Genesis 49:13-18 "Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon. Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens: And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute. Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward. I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD."
As Jacob continues to speak to his sons about things that will come upon them in their last days, we can clearly see the words of prophecy. According to scholars, it was two to three hundred years before the tribe of Zebulun dwelled “at the haven of the sea.” They became a safe harbor for ships.
The word of God tells us that this land fell to the tribe of Zebulun by lot. It was not assigned to them by Joshua. It was not chosen for them by their leaders. It was fulfilled as a matter of prophesy by the hand of God.
The portion of the tribe of Issachar was a fertile land. It was good for sowing and harvesting. The tribe of Issachar labored diligently. Their labor was blessed that they might eat and that they might help feed the rest of Israel.
Dan was the first to be born to Israel by one of the concubines. In this, we see God’s purpose that all of Israel’s sons would make up the nation of Israel. The sons of the concubines would rule their houses just as the sons of Leah and Rachel would. The men of Dan were cunning in war and in enlarging their borders.
This eighteenth verse almost seems out of place at a casual glance. However, as we see the truth of Jacob’s prophesying, we also realize that this was what was firmly seated in Jacob’s heart. There would be things about the tribes of Israel that would be good and things about them that were anything but good. Jacob’s confidence was not in his sons and their abilities.
Jacob was declaring for all to hear that his hope and confidence were in God. As God had blessed him to prophesy, so also would God bring these things to pass. It was not up to men or about the whims of men. Jacob’s reliance was on the purpose of God.
We see that sometimes in life things go well. At other times things seem to be out of control and deception reigns. May we be blessed to be like Jacob. May we realize that what we are waiting on is the Lord’s salvation in our lives every day to deliver us, and that we know better than to rely on men!