Your strength will equal your days

Deuteronomy 33:1-29

This is the blessing that Moses the man of God pronounced on the Israelites before his death.

Surely it is you who love the people; all the holy ones are in your hand. At your feet they all bow down, and from you receive instruction, the law that Moses gave us, the possession of the assembly of Jacob. He was king over Jeshurun when the leaders of the people assembled, along with the tribes of Israel.

Let Reuben live and not die, nor his people be few

Judah: bring him to his people. With his own hands he defends his cause. Oh, be his help against his foes!

 Levi: Bless all his skills, Lord, and be pleased with the work of his hands. Strike down those who rise against him, his foes till they rise no more.

Benjamin: Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders.

Joseph: May the Lord bless his land with the precious dew from heaven above and with the deep waters that lie below.

Zebulun: Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out, and you, Issachar, in your tents.

Gad: Blessed is he who enlarges Gad’s domain! Gad lives there like a lion, tearing at arm or head.

Dan: Dan is a lion’s cub, springing out of Bashan.

Naphtali: is abounding with the favor of the Lord and is full of his blessing; he will inherit southward to the lake.

Asher: Most blessed of sons is Asher; let him be favored by his brothers, and let him bathe his feet in oil. The bolts of your gates will be iron and bronze, and your strength will equal your days.

Blessed are you, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you, and you will tread on their heights.

After all the warnings, this last blessing looks forward to a great and glorious future for Israel. From the historical allusions to the different tribes that had settled, maybe the 11th century, Simeon is not mentioned; his people were later absorbed by Judah. The blessing begins and ends with praise to God, the source of all security and prosperity for his people.

Why?

Blessing to Levite and Joseph is longer than others.

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摩西在死以前，特別為以色列人祝福！

神非常愛他的百姓，把律法賜給他們，因為這是以色列人的產業，不是土地。我們基督徒也是一樣，神的話最重要，是我們的資產。

流便在約旦河東南邊是摩押人，所以祝福他們人數不要減少。

猶大將有耶穌、大衛出來，所以祝福他們。求他們聽耶和華的聲音、禱告。因為要做首領、做王

利未人責任是獻祭、教導律法、帶領奉獻。神要他們來傳誦、宣告神的旨意。他們要明白、知道神的話語。

約瑟的地位高於其他國家，也高於其他支派。連土地、天氣都為他們效力。神給他們有特別多的託付。

西布倫是商人，以撒迦是農人。他們會召聚列邦來傳揚福音。

迦得善於爭戰。對弟兄有義，願意為弟兄打仗。

但人充滿活力，參孫來自但。拿弗他利，土地是牛奶與蜜之地。亞瑟物產豐盛與其他支派有好關係。北方有敵人，所以門閂（門閂或作：鞋）是銅的，鐵的。

永生的神是你的居所；他永久的膀臂在你以下。神為了扶起人，願意卑微手在人以下，才能扶起人。

以色列人是有福的。神對每個支派有不同的祝福，也有不同的託付。神對我們也有不同的，各方面的祝福，給人不同的責任。神絕對不會不管任何一個屬神的人。當年神如何祝福以色列各支派，今天也會賜福我們每個教會！我們應該像迦得一樣，不僅我們得到祝福，也讓更多人得到祝福。

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How?

Your strength will equal your days, so obey the word of the Lord in our daily life.