Is It Safe to Rejct God's Man?

HISTORY & DEVELOPMENT 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL

Ge 17:19-22 But God said, "No. Your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac.h I will confirm My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. 20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you. I will certainly bless him; I will make him fruitful and will multiply him greatly. He will father 12 tribal leaders, and I will make him into a great nation. 21 But I will confirm My covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year." 22 When He finished talking with him, God withdrewi from Abraham. (HCSB)

JACOB’S 12 SONS

Ge 35:22-26 (HCSB)
Jacob had 12 sons:
23 Leah's sons were Reuben (Jacob's firstborn),
Simeon, Levi, Judah,
Issachar, and Zebulun.
24 Rachel's sons were
Joseph and Benjamin.
25 The sons of Rachel's slave Bilhah
were Dan and Naphtali.
26 The sons of Leah's slave Zilpah
were Gad and Asher.

Unger’s Notes Twelve Tribes: Tribes (Heb. ‎matteh‎, or ‎shebet‎, both meaning "branch," the former term being applied to the tribe in its genealogical branches, the latter as being under one scepter). Tribal divisions are found among many ancient peoples, such as the Edomites, Ishmaelites, Arabs, etc. The Hebrew tribes were founded by the twelve sons of Jacob (which see) as the tribal fathers of the people. An exception to this rule was made in the case of Joseph's sons Ephraim and Manasseh, they being raised to the position of heads of tribes, having been adopted by Israel as his sons (Ge 48:5). This would make, strictly speaking, thirteen tribes, but only twelve are uniformly reckoned (see Ex 24:4; Jos 4:2; etc.), because Levi, as entrusted with the service of worship, occupied a mediatorial position between Jehovah and Israel; consequently no special tribal territory was allotted to them (13:14,33), but they dwelt in towns scattered throughout all the other twelve tribes. When the Levites were so reckoned, Ephraim and Manasseh were included together as the tribe of Joseph (Nu 26:28; cf. v. 57; Jos 17:14,17).

This tribal organization was still further established and completed by the giving of the land of Canaan to the Israelites according to their tribes, clans, and fathers' houses. Such a firm root did this organization take that it survived the troublesome times of the judges and was not dissolved by the introduction of the monarchy. We find the heads of tribes exercising great influence on the election of kings (1Sa 8:4-5; 10:20-24; 2Sa 3:17; 5:1-3), consulted by them on all important state affairs (1Ki 8:1; 20:7-8; 2Ki 23:1), and sometimes asserting their influence with great energy (1Ki 12). Though the tribal organization lost its firm basis with the carrying away of the people into exile, the elders maintained the internal administration and guidance of the people both in and after the Exile (Jer 20:1; Eze 14:1; 20:1).

In the prophetic vision that Israel had of the future condition of his sons (Ge 49:3-28), he thus enumerates them: Reuben, the "first-born"; Simeon and levi, "implements of violence"; Judah, whom his "brothers shall praise"; Zebulun, dwelling "at the seashore"; Issachar, "a strong donkey"; Dan, the "judge"; Gad, whom "raiders shall raid"; Asher, whose "food shall be rich"; Naphtali, a "doe let loose," giving "beautiful words"; Joseph, "a fruitful bough"; Benjamin, "a ravenous wolf." In this enumeration it is remarkable that the subsequent division of the tribe of Joseph into the two branches of Ephraim and Manasseh is not yet alluded to. Respecting the question of the territory occupied by the several tribes, see Land; Palestine. Families or Clans (Heb. ‎mishpahot‎, "circle of relatives"), the first subdivision under tribes, founded from the beginning by Jacob's grandchildren (the sons of his own or adopted sons) and also by grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the twelve heads of the tribes. Of the fifty-seven families into which the twelve tribes were divided in the last year of their wilderness travels (Nu 26), two belonging to Judah were formed by his grandchildren (v. 21); to Manasseh one family founded by his grandson Gilead, and six by Gilead's sons or Manasseh's great-grandsons (vv. 29-34); to Ephraim, a family founded by his grandson Eran (v. 36); to Benjamin, two families by his grandchildren, the sons of Bela (v. 40); and to Asher, two families by his grandchildren, the sons of Beriah (v. 45). The principle according to which not only sons but grandsons and great-grandsons were raised to be founders of families is unknown.

