The Blessings Genesis 48,49

Sermon Nuggets Mon Jan 21 The Blessings  -Gen 48,49

The Blessings

            As one of the volunteer chaplain for the Cambridge Hospital, I sometimes contact family members to inform them of an accident or death of a loved one. When someone is in serious or critical condition the family and closest of friends come.  Although I cannot explain it, more times that not when someone is near death and an out of town son or daughter is coming, I marvel at how many linger on to life until their family members arrives and then passes away.

            Joseph, in spite of all his responsibilities, needed to leave the palace in Egypt to the region of Goshen in order to see his dying father, Jacob. He brought with him his two oldest sons.      When Jacob, also called Israel, saw his favorite son and his grandchildren he perked up.

He wanted his family to hear his last words.

            If you were on your death bed what things would you want to tell you family? Most will share love, the positive memories, instructions of what to do when they’re gone, and often some personal word of encouragement or fear. It can be a very intimate time.

Jacob wanted them to know his spiritual journey.

One of the memories of being in a nursing home was to hear some stories told over again by residents of the "good ole days". Many of the stories I had heard so many times that I could tell them too. If I had the time I’d listen even though I knew the story, but I also realized the person was reliving those times and enjoying the moment now as one reminisced about the past.

We may see Jacob simply rambling here. I'm sure the story he told was not a new story. But we shouldn't miss what he is doing: he is passing life on to his children and grandchildren. He is giving them a sense of history and heritage. We've lost that sense of history by being only concerned about the present.

It is not uncommon for those who might be near death for me to ask how they came to know Christ as their savior. Are they sure they are going to heaven? Do they want to be sure?               

Jacob tells the stories of God and how he met the Lord at Luz. He speaks of the importance of a God relationship. A parent who is close to God wants to pass on to his or her children a spiritual heritage. The only things you can take to heaven with you are your children, if they are prepared. All else is left behind.

When Jacob testified that the Lord had been his shepherd all along, he did not deny his sufferings. But now he has come to see them in a different light. While our Shepherd “makes us lie down in green pastures”, He also is with us as we “walk through the valley of the shadow of death”. Jacob has come to see that every event in his life was a part of the will of God for him and that God was guiding him and shaping him through adversity.

A mature Christian can look back on his life and see that God can take the pains and pressures of life and cause them to work together for good in his life and ultimately draw one near to Himself through them. We naturally want to shun suffering. But as we grow in the Lord we find that closest and most important lessons are learned in adversity: “… that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; …” (Philippians 3:10).

One of the best things you can do is pass your story on to others. One of the surprising things to me was when my mother joined the Church here at Stanchfield. As long as I knew her she was a member of the Highland Park Baptist Church in Detroit. I knew that she grew up in the Brethren movement. Members would sit around a circle until the Spirit of God would move one of the men to say something and or move someone to sing something and share something.

I always thought mom was saved as a child either in grandfather’s home or in one of those meetings, but I never heard her salvation story until she joined here in 1988. She attended a youth group in a Presbyterian church in Colorado Springs because the brethren never had youth meetings. At one of the meetings a speaker gave the gospel story and she responded by faith in Jesus Christ. She was later baptized when she was to join a Baptist Church.

Do your children and grandchildren know the story of your spiritual pilgrimage? What a blessing for children and grandchildren to know how you came to grace. It is helpful to learn of how you have seen God's faithfulness demonstrated in your life. So, share your stories. Take time to build a sense of history into those you love.

Pastor Dale

Tues Jan 22 Spiritual Blessing

Gen 48: 11 Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too.”

12 Then Joseph removed them from Israel’s knees and bowed down with his face to the ground. 13 And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel’s left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head, though he was the younger, and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.

15 Then he blessed Joseph and said,“May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,

16 the Angel who has delivered me from all harm —may he bless these boys. May they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they increase greatly    upon the earth.”

17 When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim’s head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 Joseph said to him, “No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”

19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.” 20 He blessed them that day and said,

“In your name will Israel pronounce this blessing: ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’” So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

21 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. 22 And to you, as one who is over your brothers, I give the ridge of land I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.

Sharing the Spiritual Blessing.

Jacob is reminded of the spiritual blessing and prophecy from God to Abraham, Isaac and now to him. God reaffirmed the promise.  “I will make you fruitful and increase your numbers. He will be a community of people and give you this land as an everlasting possession to your descendants.”

