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MP3 Audio
I. Compare Revelation 7:4-8 with Genesis 49 to discover the 12 sons of Jacob.
A. Comparing Bible maps (distribution of the land of Canaan) with the sons
of Jacob reveals:
1. Levi does not receive an inheritance because they are separated to the
service of the tabernacle and given cities of refuge scattered throughout
Israel.
2. Joseph is a son of Jacob, but receives a double portion through his
two sons – Ephraim and Manesseh.
B. Comparing Bible maps (distribution of the land of Canaan) with
Revelation 7 reveals:
1. Levi is included, because they were faithful in that which God
determined for them.
2. Joseph is also included, along with his son Manesseh; therefore Joseph
continues to receive the double portion.
3. Ephraim is not included in Revelation because they were wholly given
to idolatry; therefore God removed their name.
4. Dan is not included in Revelation because they rejected the
inheritance God gave to them.
C. Using your Bible maps compare the inheritance God gave to Dan with where
they finally settled.
1. The purpose of this lesson is to fully understand why Dan failed to be
included in Revelation 7.
2. Another purpose to consider is that we might also fail to achieve in
God’s final plan. inclusion
II. The tribe of Dan: not included in eternity.
A. Genesis 49:18 is perhaps the saddest words in any language, revealing
the reason the tribe of Dan is not included in eternity. I have waited for
thy salvation, O LORD.
B. God blessed Dan with numerical growth unequalled in all Israel.
1. Genesis 46:23 records that Dan had only one descendent.
a. Genesis 46:23 – And the sons of Dan; Hushim.
b. It is said, the name "Hushim" is in plural form,
indicating this is a family, not an individual.
c. However, the count of 66 souls (Genesis 46:26) or 70 souls (Genesis
46:27) reveals this is one individual, not a family.
2. Numbers 2:25-26 - The standard of the camp of Dan shall be on the
north side by their armies: and the captain of the children of Dan shall be
Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26 And his host, and those that were
numbered of them, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred.
a. Even though the Bible lists only two inhabitants of Dan in Genesis
46:23, it is the second most numerous of all the tribes, (with 74,600
inhabitants) except Judah, in the census taken at Mount Sinai.
b. There is no record of the inhabitants of Levi, because Numbers 1:49
states the tribe of Levi should not be numbered, because they will be in
charge of the tabernacle.
C. The faithfulness of the tribe of Dan at the beginning.
1. Exodus 31:6 – God gave Moses Aholiab, from the tribe of Dan, along
with Bezaleel of the tribe of Judah, as willing workers in constructing the
intricate items of the tabernacle.
2. Numbers 26:42-43 – After the plague concerning Korah, Dan has 64,400
inhabitants, outnumbered only by Judah, who has 74,600 inhabitants, Numbers
26:19-22.
3. Judges 13:2 – Samson, a judge of Israel, was from the tribe of Dan.
D. Joshua 19:40-48 – The inhabitants of Dan received their portion of the
Promised Land.
1. The tribe of Dan is the last to receive his portion in the Promised
Land.
2. The tribe of Dan receives the smallest land area, even though they are
next to the most populous tribe.
a. Some commentaries state the inheritance is too small for the tribe
of Dan.
b. God would never give a tribe an inheritance that was too small.
c. Their inheritance was the best land in all of Palestine, and would
have been enough if they had used the land properly.
3. The natural advantages of their portion.
a. On the north and east, it joined Ephraim and Benjamin, two strong
allies in case of war.
b. On the south, it joined Judah, another strong ally.
c. The most fertile land in all of Palestine was given to the tribe of
Dan.
E. The gradual decline of Dan is two fold: (1) they did not love the
inheritance of God enough to fight for it, and (2) They did not defeat the
Amorites, which were defeated by the house of Joseph.
1. Judges 1:34-35 states, And the Amorites forced the children of Dan
into the mountain: for they would not suffer them to come down to the
valley: 35 But the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres in Aijalon, and in
Shaalbim: yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became
tributaries.
2. While the Amorites drove the Danites out, the house of Joseph (Ephraim
and Manasseh) forced the Amorites to become tributaries (forced them to pay
taxes or otherwise to be in submission to them).
3. The tribe of Dan did not fight for their God given land (their own
peace with God), therefore looked for the peace of God in a place other than
their own inheritance.
a. Judges 5:17 records that Dan did not help Barak fight against the
Philistines, but remained in their ships.
b. Judges 18:1 states, In those days there was no king in Israel:
and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to
dwell in; for unto that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them
among the tribes of Israel.
c. Judges 18:2-6 – The Danites liked the "peace" of the
family of Micah, but were unwilling to get their own peace, desiring
instead to steal the peace (so-called) of others.
d. Judges 18:7 reveals the Danites came to Laish and saw it was an easy
land to conquer, therefore, on the way to Laish, they conquered the house
of Micah, then proceeded to Laish and took the city and the surrounding
land for themselves.
1.) Judges 18:29 explains Joshua 19:47, and how Dan left their
inheritance, against the commandment of God.
2.) I Chronicles 12:35 reveals that the tribe of Dan contained 28,600
expert warriors and came to David at Hebron to turn the kingdom from
Saul to David, according to the Word of the Lord.
3.) I Chronicles 27:22 reveals that the tribe of Dan was still
included with Israel during the reign of David, and was included in the
captains that served the king.
4.) II Chronicles 2:14 reveals that at least some of the citizens of
Dan had intermarried with the Phoenicians.
4. Others (not in the tribe of Dan) who valiantly fought for the land God
gave to them.
a. II Samuel 23:11-12 – David counts Shammah as one of his faithful
because he defended a patch of lentiles, refusing to let the Philistines
take them.
b. I Kings 21:3 – Naboth refused to trade his God given land to Ahab,
therefore lost his life.
5. There is no genealogy given for the Danites in I Chronicles chapter
1-8.
a. It could be supposed, but it is not certain that the tribe of Dan
lost their place in Israel because they did not retain the inheritance God
gave to them, moving instead to the northern part of the nation of Israel.
b. It could also be supposed that the tribe of Dan did not remain pure
because they intermarried with unbelievers.
c. It could also be assumed the other tribes of Israel would not be
interested in retaining the integrity of the Danites, if the Danites were
not interested in retaining their own integrity.
6. It is probably wrong to assume that the entire tribe of Dan decided to
go against the revealed will of God.
a. II Chronicles 2:14 reveals that at least some of the citizens of Dan
had intermarried with the Phoenicians.
b. It is not that the tribe of Dan determined to rebel against God’s
will for them, but the "slow slide" into rebellion overtook them
as time progressed.
F. Judges 19-21 – The tribe of Benjamin came close to being eliminated
from Israel because they permitted followers of Belial to do wicked things.
1. God allowed the faithful of Israel to war and win against Benjamin,
almost totally wiping out the tribe.
2. God also blessed the plan to restore the tribe of Benjamin.
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