Tribal Government. "According to patriarchal custom, the fathers, standing by right of birth (primogeniture) at the head of the several tribes and divisions of tribes, regulated the relations of the tribes and clans, directed their common affairs, settled disputes as they arose, punished offenses and crimes, and administered law and equity. Theocratic Constitution. As we have already seen, the Israelites possessed the elements of a state in their tribal constitution, and it was not until their adoption into covenant with Jehovah, the Lord of the whole earth (Ex 19:5), that they received through Moses the laws and ordinances for the kingdom that they were to establish in Canaan. Under the theocracy we find that Jehovah called Moses to be the instrument of His will in the giving of the law; that the judicial power was entrusted to the leaders of the tribes and elders of the congregation.

PROBLEMS AMONG GOD'S EARLY 12 TRIBES

1) Prostitution: Ge 35:21-29 Israel set out again and pitched his tent beyond the tower at Eder.g 22 While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father's concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it. (HCSB)

Walvoord’s Notes: 35:21-22. The toledot ("account") of Isaac draws to a close in verses 21-29 with several short reports. The first describes Reuben's breach of Jacob's family by incest with Bilhah, Jacob's concubine and Rachel's servant by whom he had two sons, Dan and Naphtali (30:3-8). Reuben's transgression took place near Migdal Eder between Bethlehem and Hebron. It is possible that Reuben, Jacob's eldest, was trying to replace his father as patriarch prematurely by this pagan procedure. But in so doing, he lost his inheritance (his birthright; cf. 49:3-4; 1Ch 5:1-2). This act was noted by Jacob who in Ge 35:21-22 was twice called Israel. (Cf. 32:28; 35:10. And note his silence when he heard of the rape of his daughter Dinah, 34:5.)

Unger’s Concubines: Hebrew. Concubinage came early into general practice, for we read (Ge 22:24) of Bethuel, the father of Rebekah, having not only his wife Milcah, but also a concubine, Reumah, who bore him four children. Indeed, concubinage substantially appeared when Abraham took Hagar as a sort of wife, by whom Sarah hoped he would have children-to be reckoned, in some sense, as her own, and to take rank as proper members of the family (16:1-3). In the next generation of the chosen family we find no mention of a state of concubinage; Isaac seems to have had no partner to his bed but Rebekah and no children but Esau and Jacob. But the evil reappears in the next generation in an aggravated form: Esau multiplying wives at pleasure, and Jacob taking first two wives and then two concubines. Nor was the practice ever wholly discontinued among the Israelites, for we see that the following men had concubines, namely, Eliphaz (Ge 36:12), Gideon (Jdg 8:30-31), Saul (2Sa 3:7), David (5:13), Solomon (1Ki 11:3), Rehoboam (2Ch 11:21), Abijah (13:21). Indeed, in process of time concubinage appears to have degenerated into a regular custom among the Jews, and the institutions of Moses were directed to prevent excess and abuse by wholesome laws and regulations (Ex 21:7-9; Dt 21:10-14). The unfaithfulness of a concubine was considered criminal (2Sa 3:7-8) and was punished with scourging (Lev 19:20). In Jdg 19 the possessor of a concubine was called her "husband," her father is called the "father-in-law," and he the "son-in-law," showing how nearly the concubine approached to the wife. Sometimes, to avoid debauchery, a female slave would be given to the son, was then considered as one of the children of the house, and retained her rights as concubine even after the marriage of the son (Ex 21:9-10).

Problem 2} Polytheism [too many gods]: Ge 31:17-21
17 Then Jacob got up and put his children and wives on the camels. 18 He took all the livestock and possessions he had acquired in Paddan-aram, and he drove his herds to go to the land of his father Isaac in Canaan. 19 When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father's household idols. 20 And Jacob deceiveda Laban the Aramean, not telling him that he was fleeing. 21 He fled with all his possessions, crossed the Euphrates, and headed forb the hill country of Gilead. (HCSB)

Walvoord’s Notes: 31:17-21. So the flight ensued, but it was more risky than Jacob had hoped because Rachel stole Laban's household gods (lit., "teraphim," figurines of deifies). This shows the pagan influence in Laban's family. A wordplay shows Rachel to be a true "Jacob," for there were parallel thefts: he stole away and she stole the gods. Perhaps she told herself she deserved them since Laban had turned the tables on her in the name of custom and had deprived her of her right to marry first. Whatever the reason, her hardheaded self-interest almost brought disaster. To have the teraphim may have meant the right to inheritance (it did mean this according to the Nuzi tablets of the 15th century B.C.); it certainly meant Laban was without what he thought was his protection. This is why Laban pursued Jacob. It was one thing for Jacob to take his flocks and family; but his gods too? Perhaps Jacob would try to steal back to Haran someday and claim all of Laban's estate. (Failing to find the gods, Laban later, vv. 43-53, made a treaty to keep this troublesome man out of his territory.)

