Title: NAPHTALI: ALL FLAIR AND TALK BUT LITTLE SUBSTANCE

Focus: Naphtali’s story and tribal history underscore that we must avoid empty talk by responding to God’s Word and presence with repentance, faith, and obedience.

Function: To encourage the people to avoid the trap of religiosity or sanctimonious talk by living and speaking with Christ-like integrity and seriousness of mind.

Texts: Genesis 49:1,2,21; Matthew 11:20-24 (Gen. 30:1-8; Matthew 11:1-19)

The other day I read about a preacher somewhere in the South, who was arrested by the police while he was preaching a sermon on forgiveness to a small group of parishioners. I imagine that over the years, numerous people in that region of the South must have heard him speak beautiful words and eloquent sermons, filled with religious terms and devotional warmth and godly piety. Perhaps he also was known for his flair and pizzazz.

Yet, now that the truth is coming out about this preacher, his repertoire of riveting sermons turns out to be nothing but empty talk. What happened? The police discovered that this man murdered his wife three years ago, and placed her body in a freezer at home. Just think, while speaking on forgiveness and other beautiful biblical themes all these years, this man was covering up his murderous tracks. He was all flair and talk, but it turns out that his words contained little substance.

Flair but no substance, empty talk—these characteristics are common today, not only among preachers but also among parishioners. Perhaps you know of a parishioner you may have met years ago: he loved to hear good preaching; he always showed a deep interest in theology and biblical truth; and he was known for his devotional habits of prayer and bible studies. It was only after his death that people discovered that he had abused his daughters and embezzled money from his clients. All talk, all flair, but no truth, no integrity, and very little substance.

This preacher and this parishioner I told you about would have fit into the tribal clan of Napthali. I say that because Napthali’s story and tribal history underscore that we must avoid empty talk by responding to God’s Word and presence with repentance, faith, and obedience. Naphtali’s profile in Scripture encourages us to avoid the trap of religiosity or sanctimonious talk. We must learn to live and speak with Christ-like integrity and seriousness of heart and mind.

Let me say a few things about Napthali’s birth, his life, and his blessing pronounced upon him by his father Jacob.

When Rachel’s slave, Bilhah, bore Jacob another son, Rachel claimed the boy as her own legal son. And Rachel said: “I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won.” Now these are impressive words from a woman who has struggled with her own infertility, and with her rivalry of envy between her and her sister, Leah.

Rachel has been in competition with her sister to gain the love and loyalty of Jacob, their mutual husband. It has been an ugly wrestling match for primary approval and love from Jacob. At this point of the rivalry, Rachel feels victorious. So, she names the newborn child: “Naphtali,” which means “wrestlings,” or “my struggle.”

The name “Naphtali” has a beautiful ring to it--a ring of dignity, of style, and aesthetic form or flair, perhaps. But when you really think about it, there is nothing noble or positive about Rachel’s struggles. Later in life, for example, Jacob would wrestle with God and finish the wrestling match with a blessing and a new name from God: “Israel” (which means: “he struggles with God”). Rachel’s struggle is on a much different plateau than Jacob’s.

Rachel’s struggle centers on power plays and selfish rivalry among two sisters. Rachel is not leaning upon God’s blessings! Rachel is not resting in God’s timing. Rachel likes to take things in her own hands, to “clobber” her sister, and to win the contest of jealousy between her and Leah. Naming her child “Naphtali” is more flair and talk. Rachel sanctifies her rivalry or wrestlings with a stylish name. The name, however, contains little substance or spiritual integrity.

When it comes to Naphtali’s story of life, the Bible tells us very little. Jewish tradition, however, tells us that Naphtali was a swift runner—like a deer. Tradition also tells us that Joseph chose Naphtali, along with 4 other brothers, to represent the family of Jacob in the presence of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Jewish tradition also tells us that Naphtali died at the age of 132. And Genesis 46:24 tells us that Naphtali had four sons. That’s all we know about Naphtali’s personal history.

But there is something telling in Jacob’s blessing to Naphtali. When Jacob was about to die, he blessed Napthali, saying:

“Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns.”

These words carry flair; they are poetic, and highly aesthetic. These words in the Hebrew language, however, are also very difficult to translate into plain English.

The Hebrew carries a number of nuances, and translators must make difficult choices. For example, the N.I.V (in a footnote) suggests an alternative translation of Jacob’s blessing to Napthali: “Naphtali is a doe set free that utters beautiful words.” The old K.J.V reads: “N. is a hind let loose; he gives goodly words.” And the N.A.S.B has Jacob say: “N. is a doe let loose; he gives beautiful words.”

I, for one, will stick with the translation, “he utters beautiful words.” I do so in light of Naphtali’s story and tribal history, which underscore that we must avoid the trap of religiosity or sanctimonious words. Rather, we must respond to God’s Word and presence with repentance, faith and obedience.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Let’s ponder, for example, the juxtaposition of Jacob’s blessing to Naphtali and Jesus’ curse upon Korazin, Capernaum and Bethsaida. Jacob uses the image of a deer to pronounce his blessing upon Naphtali. The image of a deer suggests grace, beauty, form, something that is aesthetically pleasing to the eye. The image of a doe presents loveliness and pleasure. In fact, the image leads us to artistic values, culture, haute couture, and high society. The image suggests finesse, sophistication, learnedness and open-mindedness.

Clearly, if Jacob had used the image of an elephant or an ox or a donkey, the picture of Napthali and his tribal future would reveal different “colors” or shades of meaning. The doe, however, points to elegance, flair, and popular approval; a doe is pleasing to the eyes. Jacob’s dying words to Naphtali certainly are complimentary—a blessing.

