JOSEPH #35 | JOSEPH IN EGYPT #17 | LAST WORDS OF JACOB #6

Pastor Christopher Choo

Lesson 3631

JOSEPH #35

JOSEPH IN EGYPT #17
LAST WORDS OF JACOB #6

5. ISSACHAR

Issachar is the fifth son born to Jacob and his first wife, Leah.

He received a strange but rich prophecy from Jacob

“ The rawboned donkey lies among the sheep pens. When he sees how good his resting place is and how pleasant his land, he will bend his shoulder to the burden and submit to forced labor.”

Issachar's blessing has much in common with Judah's. Both are described as crouching down, Judah as a lion and a royal warrior, and Issachar as a donkey between the sheepfolds, a prophet-shepherd. 

Issachar lies down to guard the two sheepfolds, perhaps Israel and Judah, or the native-born to the covenant and those from the nations who would join themselves to Israel.

Donkeys are often turned out to pasture with cattle or other livestock to protect them from wolves or other predators.  They not only work hard, but they are fiercely protective of the herd.  

The name in Hebrew "Yissachar" means a reward, or repayment, a wage.  

With Judah and Issachar, we see a paradox of the Kingdom of Heaven. Rulership is the reward of humility, service, and patience, the spirit of prophecy.

The blessings on each tribe are not exclusive to each tribe.  The tribes of Israel are the FAMILY of Israel.  When someone refuses the job and forfeits that opportunity to operate in his or her blessing, then another family member may put her shoulder to the burden and carry it. 

Issachar is the best example of a supportive family member. He is the individual who will submit to the less-than-glorious service of others. And as his reward, he will be raised up - to war with the anointing of the lion of Judah's blessing, 

 - to fight with the ability of Dan's tactical serpent biting the rider's heels 

-  to become a wise judge of his people.

The patient tribe of Issachar was thus blessed with:

1.The sword of Simeon and Levi because he was not cruel to the livestock, but protected them.  

He was not angry and vengeful like Simeon and Levi, but he knew that a resting place was good.

2. The conqueror's ability to put his hand on the neck of his enemies - similar to the kingly anointing of Judah.

3  The talent to discern the times, so they can speak beautiful words like Naphtali.

4  To fight like Gad, a troop raiding the enemy

5. To be a wolf in warlike Benjamin, tearing the enemy.

6. To hold the steady bow like Joseph

 7. To birth leaders blessed with the wise dignity of the firstborn Reuben.

Later in Scripture, the tribe of Issachar again is mentioned as great warriors, and again they are at the forefront of the army, rallying to the anointed king David to unite Israel, moving in the spirit of prophecy. ( 1 Chronicles 12:23-40).

Issachar's servant spirit will inspire a family member from the tribe of Judah who will in the future be the One to unite all the tribes of Israel and the nations of the world as their Messiah.

Sadly, as part of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, the territory of Issachar was conquered by the Assyrians around 720 B.C., and the tribe exiled. After that, all explicit biblical references to the tribe of Issachar cease. And it became one of the 10 lost tribes of Israel.

Some commentators say that this was part of Jacob's prophecy that Issachar will be enslaved in exile.

But a beautiful prophetic picture of Issachar's servant spirit remains behind as his legacy -  as prophesied by Zechariah 9:9 -

"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

What lesson have we learned today from Issachar?

Corporately he is the ideal ministry partner. Indeed when it came to the allotments of the dwelling tents around the Tabernacle of Moses, God placed Issachar and Zebulun behind Judah their elder brother - as team partners - facing east - where the entrance into the Tabernacle was found.

As an individual, he patiently bears the burden of protecting and pasturing the flocks which help to hone his great skill on the day of battle.  

As a family member, he realises that his blessing is Israel's blessing, and Israel's blessing is his.  It's not HIS ministry as such but EVERY MEMBER'S ministry. 

Thanks to Issachar, there was unity among the family members of Israel who came together "with a perfect heart to make David king over Israel".

1 Chronicles 12:38

"All these men of war, that could keep rank, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel: and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king."

Let us pray that Issachar's anointing of a servant spirit be found in us so that we may humbly proclaim Hoshana ( Lord save us now! ) at Jesus' Second Coming