Genesis 49:1-8 At the ripe old age of 147, Jacob

has learned some things about the character of his twelve sons.

These final words by him to them are not without a father's

intimate family knowledge. However, his words are more than a long

goodbye; they serve as a prophetic survey regarding what will

become of these men through their descendants. God, who alone

"declares the end from the beginning" (Isaiah 46:10), declares

through Jacob's final words to his sons a mandate for all

generations. All must bow to His authority and rest in His

grace.