While Rachel was the younger of his wives, she died prematurely on the way to Ephrath (Bethlehem). By inference, had she not died so early in life she would have presented Jacob with many other sons. The adoption of Ephraim and Manasseh provided Jacob with two more sons, technically “through Rachel.” The promise of God at Bethel in combination with the preference of Jacob for Rachel provides the backdrop for the adoption of Ephraim and Manasseh. In addition to this must be mentioned the faithfulness of Joseph to the God of his fathers, even while in a foreign land and in adverse circumstances. He, as the savior of his people, surely was worthy of the favor his father bestowed upon him.

So Jacob adopts his grandkids, Josephs two eldest. They will be on equal for the divine blessing as the first two eldest: Reuben and Simeon. Any other children of Joseph will inherit what Joseph has. But they will not have an allotment of the Promised land to their tribes and descendants. 

            As Jacob is to bless them he kisses them and embraces them. He marvels at the grace of God for taking care of Joseph and giving him back so he can see him again. Part of the ritual of a blessing or anointing is to lay hands on one’s head or shoulders, or to anoint with oil over the head or forehead. He prays that God will bless them, as he was blessed by his father, Isaac. These grandsons are to be looked upon with divine favor as part of the covenant of the promise, as offspring of Jacob on par with the legal heirs.

            As is the case in most cultures, the firstborn is to receive the greater blessing, but that was not so with Ishmael and Isaac. The idea of the second receiving the greater blessing or honor is also part of a theme in the Bible. Think of Cain and Able, nor Jacob and Esau. Prophetically it was the second Adam; understand when one began the first race of mankind and the other the redeemed race of mankind in Christ Jesus So in this way Ephriam, the second born, is blessed above Manasseh. Your heritage will be great in the prophetic plan of God.

            If you look at one of those maps in the back of your Bible and see a map that shows the areas given to the twelve tribes you will notice there are twelve tribes, but you don't see the name of Levi (they were the priests and given land in each tribe) or Joseph, but you do see the names of Ephraim and Manasseh. They were included as the 12 tribes of Israel.

One of the popular books a few years ago was the Blessing by Gary Smalley. It was related to the Old Testament blessings that the fathers would give toward their sons and daughters. It implied the importance of blessing them as well as praying for them. It is also a healing book for those who longed for a closer relationship with ones parent but it never happened. If you have been blessed by someone's word or have ached for such a blessing, you know what that blessing can mean. So we should realize that we can give a blessing to others by affirming character strengths by acknowledges a job well done, you can write your child, a friend, a mate, a family member a letter telling them how highly you regard them.

God's blessing came in this way because God wanted us to know that His blessing comes by grace and not merit. God was concerned that we understand that salvation is not something that is given to us because of birth order, IQ, gender, race, appearance, natural ability, or personal achievements.

 In the choice of Ephraim above Manasseh the principle of election is clearly illustrated, for Jacob’s choice is not conditioned by selfish motives. Jacob must have believed that God chose him over Esau because he could do more for God than his brother could. Now, at last, Jacob has realized that God chose him over Esau simply because He purposed to work through him, not Esau. There was no earthly reason why Ephraim should be placed above Manasseh, but this is why Jacob’s actions had great meaning. While society may have concluded, for practical reasons, to assign privileges according to the order of birth, God is not bound to such conventions. God is not obliged to act “traditionally” or according to our expectations. That is the prerogative of a God who is sovereign. Jacob, at last, has come to see this and has symbolically given testimony to his grasp of the principle of divine selection.

We also see that God blesses as He sees fit. I don't know why some people get great hair others get bald. I don't know why some are artistically gifted and others are not. I don't know why some people seem to have everything go their way while others don't seem to have anything go theirs. At times I am just as confused as Joseph. I think God is surely mistaken. But He's not. God knows what He is doing. God gives to each of us as "he determines" by his purpose.

Pastor Dale

Weds- Sermon Nuggets Weds Jan 23 The Personal Blessings

Gen 49: Then Jacob called for his sons and said: “Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come.

2 “Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel.

3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power.

4 Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father’s bed,

    onto my couch and defiled it.

5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers— their swords are weapons of violence.

6 Let me not enter their council, let me not join their assembly, for they have killed men in their anger     and hamstrung oxen as they pleased.

