# 10 2024 Dev. Ge. 48:3-4. God’s Grace! Read all of chapter forty eight first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.
Ge. 48:3-4 “Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty[a] appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there he blessed me 4 and said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful and increase your numbers. I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.’”
Chapter 48 Is about the covenantal blessings given to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob now about to be passed on to Jacob’s sons. This chapter begins with Joseph and his sons.
Vs.1-7 Jacob, now being old was not well, but when Joseph heard about it he showed up with his two sons and Jacob revived. Jacob starts this covenantal blessing transfer with Joseph as well as starting with God choosing him.
It is about God’s grace. Isaac was aware of God’s choice of Jacob over Esau even before they were born but Issac was set on blessing Esau. Jacob and Rebecca’s deception got Jacob the blessing but it cost him. He was fleeing Esau when God approached him at Bethel (Luz). He was the most undeserving person for God’s grace but even at this time Jacob accepted God’s blessing conditioned upon God’s care for him and to bring him back to his father’s house.
Jacob continues what God Almighty told him; “I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.” Now the blessing becomes redemptive. This covered Joseph and Joseph’s two sons, and it covers us. The promised land is for all who follow God’s Son as part of the everlasting covenant of His blood.
Jacob claims Manasseh and Ephraim as his own, “Just as Reuben and Simeon are mine.” Think about Reuben and about Simeon, it becomes clear that Reuben and Simeon are replaced by Joseph’s sons.
Vs.8-20 “Then Israel said,’ bring them so I may bless them.” Here again God’s grace comes into play. “The Angel who delivered me from all harm – may he bless these boys.” Joseph realized that Jacob blessed the younger boy with his right hand, “he was displeased; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head.” But Jacob refused, “I know, my son, I know” he will become great but “his younger brother will be greater than he,” God’s grace is on both sons but the younger one is chosen.
“In your name will Israel pronounce this blessing: ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’”
Vs.21-22 “Then Israel said to Joseph, ‘I am about to die, but God will be with you and take you back to the land of your fathers.’” Indeed they would go back to the land but not in Joseph’s time. His bones would be laid to rest in the land but his soul, his spirit, would be in the promised land.
Jacob gives Joseph a ridge, a slope of land that he took with his bow and his sword from the Amorites. Yet, Jacob was a passive domestic individual, not like Abraham who had a standing fighting force. Jacob spent most of his time dealing with domestic issues, not his desire, he only wanted Rachel, but Laban by his greed wanted to keep him around, he saw that God blessed Jacob. He used deception to keep Jacob indebted to him. The conflict of the two sisters that were his wives moved him into a situation where he had four wives. Not Jacob’s choice but God used all that in his life and his family to be who he wanted them to be.
The only conflict the family was involved with was at Shechem. Jacob condemned what his sons did, but now he sees it in a different light, understanding that God gave this land to Abraham, Isaac and to him. So Jacob passes it on to Joseph and to the rest of the family. It is God’s grace and the covenantal blessing in Christ, that reaches us today, Praise be to God!
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