Unger’s Teraphim: The teraphim were figurines or images in human form also called "household idols." Rachel's theft of Laban's teraphim (Ge 31:34, see marg.) is much better understood in the light of the documents from Nuzi, not far from modern Kirkuk, excavated 1925-34. The possession of these household gods may have implied leadership of the family and, in the case of a married daughter, assured her husband the right to the property of her father (Cyrus H. Gordon, Revue Biblique 44 [1945]: 35ff). Since Laban evidently had sons of his own when Jacob left for Canaan, they alone had the right to their father's gods, and the theft of these household idols by Rachel was a serious offense (Ge 31:19,30,35) aimed at preserving for her husband the first title to her father's estate. Albright construes the teraphim as meaning "vile things," but the images were not necessarily cultic or lewd, as frequently the depictions of Astarte were. Micah's teraphim (Jdg 17:5) were used for purposes of securing an oracle (cf. 1Sa 15:23; Hos 3:4; Zec 10:2). Babylonian kings oracularly consulted the teraphim (Eze 21:21). Josiah abolished the teraphim (2Ki 23:24), but these images had a strange hold on the Hebrew people even until after the exilic period. The NIV usually translates "teraphim" as "gods" or "idols." BIBLIOGRAPHY: M. Greenberg, Journal of Biblical Literature 81 (1962): 239-48; C. Labuschagne, Vetus Testamentum 16 (1966): 115-17; J. B. Pritchard, ed., Ancient Near Eastern Texts (1969), pp. 129-35.

McClintock and Strong Encyclopedia Polytheism: we mention certain house-spirits, who may be included under (3) as the attendants of family gods, such as the Roman Vesta. Such were the penatos, the spirits presiding over the penus or the family stores and inner part of the houses of the Romans; and the lares, protectors of the house, the cross-road, etc. Such, too, may have been the traphim of Scripture, or rather the beings represented by the teraphim, a kind of family gods answering somewhat to the protecting saints of the Roman Catholic Church.

ISBE Rev Teraphim Divination: ‎Many passages, such as Zec 10:2, mention teraphim in connection with divination. According to Eze 21:21 (MT 26), for example, the consultation of teraphim was one of the divinatory techniques resorted to by Nebuchadrezzar. Moreover, teraphim are especially associated with the EPHOD (Jdg 17:5; 18:14,17, 20; Hos 3:4), which also had a divinatory function.

Faussets Teraphim Witchcraft: ‎Michal put them in David's bed to look like him (1Sa 19:13; Jdg 17:5; 18:14,17-18,20). The Syriac teraph means "to inquire" of an oracle, Hebrew ‎toreeph ‎"an inquirer" (Hos 3:4-5). The Israelites used the teraphim for magic purposes and divination, side by side with the worship of Jehovah.

PROBLEM 3 Missing Justice Among Key Leading Elders

HOW DID GOD TURN ISRAEL’S FAMILY
FROM INJUSTICE, PROSTITUTION & POLYTHEISM?

Ge 29:31-32 31 When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. 32 Leah conceived, gave birth to a son, and named him Reuben,i for she said, "The LORD has seen my affliction; surely my husband will love me now." (HCSB)

God alone knows hearts. When the powerless around us begin crying out to God because of our bad behavior we know bad consequences will follow.

Ge 30:1-4 When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she envied her sister. "Give me sons, or I will die!" she said to Jacob. 2 Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, "Am I in God's place, who has withheld childrena from you?" 3 Then she said, "Here is my slave Bilhah. Go sleep with her, and she'll bear children for meb so that through her I too can build a family." (HCSB)

Prostitution Evil in Israel’s Family:

Ge 30:15-16 Rachel said, "you can sleep with him tonight in exchange for your son's mandrakes." 16 When Jacob came in from the field that evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, "You must come with me, for I have hired you with my son's mandrakes." So Jacob slept with her that night. (HCSB)

A PROPHET IS BORN ~ JOSEPH

Ge 30:22-24 Then God remembered Rachel. He listened to her and opened her womb. 23 She conceived and bore a son, and said, "God has taken away my shame." 24 She named him Joseph:k "May the LORD add another son to me." (HCSB)

RISE OF ISRAEL’S FIRST PROPHET

Ge 37:1-2 Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan. 2 These are the family records of Jacob. At 17 years of age, Joseph tended sheep with his brothers. The young man was working with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives … (HCSB)

Location Note: they were in the promised land v1 God directed Abraham toward. They were being blessed even though they had some ethical and theological problems. To answer this problem God did as He has always done raise up a prophet who will limit his speech to what God tells him. Had they have followed Joseph they would have enjoyed the continued blessing in God’s land. But God is infinitely Holy and He will not allow polytheism, favoritism, and prostitution to go on forever. God wanted more for His children than that.