7 Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel!

I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse them in Israel.

Sharing the Personal Blessings

            We continue in the 49^th chapter and reflect on the blessings and curses of the others. It is kind of like reading of the will. Everyone is going to get something, but not equally. Depending on circumstances and treatment some get more than others.

As I mentioned yesterday God’s grace is given not always in comparison to our actions. But that is not to say our actions are without consequences or blessings as well. This is especially true with people. Yet even though God works his will through people, how people respond has an effect on them and others. Living for God and being godly always brings about more blessings that those who rebel, live sinful lives, and ignore the principles of the Word of God.

Reuben. In Jacobs blessings some are prophetic. Some illustrations may be profitable in our own lives. We don't know what Reuben was expecting. As the oldest he would normally be made the leader of the family and granted twice the inheritance of the other sons. Not this time,

Jacob affirms that Reuben holds a special place in his heart by virtue of the fact that he was the firstborn. But the sins of the past have disqualified him from blessing in the future. You might remember that In Genesis 35 soon after Rachel died, Reuben became sexually intimate with Rachel's servant (and the mother of his brothers Dan and Naphtali). All the text tells us is that Jacob heard about it. We don't know why Reuben did this. Some suggest that Reuben hoped to make Bilhah someone despised by his father and Reuben, in his warped sense figured that his mother Leah, would then be the most cherished.

His adultery with Jacob's own concubine demonstrated his uncontrollable passion for sin - thus the comparison of Jacob's next words, You are “Unstable as water”. Water can lie dormant or move with such uncontrollable force destroying whatever is in it's path. On the stove, water can be visibly calm or boiling uncontrollably. That was Reuben! He was uncontrollable "unstable" as water. He allowed his passion to drive his actions. Not a good trait for the future leader of Israel.

As one writer indicated, “The tribe (Reuben) produced NO significant man, NO judge, NO king, NO prophet.” So much for the potential of dignity and power sacrificed for one moment of passion. The same is true of us who are his children, (Those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as their \personal savior). We may mess up, but one fact remains, we are his children. We may miss out on specific blessing, but by default (redeemed by Jesus Christ) we have the blessing of being a child of God and participate in the blessing of our eternal inheritance. But what other responsibilities we get in the kingdom do relate to our life here after we are saved.

            So we move to sons two and three, Simeon and Levi. Jacob blesses them together,

“Simeon and Levi are brothers— their swords are weapons of violence. Genesis 49:5-7
 In this blessing Jacob refers back to the events of Genesis 34. In that chapter we read of the deceptive way that Simeon and Levi conspired to slaughter the Shechemites because Shechem was intimate with Dinah, their sister. When Hamor (Shechem's father) asked for Dinah to be his son's wife, Simeon and Levi told them that all the men would have to be circumcised. When they were recovering from their surgery they slaughtered all the men and looted the town and took all the women. It was a violent, disproportionate act. Jacob had not approved of their actions.

It must be said that Simeon and Levi were wrong in what they did. They sought revenge, not righteousness; they were motivated more by pride than purity. They acted deceitfully.

Jacob may now look back upon this incident as being prophetic of the future possession of Canaan by Israel. That land will not be purchased, but it will be taken by force. The Canaanites are to be driven out and annihilated because of their great wickedness and immorality:

The lesson from these men is that we cannot live recklessly. It does affect our inheritance. Because of their wickedness they will be “divided and scattered”.  The Result? They will receive no independent tribal territory but their descendants would live scattered among the other tribes. By the time the Israelites were just about to enter Canaan the Simeonites were the weakest tribe. They received only a few cities within the land of Judah instead of their own territory. Eventually they lost identity among Judah.
           

The Levites also did not receive a grant of land but Joshua eventually gave them several cities to live in among other tribes. But they had gained the favor of God when Moses returned from Mt. Sinai and witnessed the worship of the golden calf. The Levites stood with Moses. Similar to Reuben, the descendants to Levi and Simeon suffer for their sin, they will suffer because of their sin but they are still blessed by retaining a place in the chosen family and may enjoy in the promises as Jacob's heir.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Thurs Jan 24 Personal prophecies

Gen 49: 8-21“Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you.

9 You are a lion’s cub, O Judah;  you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down,   like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?

10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,  nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.

