The 12 Tribes of Israel: Tracing the 'Lion of Judah'

Greetings listeners. Have you heard Donnie McClurkin's song Victory Chant: Hail Jesus? It's good, right? If you haven't, there's a link in the show notes. Now check out the chorus to this song.

No, I won't be singing it. I won't subject you to my questionable singing skills. Trust me, you've been spared. Let me just quote it for you. It goes Hail Hail Lion of Judah. Hail Hail Lion of Judah. How wonderful you are, how wonderful you are. Hail Hail Lion of Judah. Hail Hail Lion of Judah, how powerful you are, how powerful you are. Got it Good, okay? Well, that got me thinking. What's Pastor McClurkin getting at when he sings the phrase 'Hail Lion of Judah?' Who's he talking about and why? If you're curious, as I am, stick around for this episode of the Bible Basics Podcast, where we'll dive into the fascinating world of the 12 tribes of Israel to unravel this mystery. Well, welcome everyone. I'm your host, Jacqui Adewole, and this is the Bible Basics Podcast, where, weekly, we break down the Bible into understandable, bite-sized chunks. Follow me as we set the stage. In Genesis 12

God promised Abraham a great nation, even though Abraham and his wife were childless. God fulfilled this promise with the birth of Isaac, who later became the father of Jacob. Now Jacob's name was changed to Israel by God. Jacob, or his new name, Israel, had 12 sons through his two wives, Leah and Rachel, along with their servants Bilhah and Zilpah. Hear the names in order of their birth Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah from Leah. Dan and Neptaali from Bilhah, Gad and Asher from Zilpah, Issachar and Zebulun from Leah, and Joseph and Benjamin from Rachel. These sons became the patriarchs of the 12 tribes of Israel, except for Joseph and Levi. We'll touch on that later. For those of you eager to delve deeper, check out Genesis 12, Genesis 29, and Genesis 30 for the full scoop on God's promise to Abraham and the intriguing family dynamics of Jacob and his wives.

Now let's keep this journey rolling. As Jacob neared the end of his life, he gathered his 12 sons to share blessings and prophecies for their life and their descendants. Genesis 49: 1 reads, "Then Jacob called for his sons and said Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come. The blessings conclude in verse 28 with All these are the 12 tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing appropriate to him.

Okay, let's start with the first four sons Reubin, simeon, levi and Judah. First up was Rubin, the eldest, whose birthright was jeopardized due to his serious sin of adultery with one of his father, Jacob's concubines. This caused him his double inheritance, and the tribe of Reuben faded into relative obscurity in Israelite history. Next, Simeon and Levi jointly received a stern rebuke from Jacob. Their murderous revenge on the city of Shechem for the rape of their sister Dina led to a curse they were both scattering them in Jacob and dispersing them in Israel. However, by God's grace, the Levites, descendants of Levi, became the priestly tribe, marked by their loyalty to God and dedicated service. They were given the responsibility for caring for God's temple and maintaining Israel's worship of God. They handled the sacrifices and the feasts.

Jacob then turned to Judah, singling him out as the preeminent son and foretelling a significant future for his tribe. Genesis 49-10 highlighted Judah's role as the royal tribe, with a scepter that would not depart until the ultimate rulers arrive. We also read here that Judah would be the new leader of his brothers, full of power and majesty like a lion. This prophecy aligns with Judah being the kingly lion of David and Solomon, leading to Jesus. Jesus's genealogy is outlined in Matthew 1. The reference to the lion of the tribe of Judah points to the conquering, victorious king that would descend from Judah's lineage. We know that this lion was pointing to only one person Jesus himself, god in human form, who is referred to as the lion of the tribe of Judah in Revelation 5.5. This truth is important because it fulfills the promise and prophecy of God's word.

Moving on, we'll delve into the tribes of Dan, naphtali, gad and Asher. Jacob prophesied that Dan would govern the people and likened his tribe to a snake beside the road. That's in Genesis 49, 17 and 18. Despite their role in judgment, dan's tribe wasn't renowned for moral standing or religious faithfulness, as seen in Judges 5: 17. Notably, the famous figure Samson, hailed from the tribe of Dan. Naphtali, received a unique blessing from Jacob. He was described as a doe set free, bearing beautiful fountains. The tribe earned praise for its courage in the song of Deborah found in Judges 5: 18. For Gad, jacob foresaw conflicts but highlighted their ability to prevail. Gadites, who supported David in conquering Jerusalem, were esteemed as brave warriors in 1 Chronicles 12: 8. Asher, according to Jacob, would enjoy abundant food and provide delicacies fit for a king. This is in Genesis 49: 20. This was made possible because of their occupation of the agriculturally rich coastal region north of Carmel. Interestingly, the prophetess Anna, who recognized infant Jesus as the Messiah, hailed from the tribe of Asher.

Now on to the last four tribes Isacar, Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin. Isacar was likened to a raw-boned donkey, emphasizing their bravery, hard work, toughness and vigor. Zebulun was prophesied to live by the seashore and become a haven for ships. His prophecy was realized in Joshua 19:11. Joseph was described as a fruitful vine. He was the one who received the double blessing, the double inheritance. Jacob, back in Genesis 48, blessed Joseph's two sons, manasseh and Ephraim, with that inheritance. Ephraim was prophesied also to surpass Manasseh in greatness, even though Ephraim was not the firstborn. Ephraim produced notable figures like the judge, prophet and priest Samuel. Manasseh was associated with the great military leader and judge Gideon. Lastly, Benjamin, the youngest of the twelve, was compared to a ravenous wolf, emphasizing their warlike nature.

Israel's first king Saul and the apostle Paul both hailed from the tribe of Benjamin. Here you have it the tribes led by Moses out of Egypt, journeying through the wilderness, conquering Canaan with Joshua and ultimately dividing up and settling in the promised land. Each tribe received a specific territory, except for Joseph and Levi. Joseph's legacy continued through his two sons, manasseh and Ephraim, who each received a land inheritance. In the Book of Numbers, chapter 1, levi is no longer counted among the tribes. Instead, the Levites become the priestly tribe, inheriting God himself by overseeing the nation of Israel's worship of Yahweh.

As we delve into the divided kingdom era, almost 500 years since entering the promised land, the fate of the twelve tribes unfolds. King Solomon's disobedience led to God's judgment in 931 BC, splitting Israel, the twelve tribes, into two kingdoms. The northern kingdom was comprised of ten tribes and they were also known as Israel or sometimes Ephraim. The southern kingdom, Judah, consists of the remaining two tribes, Judah and Benjamin. The northern kingdom fell to Assyria in 722 BC due to idol worship, while idolatry also brought about the downfall of the southern kingdom Judah in 586 BC at the hands of the Babylonians. In conclusion, as we weave through the history of these tribes, we witness their collective journey from enslavement in Egypt to the Moses-led Exodus and the conquest of Canaan and even the divided kingdom.

Each tribe brought its unique characteristics to the table, contributing to the broader narrative of Israel's journey. The significance of these tribes lies in God working through them to fulfill his purposes and promises, notably bringing forth from the tribe of Judah Jesus the Savior, the lion of Judah. If you found this episode helpful, informative or inspirational in any way, would you please share with someone you know who needs to hear it? You can do that by sharing the podcast's website, Bible-Basics. org, or you can click on the share button right where you're listening now. For those of you listening on YouTube, go ahead and like, subscribe and leave us a comment. In closing, may the grace and peace of God be with you now and always.