Ge 37:2-4 … and he brought a bad report about them to their father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons because Joseph was a son born to him in his old age, and he made a robe of many colorsa for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not bring themselves to speak peaceably to him. (HCSB)

Ethical Notes: the 11 elders response to Joseph was sharpened many say because of the way their father had always favored one family over the other. All of this bad ethics was not eating his lunch yet. The grieve was being beared by the unloved sons. Now as God begins to move in Joseph it will take a lot for them to listen fairly.

JOSEPH’S HONEST FAITHUL REVELATION FROM GOD

Ge 37:5-11 Then Joseph had a dream. When he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, "Listen to this dream I had: 7 There we were, binding sheaves of grain in the field. Suddenly my sheaf stood up, and your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf."

8 "Are you really going to reign over us?" his brothers asked him. "Are you really going to rule us?" So they hated him even more because of his dream and what he had said. 9 Then he had another dream and told it to his brothers. "Look," he said, "I had another dream, and this time the sun, moon, and 11 stars were bowing down to me." 10 He told his father and brothers, but his father rebuked him. "What kind of dream is this that you have had?" he said. "Are your mother and brothers and I going to bow down to the ground before you?" 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind. (HCSB)

Walvoord’s Notes: 37:5-11. God confirmed Jacob's choice of his faithful son by two dreams. God's revelation was given in different forms in the Old Testament. He used dreams when His people were leaving or outside the land, that is, in the lands of pagans. In a dream God had announced to Abraham the Egyptian bondage in the first place (15:13); in a dream God promised protection and prosperity for Jacob in his sojourn with Laban (28:12,15); and by two dreams God predicted that Joseph would rule over his family. The brothers... hated Joseph all the more (37:5,8) and were jealous of him, but Jacob pondered the matter (v. 11). He knew how God works; he was Well aware that God could select the younger to rule over the elder, and that God could declare His choice in advance by an oracle or a dream.

The scene of the first dream was agricultural (v. 7). There may be some hint here of the manner in which Joseph's authority over his brothers would be achieved (cf. 42:1-3). His sheaf of grain was upright while their sheaves... bowed down to his. The scene of the second dream was celestial (v. 9). The sun, the moon, and 11 stars bowed down to him. In ancient cultures these astronomical symbols represented rulers. The dream, then, symbolically anticipated the elevation of Joseph over the whole house of Jacob (Joseph's father, the sun; his mother, the moon; his 11 brothers, the stars, v. 10). Sensing that Joseph was to be elevated to prominence over them, the envy and hatred of his brothers is understandable. However, their reaction in contrast with Joseph's honesty and faithfulness demonstrated why Jacob's choosing him was proper. God's sovereign choice of a leader often brings out the jealousy of those who must submit. Rather than recognize God's choice, his brothers set on a course to destroy him. Their actions, though prompted by the belief that they should lead, shows why they should not have led.

Israel's Leading Elders Sold Joseph into Slavery

Ge 37:12-36 Joseph Sold into Slavery
12 His brothers had gone to pasture their father's flocks at Shechem. 13 Israel said to Joseph, "Your brothers, you know, are pasturing the flocks at Shechem. Get ready. I'm sending you to them." "I'm ready," Joseph replied.

Israel’s Lack of Trust Over Joseph’s Brothers

14 Then Israel said to him, "Go and see how your brothers and the flocks are doing, and bring word back to me." So he sent him from the valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem. 15 A man found him there, wandering in the field, and asked him, "What are you looking for?" 16 "I'm looking for my brothers," Joseph said. "Can you tell me where they are pasturing their flocks?" 17 "They've moved on from here," the man said. "I heard them say, 'Let's go to Dothan.'" So Joseph set out after his brothers and found them at Dothan. 18 They saw him in the distance, and before he had reached them, they plotted to kill him. 19 They said to one another, "Here comes that dreamer!b 20 Come on, let's kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal ate him. Then we'll see what becomes of his dreams!" 21 When Reuben heard this, he tried to save him from them.c He said, "Let's not take his life." 22 Reuben also said to them, "Don't shed blood. Throw him into this pit in the wilderness, but don't lay a hand on him"—intending to rescue him from their hands and return him to his father.