11 He will tether his donkey to a vine,  his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes.

12 His eyes will be darker than wine,  his teeth whiter than milk.

Sharing the Personal Prophecies

JUDAH -The first three brothers are disqualified from their position and now the mantle falls to the fourth child, Judah. The words to Judah are powerful, perhaps even staggering. The picture is clear. The tribe of Judah will be a victorious tribe. Judah's descendants will be victorious in battle and will reign over the others. The descendants of Judah will be prosperous. So prosperous that the vines for wine will be so plentiful that they will use them for common purposes like: tethering their donkeys or washing their clothes.

And though we might not pick these same images, this seems like a blessing any of us would desire for our own children: victory, success, leadership, and prosperity.

Jacob also makes a bold declaration: "The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his." Judah foretells that the Kings of Israel will come from Judah.

And if you know the history of Israel, you know that stating with Saul, David and Solomon every King came from the tribe of Judah. And if you read Matthew 1 verse 2 you see that Jesus was from the tribe of Judah. After Christ, there have been no Kings. So, even now in the book of Genesis, Jacob is pointing to Jesus as the rightful ruler. He is the one who will not only be King over Israel but over the nations!

The great thing about these words to us is this: It shows us that God has a plan. From the first sin in Genesis three, God has been pointing His people to a Savior. And He points us in the same direction. We have the advantage of the added testimony of Christ's life, death and resurrection. We have the testimony of those who traveled with Him and were transformed by Him. Even in Genesis the spotlight is on Jesus. He is the One we have been needing. He is the one we have been longing for. It is not something some guy dreamed up like most of the religions of the world. This is what God has been preparing from the foundations of the earth.

           

            Not a lot is said about the rest, but we’ll comment on them briefly:

 .ZEBULUN :vs. 13 “Zebulun shall dwell by the haven of the sea; He shall become a haven for ships, And his border shall adjoin Sidon.” Although Zebulun is never shown to have waterfront property in the Bible, he eventually does obtain territory between the Mediterranean Sea and the Sea of Galilee - a thriving commercial territory. An important caravan route passed through his territory connected Mesopotamia and Egypt.

            ISSACHAR : vs 14,15 “Issachar is a strong donkey, Lying down between two burdens; He saw that rest was good, And that the land was pleasant; He bowed his shoulder to bear a burden, And became a band of slaves.” Issachar will gravitate toward the agricultural lifestyle “strong donkey”. But like a donkey will be forced to work for others. "lying down between two burdens...” “becoming a brand of slaves”. In fact, his descendants settle in the lower part Galilee - an attractive and productive farming spot. They were sometimes subject to invading armies which may constitute the reference to forced labor.

            DAN : vs16-18 “Dan shall judge his people As one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent by the way, A viper by the path, That bites the horse's heels So that its rider shall fall backward.”  Dan would be a judge in Israel and partially came to pass during Samson’s judgment. However, when we get to judges we'll see that the tribe of Dan is the first to practice of idol worship (idolatry) in a significant way thus they act as a serpent to the rest of the tribes. The tribe of Dan started out well. In modern day terminology, they were going to church each week. They tithed. They even helped serving in the church.
            They could have been that model couple you are sitting next to. There are far too many published incidences of a pastor or youth pastor who are doing a great job, but get involved in some sexual scandal. That is an account of someone that started well, and finished poorly. You can probably think of dozens, both public figures and personal friends who have demonstrated similar moral character as the tribe of Dan.
           

The next three sons have very brief prophecies. GAD, ASHER, & NAPHTALI :

Vs 19-21 “Gad, a troop shall tramp upon him, But he shall triumph at last. Bread from Asher shall be rich, And he shall yield royal dainties. Naphtali is a deer let loose; He uses beautiful words."

           

Gad is to be effective in battle. As one author indicates, “3 of the 6 Hebrew words in vs. 19 are a play on the name “Gad” (attack). Gad will be attacked by a raid of attackers but he will attack. Apparently, border raids were common for tribes that settled east of the Jordon River.”

Asher would enjoy fertile soil and provide rich food. Naphtali’s descendants would be a free mountain people - “deer let loose”. They would also be praised by others. In Judg. 5, Deborah praises them for risking their lives, “on the heights of the field”.

