Question for the Bible Commentaries

From: The Association of the Covenant People, Burnaby, B.C.

QUESTIONS FOR THE COMMENTARIES:
CONCERNING THE BIRTHRIGHT OF ISRAEL

by Pastor Jory Steven Brooks, CBIA


A Forgotten Birthright

It is truly amazing how easily Bible expositors ignore, or worse
yet distort, one of the most important of the patriarchal
promises: the birthright. The key passage concerning this
birthright is in First Chronicles chapter 5, verses 1 and 2. It
reads: "Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he
was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed,
his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of
Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the
birthright. For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him
came the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph's.)"

Why was the genealogy, the sacred line, in this case "not
reckoned after the birthright"? Simply because Reuben had
disqualified himself due to sin (Genesis 35:22). You might assume
that the second-oldest son, Simeon, or the third oldest, Levi,
would then inherit the birthright. (Gen.39:33-34) Yet that was
not to be, again on account of sin, for we read Jacob's
pronouncement that "Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of
cruelty are in their habitations." (Gen.49:5).

Some commentaries imply that Judah, the fourth in line, then
inherited the birthright. Bar nes Commentary, in contrast,
correctly observes that the "birthright ...the right of the
firstborn to a double inheritance (Deut.21:17) was conferred on
Joseph, both by the expressed will of Jacob (Gen. 48:22) and in
the actual partition of Canaan (Josh.16:17)." In other words,
Joseph's birthright was not given to Judah, but to Joseph, as
verified by its fulfillment in Biblical history. However, what
none of the commentaries mention is that this birthright
realization continued on through time down the centuries to our
own day. We know this because the birthright was a key part of
the unconditional Patriarchal Covenants, which have never been
abolished, having been based upon Abraham's prior faith alone.

It is interesting to see the commentaries also gloss over another
important point. Barnes says, "...the birthright, as respecting
its material privileges, passed to Joseph..." We should therefore
be able to find the descendants of Joseph by identifying the
people who retain the greatest blessings of "material privileges"
in the world today. God does not make a promise and then only
fulfill it half-way! Deuteronomy 28:13 foretold, "And the LORD
shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be
above only, and thou shalt not be beneath..." The people who were
to be "the head and not the tail" must truly have been revealed
in history as the head of the nations in material (and Spiritual)
blessings.

Barnes further states concerning the birth right, "its other
rights, those of dignity and pre-eminence, fell to Judah; of whom
came the chief ruler, an allusion especially to David, though it
may reach further, and include a glance at the Messiah, the true
'Ruler' of Israel (Micah 5:2)." Christian commentaries rightly
see the "Messianic" importance of Judah's line bringing forth the
"chief ruler" Jesus, but ignore the fact that the birthright with
its material privileges remained with the line of Joseph, his
sons Ephraim-Manasseh, and their descendants. This birthright has
never been voided, passed away, or given away! How has it been
implemented in our world today? This is an important question
that is totally ignored by the commentaries.

The eighteenth-century theologian, John Wesley, had this to say
concerning Joseph and Judah: "the order of their genealogy was
not to be ruled by the birthright, but by an higher privilege,
which was given to Judah." Really? Is the "rulership" a higher
privilege than the birthright? Or are they both important in the
plan of God? If "higher" in imporbirthright unimporextinct? There
is little among theologians to the fulfillment of the
one is truly tance, is the tant or interest explore
birthright promise, as if it did not extend beyond Joseph's
immediate sons and their land grant in Canaan. Even centuries
later in the Assyrian exile, wherever Joseph's descendants went,
God had ordained that the unconditional Abrahamic covenant and
its attendant patriarchal promises would continue unabated.

The Preacher's Commentary makes a very important admission:

"There is a stress on geography because in the Old Testament it
is part of theology! The basic theology of the Old Testament is a
triangle with three points: God, Israel, and the land... They
[the House of Israel] suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of
the Assyrian army, actually in 734 B.C.. They lost the land and,
attests the Chronicler, they have never come back." This is all
very true! In fact, this commentary has substantiated what may be
considered the bed-rock of the British-Israel message. The
Abrahamic Covenant included the promise of land, yet the bulk of
God's people from all twelve tribes were exiled from Canaan and
"they have never come back." So where are they today? Where is
the land that was promised? The commentaries claim that there was
a "hiatus," gap or break of nearly two millennia in the efficacy
of the Abrahamic Covenant, but how can that be if it was
"unconditional?"

The Pulpit Commentary, in sad contrast, makes a rather strange
claim. They state, "Joseph had really the birthright... but
everything yielded to the special call for precedence on the part
of Judah." In other words, Joseph "really" had the birthright,
but they "really" did not, because "everything" was given to
Judah! Are we therefore to assume either that Judah obtained
possession of the birthright, or that the birthright no longer
figured in God's plan and purpose? Both assumptions would be
wrong! Nowhere does the Bible state that the birthright was
cancelled or that Judah inherited "everything."

The same commentary continues, "the superior honour and privilege
had been previously conferred on Judah. This tribe had the
pre-eminence over all the tribes, not on account of Judah
himself, but because Christ, 'the chief Ruler', was to come out
of it." While it is certainly true that the Messiah came from the
tribe of Judah, this same Christ made a startling pronouncement
to the Judeans that "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you,
and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof."
(Matthew 21:43) Since "fruits" is the meaning of the Hebrew word,
"Ephraim," it would seem obvious that anything Judah had previ-
ously obtained was at that point returned to the line of
JosephEphraim.

In contrast to such "Judah inherited everything" rhetoric,
Matthew Henry's Commentary correctly observes, "Joseph had the
double portion ... But Judah had the dominion ... Of him came the
chief ruler, David first, and, in the fulness of time, Messiah
the Prince (Micah 5:2). This honour was secured to Judah, though
the birthright was Joseph's; and, having this, he needed not envy
Joseph the double portion." Yes, from Judah came the Messiah, but
the birthright remained Joseph's. This fact is wellillustrated in
the title of the classic 1901 B.I. book, "Judah's Sceptre and
Joseph's Birthright" by J.H. Allen, available from CBIA's online
bookshop. God had a double plan that involved the lineage of the
two leading tribes of Israel, Judah and EphraimIsrael. It is sad
to say, but by eliminating Joseph and his birthright, modern
theologians are in effect chopping off half of God's plans and
purposes for Israel and the world.

The commentators may indeed be "half-blind" in their reasoning,
but God's purposes stand wholly sure. "Wherefore the rather,
brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure:
for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall." (2 Pe 1:10) Let
us confirm our place in that Divine Plan by making our calling
and election sure!
..........

Note:

The eternal God is true to His word amd to His covenants. The Birthright blessing was given eventually to Joseph. The prophecies in the book of Genesis have come to pass RIGHT BEFORE YOUR EYES !! The promises that Joseph would become a Nations and Compamy of Nations, and inherit the physical blessing of the earth, has indeed come to fruition. It should be plain to see in today's world who those people are.