. But Yeshua turned Saul around to radically follow Him as Master. By preaching the Gospel, Paul divided the spoils by taking converted souls to plant and build up many assemblies.
Today the Gospel is being preached throughout all the world, bringing many souls into the kingdom. Many converts were hard-core, ravenous wolves like the Sauls of the Scriptures, but are now zealous for the Messiah of Israel. No matter how ungodly and even murderous a person can be, they can be turned around to bring glory to God!
The name Benyamin means ‘son of my right hand.’ Yeshua is the Son of the right hand of the Father in Heaven, meaning it is He Who is the outstretched hand of Elohim. He’s the Mighty One of Israel, Who works on our behalf to save us. Benyamin being the last-born son represents the last generation in the last days. Our generation is witnessing the hand of the Father, Yeshua, saving souls and working wonders on the earth!
What Will Happen to Reconcile the Whole House of Israel?
Think about what the jealous brothers had done to their dreamer brother and their father’s heart when they threw Joseph in the pit to get rid of him. But God turned it around for the good. Father Jacob came back with his whole family from drought-stricken Canaan to spend the last 17 years of his life living with his long-lost and beloved son, Joseph. After all those long years of separation, his family was wonderfully reconciled and restored.
Did the eleven brothers deserve to eat at the prince of Egypt’s table and then receive an offer of a new home for their families and livestock in the fertile land of Goshen (meaning ‘drawing near’)? After the way we’ve treated our family members in the past, do you or I deserve a better life in a better place than we have now, not dying of worldwide famine?
What a beautiful story in the Torah and foreshadowing of the grace and forgiveness of our Elohim! Yes, grace and favor can be found in the ‘Law of Moses!’ Jacob could then bless and prophecy over all twelve of his sons, adding a double portion blessing to the two sons of his beloved Joseph – Ephraim and Manasseh.
The sons of Ya’aqov (Jacob) coming together in Mitsrayim (Egypt, double straits) is only a shadow picture of what is happening to the two houses of Israel. Only our Messiah Yeshua can truly complete the ministry of reconciling a dysfunctional family. Our Rabbi filled the Torah to its fullness by teaching us selfless love and offering forgiveness. He fully offers salvation to whosoever would believe in Him Who loved us and gave Himself for us. True reconciliation comes only by the work of Messiah in us, the hope of glory, the glory of Israel (Isaiah 46:13). Only His true love shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit can build up His Body fitly joined together by a faith working through love.
May each one of us discover our unique call and destiny in the Kingdom of Israel, to better serve our great King and Elohim out of love for the One Who first loved us. May each of us be part of the blessings our forefathers promised to the seed of Messiah.
May YHWH show you wonderful and marvelous things in His Torah on what will happen to us when we work together towards the restoration of the whole house of Yisra’el?
Keeping the Torah, if we would just draw near to Yeshua, drawn by the Father’s great love for us, if we would just bow and worship at His feet, bowing our will to the Master and obey Him, the best things in life are yet to come!
May we all become a part of what YHWH promised in His Word that will surely come to pass – the salvation of ALL of Israel.
In the Name of Yeshua, the Messiah,
David Klug