Of course the prophecies deal with the offspring, the generations that follow. As God develops his nation to represent his work on earth, he wants the nation to know He is sovereign. He knows the beginning from the end. He does as He  wills. When they look back on these Scriptures 500 years later they will marvel that God has all time in his hands, and all people would do well to listen and follow all of Scripture.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Friday Jan 25 Personal Affirmation

Gen 49: 22-28

Sharing Personal Affirmation

There is no question that Jacob's favorites were the sons , Joseph and Benjamin born from of his favorite wife. Likewise God chooses whom God chooses. He choose the Jews. He chooses various people to be raised up to be his prophets and kings and priests and now his royal family in Christ. 

            JOSEPH  (22-26) “Joseph is a fruitful vine,    a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall.

23 With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility.

24 But his bow remained steady,  his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, because of your father’s God, who helps you,  because of the Almighty, who blesses you with blessings of the heavens above,   blessings of the deep that lies below,  blessings of the breast and womb.

26 Your father’s blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains,  than the bounty of the age-old hills.

Let all these rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince among his brothers.

There is not a great need for more explanation to what we have read. The underlining prophecy is obvious, considering what we know of this middle aged man. He receives the blessing that was meant for Reuben. References are made to his other brother’s hatred toward him but he remained strong. As a result, “The Almighty will bless you with blessings of heaven above. Blessings of the deep that lies beneath, Blessings of the breasts and of the womb...” All the personal prophecies of Joseph as a lad came true. The brothers did bow down to him. He was a ruler. He saved his family and his people. God was good and his chosen instrument was faithful to God all his life in good times and in bad. He never gave up.

            Then there is the youngest, Joseph’s full brother, Benjamin. The last of his sons, Genesis 49:27 “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; In the morning he shall devour the prey, And at night he shall divide the spoil.”
            The tribe of Benjamin produced many warriors in Israel's history. (Ehud, Saul, Jonathon to name a few.) and demonstrated a warlike character among the tribes.

After such a dramatic moment. God adds an exclamation point to the situation. Look to verse 33 “And when Jacob had finished commanding his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.” He died. We’ll pick that up next week.

I know you may be asking, "as fascinating as this history is . . . so what? I remind you that Paul says the stories of the Old Testament happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. (! Cor. 10:11)

Jacob's family is a living testimony that within the same blood line there is both righteousness and wickedness. The challenge is to be a Joseph or a Judah in the midst of Reubens (a society with uncontrollable sexual desire) OR Simeons (people driven anger, revenge, unforgiveness.) Or Dan -starting out well, but finishing poorly as they exchange their worship of Jesus Christ with the worship of things, money, power, relationships.
           

There is a hope in the story of Levi. Once a murderer with Simeon and later chosen to serve as Priests on behalf of the tribes of Israel. A story of change. This tribe typifies for us the changing power of God in a person's life.
           

There is encouragement in the story of Judah. God provided the promise of the Messiah right in the middle of a godless society and family. The expectation of the Messiah is sprinkled throughout the Old Testament. Jesus Christ, the “owner of the scepter was prophesied among a sinful family. He actually came, lived, died, and rose again during a sinful society. In the same power and presence He is still invading our sinful society with the transforming power of his love.

           

There was a concert pianist who gave a concert in Carnegie Hall. He played for the people and when he finished the people stood to their feet and applauded. The man should have been elated but instead he was in tears. When asked what the problem was he said, "My teacher was in the first row of the balcony and he did not applaud." When the blessing is withheld from the most significant person the blessings of others mean little.

The most important application here is one of blessing, promise, and hope. These men were to be leaders of nations. They didn't have to remain as they were. They could have chosen to change and pursue God.
           

Many of you crave the blessing of a parent, or a mate, or a mentor. But I suggest that the blessing that you most crave is the one that comes from the Lord. And I want you to know today that you matter to God. He has loved you from before you born. He knows you better than you know yourself yet He considers you to be a person of infinite value and incredible potential. He knows the failures and the sin. And He gave His Son for those sins all because He loves you and wants you to be His.

           

I know you may still yearn for earthly blessings. The applause of others is gratifying. But I want you to know that all the earthly blessings will be hollow if you do not get His. Friend, His arms are open. He is willing. All you need to do is turn from your past and come to Him. God offers you the blessing you have longed for all your life. So now it is up to you to believe it and receive it and then share it with others.

Pastor Dale