Musings of Maurice D. Perry

Genesis 49:5-7
5 Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.
6 O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.
7 Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.

Before the Levitical Priesthood became THEE Levitical Priesthood, the tribe of Levi (in which the priesthood began) was cursed from the beginning. In Genesis 49, we read about Jacob calling his sons together to tell them what will happen to them in the last days. In verses 5-7, Jacob is addressing both Simeon and Levi. For just a bit of background information on Simeon and Levi, “Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible” gives an insightful perspective:

“Simeon and Levi are brethren – Not only springing from the same parents, but they have the same kind or disposition, head-strong, deceitful, vindictive, and cruel.”

“They have accomplished, etc. – Our margin has it, Their swords are weapons of violence, i. e., Their swords, which they should have used in defense of their persons or the honorable protection of their families, they have employed in the base and dastardly murder of an innocent people.”

Head-strong, deceitful, vindictive, cruel, murderers of innocent people – Clarke’s Commentary paints an extremely ugly picture of these two sons. But Jacob adds onto those character flaws throughout verses 5-7. Here are a few things that really stuck out to me when reading this passage:

• Cruelty was in their habitation (house) (v. 5)
• They schemed / plotted in secret (v. 6)
• Jacob (Israel) wanted to remain free from their schemes (v. 6)
• Jacob (Israel) did not want his name/fame (“mine honour”) to be associated with their assembly (gathering/synagoging) (v. 6)
• They were murders / had blood on their hands (v. 6)
• “Their selfwill” caused them to be steeped in pride & arrogance (v. 6)
• Jacob (Israel) curses them (v. 7)
• They will be divided (distinguished / exposed) from amongst Jacob (Israel) (v. 7)
• They will be scattered (v. 7)

What I find absolutely fascinating is that all of these traits that were found in these two sons (Levi, specifically) are the same traits and characteristics that we find historically throughout the times of the Levitical Priesthood. We find throughout the Old Testament, time and time again, the acts of cruelty, abominations in secret, murder, pride, and the scattering. But since the focus of Jacob’s prophetic decree is for “the last days” (v. 1), I want to fast forward to the days of Jesus and the apostles.

By the time that Jesus comes on the scene, we see that the priesthood has been separated into two primary factions – Pharisees and Saducees. Basically, the difference between the two hinged upon economic status / aristocracy, lineage  and perception of religious authority. The Saducees were typically of the upper economic status and had priestly lineage. They emphasized the importance and necessity of temple worship. Contrarily, the Pharisees were  more of “the people’s champ”, being more popular amongst the common people (middle and lower class). The Pharisees placed more emphasis on the keeping of the Mosaic Law. However, both are representative of the priesthood during Jesus’ earthly ministry.The first “addressing” of the Pharisees and Sadducees was by none other than John the Baptist, when he uttered these words while he was baptizing many that came to him:

Matthew 3:7-10
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

John labeled the Pharisees and Sadducees as a “generation of vipers”! What is a viper? A viper is venomous snake whose bites can immobilize its prey, let alone be deadly. This brings back to mind the characteristics of what I consider the “root” of the priesthood, and that would be Levi. The violence, murderous characteristics of Levi were personified throughout the priesthood.  In v. 10, John says “the axe is laid unto the root of the trees”. I believe that this is not only a reference to the end of the old covenant itself, but also a direct statement regarding the undergirding character of Levi – filled with murder, violence, deceit, and pride.

Jesus had plenty of verbal / doctrinal confrontations with the Pharisees and Sadducees. Most of the confrontations addressed many of the character issues that were found in Levi.

SCHEMING AND PLOTTING

Matthew 12:14
14 Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.

Matthew 22:15
15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.

Matthew 26:3-4, 59
3 Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,
4 And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.

59 Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;

Matthew 27:1, 20
1 When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people  took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:

20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.

Mark 11:18
18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.

