17 But Joseph was upset when he saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head. So Joseph lifted it to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 “No, my father,” he said. “This one is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”
19 But his father refused. “I know, my son; I know,” he replied. “Manasseh will also become a great people, but his younger brother will become even greater. And his descendants will become a multitude of nations.”
20 So Jacob blessed the boys that day with this blessing: “The people of Israel will use your names when they give a blessing. They will say, ‘May God make you as prosperous as Ephraim and Manasseh.’” In this way, Jacob put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.
21 Then Jacob said to Joseph, “Look, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will take you back to Canaan, the land of your ancestors. 22 And beyond what I have given your brothers, I am giving you an extra portion of the land that I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow.”
Genesis 48:17-22 (NLT)
Reverse Blessing?
Yesterday, Jacob put his hands on Joseph’s sons and blessed them with the same blessing. But he reversed the order. Tradition was the right hand for the primary blessing – which should go to the oldest. Jacob knew what he was doing. It must have been revealed to him from the Lord somehow that the younger, Ephraim, would receive the greater blessing from the Lord. He has done this before – even with Jacob (through deception). He also did the same later, as with King David (1 Samuel 16:11).
This shows us what? The Lord is not constrained by man’s traditions. It also shows us He chooses whom He will bless and to what extent.
Enhanced blessing
Then Jacob enhances the blessing by declaring that there would be a blessing in Israel given from one to another, “May God make you as prosperous as Ephraim and Manasseh”. A sure indication that these two sons of Joseph would indeed be blessed. “Jacob assumed, in his blessing, that his family would increase and possess the land of Canaan. This optimism reveals his faith.” (planobiblechapel.org)
Double blessing
Finally, Jacob tells Joseph that he has a double blessing of land – over his brothers. How? We noted previously that by replacing Joseph with his sons through adoption his descendents would get two shares vs. Joseph’s original one share.
Joseph as a Picture of Jesus
Check out this link for a cool comparison of Joseph to Jesus. A friend of mine used something like this at a Seder dinner last Easter.
RЯeflection
- Let’s be sure to not put God in a box made by our own assumptions and expectations. God can, and does, do whatever He pleases – He is God in the Heavens! (Psalm 115:3)
- Has a brother or sister in Christ been blessed more than you? Do you feel jealous or “ripped off”? Check your pride. Be sure also to count your own blessings from the Lord…and it may surprise you what the Lord has done.