23 When Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped off his robe, the robe of many colors that he had on. 24 Then they took him and threw him into the pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. 25 Then they sat down to eat a meal. They looked up, and there was a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying aromatic gum, balsam, and resin, going down to Egypt. 26 Then Judah said to his brothers, "What do we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh." His brothers agreed. 28 When Midianite traders passed by, they pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for 20 pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took Joseph to Egypt.

29 When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes. 30 He went back to his brothers and said, "The boy is gone! What am I going to do?"d 31 So they took Joseph's robe, slaughtered a young goat, and dipped the robe in its blood. 32 They sent the robe of many colors to their father and said, "We found this. Examine it. Is it your son's robe or not?"

33 His father recognized it. "It is my son's robe," he said. "A vicious animal has devoured him. Joseph has been torn to pieces!" 34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days. 35 All his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. "No," he said. "I will go down to Sheol to my son, mourning." And his father wept for him.

36 Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard. (HCSB)

Unger’s Hebron: in the mountains of Judah, about three thousand feet above the Mediterranean Sea, and between Beersheba and Jerusalem, being about twenty miles from each. It was named Kiriath-Arba (Ge 23:2; Jos 14:15; 15:13). About two miles to the N is Mamre (which see), after Mamre the Amorite (Ge 13:18; 35:27), which is now called el-Khalil ("the friend"). Among those who lived there were the Canaanites and the Anakim (23:2; 14:15; 15:13), Abraham (Ge 13:18), Isaac and Jacob (35:27). David made it his royal residence (2Sa 2:1-4; 5:5; 1Ki 2:11); as did Absalom (2Sa 15:10). Sarah was buried here (Ge 23:17-20); Joshua took Hebron (Jos 10:36-37; 12:10), and Caleb retook it (14:14).

Again we see God’s Providence in the way Joseph was sent out to manage his brothers in this valley of great history. Later of course because of God’s infinite holiness and justice we see God using famine to draw Israel’s post Joseph family out of the Promised Land into Egypt. Finally we see how God’s people were forced into slavery for more than 400 years as a consequence. When they came out is was under the Mosaic Law demanding strict Monotheism. Hundreds of years later in Daniel’s time we see God’s people again falling into idolatry and injustice until they were carried into Babylon for 70 years. God’s infinite holiness demands both proper theology as well as ethics. In AD 33 when God sent Messiah their version of Monotheism didn’t allow Jesus Christ! So forty years later we see Titus from Rome arrive casting Israel out of Palestine until 1948.

Application Question: is it safe to reject God's man if God has really sent him?
If are in a position to judge a prophet what criteria is safe? Joseph told these senior leaders the pure Truth of what God gave him. Later in Joseph's life we see him proved out to be a rare man of remarkable ethics and gifting.

MOSAIC TRUTH TEST INVESTIGATE & INQUIRE IF IT IS TRUE

Deut 13:14 Then you shall investigate and search out and inquire thoroughly. If it is true and the matter established that this abomination has been done among you.

The context of this passage includes instruction on evaluating whether a prophet is true or false [Deu 13:1-18]. If we study this section Moses informs our faith by saying we can spot these men two ways. The first is because they will not be able to keep their promises. False prophets never have any real fruit. Second is in the way they are liberal about defending truth in Inter-Faith doctrines. They will stumble by being soft on clear teachings about Monotheism. If you go to their church you might find a secret evangelist for the Freemasons at their front door and a youth leader who defends astrology.


BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS

2 Cor 11:13-15 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds. (NAU)

Paul associates Satan v14 with both the content of these false messages as well as being their energy source allowing them to grow so fast. False apostles v13 comes from the single word pseudapostolos which means a spurious apostle, or a pretended preacher. Friberg says this word defines one without a divine commission for the office (2 Cor 11.13).

PAUL’S COMMAND FACING FALSE TEACHERS FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT

1 Tim 1:18-19 … fight the good fight, 19. keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. (NAU)

Criteria for a Safe Leader

"And the Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will" (2 Tim 2:24-26 NAU).

Paul called us all doulos which in his day probably meant a slave rather than someone of distinction in the Roman world. That is doubly important in the way it defines our lives as being in submission to God.