 Mark 12:12-13
12 And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.
13 And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians,  to catch him in his words.

Mark 14:1
1 After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft,  and put him to death.

Luke 19:47
47And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him,

CRUELTY WAS IN THEIR HABITATION (HOUSE)

Matthew 12:34
34 O generation of vipers, how can ye,  being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

“THEIR SELFWILL” CAUSED THEM TO BE STEEPED IN PRIDE & ARROGANCE (RELIGIOUS PRIDE)

Matthew 15:1-3
1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
3 But he answered and said unto them,  Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

Matthew 16:6,12
6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

Matthew 23:5-7, 28
5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men, they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
7 And greetings in the markets,  and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

JACOB (ISRAEL) DID NOT WANT HIS NAME/FAME TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR ASSEMBLY

John 8:44
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

THEY WERE MURDERERS / HAD BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS

Matthew 16:21
From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

Matthew 20:18
Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,

Matthew 23:31-35
31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues and persecute them from city to city:
35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

Matthew 27:25
25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

John 19:6
When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.

THEY WILL BE DIVIDED (DISTINGUISHED / EXPOSED) FROM AMONGST JACOB (ISRAEL) / SCATTERED / JUDGED / CURSED

Matthew 15:13
13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.

Matthew 23:38
38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

Luke 19:43-44
43For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,
44And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

There are plenty more verses to draw from. But I think the point that I’m trying to make with all of this is poignantly clear. The priesthood in the days of Jesus, operated in the same manner of deception, plotting, scheming, pride, and murderous intentions as the “father” of the priesthood, Levi.This brings me to my final point. In the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24, Mark 13 & Luke 21), Jesus makes a statement regarding the destruction of the temple, which is the most significant symbol of the priesthood. He ties the destruction of the temple to the judgments that He decreed upon Jerusalem in Matthew 23. These judgments are also congruent with the prophetic decree by Jacob (Israel) in Genesis 49:7:

Genesis 49:7
7 Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.

Daniel addressed the future scattering of the people:

Daniel 12:7
And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

In Revelation, the Lord, on two occasions, makes a distinction between the Israel of God, and who He labeled as being “of your father the devil” in John 8:44:

Revelation 2:9
I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

Revelation 3:9
Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

Now, Jacob told his sons what would happen in the last days. Jacob says that Levi shall be scattered. Levi is the “ancestor” of the priesthood (holy people). Daniel says that the holy people will be scattered, then all things will be finished. So, in essence, we can confidently come to a conclusion that Daniel is referring to the same scattering that Jacob was referring to since both are speaking in terms of the scattering taking place in the last days. The question now is, when IS the last days?

We find the answer in the first few verses of the Olivet Discourse.

Matthew 24
1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

Knowing that the priesthood is directly connected to the temple worship, the destruction of the temple would be representative of the judgment that was promised to come upon that generation, and specifically, those that were responsible for killing the apostles and prophets, or servants of God. Moreover, the temple represented the “synagogue of Satan”.

The disciples asked “When shall these things be?” More clearly, “When will the temple be destroyed?”Jesus goes on throughout the rest of the chapter to give the signs that will let the disciples know when the destruction of the temple would be. To make a long story short, the destruction of the temple was in the year 70 AD. With this destruction of the temple, the power of the holy people was in fact scattered, which signified the end of the world (world, more accurately meaning “old covenant age”).

In conclusion, it’s absolutely fascinating to look back at what Jacob (Israel) prophesied about Levi (and Simeon). The distinction that the Lord made, regarding the temple being the synagogue of Satan fulfills what Jacob says in Genesis 49:6:

Genesis 49:6
6 O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.

Jacob (Israel) remained separated, spiritually from the council of the priesthood (synagogue of Satan). The Israel of God is defined in the following passage:

Hebrews 12:22-24
22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

Praise the Lord for the true Israel of God! The Church! The Kingdom! The New Covenant Community! The New Heavens and New Earth!