THOUGHTS ON GENESIS 48
Two very notable things ministered to me as I contemplated this chapter.
1. The Power of the blessing
3And Jacob said unto Joseph, GOD ALMIGHTY appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, 4and said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession. 5And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine.
15 And he blessed Joseph, and said, GOD, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the GOD which fed me all my life long unto this day, 16the Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.
Jacob hungered and will do anything to receive the blessing because he knew that true and lasting prosperity is through the blessing and not in physical prosperity. Esau was blind to this revelation and settled contented with physical prosperity.
This blessing was from GOD to Abraham and transferred to their children by the laying on of hands and words of declarations, from father to son
Here, Jacob recounted to Joseph how GOD confirmed this blessing by HIMSELF when HE appeared to him in Canaan.
This same word of blessing was what Jacob pronounced over and transferred to Joseph and Ephraim and Manneseh, as he was about to die.
Because the blessings of GOD are from father to children and not to grandchildren, Jacob had to adopt Ephraim and Manneseh as his sons. And this blessing kept these two half tribes prospering over the centuries, even above the other tribes, despite their several shortcomings
I pray for us that we will understand that the blessings of GOD is by far more than money can ever give and just like Jacob, may we understand the necessity of searching for and holding on to GOD’s blessing above all else.
2. Hoping against hope
11And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, GOD hath shewed me also thy seed.
The devil thought he had given Jacob a death blow by taking away Joseph, but GOD kept him till the day of his manifestation. And Jacob never knew. GOD will keep in good stead all we commit into HIS hands and will preserve all HE has blessed us with despite adverse circumstances..
The secret things belong to GOD. Never say die because GOD isn’t yet through with us. No matter how hopeless a situation is, when we turn it over to GOD, by and by we will get to see that GOD returns the situation in manifold blessing….In HIS time, HE makes all things beautiful.
22 “Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow”. This verse is quite enlightening.
Jacob went ahead to get a land and keep for him who was supposed to be dead! Does it mean that somehow in the corner of Jacob’s heart, he believed Joseph was alive?
From verse 4,Jacob did not hear GOD mention any loss, rather HE promised him fruitfulness and multiplication The death of Joseph was not part of this covenant. So despite the “death” of Joseph, Jacob kept a flicker of hope and went ahead to stake his life and conquer that land for Joseph and waited…
Just like his grandfather before him, who was willing to obey the instruction to sacrifice his only son because he knew the GOD who called him and told HIM that “in Isaac shall his seed be called” ( Gen 21:12b), is not a liar and can raise the dead.
Maybe, it was the same faith that Jacob had that made him dare acquire a land for a ” dead son”,
Days, months, years went by, it finally paid up
This is.a great lesson of faith for all of us. You may not know when or how but GOD will definitely bring it to pass, if we faint not.
