Blessings?

Genesis 49

My NIV has Chapter 49 under the heading "Jacob Blesses His Sons."  Think I'd have gone the other way if I were Reuben or Simeon or Levi or Issachar or....  Sounds more like fortune telling or maybe natural consequences for their life styles rather than blessings. 

Jacob (Israel) shares these blessings with his children on his death bed.  I wonder about how those who received blessings that were not blessings grieved.  How did those blessings affect the rest of their lives? 

Joseph gave his sons instructions and then was gathered to his people.  What exactly does this mean...."gathered to his people."  I'm assuming we're talking eternal life.  After all, what kind of gathering could the dead have?  The dead don't gather together, but the living do.  So in spite of all the mistakes they made; in spite of all that I perceive as poor parenting in the lives of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, even though they have died, they live?

Just another reminder that it is not by works, but by faith that we are saved.  We are reconciled to God and the whole communion of Saints in the Kingdom of God through faith alone.