Dan – Tenth Tribe / Tevet – Tenth Month
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At the start of the winter season, we begin the month of Tevet. The tribe of Dan is associated with Tevet.
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In scripture accounts we know that each tribe received (over the course of time) three pronouncements made upon them which marks the tribes distinct attributes; first, the naming of the son; second, the blessing by Jacob and third, the blessing by Moses.
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Let’s look at the pronouncements for Dan. His mother was Bilhah (handmaid to Rachel) but it was Rachel who named him. She said "God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan." (Gen 30:6). Thus Dan means ‘judge’.
Jacob’s blessing upon Dan: “Dan will avenge his people, the tribes of Israel will be united as one. Dan will be a serpent on the highway, a viper by the path, that bites a horse’s heels so its rider falls backward. For Your Salvation do I long, O LORD.” (Genesis 49:16-18)
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The Blessing Moses gave to Dan: “Moses said this about Dan” “Dan is a lion’s cub that jumps out from Bashan.” Deuteronomy 33:22
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These pronouncements provide insight about this tribe and the influence of this tribe to the whole nation of Israel.
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Over the centuries, a number of the scribes admit to uncertainty about Jacob’s blessing upon Dan. Many consider his blessing to be reflective of one significant person from this tribe – Samson. They contend that Jacob was given a vision into the future of Dan and he saw Samson. We know Samson’s story, he did judge Israel (Rachel’s naming), and he did avenge his people plus the tribes of Israel did unite for a time with Samson.
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Yet many consider Jacob’s blessing to be meant for the whole tribe. It was the whole tribe who fulfilled the role as the unifier of Israel by being the rear guard when the whole camp would set out following the pillar of cloud and fire. The act of being a rear guard is all about gathering the entire remnant and keeping them together as one. Literally, there were stragglers in the camp who needed protection, which is what the tribe of Dan did, by keeping the stragglers together and repelling the attacks of marauding nations with venomous results.
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Like Judah (the first tribe to break camp), Dan was the next most populous tribe and being such a large company of people was a strong reason for rear guard duties. In many ways, this was a collaborative work between Dan with the tribe of Judah while they travelled. The understanding of collaboration between these two tribes is strengthened with the account of the two men assigned by the LORD to build the tabernacle; Betzalel of the tribe of Judah and Oholiav of the tribe of Dan. (Exodus 35:30-34)
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The blessing that Moses gave to Dan adds to the collaborative nature between Dan and Judah. Judah is identified as a lion and Dan is like a lion’s cub, acting as like a lion but without the royal authority which Judah had. Even though Dan didn’t have royal authority, he was effectual in his service to Israel, because he was also likened to a snake/serpent/viper. Thus Dan was not a typical lion’s cub; to enhance his youthful energy and zeal to serve and protect, he has the attributes of a viper which makes him lethal.
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How does this tie in with the month of Tevet? Calamities happened in this month. In Ezekiel 24 we have the parable of the pot, which was filled with water and the choice portions of meat (v1-14). This parable is about Jerusalem and the unholy decadent lifestyle of the peoples. With all the iniquities festering within, God allowed the Babylonians to invade and besiege Jerusalem (verse one). What day was that? It was Tevet 10, 589-588 BCE. This is the beginning of the story of Hanukkah, the festival that has its triumphant ending in the month of Tevet.
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Other calamities happened during this month as well, so we can see that this month is a dark month. Even today, we feel the darkness of this month in a spiritual sense as we struggle against the invasion of the co-called ‘holiday spirit’, which is a spirit of conflict more than anything else. This type of calamity along with any physical type of calamity (such as anti-Jewish/Hebrew/Messianic crimes) is like marauding nations attempting to attack the stragglers of the camp. If we translate this image to our day and age, these stragglers can be likened to those of us known as the Remnant, for we are scattered all over this world, making us easy pickings for marauders.
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Who has Yah established to be our rear guard, to be a hedge of protection and unite us? It is God Himself – Isaiah 52:12 and then again in Isaiah 58:8 which is a very appropriate scripture for the final days of Hanukkah – “Then your light will break out like the dawn, and your recovery will speedily spring forth; And your righteousness will go before you; The glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.”
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Just as the tribe of Dan was charged with the responsibly as the rear guard of Israel in the wilderness, we can get some valuable insight into how our great God is our rear guard as we live in the ‘wilderness’ we call ‘this day and age’. He is all the tribes rolled up in one which is another way of showing the collaboration between the tribes, highlighting that in this month with the collaboration between Dan and Judah. He is our Judge and He strikes out at marauders with venomous speed. He is also our King and rules with the authority of a powerful lion. No one dares to challenge Him. Just as Hanukkah is a triumphant story and climaxes with a very bright light, so too is God’s people in this month of Tevet. Through the attributes of Dan we can see how our LORD enables us to be triumphant and bright in this time of darkness as we walk in the wilderness. And as Matthew 10:16 states, "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents (a reference to the attributes of Dan) and innocent as doves.” Hallelujah!!
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Next: Asher - Eleventh Tribe / Shevet - Eleventh Month
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