We should not minimize that blessing. Centuries later, for example, when Moses has come to the end of his life, he echoes Jacob’s blessing and pronounces a blessing on Naphtali’s tribal clan as they are ready to inherit the promised land:

(Deut. 33:23) “Naphtali is abounding with the favor of the Lord and is full of his blessing; he will inherit southward to the lake.” Here Moses alludes that Naphtali’s tribe would populate the region called “Galilee.” Near Lake Galilee Naphtali’s descendents would inhabit cities such as Capernaum, Bethsaida, and Korazin. That region of Galilee has much to offer: luscious fields, a famous trade route, and a strategic military advantage to maintain security in the land.

God, through Jacob and Moses, blesses Naphtali and his descendants. And some of Naphtali’s descendents show faith and flair in the life of Israel. In the book of Judges, for example, (4:4ff), we learn that the prophetess, Deborah, called for Barak “son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali.” Deborah wants Barak and his men to fight and eliminate Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, so that Israel would experience rest from her enemies.

Barak shows religious awareness and a devout spiritual strength when he said to Deborah: “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.” What Barak was saying is this: You, Deborah, represent the Word of the Lord in the land. I want the power and presence of the Lord to go with me as I fight the enemy. Barak is like a deer who knows that what really matters is NOT flair and talk, but the protective care of a buck or stag—in this case, the protective care of the Lord God of Israel.

Another descendant of Naphtali with great artistic flair and style and culture is Hiram. Hiram is an artist who has mastered the craft of pouring bronze metal into huge, gracious shapes and forms. King Solomon summons him to come to Jerusalem and help build the artifacts for the temple of God: bronze pillars, a network of interwoven chains, capitols on top of the pillars poured into the shape of lilies.

Hiram made stands, a huge basin for washing and water rituals in the temple. He decorated the bowl-shaped capitols on top of the pillars in the temple with four hundred pomegranates made from bronze. Hiram was a doe, the master craftsman from Naphtali. Truly, Hiram is the finest artist Israel has ever known, producing beautiful, aesthetic art and forms for the temple of God. Hiram is a son of Naphtali who captures and personifies the blessing of Jacob: “Naphtali is a doe set free that gives birth to lovely fawns (or, that utters beautiful words).”

But when high culture, artistic value, sophisticated learning, and flitting curiosity laced with snobbish wrestling WITHOUT integrity, without substance, without devotional warmth and spiritual rigorous dependence upon God’s Word shows its ugly head, we see another side of Naphtali—a side we must avoid at all cost.

Consider, for example, Jesus’ curse upon Korazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum.

These are three prominent cities in the territory of Naphtali during Jesus’ days. Jesus has made Capernaum his headquarters; it’s in Naphtali’s territory that Jesus spoke the “sermon on the mount.” The people of Naphtali heard Jesus’ divine, heavenly words; they welcomed the words and recognized their flair and beauty. Yet, they refused to welcome Jesus in their hearts.

It was in Capernaum that Jesus lived and worked for a large part of his ministry. He called fishermen to follow him; he turned the heart of a tax collector in Capernaum; there Jesus healed the centurion’s son; there he touched Peter’s mother-in-law and healed her; there he cast out unclean spirits; he gave hope to a paralytic by healing him; and there in Capernaum Jesus raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead. Yet, the people of Naphtali in the region of Galilee rejected Jesus’ himself.

Recognizing beauty and aesthetic power, being curious and open-minded, they liked Jesus’ flair and wonders; they liked to listen to his beautiful words; they were all ears, all talk. But when it came to Jesus (who is the substance of all the miracles he performed and of all the words he spoke), they rejected Jesus and made mockery of him.

They are unrepentant, disobedient, and faithless in response to Jesus’ words and ministry in their midst—all flair, all talk, but little substance. And Jesus warns them, as he warns us today: Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! And woe to you, Capernaum.” Tyre and Sidon (which are pagan, Gentile cities) yes, even Sodom and its Sodomites, would have responded to me differently than you have done to me. My miracles and my authoritative word would have swayed them to repent, to believe and to serve me.

Jacob’s blessing juxtaposed with Jesus’ curse pertaining to Naphtali underscore that we must avoid empty, sanctimonious talk and religious double-speak. Repentance, faith, and obedience, Christ-like integrity and seriousness of heart and mind—these are the characteristics that bring delight to Christ and blessings to God’s people.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Centuries ago, young Prince Tut Ankh Amon was an important Pharoah in the land of Egypt. About one hundred years ago, they found his grave. The entire world oohed and awed over the golden, jewels-laden death mask of King Tut: its shape, its craftsmanship, and its beauty—why have we ever seen such a thing before! What flair! What style! What form!

But does anyone ever bother to ponder what’s under the mask? What’s there? What do you see? A skull partially turned to dust. Under the magnificent mask of King Tut there is very little substance. In fact, there is nothing but death.

Politicians often fall into the trap of flair, but no substance. Pastors also sometimes fall into that trap: all eloquence, but little substance. And parishioners and pew-listeners may ooh and awe about their pastor’s sermons, but do they respond with repentance to God’s Word? Do they act upon God’s Word with faith? Is obedience and love and service part of their praise of Biblical teachings and sermons?

We should not despair, however. Jesus found fishermen and ardent followers among the people of Napthali. He finds them also today, also here at Calvary Church. Therefore, consider Jacob’s blessing on Naphtali; ponder Jesus’ curse. Then yield to Christ; turn to him in faith; love him with all your heart, soul, and mind. And walk with him all throughout life with integrity, graciously--like a deer-- avoiding the traps of religiosity and sanctimonious talk.

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.